60 or 90 minute talk shows

[chris12]

From what I understand back in the 70s Mike Douglas, Dinah, and I beleive Merv Giffin all had their talk shows offered in either 60 or 90 minute formats. How different were the two versions? Was the 60 minute version the 90 minute version with opening and closing monologues edited out perhaps? Also, in the late 80s-early 90s ABC was offering a shorter version of the Home Show for affiliates to carry, was that the same way?

 

[hammondo]

Mike D's "opening" and Merv's (Arthur Treacher said "from the little theatre in Time square....MERRRRRRVIN!") were NOT usually a monologue, nor were they generally very long. They usually opened about the guest that day (or that week) and brought them on. I tought alot of the MIDDLE was cut for the "hour" program.

Opening; Mike may have sung a song (that could have been cut for the 60). Merv bantered with Arthur Treacher (even on the 60 - as I believe WNBQ, Chicago may have gone 4-5pm mid 1960's with that version) and the raspy voice trumpet player (name forgotten).

I NEVER saw a Mike 60, because WGN always ran the 90, sometimes at 10:30-noon, sometimes 1-2:30pm).

Didn't channel 32, Chicago run the 90 min Merv (as did the Independent in Elkhart(whmb?)in prime time? The Elkhart station (may have gone dark...but wasn't it owned by a preacher?) also ran PTL, Rocky & His Friends/and some other 30 min cartoon ), Petticoat J and Green A evenings. I watched that in Columbia City.

I believe the Home Show worked like the Today show, as some affiliates used to NOT carry both hours. I only vaguely remember "Home" as I was a little kid then.

 

[bpatrick]

The "raspy-voiced trumpet player" on Merv's show
was Jack Sheldon, the guy who sang "I'm Just A Bill"
on a memorable (maybe the most memorable)
"Schoolhouse Rock."

IIRC, on the stations that carried Mike for an hour
the close would come wherever the show was at the
end of the first hour. For the 90-minute stations, the
close would include the guests from the last half-hour.
Merv, OTOH, had the same close for all stations, which
could be disconcerting for viewers in the hour markets,
since they hadn't seen some of the guests. My memory
is hazy because I usually got both shows for 90 minutes
(except that WFAA in Dallas carried only an hour of Mike).
I don't know about Dinah, since she was on for 90 minutes in
the markets where I lived (Atlanta and Dallas).

I do remember that Dick Cavett's 1968 ABC morning show
started at 10:30 AM (ET), but some affiliates joined it in
progress at 11. Viewers who got the full 90 minutes got
Cavett's monologue and first guests; viewers who got an
hour got the theme song, then Cavett in the middle of whatever
he was doing at the break just before 11.

Nevertheless, the hour show has been the rule ever since
Phil Donahue caught on and Johnny Carson cut "The Tonight
Show" to an hour.

 

[hammondo]

Thanks for that about Jack Sheldon.

I thought he was great. I DO remember him filling in for Merv a time or 2. I have an album of Jack's too. He played trumpet with Benny Goodman - WOW!

I remember coming home from early high school and watching Merv before my dad came home for supper. Sometimes I even fell asleep.