ABC's Nightlife is an American television talk show carried by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) from November 9, 1964, until November 12, 1965.[1] It was an effort by ABC to compete with The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on NBC.[2]
| ABC's Nightlife | |
|---|---|
 Host Les Crane on the show in 1964 | |
| Also known as |
|
| Starring | Les Crane |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | November 9, 1964 – November 12, 1965 |
Initially known as The Les Crane Show, the program had included Crane's exchanges with members of the audience in addition to celebrity guests. Crane's style was described as "informal, highly spontaneous, and often controversial".[1] The show was renamed when Crane left after four months.[1] A revised format used a rotation of stars as hosts, beginning with Shelley Berman.[3] Other hosts included William B. Williams, Nipsey Russell, Jimmy Cannon,[1] Pat Boone,[4] and Allan Sherman.[5] Orchestra leaders were Cy Coleman, Elliot Lawrence, and Donn Trenner.[1] In June 1965, Crane returned as the regular host, accompanied by Russell.[6]
After the series ended, ABC would not return to the late-night television picture until The Joey Bishop Show began in April 1967.
See also
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References
edit- ^ a b c d e Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 5. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ^ "ABC-TV drops Les Crane for rotating hosts" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 1, 1965. p. 60. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ "(untitled brief)" (PDF). Billboard. March 13, 1965. p. 73. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Sherman as Host" (PDF). Billboard. April 3, 1965. p. 47. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 604. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.