Tag Archives: TV ticket stub

OH CARSON, MY CARSON

23 Oct

A photo personally autographed to this writer by Johnny Carson in the 1970s.

86 years ago today, on Friday, October 23, 1925, a woman named Ruth Carson gave birth to a son in Corning, Iowa… but Johnny was on vacation, so Ruth gave birth to Joey Bishop!

I couldn’t resist. That joke has been around for decades.

The house in Corning, Iowa where Johnny Carson was born on October 23, 1925.

But truly, the “King of Late Night,” was born on this date in this house, in 1925. John William Carson was born to Homer and Ruth Carson, and he would go on to leave a gigantic imprint on the world of television.

Although born in Corning Johnny didn’t stay there long. Due to Homer’s job with a utility company the Carson family moved quite a bit. After relocating to several western Iowa towns, the Carsons eventually settled in Norfolk, Nebraska. It was in this classic version of small-town America that Johnny began performing. And it was in this home that Johnny grew up.

The house in Norfolk, Nebraska where Johnny Carson grew up.

After learning magic young Johnny appeared around town as The Great Carsoni and built the foundation for his career.

Johnny Carson clowns around with his mentor and boss, Red Skelton.

Years later, his first big break came as a writer for Red Skelton. When Skelton got hurt during a rehearsal Carson went on in his place. CBS executives took note and soon Carson was host of “The Johnny Carson Show.”

By the late 1950s Johnny was based in New York and hosting a game show. The show was originally called “Do You Trust Your Wife?” but later became “Who Do You Trust?”

Tickets to see "Do You Trust Your Wife?" and “Who Do You Trust?”

As you all know, Johnny Carson went on to host “The Tonight Show” from 1962 to 1992. In his almost 30 years at the helm Carson turned “The Tonight Show” into an institution. It became a nightly “must-see” for many and Johnny Carson himself became a barometer of public opinion.

Offices for "The Tonight Show" at NBC Burbank, 1979.

Carson left “The Tonight Show” in 1992 and pretty much retired from public life. He died on January 23, 2005 after a long battle with emphysema.

Johnny Carson became one of television’s biggest stars ever, but he never forgot his hometown of Norfolk, Nebraska. Carson donated nearly $5-million to various causes in Norfolk and the people there returned his love. So if you stop in at the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk, be sure to see the Johnny Carson Gallery there.

Entrance to the Johnny Carson Gallery.

Johnny Carson was born 86 years ago on this date in TV history.

 

Photos from Corning, Iowa and Norfolk, Nebraska ©Richard DiGangi

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UP YOUR NOSE WITH A RUBBER HOSE

31 Mar

66 years ago, on Saturday, March 31, 1945, Gabriel Kaplan was born in Brooklyn. Since then he has been a stand-up comedian, a financial investor, and a champion poker player… but most people know him as the creator and star of “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

From the letterhead used by “Welcome Back, Kotter” in the 1970s.

The sitcom about a man who becomes a teacher in his old high school premiered in September 1975 on ABC and ran for 4 seasons. It also made stars out of Gabe Kaplan and John Travolta.

Kaplan started doing stand-up in the late 1960s and by the early 70s got the break every comic dreamed of – a spot on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show.” More TV appearances followed and then Kaplan recorded a comedy album called, Holes and Mellow Rolls. As he explained in his routine, a mellow roll was a kind of ice pop. The album’s title referred to the insults or “ranks” he and his friends used to say to each other in high school. “Up your hole with a mellow roll,” “in your ear with a can of beer,” “up your nose with a rubber hose.”

It was that part of his stand-up act that drew the most attention and allowed Gabe Kaplan (along with Alan Sacks) to create a sitcom based on his high school experiences. The premise had Gabe Kotter (once a remedial student or “sweathog”) return to teach the current “sweathogs” at his old high school. And it became a hit.

Card with pre-printed autograph, sent to fans of “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

During the time “Welcome Back, Kotter” was a hit show, I was attending a real high school in Brooklyn. And since Gabe Kaplan was actually from Brooklyn a friend and I decided we should interview his parents for our school newspaper. We looked in the phone book and found a listing for Kaplan in the correct neighborhood. My friend called and did the talking. Gabe Kaplan’s mother agreed to let us come to their home to interview them. She asked us to call back the following week to set a date.

When we called again Mrs. Kaplan said Gabe never heard of our high school and didn’t think it was a real school. So he told her not to do the interview, and that was the end of it.

