WHDH Debut
Sunday 11/17/57 – this was supposed to be WHDH’s initial air date, and was published in TV Guide. It got pushed back due to weather delays with the tower. TV Guide kept channel 5 in the listings for the next 2 weeks because they could have debuted at any time the equipment was ready. Many of these ABC shows were not cleared previously on either WBZ or WNAC, hence the descriptions.
11:00a Christian Science – religion
11:15a Sacred Heart – religion
11:30a Faith for Today
12:00p On the Air Dedication (special) – Ch. 5 goes on the air officially today with Gov. Foster Furcolo and Mayor John B. Hynes (father of future Ch. 5 anchor Jack Hynes) participating in the ceremonies. On Film: Senior Sen. Leverett J. Saltonstall, Sen. John F. Kennedy and Under-secretary of State Christian A. Herter extend their greetings.
12:20p Movie – to be announced
01:30p N.E. Football – Curt Gowdy; Penn State vs. Holy Cross
02:00p Sugarfoot – Western; Will Hutchins stars in this one-hour Western series. This is a chronicle of the adventures of Sugarfoot, a nickname denoting one grade lower than a tenderfoot, an applied on this show to tall, gangling Tom Brewster, a cowboy with a habit of getting into scrapes. Today: “Brannigan’s Boots”. (Note: this was the season premiere that aired 9/17/57)
03:00p Pat Boone – variety; Pat’s guest is singer-actress Janis Page. Mort Lindsay is musical director.
03:30p Zorro – adventure; Guy Williams stars in this half-hour adventure series concerning the exploits of Zorro, mysterious masked rider pledged to put down injustice.
04:00p Real McCoys – comedy; Walter Brennan stars in this comedy series concerning the adventures of the McCoy family, who have moved from the hills of West Virginia to a ranch in California. Richard Crenna, Kathy Nolan.
04:30p Paul Winchell – variety
05:00p Tombstone Territory – a half-hour dram concerning the adventures of Clay Hollister, sheriff of hereafter. But Gramps isn’t ready to go, and he chases Mr. Brink away. Soon, Tombstone Territory. Today: “Gunslinger From Galeville”. Pat Conway stars.
05:30p Walter Winchell File – Walter Winchell is host and narrator of this half-hour dramatic series, based on his newspaper stories. Winchell is seen as himself in each episode, narrating the story. Today: “Country Boy”.
06:00p To Be Announced
06:30p Navy Log – drama; “PT109”. This is the true story of a wary exploit of U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. While on patrol in the Blackett Strait in the southwest Pacific, Kennedy’s boat is rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. Towing a wounded crew member, Kennedy and the crew swim three miles to a deserted island.
07:00p You Asked For It – Baker; 1. A demonstration of the art of firewalking. 2. Jack Walsh, Trenton, N.J., will attempt to hold back two automobiles for 15 seconds. 3. The story of the singing telegram. 4. George Vierheller, director of the St. Louis Zoo, and his animal friends. 5. A flight with the U.S. Air Force while a typhoon is in the making. (Film)
07:30p Maverick – western; “Stampeed”. Bret Maverick and his pal Dandy Jim talk backwoods boy Noah Perkins into challenging Battling Kruger to a boxing match. Bret and Jim plan to win money by wagering on Noah, but their plans go wrong and Bret himself is forced to fight the muscleman Kruger. James Garner, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. (Film)
08:30p Patrice Munsel – variety; Metropolitan Opera soprano Patrice Munsel greets guest star Eddie Albert. Together they sing “Getting to Know You”. The Martin Quartet will be a regular feature on the show. (Film)
09:00p Frank Sinatra – variety; Frank Sinatra, once known primarily as the singing idol of teen-agers, has since built a reputation as an actor and entertainer of wide appeal. His guests are comedian Bob Hope, songstress Peggy Lee and actress Kim Novak. (Film)
10:00p Colt .45 – Western; A half-hour Western series starring Wayde Preston as Christopher Colt, gun salesman in the Old West. Tonight: “The Peace-Maker”. Christopher Colt goes to Arizona to give a first-hand demonstration of his new fire-arms. (Film)
10:30p What’s My Line? (from CBS)
11:00p News – Walter Cronkite (from CBS)
11:15p Lawrence Welk – music
Tuesday 11/26/57 – actual first air date. TV Guide has been publishing their listings since 11/17, so what actually aired may have been different. The On The Air dedication show is not mentioned but may have been aired at some point during the day.
11:05a News
11:15a We Believe – religion (color)
11:30a For Women Only (color)
11:45a Farm and Food – Joe Kelly
12:00p Tic Tac Dough – quiz
12:30p It Could Be You
01:00p Closeup – interviews
01:30p Howard Miller (color)
02:30p Ray Dorey – variety
03:00p American Bandstand – music
03:30p Do You Trust Your Wife? – quiz
04:00p American Bandstand – music
04:30p The Edge of Night (from CBS)
05:00p Sir Lancelot – adventure; “The Pirates”. King Arthur and his men set off to capture a band of pirates, believing they are hiding out in a coastal town. Meanwhile, the pirates are just waiting for them to leave so they can raid the castle. William Russell, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Noel Percell, Derry Nesbitt.
