September 20, 1962…”The Jack Paar Show” Debuts On NBC
On September 20, 2016
- TV History
September 20, 1962…”The Jack Paar Show” Debuts On NBC
When Jack Paar left the ‘Tonight’ show in the summer of 1962, he took a few months off, but returned to NBC in primetime with a weekly Friday night show.
Jack’s new show debuted on September 20, 1962, about two weeks before Carson’s “Tonight” debut. For the next three years, he owned the 10-11 ratings but ended the show in September of 1965. One of his favorite guests, on both shows, was Jonathan Winters. On this 1964 appearance, Paar told the audience to just watch what would happen when he gave Winters a simple stick as a prop. The rest is comedy history! Enjoy! -Bobby Ellerbee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwWDa1xPTPA
just a stick…. and woooooo there he goes…..
Great show, and Winters was an awesome talent.
Thank you for this. I have always been a huge fan of Jonathan Winters. I always thought of Robin Williams as a minime of Jonathan.
Thanks for clearing something up that I was wondering about, Paar’s ratings were good for the Friday night edition of what he called “The Jack Paar Program.” You said it won it’s time spot so Paar left TV on top and by his own choice? I have read accounts to the contrary, so I was confused about that.
Winters was a genius.
This is mostly what I remember Paar from. Even as a kid I remember not liking something that happened on the show. I’m pretty sure it was Jayne Mansfield, or some other blonde bosomy actress of the day. She was talking and an animated guy in a boat came across the screen and looked into her cleavage with binoculars. The audience roared but I found it disrespectful, especially from a man who seemed to hold himself up as pious.
That was the year I graduated from high school and started college.
Brilliant
This is by far, one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I love the way Jack Paar looks at him in awe.