THE TONIGHT SHOW: 1962-1972. WHAT STILL EXISTS?

[stdjsb25]

It is pretty much common knowledge that a huge majority of the first ten years of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show is known as lost, including his first show from 10/1/62, aside from audio and photos.

The question remains....how much material still exists? How many full pre-1972 episodes still exist? I know of one, the famed wedding of Tiny Tim and Miss Vicki (12/17/1969) still exists in its entirety. And the 1983 "Carson's Comedy Classics", confirms that some of the pre-1972 material still exist. But what else still exists?

 

[mleach]

I wonder if NBC gave the stars who had appeared on The Tonight Show their very own private copy of their appearance.with Johnny Carson? After all it was the "stars" who had bought the first VTRs on the market.

If NBC took this road who knows exactly what is out there.

 

[Stanislav]

I wonder if NBC gave the stars who had appeared on The Tonight Show their very own private copy of their appearance.with Johnny Carson? After all it was the "stars" who had bought the first VTRs on the market.

If NBC took this road who knows exactly what is out there.

I doubt any stars had 2" Ampex behemoths sitting in their dens...

However, some of them may have been early adopters of pre-VCR home video equipment (1/2" reel-to-reel, etc.). One notable example is Bob Crane who, though primarily using his for more...um..."salacious" material, also taped a lot of his appearances on different shows, or just other broadcasts that he wanted to save for some reason. There may well have been other stars who might have taped their Tonight appearances off-air for their personal use.

U-Matic (the Sony 3/4" institutional videocassette system that begat the 1/2" consumer Betamax) was available in the early 70s, and was quickly in widespread use for non-broadcast in-house recording at stations and networks, so maybe Tonight also knocked off a few copies of shows for guests set up for that format.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

I doubt any stars had 2" Ampex behemoths sitting in their dens...

Whoa! This was NBC. I'm sure they'd insist that if the stars just happened
to have a 2" VTR, it must be an RCA. <grin>

U-Matic (the Sony 3/4" institutional videocassette system...) was available in the early 70s, and was quickly in widespread use for non-broadcast in-house recording at stations and networks...

Once stations acquired ENG gear, it was for on-air use also (newscast video).

And in places like Yuma, for network delay. <roll eyes>

 

[Stanislav]

U-Matic (the Sony 3/4" institutional videocassette system...) was available in the early 70s, and was quickly in widespread use for non-broadcast in-house recording at stations and networks...

Once stations acquired ENG gear, it was for on-air use also (newscast video).

IIRC, 3/4" tape wasn't immediately available for on-air use -- wasn't it too inferior quality for broadcast use until they came up with a way to stabilize the image (maybe time-base correction or something)? (At least that's what I recall my old Communications prof telling me. It's been so long.....)

 

[mleach]

I doubt any stars had 2" Ampex behemoths sitting in their dens...

However, some of them may have been early adopters of pre-VCR home video equipment (1/2" reel-to-reel, etc.). One notable example is Bob Crane who, though primarily using his for more...um..."salacious" material, also taped a lot of his appearances on different shows, or just other broadcasts that he wanted to save for some reason. There may well have been other stars who might have taped their Tonight appearances off-air for their personal use.

U-Matic (the Sony 3/4" institutional videocassette system that begat the 1/2" consumer Betamax) was available in the early 70s, and was quickly in widespread use for non-broadcast in-house recording at stations and networks, so maybe Tonight also knocked off a few copies of shows for guests set up for that format.

Maybe not the actual tapes but what about the films of their appearances? I believe the old "This is Your Life" program.did such practice. Those who appeared got a copy of the kinescope for their personal use.

True about Crane..but he wasnt the only one, Joe Hamilton ( Carol Burnett Show) did the exact same thing too. Not only taping Carol's TV work including her guest shots on the other talk/variety/game shows of the day but doing "other things" with his video maching as well. Lets just say that what Bob Crane did was indeed kinky but with Joe Hamilton, he was two steps ahead. LOL

 

[gr8oldies]

We at least know the Ed Ames bit survived. Ouch!

 

[radioman148]

And the "copper clappers" with Jack Webb.

 

[Stanislav]

And the "copper clappers" with Jack Webb.

One of the top 5 "classics" from the golden era of the show. Kudos to Jack Webb, who not only was more than willing to participate in a goofy parody of the stereotypical Dragnet style, but held his own with Johnny delivering those tongue-tying lines with a perfect deadpan. :-()

 

[radioman148]

And the "copper clappers" with Jack Webb.

One of the top 5 "classics" from the golden era of the show. Kudos to Jack Webb, who not only was more than willing to participate in a goofy parody of the stereotypical Dragnet style, but held his own with Johnny delivering those tongue-tying lines with a perfect deadpan. :-()

Jack was right on in that bit. Johnny actually broke a smile a few times.

