The Tonight Show
The show originated as a local New York City late night program in June 1953 and went onto the network in September 1954. Throughout the summer of 1956, Steve Allen was the only host. When Allen's prime-time series debuted in the summer of 1956, he limited his appearances on this show to Wednesday through Friday and a series of guest hosts filled in until 1 October 1956 when Ernie Kovacs took over as permanent host for the Monday and Tuesday broadcast. Kovacs had his own set of entertainers, i.e., Wendell, Hanley, Arthur and Loden. The last show was broadcast on 25 January 1957."Tonight's" first monologue was given with Steve Allen seated at the piano: "In case you're just joining us...this is Tonight...and I can't think of too much to tell you about it, except I want to give you the bad news first: this program is going to go on forever. I wouldn't call it a Spectacular....you might say it's more a Monotonious ."
- 1953-1957
- 3 seasons
- WNBT New York City
- Comedy, Music, Talk & Interview
- TV-PG
The show originated as a local New York City late night program in June 1953 and went onto the network in September 1954. Throughout the summer of 1956, Steve Allen was the only host. When Allen's prime-time series debuted in the summer of 1956, he limited his appearances on this show to Wednesday through Friday and a series of guest hosts filled in until 1 October 1956 when Ernie Kovacs took over as permanent host for the Monday and Tuesday broadcast. Kovacs had his own set of entertainers, i.e., Wendell, Hanley, Arthur and Loden. The last show was broadcast on 25 January 1957."Tonight's" first monologue was given with Steve Allen seated at the piano: "In case you're just joining us...this is Tonight...and I can't think of too much to tell you about it, except I want to give you the bad news first: this program is going to go on forever. I wouldn't call it a Spectacular....you might say it's more a Monotonious ."
Season 3 Episode Guide
97 Episodes 1956 - 1957
Episode 1
Guest Host: Morey Amsterdam; guests: Stan Getz, Barbara Lea, Jack Haskell, Florian Zabach, Clifford Guest, Mildred Hughes, Carolyn Porter
Mon, Sep 10, 1956
Episode 2
Guest Host: Morey Amsterdam; guests: Diahann Carroll, Jack Haskell, Dick Hyman, Beatrice Kraft
Tue, Sep 11, 1956
Episode 3
John Carradine, Maynard Ferguson, Barbara Carroll and 41-voice Mexican boys' choir
Wed, Sep 12, 1956
Episode 4
Chester Morris, Al Hibbler, Bobby Dukoff
Thu, Sep 13, 1956
Episode 5
Joe Venuti, Erin O'Brien, Jacques Cousteau, Theodore, the Barbara Carroll Trio
Fri, Sep 14, 1956
Episode 6
Guest Host: Tony Randall; Guests: Alice Pearce, Louis Nye, Jack Haskell, Felicia Sanders, Sid Radner, Enid Mosier & her Trinidad Steel Band
Mon, Sep 17, 1956
Episode 7
Guest Host: Tony Randall; Guests: Louis Nye, Alice Pearce, Jack Haskell, Peggy Connelly, Rey de la Torre, Red Allen & band
Tue, Sep 18, 1956
Episode 8
Arthur Treacher, Martha Davis & Spouse
Wed, Sep 19, 1956
Episode 9
Jimmy Caesar, Kuda Bux
Thu, Sep 20, 1956
Episode 10
Barbara Carroll & trio, Buddy Hackett, Theodore
Fri, Sep 21, 1956
Episode 11
Guest Host: Tony Randall; Guests: Diahann Carroll, Alice Pearce, Louis Nye, Jack Haskell, Dick Hyman
Mon, Sep 24, 1956
Episode 12
Guest Host: Tony Randall; Guests: Virginia Graham, Felicia Sanders, Alex Kalleo & His Jazz Trio
Tue, Sep 25, 1956
Episode 13
Salute to Switzerland
Wed, Sep 26, 1956
Episode 14
Rosario Morales, Boyd Raeburn
Thu, Sep 27, 1956
Episode 15
Jackie & Roy
Fri, Sep 28, 1956
Episode 16
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Jean Shepherd
Mon, Oct 1, 1956
Episode 17
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs
Tue, Oct 2, 1956
Episode 18
