How’s This For RARE? ‘Tonight’ Show, Debut Ad
On October 15, 2014
- TV History
How’s This For RARE? ‘Tonight’ Show, Debut Ad
Thanks to Maureen Caney, here is a print ad that ran Sunday, September 26, 1954 announcing the debut of ‘Tonight’ With Steve Allen, the next night. The first guests to ever appear on ‘Tonight’ were Martha Raye and The Inkspots.
On September 27th of this year, ‘Tonight’ turned 60, but to my amazement, nothing was said about it and there was no celebration. Tony Bennett was on the show that night and even though he was on Johnny Carson’s debut show, not a word about any of the show’s proud history was mentioned. Thanks to Maureen, there are more interesting ads to come. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee
I was in the army in 1957/ 58 at the Army Pictorial Center in NY and went to the Steve Allen show and became a fan of Steve later when I worked for ABC-TV in LA I went to his home to do an interview for GMA.
I was only 7 years old in 1954. It’s funny, I must have seen it at least a couple of times because I remember his Knickerbocker Beer commercials…”Knock-knock for Knickerbocker.” I did go on to love his 1962 show for Westinghouse Broadcasting. I thought Steve Allen was great and was really saddened when he left us.
Gee. There NEVER has been anyone like Steve Allen on TV… and that includes all the hosts who stole his routines. Golden days: For a while, Steve Allen and Ernie Kovacs alternated late-nights on NBC. Heaven.
This picture reminds me how much I miss Steve, His like we will never see again. Sniff.
David Sechrest. I worked at WTTV.. I.turned down an offer to jump to WISH., but took a Corinthian offer to go to KHOU. I lived across the street from WISH next to WTHR and also across Meridian from WRTV. The affiliation switch must be huge news!
He is still one of my heros.
Tonight wants to appeal to young hipsters – that’s where they see the money.
Too many young people in TV today don’t understand or appreciate the history.