Day One Of ‘Today’
Day One Of ‘Today’
Below is a photo taken on January 14, 1952…the day ‘Today’ debuted. In pre-production panning, the show went by the title of ‘The Rise And Shine Revue’. Dave Garroway (shown here) was the original host and was joined by news editor Jim Fleming and announcer Jack Lescoulie when the show debuted. Legendary and pioneering NBC president, Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, chose Garroway as the host of his new morning news-and-entertainment experiment in 1951.
Garroway began his broadcasting career modestly. Starting at NBC as a page in 1938, he graduated 23rd in a class of 24 from NBC’s school for announcers. Following graduation, he landed a job at Pittsburgh radio station KDKA in 1939. After two years with KDKA, Garroway left for Chicago. Garroway was introduced to the national television audience when he hosted the experimental musical variety show ‘Garroway at Large’, telecast live from Chicago. It was carried by NBC from June 18, 1949, to June 24, 1951.
At the same time he did ‘Today’, Garroway also hosted a Friday night variety series on NBC, ‘The Dave Garroway Show’, from October 2, 1953, to June 25, 1954. On October 16, 1955, he began hosting NBC’s live Sunday afternoon documentary ‘Wide Wide World’, continuing with that series until June 8, 1958. Another Friday evening variety show, Dave’s Place, was on the air in 1960. He also hosted a WNBC radio show, Dial Dave Garroway, that went on the air as soon as Today wrapped up each morning. Dial Dave Garroway began in 1946 when Garroway was still working for WMAQ in Chicago.
When Today started, it was seen live only in the Eastern and Central time zones, broadcasting three hours per morning but seen for only two hours in each time zone. Since 1958, Today is tape-delayed for the different time zones. Partly to accommodate host Dave Garroway’s declining health, the program ceased live broadcasts in the summer of 1958, opting instead to broadcast an edition taped the prior afternoon. The experiment, which drew criticism from many sides, ended when John Chancellor replaced Garroway in July 1961.
For many years Today was a two-hour program, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in all time zones except for Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Virgin Islands, until NBC expanded it to three hours on October 2, 2000. A fourth hour was added on September 10, 2007.
I met Dave briefly once while he was in Boston doing his “Tempo” program.
I love the 50s design look. Spare, simple, and elegant.
Today in Two Minutes — Is that kind of like “the Eye Opener” on CBS This Morning Now.?
I’d love to see episodes of the early years of “Today’ available online. Today was part of a trio of shows that NBC launched in hopes of gaining viewers. The three shows were “Today”, “Tonight”, and “Home”. “Today” and “Tonight” are still with us. “Home” was hosted by the amazing Arlene Francis and lasted only 4 years.