The 1960's may have been the age of love, but it was also the pioneer decade for talk shows. Today, it is difficult to find a time of day when at least one channel doesn’t have a chat going on with a celebrity or experts discussing controversial subjects. The first talk show premiered in the 1950's, but it wasn’t until the Sixties that the industry diversified. Take a look at the best talk shows of the 1960's, a decade full of trendy fashions, rock music and emerging careers.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at the helm got its start in 1962 broadcasting out of New York City. The format set by Carson is the same one seen today with most nighttime talk shows. You had Johnny at the desk, Ed McMahon on the sidelines and a band providing music during intros and breaks. Carson began each show with a monologue full of zippy one or two liners, and often incorporated a sketch into the night’s entertainment.
The Tonight Show played host to guests from movies, politics, music and literature. During his reign, Carson interviewed such notable names as John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Carl Sagan, Gore Vidal and Orson Wells.
The show lasted until 1992 when Carson retired and turned the desk over to Jay Leno.
The Mike Douglas Show
If Johnny Carson was the king of the late night, then Mike Douglas reigned supreme during the daytime. The Mike Douglas show went into syndication in 1963 and ran until 1982. Douglas filmed out of two studios owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting. The show consisted of casual banter and musical interludes. Guests were primarily entertainment, but Douglas offered the occasional surprise including a two-year old Tiger Woods showing his putting style.
Unlike Carson who had his steady sidekick Ed McMahon, Douglas rotated guest hosts, using a new one every week. Celebrities that sat in the chair next to Mike included Jackie Gleason, Barbra Streisand, Marvin Hamlisch, Red Buttons and the tag team of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
The Steve Allen Show
Steve Allen offered a different type of talk show that focused more on acts then chats. Technically, the Steve Allen project was deemed a variety show, but it was a spin-off from the Tonight Show, done during the prime time hours. The show had a cast that helped guests perform in either musical act or skits. In the interim, they would often sneak in some talk time with Allen. Among the regulars on the show were Don Knots, Tim Conway and Tom Poston.
Originally, broadcast giant NBC cancelled The Steve Allen show in 1960, only to have ABC pick up back up a year later. The show didn’t make it past 14 episodes before getting the ax again. In 1962, it went into first-run syndication. During its short lifespan, The Steve Allen show launched careers for a number of the actors and musical acts including Elvis Presley and Fats Domino.
The Sixties spawned many of the talk show formats we see today. From late night to chat television to musical variety, the 1960's had them all. Some of the most well-known names from that time got their first exposure on shows like The Tonight Show. Talk shows of the 1960's are a little piece of television history.
Do you have a TV show, movie or webisode idea? Click here
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at the helm got its start in 1962 broadcasting out of New York City. The format set by Carson is the same one seen today with most nighttime talk shows. You had Johnny at the desk, Ed McMahon on the sidelines and a band providing music during intros and breaks. Carson began each show with a monologue full of zippy one or two liners, and often incorporated a sketch into the night’s entertainment.
The Tonight Show played host to guests from movies, politics, music and literature. During his reign, Carson interviewed such notable names as John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Carl Sagan, Gore Vidal and Orson Wells.
The show lasted until 1992 when Carson retired and turned the desk over to Jay Leno.
The Mike Douglas Show
If Johnny Carson was the king of the late night, then Mike Douglas reigned supreme during the daytime. The Mike Douglas show went into syndication in 1963 and ran until 1982. Douglas filmed out of two studios owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting. The show consisted of casual banter and musical interludes. Guests were primarily entertainment, but Douglas offered the occasional surprise including a two-year old Tiger Woods showing his putting style.
Unlike Carson who had his steady sidekick Ed McMahon, Douglas rotated guest hosts, using a new one every week. Celebrities that sat in the chair next to Mike included Jackie Gleason, Barbra Streisand, Marvin Hamlisch, Red Buttons and the tag team of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
The Steve Allen Show
Steve Allen offered a different type of talk show that focused more on acts then chats. Technically, the Steve Allen project was deemed a variety show, but it was a spin-off from the Tonight Show, done during the prime time hours. The show had a cast that helped guests perform in either musical act or skits. In the interim, they would often sneak in some talk time with Allen. Among the regulars on the show were Don Knots, Tim Conway and Tom Poston.
Originally, broadcast giant NBC cancelled The Steve Allen show in 1960, only to have ABC pick up back up a year later. The show didn’t make it past 14 episodes before getting the ax again. In 1962, it went into first-run syndication. During its short lifespan, The Steve Allen show launched careers for a number of the actors and musical acts including Elvis Presley and Fats Domino.
The Sixties spawned many of the talk show formats we see today. From late night to chat television to musical variety, the 1960's had them all. Some of the most well-known names from that time got their first exposure on shows like The Tonight Show. Talk shows of the 1960's are a little piece of television history.
Do you have a TV show, movie or webisode idea? Click here
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