Robert Harrison, Jay Breen, John Crosby, Max Lerner
Wed, Oct 3, 1956
Episode 19
A Salute to Billy Rose
Thu, Oct 4, 1956
Episode 20
Josh White
Fri, Oct 5, 1956
Episode 21
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Ferrante & Teicher
Mon, Oct 8, 1956
Episode 22
Ferrante & Teicher
Tue, Oct 9, 1956
Episode 23
Josephine Calderon, the Amazing Garcias, the Bud Shank Jazz Quintet
Wed, Oct 10, 1956
Episode 24
Jim Henson & Puppets, Bob Hall
Thu, Oct 11, 1956
Episode 25
Terry Gibbs, Roberta Lynn, Benny Walker
Fri, Oct 12, 1956
Episode 26
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Dorothy McGuire
Mon, Oct 15, 1956
Episode 27
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Dorothy McGuire
Tue, Oct 16, 1956
Episode 28
Guest Host: Gene Rayburn; Guests: Kurt Baum, Billy Gilbert, Erin O'Brien
Wed, Oct 17, 1956
Episode 29
Ray Bolger, Bennett Cerf, Erin O'Brien
Thu, Oct 18, 1956
Episode 30
Charlie Ventura, June Taylor, Charlie Manna
Fri, Oct 19, 1956
Episode 31
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs
Mon, Oct 22, 1956
Episode 32
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Louis Jordan, Neva Patterson, Julia Meade
Tue, Oct 23, 1956
Episode 33
Salute to Israel
Wed, Oct 24, 1956
Episode 34
Rosaria, Jimmy Nelson
Thu, Oct 25, 1956
Episode 35
Aline MacMahon and Paul Sharpe in a scene from "Pictures at an Exhibition"
Fri, Oct 26, 1956
Episode 36
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Joe E. Brown, Lord Burgess & His Penny Whistle Band
Mon, Oct 29, 1956
Episode 37
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Dorothy Donegan
Tue, Oct 30, 1956
Episode 38
Theodore
Wed, Oct 31, 1956
Episode 39
Charlie Manna
Thu, Nov 1, 1956
Episode 40
Erroll Garner
Fri, Nov 2, 1956
Episode 41
Drew Pearson, Lew Parker
Wed, Nov 7, 1956
Episode 42
Signe Hasso, Kurt Baum
Thu, Nov 8, 1956
Episode 43
The Wanderers
Fri, Nov 9, 1956
Episode 44
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Dorothy Lamour, Barbara Carroll
Mon, Nov 12, 1956
Episode 45
Dinah Washington
Tue, Nov 13, 1956
Episode 46
Anita Ramos, Mario Escudero
Wed, Nov 14, 1956
Episode 47
Blackstone the Magician, the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Quintet
Thu, Nov 15, 1956
Episode 48
Iva Kitchell
Fri, Nov 16, 1956
Episode 49
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Geoffrey Holder
Mon, Nov 19, 1956
Episode 50
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Lehman Engle
Tue, Nov 20, 1956
Episode 51
Signe Hasso, the Cy Coleman Trio
Wed, Nov 21, 1956
Episode 52
The Amazing Garcias
Thu, Nov 22, 1956
Episode 53
Dizzy Gillespie, J.J. Johnson & the Jazz All-Stars
Fri, Nov 23, 1956
Episode 54
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Robert Maxwell
Mon, Nov 26, 1956
Episode 55
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: The Barbara Carroll Jazz Trio, a department store choir, an escape artist
Tue, Nov 27, 1956
Episode 56
A Salute to Switzerland
Wed, Nov 28, 1956
Episode 57
Erin O'Brien, Don Tannen
Thu, Nov 29, 1956
Episode 58
Wendell Corey, Erin O'Brien, Conn & Mann
Fri, Nov 30, 1956
Episode 59
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs
Mon, Dec 3, 1956
Episode 60
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: The Clovers
Tue, Dec 4, 1956
Episode 61
The Billy Taylor Jazz Trio
Wed, Dec 5, 1956
Episode 62
Arch Oboler, Ilomay Bailey, Lee Sims
Thu, Dec 6, 1956
Episode 63
Charles Laughton, the Diane Marsh Dancers
Fri, Dec 7, 1956
Episode 64
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Paul Badura-Skoda
Mon, Dec 10, 1956
Episode 65
Guest host: Ernie Kovacs; guest stars: Allen Funt, Hazel Scott
Tue, Dec 11, 1956
Guest host: Ernie Kovacs; guest star: Allen Funt.
