Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1950s Television
    1950s Television Shows T Variety 2 Mins Read

    Texaco Star Theater

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 4 8 – 1 9 5 6 (USA)

    On 8 June 1948, four singing Texaco service men introduced Milton Berle to the small screen as the first tv host of Texaco Star Theater, a variety show which dated all the way back to the pre-television days of 1932 radio (when Fred Allen hosted) and became television’s first hit show.

    The show dominated all TV competition in the late 40s and early 50s with an estimated 90% of America’s sets tuned to Uncle Miltie and guests such as Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Danny Thomas, Walter Huston, Tallulah Bankhead and Basil Rathbone, to name just a very few.

    Texaco Star Theater was allegedly responsible for selling more TV sets than any other. Every Tuesday night when the show went to air, movie theatres across the US would go dark and shop owners would put up signs announcing; “Closed tonight to watch Milton Berle”.

    Tuesday night was Berle Night, and in those early days, owners of television sets could usually expect half the neighbourhood to drop in for a Tuesday-night visit. Another typical scene of that era was the crowd gathered outside an appliance store, watching Uncle Miltie through the plate-glass window.

    Berle was originally supposed to alternate with several other hosts, including Henny Youngman, but he drew so much fan mail that NBC soon gave him the spot exclusively. Before it went off the air in 1956 it had been renamed The Milton Berle Show and Berle had won an Emmy for a programme that was truly his own.

    The show was so successful that in 1951, NBC signed him to an unprecedented contract calling for $200,000 a year for 30 years – whether Berle worked or not. The network agreed in 1965 to let him work elsewhere, and Berle accepted a pay cut to $60,000 a year.

    Milton Berle died in March 2002 at the age of 93, having been diagnosed with colon cancer the year before.

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Engelbert Humperdinck Show, The
      Engelbert Humperdinck Show, The
      1 9 6 9 - 1 9 7 0 (UK) 18 x 60 minute episodes This hour-long late-night variety show was…
    • Talent Patrol (Soldier Parade)
      Talent Patrol (Soldier Parade)
      1 9 5 3 - 1 9 5 5 (USA) Talent Patrol began as a military talent show, sponsored by the…
    • Uncle Al Show, The
      Uncle Al Show, The
      1 9 5 8 - 1 9 5 9 (USA) The Uncle Al Show was the longest-running local American TV show…
    • Goodyear TV Playhouse
      Goodyear TV Playhouse
      1 9 5 1 - 1 9 6 0 (USA) Goodyear tyres sponsored this hour-long, early US television anthology programme that…
    • Jerry Springer Show, The
      Jerry Springer Show, The
      1 9 9 1 - 2 0 1 8 (USA) 5,0000+ x 60 minute episodes A former mayor of Cincinnati,…
    • Hollywood Palace, The
      Hollywood Palace, The
      1 9 6 4 - 1 9 7 0 (USA) Originally broadcast as The Saturday Night Hollywood Palace, this big-budget, lavish, weekly…
    • Ed Sullivan Show, The (Toast Of The Town)
      Ed Sullivan Show, The (Toast Of The Town)
      1 9 4 8 - 1 9 7 1 (USA) Anyone who watched television in America between 1948 and 1971 saw…
    • Kraft Music Hall, The
      Kraft Music Hall, The
      1 9 5 8 - 1 9 6 2 (USA) 30 minute episodes 1 9 6 7 - 1 9…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleThat’s Life 
    Next Article Tempo 

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site
    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small.
    Thank you so much. Enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    You may also like

    • Frank Sinatra Show, The
      Frank Sinatra Show, The
      1 9 5 0 - 1 9 5 2 (USA) 1 9 5 7 - 1 9 5 8 (USA) Even though…
    • Hollywood Palace, The
      Hollywood Palace, The
      1 9 6 4 - 1 9 7 0 (USA) Originally broadcast as The Saturday Night Hollywood Palace, this big-budget, lavish, weekly…
    • All Star Revue
      All Star Revue
      1 9 5 1 - 1 9 5 3 (USA) Comedy variety shows were popular in America during television's first decade…
    • Paul Winchell & Jerry Mahoney Show, The
      Paul Winchell & Jerry Mahoney Show, The
      1 9 5 0 - 1 9 6 1 (USA) Ventriloquist Paul Winchell built his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, when he was…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.