Months, maybe years, later I saw Gabe Kaplan on a talk show discussing fame. He said that when “Welcome Back, Kotter” became a hit people would call his parents pretending to be from phony high schools just to score an interview. I always wondered if he meant us.

For the record, we were real, our high school was real, and the interview request was real. Our school — Edward R. Murrow High School — was brand new and in just its second year of existence. That may be why Kaplan (out in Hollywood) had never heard of it. And I suppose “Edward R. Murrow” would’ve been a great name to use for a made-up school.

Gabriel Kaplan autograph signed outside the Ed Sullivan Theater on October 18, 1975.

After “Welcome Back, Kotter” Kaplan starred in several films and gave sitcoms one more try with “Lewis & Clark” (1981-82). His next act led him to the financial markets and then professional poker.

Since the late 1970s Gabe Kaplan has been a champion poker player participating in the World Poker Tour, the World Series of Poker, and winning the Super Bowl of Poker Main Event in 1980. Kaplan has earned more than $1-million playing poker professionally.

He has also been a poker TV commentator, most notably for 6 seasons on “High Stakes Poker” on GSN.

Close-up of Gabriel Kaplan’s autograph.

The cast of “Welcome Back, Kotter” will be honored at this year’s TV Land Awards in April. All the living former cast members: Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (aka Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs), Ron Palillo, Robert Hegyes, and even John Travolta are planning to attend. And if anybody’s a no-show? “Up your hole with a mellow roll.”

Oh… and Happy Birthday Gabe.

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THIS IS DON PARDO

22 Feb

93 years ago, on Friday, February 22, 1918, Don Pardo, one of television’s greatest and most famous announcers, was born in Westfield, Massachusetts.

His name at birth, however, was Dominick George Pardo – George, because he was born on George Washington’s birthday. 

Don Pardo autograph obtained in 1973 or 1974

Don Pardo autograph obtained in 1973 or 1974

After graduating high school in Providence, Rhode Island Pardo set his sights on acting. While performing with some local theater groups in Providence a producer/director from WJAR radio invited him to join the “20th Century Players” on a weekly one-hour program. This led to a job offer from WJAR as a staff announcer; a job that paid $30/week.

As you no doubt know, Pardo would move on to a job as a staff announcer with NBC in 1944 and spent a record 60 years and 6 months in the job. During those six decades he would become a “household voice.” First on NBC radio, then on television. And for most of us that meant game shows and SNL.

Ticket from “Winning Streak” – an NBC game show hosted by Bill Cullen, with Don Pardo as announcer

The game shows that were lucky enough to have Don Pardo as announcer include the original versions of “The Price Is Right” and “Jeopardy!,” plus a few less successful shows like “Winning Streak” and “Jackpot!”

Ticket from “Jackpot!” – an NBC game show hosted by Geoff Edwards, with Don Pardo as announcer

In the early 1970s, when Pardo was a fixture on NBC game shows produced in New York, I was a fixture in their audiences. I had a lot of free time – after all, I was 12 years old. But in addition to seeing TV shows, my friend and I liked to tour the building at 30 Rock – but not the official NBC tour or RCA Building tour… we took our own tours.

It’s hard to believe in this era of high-security, but in the early 1970s there was no guard stationed by the NBC studio elevators in the RCA Building. Businessmen (and pre-teens) could walk into the elevators and go anywhere they wanted. So we did. Often. For several years.

One time the security guard on the 7th floor, leading to the NBC commissary, yelled at us to “get outta here” or he’d “break our asses.” Another time, we peeked into an empty Studio 6B, or so we thought. There in the back of the audience seating was a group of 5 or 6 NBC Pages. We ran. They ran after us. It was quite the British farce now that I think about it. So what do these stories have to do with Don Pardo? It’s how I got the autograph seen below.

Don Pardo autograph obtained in 1973 or 1974

Don Pardo autograph obtained in 1973 or 1974

My annoying friend and I got into an elevator with Don Pardo sometime around 1973 or 1974. I was thrilled to just see the man in person, say hello, and get an autograph. My annoying friend needed more. He asked Pardo to say, “This is Don Pardo.” It was clear that the man didn’t want to say, “This is Don Pardo,” but my annoying friend wouldn’t stop asking, then TELLING him to say, “This is Don Pardo.”