Episode 66
From Miami: guests: Jack Walsh, Page & Bray
Wed, Dec 12, 1956
Episode 67
From the Fontainebleu Hotel in Miami with guests: Florian Zabach, Gene Baylos
Thu, Dec 13, 1956
Episode 68
From the Americana Hotel in Miami Beach
Fri, Dec 14, 1956
Episode 69
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Eddie Fisher, Lowell Thomas, The Ink Spots
Mon, Dec 17, 1956
Episode 70
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Buddy Weed, Lynn Taylor
Tue, Dec 18, 1956
Episode 71
Guest Host: Gene Rayburn; Guest: Nancy Malone
Wed, Dec 19, 1956
Episode 72
Salute to composers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane
Thu, Dec 20, 1956
Episode 73
David Ross
Fri, Dec 21, 1956
Episode 74
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: John Hoppe
Tue, Dec 25, 1956
Episode 75
Margaret Brill
Wed, Dec 26, 1956
Episode 76
Vivienne Della Chiesa, Walt Kelly
Thu, Dec 27, 1956
Episode 77
New Year's Eve Celebration
Fri, Dec 28, 1956
Episode 78
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; New Year's Eve Celebration
Mon, Dec 31, 1956
Episode 79
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Will Holt, Erroll Garner, John Hoppe
Tue, Jan 1, 1957
Episode 80
Peggy Connelly, Lester Young
Wed, Jan 2, 1957
Episode 81
Ray Bolger, Rita Moss
Thu, Jan 3, 1957
Episode 82
Sal Mineo, Joe Louis
Fri, Jan 4, 1957
Episode 83
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Murray Kaufman
Mon, Jan 7, 1957
Episode 84
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Toni Arden, Sol Schiff & Oliver Gal
Tue, Jan 8, 1957
Episode 85
Bernie West
Wed, Jan 9, 1957
Episode 86
Don Knotts
Thu, Jan 10, 1957
Episode 87
Rory Calhoun
Fri, Jan 11, 1957
Episode 88
Jim Moran, Modern Jazz Quartet
Mon, Jan 14, 1957
Episode 89
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guest: Ray Eberle
Tue, Jan 15, 1957
Episode 90
Claire Luce, Mark Murphy, Abby Minclom
Wed, Jan 16, 1957
Episode 91
Charles Laughton, Bobby Troup, Bill Neff
Thu, Jan 17, 1957
Episode 92
Edmond O'Brien, Eli Mintz
Fri, Jan 18, 1957
Episode 93
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; Guests: Maureen Arthur, Peter Hanley
Mon, Jan 21, 1957
Episode 94
Guest Host: Ernie Kovacs; guests: Maureen Arthur, Peter Hanley
Tue, Jan 22, 1957
Episode 95
Bill Neff, Kitty Dolan, Don Elliott & his Jazz Group
Wed, Jan 23, 1957
Episode 96
Cuban entertainers
Thu, Jan 24, 1957
Episode 97
Finale with guests Sammy Davis, Jr., George Gobel, Jonathan Winters, Audrey Meadows, Jayne Meadows, Peter Lawford, Buddy Hackett, Dave Garroway, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Hy Gardner, Milt Kamen
Fri, Jan 25, 1957 60 mins
Today is the Finale with guests Sammy Davis, Jr., George Gobel, Jonathan Winters, Audrey Meadows, Jayne Meadows, Peter Lawford, Buddy Hackett, Dave Garroway, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Hy Gardner, Milt Kamen.