About this season
“The Bell Telephone Hour” was a musical variety show that aired on “NBC” TV from 12 January 1959 to 14 June 1968 that showcased the best in Broadway, Classical, Concert, Jazz and Popular music each week. The series had its’ own house band appropriately named the “Bell Telephone Orchestra”. The show also had its’ own theme song being the “Bell Waltz” composed by “Donald Voorhees” who was also the show's Orchestra conductor. Some of the greatest violinists of the 1960’s performed on this show that aired in the old “Black & White” format. Some of these great violinists included “Erica Mornin”, “Isaac Stern", "Michael Rabin", "Ruggiero Ricci", "Yehudi Menuhin" and "Zino Francesacatti". From time to time some of the great singers and bandleaders of the 1960’s would perform on the show as well. Some of these were “Bing Crosby”, “Gordon MacRae”, “John Gary”, “Leslie Uggams”, “Mary Martin”, “Nelson Eddy”, “Patti Page” and “Roy Rogers”. The TV show followed on the heels of its’ predecessor with the same name on “NBC” radio that aired from 29 April 1940 to 1958 on Monday nights at 8 PM. The name of the show was derived from its’ Major sponsor “Bell Telephone Laboratories”. The TV version began airing on Friday nights at 8:30 PM once a month. It later was given it’s same time slot now airing every other week alternating with another show on the other weeks such as News shows and specials. The show time slot changed quite often over the years. In September 1960 it aired at 9 PM and in September 1961 it moved to 9:30 PM. In October 1963 it moved to Tuesday nights at 10 PM, September 1965 it moved to Sunday night at 6:30 PM and in September 1967 it made its' final move back to Friday night at 10 PM.
Episodes (13)
1. A Night Of Music
Aired 9 October 1959 • 60 min
2. Music of the West
Aired 23 October 1959 • 60 min
3. On Stage With Music
Aired 6 November 1959 • 60 min
Burgess Meredith is host. Performers are John Raitt, Jayne P. Morgan, Johnny Desmond, Gene Nelson, Taina Elg, The Four Lads, pianist Loren Hollander, dancers Allegra Kent and Jacques d'Amboise, and the Coast Guard Academy Choir.
4. The Music of Gershwin
Aired 20 November 1959 • 60 min
5. The Gift of Music
Aired 18 December 1959 • 60 min
6. Our Musical Ambassadors
Aired 1 January 1960 • 60 min
7. We To
Aired 15 January 1960
Musical variety show with this episode focusing on famous couples: recording artists Les Paul and Mary Ford; dancers Marge and Gower Champion; singers Gordon and Sheila MacRae; concert pianist JosZ iturbi and his sister Amparo Iturbi; and Raymond Scott and his wife Dorothy Collins.
8. The Four of Us
Aired 29 January 1960
Four entertainers perform songs not readily associated with them: Ray Bolger sings and dances 'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue;' clarinetist Benny Goodman plays Carl Maria von Weber's Concerto in E-flat Major; Beatrice Lillie sings ballads in a comic style; and Ethel Merman sings ragtime tunes.
9. Portraits In Music
Aired 12 February 1960 • 60 min
10. The Music Makers
Aired 26 February 1960 • 60 min
Polly Bergen is the host with singers John Raitt and Barbara Cook, 15-year-old concert pianist Lorin Hollander; the jazz combo Dukes of Dixieland; the barbershop quartet Buffalo Bills; and the Bob Hamilton dance trio.
11. Main Street USA
Aired 11 March 1960 • 60 min
12. Concert Hall
Aired 1 April 1960 • 60 min
13. The Mikado
Aired 29 April 1960 • 60 min