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September 21, 1948…Berle Named Permanent Host, ‘Texaco Star Theater’

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Eyes Of A Generation.com

September 21, 1948…Berle Named Permanent Host, ‘Texaco Star Theater’

On June 8, 1948, there were two major debuts at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza and they both happened in the same place at the same time as ‘The Texaco Star Theater’ was broadcast live from Studio 6B. This was the first broadcast from 6B after it’s conversion from radio to television studio.

On the first television broadcast of the ‘Texaco Star Theater’, Milton Berle was the host, but not the permanent host…there were rotating hosts in that June to September block of Tuesday night television including George Price, Morey Amsterdam, Peter Donald and Jack Carter.

66 years ago today, Milton Berle was named the permanent host of the show. When the show made its television debut in June of ’48, Berle was the host of the radio version which had been on the air since October of 1938 with Ed Wynn as host and star. In 1940, Fred Allan took over and after he left in ’44, succeeding hosts were James Melton, Tony Martin, Gordon MacRae, Jack Carter and Milton.

As Ed Wynn’s hit, the show became bankable, but as Fred Allen’s radio hit, ‘Texaco Star Theater’ was one of the most cleverly cerebral comedy-variety shows of its time. When it moved to television with Milton Berle, it proved a groundbreaker for two decades’ worth of television variety programming and, in the genius of Berle, gave the medium the first star it could call its own.

The television version allowed him the full spread of his visual and verbal talent, uniting them toward a height he couldn’t have achieved even in his legendary vaudeville and silent-screen days. Berle’s fame and stardom was quick and huge but…once television’s biggest single star, he also became the first TV personality to suffer from over-exposure and burnout.

At the link below, Milton Berle talks about the shows most memorable bloopers…and poopers as it turns out. These are great stories from the masters lips about the “doody bears” and how Red Buttons wound up stark naked on live TV! Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee

Thanks to NBCU Photobank for the photo.

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5 responses to “September 21, 1948…Berle Named Permanent Host, ‘Texaco Star Theater’”

  1. Curtis Scott Woodings-Ybarra

    Oh wow. That was the same type tele-promoter that our local stations had on the old B & W cameras. It was on endless paper with sprocket holes. It was typed on a big typewriter. I have not seen that in years.

  2. Charlie King

    I had the opportunity to work with Uncle Milty in the late 70’s for a Charity Promotion. we spent most of the day together and I found him tobe a very nice patient person, not at all what I expected. We had a very enjoyable and fruitful day.

  3. Hal Vickery

    About a dozen years later, after Berle’s star had fizzled, and NBC saddled with (I think) a 30-year contract (or something like that), Berle ended up on “Phillies Jackpot Bowling” which had previously been the filler between the “Gillette Cavalcade of Sports” (aka the Friday night fights) and local news. Here’s an episode of that with Diana Dors bowling for charity and in the audience her then husband “Dickie” Dawson.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-EfOLn4TLI

  4. Terry Drymon

    funny…janet jackson wasent the first !!!!

  5. Wally Roper

    “Make It Lappy!”

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