 

[Stanislav]

And the "copper clappers" with Jack Webb.

One of the top 5 "classics" from the golden era of the show. Kudos to Jack Webb, who not only was more than willing to participate in a goofy parody of the stereotypical Dragnet style, but held his own with Johnny delivering those tongue-tying lines with a perfect deadpan. :-()

Jack was right on in that bit. Johnny actually broke a smile a few times.

Hell, by that time he'd been stone-faced, taciturn Joe Friday for, what, a couple decades of radio and TV? Just came naturally to him, whereas Johnny had to fight the urge to break up (I can't imagine doing that sketch and NOT losing it at some point...)

 

[Tim L]

Hell, by that time he'd been stone-faced, taciturn Joe Friday for, what, a couple decades of radio and TV? Just came naturally to him, whereas Johnny had to fight the urge to break up (I can't imagine doing that sketch and NOT losing it at some point...)

And Jack Webb, as serious as he was in playing Joe Friday, never seemed to have a problem with parody of himself or Dragnet. Stan Freberg had two of his biggest comedy hits..St. George and The Dragonet in 1953 and Christmas Dragnet in 1958 based on Dragnet parodies.

 

[anotherguyTN]

There was also a clip that was discussed in this recent thread: http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=146901.0

Here is the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkeqkEg2SiI

It makes me think that there could possibly be other tapes floating around somewhere, although who knows for sure where or if they are usable.

 

[radioman148]

And the "copper clappers" with Jack Webb.

One of the top 5 "classics" from the golden era of the show. Kudos to Jack Webb, who not only was more than willing to participate in a goofy parody of the stereotypical Dragnet style, but held his own with Johnny delivering those tongue-tying lines with a perfect deadpan. :-()

Jack was right on in that bit. Johnny actually broke a smile a few times.

Hell, by that time he'd been stone-faced, taciturn Joe Friday for, what, a couple decades of radio and TV? Just came naturally to him, whereas Johnny had to fight the urge to break up (I can't imagine doing that sketch and NOT losing it at some point...)

Yes, Johnny had to fight the urge to break up several times, but Jack Webb never flinched.

 

[searadiofreak]

As of a week or two ago, most of the famous Bob Hope, Dean Martin, George Gobel episode was on YouTube. Not sure of the year, but I think it was very early Burbank. If anyone is interested, do a youtube search and see if it is still up. Very funny stuff.

 

[radioman148]

As of a week or two ago, most of the famous Bob Hope, Dean Martin, George Gobel episode was on YouTube. Not sure of the year, but I think it was very early Burbank. If anyone is interested, do a youtube search and see if it is still up. Very funny stuff.

That is a classic with Dino flicking his ashes into George Gobel's drink.

 

[searadiofreak]

As of a week or two ago, most of the famous Bob Hope, Dean Martin, George Gobel episode was on YouTube. Not sure of the year, but I think it was very early Burbank. If anyone is interested, do a youtube search and see if it is still up. Very funny stuff.

That is a classic with Dino flicking his ashes into George Gobel's drink.

'

Yep, it' still up. Here is one of the links...there are others. Tip: stay with this vid to the end! BTW, 1969 was the year, must have been a guest visit to LA, as the show didn't move there officially 'till '72.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsEkR5WFlw0

 

[hubcity]

Well, while looking for the above-mentioned classic Carson, I stumbled over this one - guest host Woody Allen welcomes Bob Hope and James Coco, from 5/6/1971 (and it's rather good quality, too.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8WXyqJe_SU

It was uploaded within the past few weeks - who knows what else might be out there...

 

[wbhist]

BTW, 1969 was the year, must have been a guest visit to LA, as the show didn't move there officially 'till '72.

Within Carson's first year of officially moving to LA in '72, he made about two return guest visits to NY, the first time for three weeks' worth of shows on Nov. 13-Dec. 1, 1972, and then another set in May of 1973, before 6B at 30 Rock was gutted and transformed into the set for WNBC's NewsCenter4. I surmise one of those shows of the first set had Buddy Rich demonstrating his karate skills; the second trip definitely brought us a segment with a foot reader that either was on Carson's Comedy Classics, or a frequent fixture of Carson's anniversary specials in later years.

 

[LKellerIII]

And the "copper clappers" with Jack Webb.

One of the top 5 "classics" from the golden era of the show. Kudos to Jack Webb, who not only was more than willing to participate in a goofy parody of the stereotypical Dragnet style, but held his own with Johnny delivering those tongue-tying lines with a perfect deadpan. :-()

Jack was right on in that bit. Johnny actually broke a smile a few times.

Which reminded me of the 1984 bit in which Johnny played Willie Nelson in the To All the Girls I've Loved Before duet with Julio Iglesias. Carson manages to stay in character, but Julio has a hard time maintaining.

I doubt Julio and the real Willie hugged that much in their original duet


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcfzjWsNAbs