The arrival, acceptance, and then dominance of television in the 1950s was phenomenal. Commercial television broadcasting, initiated in 1947 in the United States, signaled that a new medium would influence popular music. In 1948, only New York, Washington, and Philadelphia were networked to receive live television, by 1949, the east and midwest were joined, and in 1951, the link was completed to the west coast.
The growth in the purchase of television sets was unprecedented. In 1948, fewer than 2% of US homes had a TV set-by the end of the decade nearly 90% of homes in the United States had a TV set. The fifties, often called the ‘golden age of television,’ presented live drama, live comedy, live music, and live variety offerings to an eager audience.
Ed Sullivan’s variety show ‘Toast of the Town’ debuted in 1949 and ran in the same 8pm EDT Sunday time slot on CBS for 23 years. Most Americans got their first glimpse of Elvis Presley and the Beatles from this series. Television was important to the recording industry and many singers appeared on TV to perform their popular hit songs. They wanted to promote the sale of their records while television producers wanted to showcase the singers to get the high ratings that came with presenting popular performers. Audiences, even before MTV, liked to see the singers perform the songs that were hits on the radio and records.
POPULAR TV SERIES OF THE 50s THAT FEATUREDEASY-POP SINGERS
(Evening broadcast times listed are Eastern Time, programs aired one hour earlier in the Midwest)
All Star Review
Wednesdays 8:00-9:00 (NBC) 1950-1951; Saturdays 8:00-9:00 (NBC) 1951-1953
A vaudeville-flavored program with popular comedians and singers.
American Bandstand
Ninety minutes every weekday afternoon (ABC) 1957-1963
Live from Philadelphia, host Dick Clark presented guest artists and also played dozens of current hit recordings while the teenage studio audience danced.
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
Wednesdays 8:00-9:00 (CBS) 1949-57
A blend of musical numbers and relaxed comedy with friends including singers Anita Bryant, the Chordettes, Pat Boone, the McGuire Sisters, Julius LaRosa, Haleloke, Johnny Nash, LuAnn Simms, and the Mariners.
Arthur Murray Dance Party
Appeared on all four networks at various times between 1950 and 1960.
Dance teacher Arthur Murray and wife, Kathryn, hosted singing and dancing guest stars.
The Big Record
Wednesdays 8:00-9:00 (CBS) 1957-1958
Hostess Patti Page introduced popular singers who performed their hits songs.
Colgate Comedy Hour
Sundays 8:00-9:00 (NBC) 1950-1955
This top-rated variety hour featured comedians and popular singers. Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Donald O’Connor, Abbott & Costello, and Jimmy Durante hosted frequently.
The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show
Saturdays 7:30-8:00 (ABC) 1958-1960
Each week several ‘Top Forty’ recording artists performed their hit songs.
Dick Clark’s World of Talent
Sundays 10:30-11:00 (ABC) 1959
A celebrity panel rated aspiring performers. Singers appearing on the series included Don Cornell, Della Reese, Alan Dale, and the Four Aces.
Ed Sullivan Show (Toast of the Town)
Sundays 8:00-9:00 (CBS) 1948-1971
Nearly every popular singer and comedian appeared over twenty-three years on this syndicated newspaper columnist’s variety program including early career appearances by Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles.
George Gobel Show
Saturdays 10:00-10:30 (NBC) 1954-1957; Tuesdays 8:00-9:00 (NBC) 1957-1959
Low-key comedian’s variety show included regular singers Peggy King and Anita Bryant plus John Scott Trotter’s band and the Johnny Mann Singers.
Jukebox Jury
Sundays 9:30-10:30 (ABC) 1953-1954
Peter Potter played new records for a celebrity panel on this game show and queried, “Will it be a hit (bong!) or a miss (clunk!)?”
Lawrence Welk Show
Saturdays 9:00-10:00 (ABC) 1955-1971
Melodic ‘Champagne Music’ hour with Alice Lon and the Lennon Sisters.
Perry Presents
Wednesdays 8:00-9:00 (CBS) Summer 1959
Musical series featured Teresa Brewer, Tony Bennett, the Four Lads, Jaye P. Morgan, and the Modernaires.
Stop the Music
Thursdays 8:00-9:00 (ABC) 1949-52; Tuesdays 10:30-11:00 (ABC) 1954-56
Game show host Bert Parks had members of the studio audience and home viewers identify songs by vocalists including Kay Armen, Jimmy Blaine, Betty Ann Grove, Jaye P. Morgan, and June Valli.
TV’s Top Tunes
Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 7:45-8:00 (CBS) 1957-58
Summer series featured Peggy Lee, the Fontane Sisters, Helen O’Connell, Bob Eberly, Julius LaRosa, and the Mitchell Ayres Orchestra.
Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour
Tues 10:00-11:00 (NBC) 1949-1954
Each week amateur performers displayed their talents and the viewing audience was invited to vote-by postcard-for their favorite act.
Talent Scouts
Tuesdays 8:30-9:00 (CBS) 1948-1958
Host Arthur Godfrey and celebrity guests introduced new talent. Aspiring singers on the series included: June Valli, Pat Boone, Johnny Nash, the McGuire Sisters, Edie Adams, and Shari Lewis.
Tonight Show (with Steve Allen)
weeknights 11:30pm-1:00am (NBC) 1954-1957
Host Steve Allen featured regular singers Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, Pat Marshall, and Andy Williams.
Your Hit Parade
Saturdays 10:30-11:00 (NBC) 1950-1958
The top seven most popular songs of the week were performed by regular cast: Dorothy Collins, Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson, Sue Bennett, Russell Arms, June Valli, and Gisele MacKenzie.
Comedy/variety shows that were hosted by comedians were very popular and often included musical performers as part of the cast. Vaudeville comedian, Milton Berle’s ‘Texaco Star Theater’ was a frantic and highly visual hour that garnered huge ratings. It is often credited with spurring the sales of television sets and earning him the label ‘Mr. Television.’ ‘Your Show of Shows’ with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca featured ninety-minutes of outrageous comedy sketches and live musical production numbers every Saturday night.
Throughout the fifties television viewership grew and the four TV networks, ABC, CBS, Dumont, and NBC provided the only program options available. With the arrival of cable TV in the eighties and new TV networks in the nineties, audiences fragmented and the percentage of Americans watching any one individual TV program was never as high as it was in the fifties. By 2000, the top rated TV shows were considered extraordinarily successful if the ratings reached 20% of the viewing audience, by contrast ‘I Love Lucy’ ratings on CBS in the mid fifties often reached above 67% of the viewing audience, and in its early years Milton Berle’s ‘Texaco Star Theater’ on NBC exceeded 94%.
More information on 1950s television, singers, and songs can be found at the content-rich website: 50sPopMusic.com and in the definitive reference book “Remembering 1950s EASY-POP Songs and Singers” by Daniel Niemeyer.