05:30p Capt. Bob – kids (color)
06:00p Dateline Boston (color)
06:30p Frankie Laine – music
06:45p News – Huntley, Brinkley (from NBC)
07:00p News – John Day (color)
07:05p Weather – Cole (color)
07:10p Sports – Curt Gowdy
07:15p News – Doug Edwards (from CBS)
07:30p Sugarfoot – western; “Quicksliver”. Sugarfoot comes to the aid of a silver-mine owner who can’t meet his payroll because he’s been robbed. Will Hutchins. (Film)
08:30p Wyatt Earp – Western; “Fortitude”. Kate Holiday warns Wyatt of a plot to kill him while he speaks at a cattlemen’s convention. Wyatt goes ahead with the speaking arrangements even though he doesn’t know the identity of the would-be killer. He hopes his plan will work. Hugh O’Brien. (Film)
09:00p Broken Arrow – Western; “Bounty Hunters”. Cochise and Tom Jeffords travel to Mexico to find white men who kill Apaches for their scalps. John Lupton, Michael Ansara.
09:30p Telephone Time – drama; “Rescue”. Two sailors are exploring the jagged cliffs overlooking a remote California beach near Monterey. The earth suddenly gives way and one of the men falls to the rocks below. The other man goes for help to a nearby lodge, where he finds five telephone linemen who rush to the scene. They find the injured sailor far below them with the tide coming in. George Kilroy, Douglas Dumbrille. (Film)
10:00p West Point – drama; “The Harder Right”. Cadet Lee Tanner sees his roommate Cadet Garley cheating during an examination. He must decide between his personal feelings towards Garley and the rigid demands of the honor code. Rev. George Bean, chaplain at the Point, plays himself. Richard Jaeckel, Terence Kilburn, Steve Terrell. (Film)
10:30p Assignment Foreign Legion – adventure; “The Stool Pigeon”. Max Brecker, a prisoner of war in a Nazi camp during World War 2, is held responsible for the shooting of a group of prisoners who attempted to escape. Following the war he joins the Foreign Legion and meets again a fellow prisoner. Maurice Kaufmann, Donald Houston, Robert Arden. (Film)
11:00p News, Weather
11:15p Tonight – Jack Paar (from NBC)
Sunday 11/17/57 – this was supposed to be WHDH’s initial air date, and was published in TV Guide. It got pushed back due to weather delays with the tower. TV Guide kept channel 5 in the listings for the next 2 weeks because they could have debuted at any time the equipment was ready. Many of these ABC shows were not cleared previously on either WBZ or WNAC, hence the descriptions.
11:00a Christian Science – religion
11:15a Sacred Heart – religion
11:30a Faith for Today
12:00p On the Air Dedication (special) – Ch. 5 goes on the air officially today with Gov. Foster Furcolo and Mayor John B. Hynes (father of future Ch. 5 anchor Jack Hynes) participating in the ceremonies. On Film: Senior Sen. Leverett J. Saltonstall, Sen. John F. Kennedy and Under-secretary of State Christian A. Herter extend their greetings.
12:20p Movie – to be announced
01:30p N.E. Football – Curt Gowdy; Penn State vs. Holy Cross
02:00p Sugarfoot – Western; Will Hutchins stars in this one-hour Western series. This is a chronicle of the adventures of Sugarfoot, a nickname denoting one grade lower than a tenderfoot, an applied on this show to tall, gangling Tom Brewster, a cowboy with a habit of getting into scrapes. Today: “Brannigan’s Boots”. (Note: this was the season premiere that aired 9/17/57)
03:00p Pat Boone – variety; Pat’s guest is singer-actress Janis Page. Mort Lindsay is musical director.
03:30p Zorro – adventure; Guy Williams stars in this half-hour adventure series concerning the exploits of Zorro, mysterious masked rider pledged to put down injustice.
04:00p Real McCoys – comedy; Walter Brennan stars in this comedy series concerning the adventures of the McCoy family, who have moved from the hills of West Virginia to a ranch in California. Richard Crenna, Kathy Nolan.
04:30p Paul Winchell – variety
05:00p Tombstone Territory – a half-hour dram concerning the adventures of Clay Hollister, sheriff of hereafter. But Gramps isn’t ready to go, and he chases Mr. Brink away. Soon, Tombstone Territory. Today: “Gunslinger From Galeville”. Pat Conway stars.
05:30p Walter Winchell File – Walter Winchell is host and narrator of this half-hour dramatic series, based on his newspaper stories. Winchell is seen as himself in each episode, narrating the story. Today: “Country Boy”.