“Say ‘this is Don Pardo.’ C’mon, say it. Say ‘this is Don Pardo.’ ‘This is Don Pardo.’” I wanted to strangle my friend and neighbor right there in front of Don Pardo. Surely to get rid of my annoying friend, Pardo acquiesced and said a quick, “This is Don Pardo” in a half-hearted way. (Let me now publicly apologize for my friend’s behavior on that day, so long ago).

SNL

Now… do we really need to tell you about his association with “Saturday Night Live”? Don Pardo was the show’s first and practically ONLY announcer since its premiere in 1975. He was not a part of the show’s seventh season (1981–1982).

Two quick memories of Pardo on SNL:

First… I remember watching the series premiere on October 11, 1975 and hearing him flub the very first introduction of the cast. Instead of saying “The Not Ready for Prime Time Players,” Pardo accidently flipped two words and said, “The Not for Ready Prime Time Players.”

I was also at the dress rehearsal when Pardo performed “I’m the Slime” on SNL with Frank Zappa. It was awesome to see and hear. You shoulda been there!

Pardo retired from NBC in 2004 but continues to announce for SNL. For several years he flew in each week from his retirement home in Tucson, Arizona just to do the job. I’m told that this season he is recording the show’s introductions at home. After all – the man is turning 93 today!!!

Don Pardo was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame in 2009 and into The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 2010. Both well-deserved.

Happy Birthday Don Pardo. My ears love you.

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GOOD NIGHT JOHNNY!

23 Jan

6 years ago today, on Sunday, January 23, 2005 Johnny Carson, the “King of Late Night” died of complications from emphysema. He was 79. But before he died, Johnny Carson put his stamp on “The Tonight Show” and the television industry.

Early publicity photo of Johnny Carson as host of “The Tonight Show”

Carson was born to Homer and Ruth Carson on October 23, 1925 in Corning, Iowa.  After several moves to other towns in Iowa, the Carsons settled in Norfolk, Nebraska, where Johnny grew up idolizing comedian Jack Benny. It’s also where 14-year old Johnny Carson started performing as a magician; The Great Carsoni.

Johnny Carson in the U.S. Navy.

Carson served in the Navy aboard the U.S.S. Pennsylvania during World War II. After the war Carson attended the University of Nebraska and began working on WOW radio in Omaha. By 1950 he had moved to Los Angeles and on to television, eventually getting hired as a writer for Red Skelton.

Red Skelton with one of his writers, Johnny Carson.

One night, during rehearsal for the show, Skelton was injured and they asked Carson to fill in for the star. In one of those “only in Hollywood” stories Johnny Carson shined and started moving up in the world of TV.

Tickets to see "Do You Trust Your Wife?" and “Who Do You Trust?”

After several other programs, Carson seemed to hit it big in 1957 as the host of the ABC game show “Do You Trust Your Wife?” (later called “Who Do You Trust?”) That’s also where he was first partnered with announcer Ed McMahon. But the big time really came 5 years later when Carson replaced the seemingly irreplaceable Jack Paar as host of NBC’s “Tonight.”

A photo personally autographed to this writer by Johnny Carson in the 1970s.

Johnny Carson began his run as host of “The Tonight Show” on October 1, 1962 and didn’t leave until May 22, 1992… almost 30 full years. He turned himself into a superstar and “The Tonight Show” into an institution.

Front gate at the Beverly Hills home Johnny shared with his third wife Joanna. Photo taken in June 1979.

Once Carson left “The Tonight Show” in 1992 he pretty much retired from public life. He died on this date in 2005 after suffering from emphysema.

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< AWESOME DAY AT 30 ROCK

8 Jan

34 years ago today, on Saturday, January 8, 1977 I had an awesome day at 30 Rock. Not the show… the building. As I did on most Saturdays during high school I went to the RCA Building (now the G.E. Building) in Manhattan, home of NBC. On this Saturday there was no live edition of “Saturday Night Live,” so I was there for a taping of the new game show “Shoot for the Stars,” with host Geoff Edwards.

Unused ticket for “Shoot for the Stars” from January 8, 1977.

 The show had just premiered on NBC five days earlier and I already had tickets. “Shoot for the Stars” would not last long however; it ran for only nine months.

Before the taping I took the NBC Studio Tour – a tour I had taken many times before, and could probably have led that day. While hanging out in the NBC lobby, between the tour and the taping, I managed to meet two of the decade’s biggest TV stars and get their autographs.

