Rock 'n' Roll Was In and "Your Hit Parade" Was Out, 50 Years Ago

Fifty years ago today, Variety ran its last review of Your Hit Parade a veritable obituary that appeared with the title, "Hit Parade Dies As Rock 'n' Roll Takes Its Toll of Longrunner."

In the 1930s and 40s, "Your Hit Parade" was one of radio's mainstays-- a Saturday night fixture that had listeners wondering what popular song would be the new #1 hit, counted down from a list of seven current singles. The tabulation by the ad agencies that represented American Tobacco were vague at best, but this didn't seem to deter audiences who tuned in to hear such tunes as "Buttons and Bows," "Some Enchanted Evening," and perennial "White Christmas" (that appeared on the list a record 38 times). Notably among the singers featured on the show was youthful Frank Sinatra, and as John Dunning's The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio describes it, "Sinatra roared into the show in 1943, bringing a screaming crowd of bobbysoxers."

The series began a trial run on television starting in the summer of 1950, becoming a regular series in the fall. The main series regulars, who sang the hit songs, became "stars" of early television and included Snooky Lanson, Dorothy Collins, Russell Arms, and Gisele MacKenzie.

When Collins' sang Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" on the 1955 season opener, Variety called it "one of the highlights of the show." The following year's season opener featured two Elvis Presley hits: Snooky Lanson performed "Hound Dog" and Russell Arms did "Don't Be Cruel," and the writing was on the wall. Frequently, the show would do a take-off on a rock 'n' roll hit as Gisele MacKenzie did with a has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed "horror-movie" send up of Elvis's "Heartbreak Hotel" (link); other times they would play them straight (link to Snooky Lanson singing "Heartbreak Hotel").

In its heyday, though, Your Hit Parade, occupying the 10:30 timeslot on Saturday nights for most of its run, was a popular favorite of Television's Golden Age. Tony Charmoli was the choreographer for many years on the series and won the 1955 Emmy Award for his work. He spoke in detail about the series in his Archive interview starting at 24 minutes into tape 2 through tape 3,and the beginning of tape 4, where he talks about the show's demise.

The last episode of Your Hit Parade, which featured hits "Come Softly to Me" and "Venus," as well as some of the oldies from the show's first broadcast, aired on April 24, 1959.

Actress Beatrice Arthur Dies at 86 - Interview Online

Bea Arthur, the Emmy-winning star of Maude and The Golden Girls, who also garnered a Tony Award for the musical Mame, died Saturday at 86. In January, one of her last public appearances, she was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. She was interviewed by the Archive in 2001. Click here for her New York Times obituary (with a reference to our interview). The entire 2-1/2 hour interview can be viewed here.

When asked in her interview how she'd like to be remembered, she responded: "As an artist. An important artist."

Here's a selection of clips from the Archive's interview:



Interview Description:
Beatrice Arthur was interviewed for two hours plus in Brentwood, CA. In the interview, Arthur talked about the origins of her stage name and how she started out in plays, off and on Broadway. She then talked about her first movie roles and her appearances on The George Gobel Show and Caesar’s Hour. She described her other early appearances on television in The Seven Lively Arts, Omnibus, Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall and her role in the play and feature film Mame (with Angela Lansbury and Lucille Ball, respectively). She talked about her appearances on All in the Family as the liberal cousin Maude. She then discussed the controversial issues and topics that the series Maude tackled, (such as alcoholism, abortion, death, infidelity and feminism). Arthur also talked extensively about working with Norman Lear on All in the Family and Maude, watching the show 20 years after it first aired and why she eventually left the show. She then briefly talked about her series Amanda’s and then talked affectionately about The Golden Girls. The interview was conducted on March 15, 2001.

7th Annual TV Land Awards Airs Tonight

TV Fans Rejoice! Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the Seventh Annual TV Land Awards rolls out the red carpet tonight to honor the best of TV, movies and music. Lots of great TV tributes including the casts of M*A*S*H, Home Improvement, Two-and-a-Half Men, Magnum P.I., Knots Landing, and Married with Children and special honorees Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sid and Marty Krofft and the always-hilarious Don Rickles, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Also, check out lots of extras and behind-the-scenes clips (many with online host and 30 Rock star Judah Friedlander) here.

"Rhoda: Season One" Makes Its DVD Debut (at last!)

Rhoda, which lasted from 1974-78, featured the further adventures of Mary Richards' friend and neighbor from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, as she relocated from Minneapolis back to her native New York City. The first season of Rhoda was ranked #6 of all shows that television season in the Nielsen ratings.

The Archive interviewed Rhoda herself Valerie Harper, just this February, below are some excerpts from her interview with Jim McKairnes:

Q: Describe Rhoda Morgenstern.
A: Rhoda was like most of us, a victorious loser, you know, she thought of herself as a loser but she kept at the game, she kept in the game of life fully. She had a marvelous sense of humor; remember the greatest comedy writers in the world were writing the jokes for her. The character had a sense of humor and I used to say to Jim, well, this joke, ‘Am I making this joke or is Rhoda?’.... Rhoda was a very funny person with a funny point of view… and what made her funny is that she would say the unsayable, and it was nice juxtaposition to Mary who was a perfect lady…. She would say things in a New York brash, no edit way that’s funny. And I think that was part of her charm, she also was terribly insecure, and a dear friend of mine, [once]…. said ‘you know Valerie it’s so interesting with the show, Mary is who you wish you were, Rhoda is who you probably are, and Phyllis is who you’re afraid you’ll become.’ It’s a great little adage and I think that is true, I think Rhoda Morgenstern appeals to people because all of us, men/women, gay/straight, black/white, young/old knew that they felt like Rhoda at some time in their life, and that most of us are just trying to get through, you know. Bumping into life and our families and our work-- and Mary had a career, Rhoda had jobs, I think she was every woman to a greater degree than Mary. And her being a New Yorker and had a wonderful accent… and I’ve always found when I play a character that the sound of them is very important and then the way they move, you want to get the total person…. And I loved her too, liked her a lot, and I loved playing her.

