Stage Show (TV series)
| Stage Show | |
|---|---|
 Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey as hosts, 1955. | |
| Directed by | Frank Satenstein |
| Starring | Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey (hosts 1954-55) Jack Carter (host 1956) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Production | |
| Producer | Jackie Gleason Productions |
| Camera setup | multi-camera |
| Running time | 60 minutes and 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS-TV |
| Release | July 3, 1954 – September 18, 1956 |
Stage Show was a popular music variety series on American television originally hosted on alternate weeks by big band leaders and brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Produced by Jackie Gleason, the CBS-TV show included the first national television appearances by Elvis Presley.
The series began as a one-hour show on July 3, 1954 as a summer replacement for The Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason brought it back in the fall of 1955 as a half-hour show and scheduled it from 8–8:30 p.m. ET in the time slot Prior to his own series, The Honeymooners, on Saturday nights.
In 1956, Jack Carter, a frequent guest, became the permanent host. The June Taylor Dancers made regular appearances. Bobby Darin made his national TV debut on the program in early 1956, singing "Rock Island Line".
The show's final telecast was September 18, 1956, only two months before the death of Tommy Dorsey. Brother Jimmy lost his life in June of the following year.
Elvis Presley appearances
Introduced by Cleveland, Ohio disc jockey Bill Randle, Presley first appeared on January 28, 1956, performing "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Flip, Flop and Fly" and "I Got a Woman". He made five more appearances during the next eight weeks:
- February 4: "Baby Let's Play House" and "Tutti Frutti"
- February 11: "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Heartbreak Hotel"
- February 18: "Tutti Frutti" and "I Was The One"
- March 17: "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Heartbreak Hotel"
- March 24: "Money Honey" and "Heartbreak Hotel"
These shows were preserved on kinescopes and released on home video.
References
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1992), The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, Ballantine Books, ISBN 0-345-37792-3.
- McNeil, Alex (1996), Total Television, Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
External links
The following public domain episodes can be viewed on the Internet Archive: June 27 1956, March 31 1956, April 21 1956,