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The Tonight Show

Original title: Tonight!
  • TV Series
  • 1953–19571953–1957
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
207
YOUR RATING
Steve Allen in The Tonight Show (1953)
ComedyMusicTalk-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 A... Read allThe 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... Read allThe 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 19... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
207
YOUR RATING
    • Steve Allen(co-creator)
    • Sylvester L. Weaver Jr.(co-creator)
  • Stars
    • Skitch Henderson
    • Gene Rayburn
    • Steve Allen
    • Steve Allen(co-creator)
    • Sylvester L. Weaver Jr.(co-creator)
  • Stars
    • Skitch Henderson
    • Gene Rayburn
    • Steve Allen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Episodes597

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    TopTop-rated

    Photos21

    Olivia Newton-John and Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Olivia Newton-John and Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Jay Leno and Eric Stonestreet in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Ray Voege in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Jay Leno in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Steve Allen and Gene Rayburn in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Steve Allen in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Steve Allen and Elaine May in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Lenny Bruce in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Jayne Meadows, Steve Allen, and Louis Nye in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Don Knotts in The Tonight Show (1953)
    Spike Jones in The Tonight Show (1953)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Skitch Henderson
    Skitch Henderson
    • Self - Bandleader…
    Gene Rayburn
    Gene Rayburn
    • Self - Announcer…
    Steve Allen
    Steve Allen
    • Self - Host…
    Steve Lawrence
    Steve Lawrence
    • Self - Singer…
    Eydie Gormé
    Eydie Gormé
    • Self - Singer…
    Andy Williams
    Andy Williams
    • Self…
    Pat Kirby
    • Self…
    Ernie Kovacs
    Ernie Kovacs
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Bill Wendell
    • Self - Announcer…
    Maureen Arthur
    Maureen Arthur
    • Self - Regular…
    Peter Hanley
    • Self - Regular…
    LeRoy Holmes
    • Self - Conductor…
    Hy Averback
    • Self - Guest Announcer…
    Patricia Marshall
    • Self - singer…
    Louis Nye
    Louis Nye
    • Self…
    Erroll Garner
    Erroll Garner
    • Self…
    Jonathan Winters
    Jonathan Winters
    • Self…
    Micki Marlo
    • Self - singer…
      • Steve Allen(co-creator)
      • Sylvester L. Weaver Jr.(co-creator)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The show began in 1953 as a local show on WNBT-TV, the NBC station in New York City. "Tonight!" began in 1954 when Sylvester L. Weaver Jr., the president of NBC, decided to expand the network's programming past the 11:00 p.m. local news. Weaver wanted his night-time entry to be something along the lines of Today (1952): some news and light features with interviews. Steve Allen was the original host and he remained with the show when it became a national show on September 27, 1954. The show aired live every night.
    • Connections
      Edited into Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius (1982)
    • Soundtracks
      This Could Be the Start of Something Big
      Written and Performed by Steve Allen

    User reviews1

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    The Birth of Late Night TV, and the start of a Dynasty
    When the world was filled with Wrestling or early Evenings after the news, Steve Allen gathered a bunch of comics (most of whom went on to great careers in their own right) and created the original Tonight Show. It was talk, it was skits. It was fun, and it was Steve Allen.

    I have only had a chance to catch clips of the show in reruns a few years ago, and the brilliance of the show shines through. While he would be eclipsed in years to come by Carson, Allen put together a solid show with no real weaknesses other than the fact that he found himself funny too often, and couldn't keep a straight face. (Yes, carson did that too, but he usually didn't fall down laughing) And unlike Carson, he depended a lot more on his supporting actors in the skits (both a + and a - for him).

    If you can ever catch "The Steve Allen Show" as it's sometimes labeled in repackaging ever, please do. you will thank yourself that you did.
    helpful•9
    0
    • medrjel
    • Feb 2, 2002

    Details

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    • Release date
      • June 1953 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Hudson Theatre - 141 W. 44th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Bristad Enterprises
      • National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 45 minutes
      • Black and White
      • Mono

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