The First Ever CBS Television Series…’Tonight On Broadway’

On October 13, 2014 - TV History

The First Ever CBS Television Series…’Tonight On Broadway’

There is not very much information on this show, but here’s one thing we know for sure…the CBS remote trucks in New York got a workout. Each week, it was broadcast from the theater in which the featured Broadway show was playing…not a television theater or studio.

‘Tonight on Broadway’ was the first series to be broadcast over the newly formed CBS Television Network. It was a weekly half hour program that aired from 1948 to 1950. The debut was April 6, 1948, featuring the original Broadway cast of the musical ‘Lend an Ear’ and aired from 7 till 7:30 Sunday nights. Some list ‘Mr. Roberts’ on April 20 as the debut. Two months later on Sunday nights at 8, ‘Toast Of The Town’ with Ed Sullivan debuted.

The host was drama critic John Mason Brown, who had worked for the New York Evening Post and The Saturday Review. Usually, an abbreviated scene from the show was included along with an interview of the cast members and it was all live and on location with a live audience at a different theater each week. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee

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3 Comments

  1. Steve Dichter October 13, 2014

    Here’s the text from the book ” The Complete Directory of Prime Time Network TV Shows”:

  2. Rob Kates October 13, 2014

    I love these old ticket stubs.

  3. Albert J. McGilvray October 13, 2014

    CBS’s history says a broadcast of “Mr. Roberts” with Henry Fonda was their first broadcast. I have the book at home. I’ll get the info.