Q: Rhoda’s evolution led of course to your own show after four years, how did that come about?
A: Well from the first year, Freddy Silverman who was then head of the network was saying we’re going to spin you off and I thought I was being fired until I asked somebody what the term meant. And then I said no, no, no I don’t want – and then finally the fourth year of Mary, I said ‘I don’t want to go, I don’t want to…’, she said ‘you don’t want to be my sidekick all your life?’ I said ‘Yes, yes I do.’ She said ‘Oh, come on.’ I said ‘What if it fails?’ She said ‘If it fails you’ll move back to Minneapolis, and I’ll have you back in my life again.’ And I thought that, that’s working with a net isn’t it? And Nancy Walker said to me, the greatest thing in her understated way. I said, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know if I should leave, this is a very comfortable berth, I won Emmys, it’s fabulous I know it,’ And she said ‘Valerie, it’s a job, take it.’ No glamour, glitz, it’s a good job, take it, and I’m glad I did.

Q: Why do you think Rhoda’s wedding resonated the way it did?
A: Oh, because everybody was pulling for her to get married. … [there was a] roll up to it where there were wedding parties. We got toasters. We got wedding presents, I have silver plaques and things that were sent, trays and – the toasters were the funniest because that was a de rigor 1950’s, 1960’s… newly marrieds got a thousand toasters. People dressed up in black tie, and Howard Cosell over at, I think it ABC Sports. He would say “… we’d better shift over to the wedding.” He did Rhoda wedding jokes all night long because they’d think the women were in another room watching a second TV, you know for Rhoda’s wedding. It was a big deal. It was a very big deal because they watched her for 4 years, liked her. [The Mary Tyler Moore Show] was a big hit by the time I left and it didn’t suffer at all for Rhoda leaving because it was such a solid, wonderful show. And.... now the [audience] was happy to follow Rhoda’s progress. And I think everybody was just waiting for that wedding.

Q: Where do you think Rhoda is today?
A: Oh, I don’t know, I …. think she’s happy, she’s keeping on, going to art exhibits… maybe she’s working in the art field…. It was wonderful to have done [the television reunion movie Mary and Rhoda]. It was wonderful to work with Mary again and remember the old rhythms and the camaraderie and the love and the way we were together, that pair of women you know each together were greater than each of ourselves I think.

Bob Barker is Coming Back Down

Bob Barker will be making a special appearance on The Price Is Right tomorrow to promote his new book Priceless Memories, currently in bookstores. The Associated Press reported that Barker, "dressed in a black suit with a hot pink shirt and matching tie... appear[s] alongside successor Drew Carey near the finale of the show... to present [the] two prize showcases."

Barker was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on July 7, 2000. As you read his book, follow along with his Archive interview. Click here to access his full interview.



Interview Description:

Barker talked about his childhood growing up on an Indian reservation in South Dakota. He described his work in radio which led him to be “cast” as the host of the game show Truth or Consequences, by show creator Ralph Edwards. Barker talked about his long run on Truth or Consequences in its network and syndicated runs. Barker then discussed in detail the show for which he is most associated, The Price Is Right, which he hosted continuously from 1972 until the time of this interview (and eventually to 2007). Barker also talked about his other hosting duties on such programs as the “Miss USA Pageant” and “The Tournaments of Roses Parade,” as well as his animal rights activism.

Bob Barker Has Written His Memoirs

Bob Barker tells his story in the photo-filled Priceless Memories. Also look out for his special appearance on The Price Is Right on April 16th where he'll be promoting his book.

Barker was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on July 7, 2000. As you read his book, follow along with his Archive interview. Click here to access his full interview.


Interview Description:

Barker talked about his childhood growing up on an Indian reservation in South Dakota. He described his work in radio which led him to be “cast” as the host of the game show Truth or Consequences, by show creator Ralph Edwards. Barker talked about his long run on Truth or Consequences in its network and syndicated runs. Barker then discussed in detail the show for which he is most associated, The Price Is Right, which he hosted continuously from 1972 until the time of this interview (and eventually to 2007). Barker also talked about his other hosting duties on such programs as the “Miss USA Pageant” and “The Tournaments of Roses Parade,” as well as his animal rights activism.

Michael J. Fox writes new book!

Actor Michael J. Fox, best known on television for his roles on Family Ties and Spin City, has a new book coming out!

In this excerpt from his 2001 interview for the Archive, Fox reflects on the opportunities life has presented him, as well as many challenges. He also talks about his Foundation for Parkinson's Disease, which he founded in 2000.

Click here to view the entire full 5-part oral history interview with actor Michael J. Fox, conducted on May 10, 2001 by James Moll.

His second memoir, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (Hyperion, 25.99), was released this week.

"ER" Ends Tonight After Fifteen Seasons

NBC medical drama ER aired its first episode on September 19, 1994 and with its final episode tonight, is noted by wikipedia to be the longest-running American primetime medical drama of all time.

Watch a segment of the Archive's interview with CBS Executive Leslie Moonves regarding the show's development and casting:



E! Online has posted videos with the current stars of the show, as they commented on the series finale. Link to E! Online's "The Stars Say Their Goodbyes."