My tickets to “Shoot for the Stars” arrived inside this card, which I then used to collect my celebrity autographs.

First I spotted Dan Aykroyd looking in the windows of the stores in the RCA Building lobby. He was sloppily dressed and wore a cap pulled down over his eyes, but I could always spot a celebrity from a mile away.

Dan Aykroyd autograph signed at 30 Rock on January 8, 1977.

When I asked for his autograph I only had a pencil handy, so Aykroyd’s signature has faded a bit over the years. What I love is that he wrote “SAT NITE” beneath his name… perhaps so that years later I would be reminded who this “Dan Aykroyd” person was. But even if his career had ended that day, I could never have forgotten this incredibly talented man.

Mike Farrell autograph signed at 30 Rock on January 8, 1977.

A short time later I saw Mike Farrell from “M*A*S*H” exit the studio elevators. “M*A*S*H” was the # 4 primetime series that season, so Farrell was very well-known. He was also nice enough to sign an autograph, adding his own message of “Peace!”

After meeting those two stars I wanted to stand in the lobby of 30 Rock for the rest of the day, just to see who else might pass through. I didn’t though. I went home with the rich memory of my awesome day at 30 Rock.

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MAYBE "MONEY MAIZE" WOULD’VE WORKED BETTER

23 Dec

36 years ago today, on Monday, December 23, 1974 the game show “The Money Maze” premiered on ABC’s daytime schedule. The show was hosted by Cincinnati TV host, Nick Clooney, who would go on to become even more well-known when his son, George Clooney, became a TV and movie star. 

Unused ticket for the September 21, 1974 taping of "The Money Maze."

The show, featuring a giant maze, was taped at the ABC studio on West 66th Street in Manhattan. The set was huge and had the audience sitting above the maze. I seem to remember this show as a bit confusing to watch.

While the maze made this show unique, it may also have made it too cumbersome.  “The Money Maze” ran for just six months.

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THE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

18 Dec

54 years ago tonight, on Tuesday, December 18, 1956 the program “To Tell The Truth” premiered on CBS at 9:00pm. Hosted by Bud Collyer, the Goodson-Todman panel show ran in prime time for 11 seasons, before adding another 8 years in syndication. A daytime version also ran on CBS from 1962 until 1968.

Unused ticket for "To Tell The Truth" from November 5, 1974.

For the first 8 seasons in syndication, the show’s host was Garry Moore, even if they didn’t know how to spell his first name on the tickets (above). When Moore got ill he was replaced by Joe Garagiola for one final season. In my opinion, these three versions of the show are the only ones that really matter.

Another unused ticket for "To Tell The Truth" from November 5, 1974. (After all, they were free.)

“To Tell The Truth” brought three people before a celebrity panel, all claiming to be the same person – someone who had done something interesting or unique. Two of them were “imposters” but the third was the real person. The panel tried to determine which “contestant” was the actual subject by asking the guests questions. Once the celebrities had voted the host would say, “Will the real ______ please stand up.” Those words became a national catch phrase throughout the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, and they’re still vividly remembered by most Americans over the age of 45.

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< THIS DATE IN TV HISTORY

11 Oct

 

Don Pardo autograph obtained in 1973 or 1974

Don Pardo autograph obtained in 1973 or 1974

 

35 years ago tonight, on Saturday, October 11, 1975, America watched the first episode of a new late night comedy show called “NBC’s Saturday Night.” It replaced reruns of Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” at 11:30pm on Saturday nights.

The title of the new program was not producer Lorne Michaels’ first choice. ABC had already used the title he wanted for its new variety show, “Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell,” which premiered in September (see ticket from later episode below).

Ticket to "Saturday Night Live" with Howard Cosell

Ticket to Oct. 18, 1975 episode of "Saturday Night Live" with Howard Cosell

 

One interesting note: Character actor George Coe, who appeared in the first several episodes to bring some maturity to certain roles, was listed onscreen that night as a member of “The Not Ready for Prime Time Players.” But SNL writer Alan Zweibel later told me that Coe was never a “Not Ready for Prime Time Player.” Was the onscreen credit another flub? Or did they decide they didn’t need Coe after all?

“Saturday Night Live” has launched the careers of many comedy stars, but the first breakout star from its cast was Chevy Chase, who left the show in November 1976 and became a movie star for a while.

It’s now in its 36th season… but the first ever episode of “Saturday Night Live” (nee “NBC’s Saturday Night”) premiered on this date in TV history.

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