7 /10 1 Votes
6.2/10 TV Country of origin United States First episode date 3 July 1954 Network CBS Director Frank Satenstein | 7.7/10 IMDb Directed by Frank Satenstein Camera setup multi-camera Final episode date 18 September 1956 Program creator Jackie Gleason | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Starring Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey (hosts 1954-55)
Jack Carter (host 1956) Producer(s) Jackie Gleason Productions Running time 60 minutes and 30 minutes Cast Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Jack Carter Similar The Steve Allen Show, Texaco Star Theatre, The Jackie Gleason Show, Louisiana Hayride, Variety show | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stage Show was a popular music variety series on American television originally hosted on alternate weeks by big band leaders and brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Produced by Jackie Gleason, the CBS-TV show included the first national television appearances by Elvis Presley.
The series began as a one-hour show on July 3, 1954 as a summer replacement for The Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason brought it back in the fall of 1955 as a half-hour show and scheduled it from 8–8:30 p.m. ET in the time slot prior to his own series, The Honeymooners, on Saturday nights.
In 1956, Jack Carter, a frequent guest, became the permanent host. The June Taylor Dancers made regular appearances. Bobby Darin made his national TV debut on the program in early 1956, singing "Rock Island Line".
The show's final telecast was September 18, 1956, only two months before the death of Tommy Dorsey. Brother Jimmy lost his life in June of the following year.
Elvis Presley appearances
Introduced by Cleveland, Ohio disc jockey Bill Randle, Presley first appeared on January 28, 1956, performing "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Flip, Flop and Fly" and "I Got a Woman". He made five more appearances during the next eight weeks:
These shows were preserved on kinescopes and released on home video.