06:00p To Be Announced
06:30p Navy Log – drama; “PT109”. This is the true story of a wary exploit of U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. While on patrol in the Blackett Strait in the southwest Pacific, Kennedy’s boat is rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. Towing a wounded crew member, Kennedy and the crew swim three miles to a deserted island.
07:00p You Asked For It – Baker; 1. A demonstration of the art of firewalking. 2. Jack Walsh, Trenton, N.J., will attempt to hold back two automobiles for 15 seconds. 3. The story of the singing telegram. 4. George Vierheller, director of the St. Louis Zoo, and his animal friends. 5. A flight with the U.S. Air Force while a typhoon is in the making. (Film)
07:30p Maverick – western; “Stampeed”. Bret Maverick and his pal Dandy Jim talk backwoods boy Noah Perkins into challenging Battling Kruger to a boxing match. Bret and Jim plan to win money by wagering on Noah, but their plans go wrong and Bret himself is forced to fight the muscleman Kruger. James Garner, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. (Film)
08:30p Patrice Munsel – variety; Metropolitan Opera soprano Patrice Munsel greets guest star Eddie Albert. Together they sing “Getting to Know You”. The Martin Quartet will be a regular feature on the show. (Film)
09:00p Frank Sinatra – variety; Frank Sinatra, once known primarily as the singing idol of teen-agers, has since built a reputation as an actor and entertainer of wide appeal. His guests are comedian Bob Hope, songstress Peggy Lee and actress Kim Novak. (Film)
10:00p Colt .45 – Western; A half-hour Western series starring Wayde Preston as Christopher Colt, gun salesman in the Old West. Tonight: “The Peace-Maker”. Christopher Colt goes to Arizona to give a first-hand demonstration of his new fire-arms. (Film)
10:30p What’s My Line? (from CBS)
11:00p News – Walter Cronkite (from CBS)
11:15p Lawrence Welk – music
Tuesday 11/26/57 – actual first air date. TV Guide has been publishing their listings since 11/17, so what actually aired may have been different. The On The Air dedication show is not mentioned but may have been aired at some point during the day.
11:05a News
11:15a We Believe – religion (color)
11:30a For Women Only (color)
11:45a Farm and Food – Joe Kelly
12:00p Tic Tac Dough – quiz
12:30p It Could Be You
01:00p Closeup – interviews
01:30p Howard Miller (color)
02:30p Ray Dorey – variety
03:00p American Bandstand – music
03:30p Do You Trust Your Wife? – quiz
04:00p American Bandstand – music
04:30p The Edge of Night (from CBS)
05:00p Sir Lancelot – adventure; “The Pirates”. King Arthur and his men set off to capture a band of pirates, believing they are hiding out in a coastal town. Meanwhile, the pirates are just waiting for them to leave so they can raid the castle. William Russell, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Noel Percell, Derry Nesbitt.
05:30p Capt. Bob – kids (color)
06:00p Dateline Boston (color)
06:30p Frankie Laine – music
06:45p News – Huntley, Brinkley (from NBC)
07:00p News – John Day (color)
07:05p Weather – Cole (color)
07:10p Sports – Curt Gowdy
07:15p News – Doug Edwards (from CBS)
07:30p Sugarfoot – western; “Quicksliver”. Sugarfoot comes to the aid of a silver-mine owner who can’t meet his payroll because he’s been robbed. Will Hutchins. (Film)
08:30p Wyatt Earp – Western; “Fortitude”. Kate Holiday warns Wyatt of a plot to kill him while he speaks at a cattlemen’s convention. Wyatt goes ahead with the speaking arrangements even though he doesn’t know the identity of the would-be killer. He hopes his plan will work. Hugh O’Brien. (Film)
09:00p Broken Arrow – Western; “Bounty Hunters”. Cochise and Tom Jeffords travel to Mexico to find white men who kill Apaches for their scalps. John Lupton, Michael Ansara.
09:30p Telephone Time – drama; “Rescue”. Two sailors are exploring the jagged cliffs overlooking a remote California beach near Monterey. The earth suddenly gives way and one of the men falls to the rocks below. The other man goes for help to a nearby lodge, where he finds five telephone linemen who rush to the scene. They find the injured sailor far below them with the tide coming in. George Kilroy, Douglas Dumbrille. (Film)
10:00p West Point – drama; “The Harder Right”. Cadet Lee Tanner sees his roommate Cadet Garley cheating during an examination. He must decide between his personal feelings towards Garley and the rigid demands of the honor code. Rev. George Bean, chaplain at the Point, plays himself. Richard Jaeckel, Terence Kilburn, Steve Terrell. (Film)
10:30p Assignment Foreign Legion – adventure; “The Stool Pigeon”. Max Brecker, a prisoner of war in a Nazi camp during World War 2, is held responsible for the shooting of a group of prisoners who attempted to escape. Following the war he joins the Foreign Legion and meets again a fellow prisoner. Maurice Kaufmann, Donald Houston, Robert Arden. (Film)
11:00p News, Weather
11:15p Tonight – Jack Paar (from NBC)