The Bell Telephone Hour

Premiered: Jan 12, 1959 | 10 seasons | 118 episodes

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Popularity: 9

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Details

“The Bell Telephone Hour” was a musical variety show that aired on “NBC” TV from 12 January 1959 to 14 June 1968 that showcased the best in Broadway, Classical, Concert, Jazz and Popular music each week. The series had its’ own house band appropriately named the “Bell Telephone Orchestra”. The show also had its’ own theme song being the “Bell Waltz” composed by “Donald Voorhees” who was also the show's Orchestra conductor. Some of the greatest violinists of the 1960’s performed on this show that aired in the old “Black & White” format. Some of these great violinists included “Erica Mornin”, “Isaac Stern", "Michael Rabin", "Ruggiero Ricci", "Yehudi Menuhin" and "Zino Francesacatti". From time to time some of the great singers and bandleaders of the 1960’s would perform on the show as well. Some of these were “Bing Crosby”, “Gordon MacRae”, “John Gary”, “Leslie Uggams”, “Mary Martin”, “Nelson Eddy”, “Patti Page” and “Roy Rogers”. The TV show followed on the heels of its’ predecessor with the same name on “NBC” radio that aired from 29 April 1940 to 1958 on Monday nights at 8 PM. The name of the show was derived from its’ Major sponsor “Bell Telephone Laboratories”. The TV version began airing on Friday nights at 8:30 PM once a month. It later was given it’s same time slot now airing every other week alternating with another show on the other weeks such as News shows and specials. The show time slot changed quite often over the years. In September 1960 it aired at 9 PM and in September 1961 it moved to 9:30 PM. In October 1963 it moved to Tuesday nights at 10 PM, September 1965 it moved to Sunday night at 6:30 PM and in September 1967 it made its' final move back to Friday night at 10 PM.

Starring

Full Credits

Name	Character	Episodes
Harry Belafonte	Self	5
Polly Bergen	Self - Hostess	4
Howard Keel	Self	3
Sally Ann Howes	Self	3
Rosemary Clooney	Self	3
Alfred Drake	Self	3
Gene Nelson	Self	3
Burgess Meredith	Self	2
Shirley Jones	Self	2
Ray Bolger	Self - Host	2
Gordon MacRae	Self	2
Carol Lawrence	Self	2
Maureen O'Hara		2
Sheila MacRae	Self	2
Taina Elg	Self	2
Burl Ives	Self	2
Jane Wyatt		2
Barbara Cook	Self	2
Ella Fitzgerald	Self	2
Kelly Brown	Self	2
Gower Champion	Self	2
Maria Tallchief	Self	2
Melissa Hayden	Self	2
Benny Goodman	Self	2
Steve Lawrence	Self	2
Dolores Gray	Self	2
Zizi Jeanmaire	Self	1
Alan Howard	Self	1
Diahann Carroll	Self	1
Robert Preston	Self	1
Jane Wyman	Self - Host	1
Ralph Bellamy	Self	1
John Forsythe	Self - Host	1
Constance Towers	Self - Singer	1
Maurice Evans	Self	1
Thomas Mitchell	Self	1
Florence Henderson	Self - Hostess	1
Edie Adams	Self	1
Ray Bolger	Self	1
Groucho Marx	Ko-Ko	1
John Gielgud	Self	1
Fritz Weaver	Self - Narrator	1
Polly Bergen	Self	1
Farley Granger	Self	1
Nanette Fabray	Self	1
Helen Hayes	Self	1
Gordon MacRae		1
Stanley Holloway	Pooh-Bah	1
Stanley Holloway	Self	1
Jack Jones	Self	1
Jane Powell	Self	1
Harve Presnell	Self	1
Brian Davies	Self	1
Art Carney	Self	1
Janet Blair	Self	1
Louis Armstrong	Self	1
Ann Blyth	Self	1
Arlene Francis	Self	1
Maureen O'Hara	Self	1
Keith Andes	Self	1
José Ferrer	Self	1
Johnny Cash	Self	1
Vic Damone	Self	1
Ethel Merman	Self	1
Tommy Rall	Self	1
Beatrice Lillie	Self	1
Richard Tucker	Self	1
Peter Marshall	Self - Singer	1
Jaye P. Morgan	Self	1
John Davidson	Self	1
Carl Sandburg	Self	1
Lauri Peters	Self	1
Art Lund	Self	1
Duke Ellington	Self	1
Anna Moffo	Self	1
Paula Stewart	Self	1
Russell Arms	Self	1
Les Paul	Self	1
Gretchen Wyler	Self	1
Mahalia Jackson	Self	1
Polly Rowles	Self	1
Frank Baxter	Self	1
Jan Peerce	Self	1
André Previn	Self	1
Steve Lawrence	Self - Host	1
Jack Cassidy	Self	1
Connie Francis	Self	1
Bill Hayes	Self	1
Ron Husmann	Self	1
Dennis King	Mikado	1
Janis Paige	Self	1
Roger Williams	Self	1
Eddie Hodges	Self	1
Lena Horne	Self	1
Lena Horne	Self - Host	1
Joan Sutherland	Self	1