The Tonight Show's primary photo
  • The Tonight Show (1953–1957)
  • TV-PG
    TV Series | 105 min | Comedy, Music, Talk-Show
The Tonight Show (1953–1957)
TV-PG
TV Series | 105 min | Comedy, Music, Talk-Show

The show originated as a local New York City late night program in June 1953 and went onto the network in September 1954. Throughout the summer of 1956, Steve Allen was the only host. When Allen's prime-time series debuted in the summer of...See moreThe show originated as a local New York City late night program in June 1953 and went onto the network in September 1954. Throughout the summer of 1956, Steve Allen was the only host. When Allen's prime-time series debuted in the summer of 1956, he limited his appearances on this show to Wednesday through Friday and a series of guest hosts filled in until 1 October 1956 when Ernie Kovacs took over as permanent host for the Monday and Tuesday broadcast. Kovacs had his own set of entertainers, i.e., Wendell, Hanley, Arthur and Loden. The last show was broadcast on 25 January 1957."Tonight's" first monologue was given with Steve Allen seated at the piano: "In case you're just joining us...this is Tonight...and I can't think of too much to tell you about it, except I want to give you the bad news first: this program is going to go on forever. I wouldn't call it a Spectacular....you might say it's more a Monotonious ." Written by J.E. McKillop See less
Read more: Plot summary
Seasons
3   |   2   |   1   See all
Creators
Steve Allen (co-writer) | Sylvester L. Weaver Jr. (co-writer)
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Jun 30, 1953

Release date (First episode)
Jun 1953 (United States)
Awards

Contacts

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Cast

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50 cast members
Name Episodes Known for
Skitch Henderson
Self - Bandleader / Self - Conductor Self - Bandleader / Self - Conductor   See fewer
559
Gene Rayburn
Self - Announcer / Self - Guest Host / Self - Substitute Host Self - Announcer / Self - Guest Host / Self - Substitute Host   See fewer
539
Steve Allen
Self - Host / Self Self - Host / Self   See fewer
517
Steve Lawrence
Self - Singer / Self Self - Singer / Self   See fewer
287
Eydie Gormé
Self - Singer / Self Self - Singer / Self   See fewer
287
Andy Williams
Self / Self - Regular / Self - regular performer Self / Self - Regular / Self - regular performer   See fewer
276
Pat Kirby
Self / Self - Regular Self / Self - Regular   See fewer
253
Ernie Kovacs
Self - Guest Host / Self - Guest star / Self - Host Self - Guest Host / Self - Guest star / Self - Host   See fewer
43
Bill Wendell
Self - Announcer / Self - Guest Announcer Self - Announcer / Self - Guest Announcer   See fewer
39
Maureen Arthur
Self - Regular / Self Self - Regular / Self   See fewer
31
Peter Hanley
Self - Regular / Self Self - Regular / Self   See fewer
31
LeRoy Holmes
Self - Conductor / Self - Guest Conductor / Self - Bandleader Self - Conductor / Self - Guest Conductor / Self - Bandleader   See fewer
28
Hy Averback
Self - Guest Announcer / Self - announcer / Self - Announcer / Self - Remote pickup from San Francisco Self - Guest Announcer / Self - announcer / Self - Announcer / Self - Remote pickup from San Francisco   See fewer
19
Patricia Marshall
Self - singer / Self Self - singer / Self   See fewer
11
Louis Nye
Self / Self - Comedian Self / Self - Comedian   See fewer
11
Erroll Garner
Self / Self - Jazz pianist / Self - pianist Self / Self - Jazz pianist / Self - pianist   See fewer
10
Jonathan Winters
Self / Self - Guest Self / Self - Guest   See fewer
10
Micki Marlo
Self - singer / Self Self - singer / Self   See fewer
10
Art Lund
Self - Regular / Self Self - Regular / Self   See fewer
10
George DeWitt
Self / Self - Guest Host Self / Self - Guest Host   See fewer
9
Morey Amsterdam
Self / Self - Guest Host Self / Self - Guest Host   See fewer
8
Jim Moran
Self / Self - press agent / publicist Self / Self - press agent / publicist   See fewer
8
Barbara Loden
Self - Regular / Self Self - Regular / Self   See fewer
8
Tony Randall
Self - Guest Host / Self Self - Guest Host / Self   See fewer
7
Barbara Carroll
Self / Self - Jazz Pianist / Self - pianist Self / Self - Jazz Pianist / Self - pianist   See fewer
7
7
Jack Haskell
Self / Self - singer Self / Self - singer   See fewer
7
Gene Krupa
Self / Self - Guest Self / Self - Guest   See fewer
6
6
6
Carole Bennett
Self - singer / Self / Self - Singer Self - singer / Self / Self - Singer   See fewer
6
Henry Morgan
Self / Self - Guest Host Self / Self - Guest Host   See fewer
5
5
5
The Blackburn Twins
Themselves / Themselves - dancers Themselves / Themselves - dancers   See fewer
5
Dave Brubeck
Self / Self - Musician Self / Self - Musician   See fewer
5
Kenny Delmar
Self / Self - comedian-actor Self / Self - comedian-actor   See fewer
5
Art Tatum
Self - Jazz pianist / Self - jazz pianist / Self - pianist Self - Jazz pianist / Self - jazz pianist / Self - pianist   See fewer
5
Jill Corey
Self - singer / Self Self - singer / Self   See fewer
5
Teddi King
Self - jazz vocalist / Self - singer Self - jazz vocalist / Self - singer   See fewer
5
Erin O'Brien
Self - Singer / Self - singer / Self Self - Singer / Self - singer / Self   See fewer
5
Jack Paar
Self - Guest Host Self - Guest Host   See fewer
4
Jose Melis
Self - Conductor / Self - Orchestrator Self - Conductor / Self - Orchestrator   See fewer
4
Mae Barnes
Self / Self - Guest / Self - jazz singer Self / Self - Guest / Self - jazz singer   See fewer
4
Lionel Hampton
Self / Self - Guest Self / Self - Guest   See fewer
4
Rocky Graziano
Self / Self - Guest Self / Self - Guest   See fewer
4
Cy Coleman
Self / Self - pianist Self / Self - pianist   See fewer
4
4
Jerome Hines
Self / Self - Singer / Self - baritone Self / Self - Singer / Self - baritone   See fewer
4
Stan Freeman
Self - pianist / Self Self - pianist / Self   See fewer
4
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