Here’s audio from the closing credits to the October 21st, 1967 episode of The Jackie Gleason Show on CBS:
A voiceover during the closing credits promotes two programs, one local and the other network. The first is a syndicated documentary called “A Nation of Immigrants.” Produced by David Wolper Productions and sponsored by Xerox, the documentary was based on President John F. Kennedy’s book of the same name. It aired on stations across the country throughout October 1967.
The second program is a repeat of the 1966 animated special “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” CBS rebroadcast the special on Saturday Thursday, October 26th, 1967.
Here’s a transcript:
Witness the hope and courage that built a nation of immigrants tonight at nine. This story of the American melting pot, narrated by Richard Basehart, with a prologue by Senator Robert Kennedy. Join them tonight for “A Nation of Immigrants,” tonight at 9 here on TV2.
Hark, what true light breaks? Is it the sun? is it the moon? No, it looks more like jack-o-lantern. But actually “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” In a happy Halloween special. See it, Thursday night, in color.
About This Recording
Source: Reel-to-reel audio tape
Date: Saturday, October 21st, 1967
Network: CBS
Station: WJBK-TV (Channel 2, Detroit)
It strikes me how the tone of the voice-overs are no different than old-timey radio.
Where do you think they got their start? The first TV stars were radio stars, and the structure of early TV shows were that of radio with video. Listen to some of the early TV shows like Dragnet and it’s like listening to radio. Which makes sense considering the video quality of early TVs was limited.
Since the first plug was for a syndicated show, I can assume this station was blacking out part of CBS prime-time. Although CBS has always been Channel 2 in New York, certainly a network O-& O would not do this. Any idea what station it did come from?
Sorry, I didn’t see the credit for Detroit. They were not a O&O in 1967, so it makes sense.
WJBK-TV wasn’t O&O by CBS, at least back then. As far as I remember, at least back when networks could only own 5 tv stations each, ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV was the only network O&O in Detroit. In fact WJBK-TV is an O&O now, but of Fox, not CBS. CBS was demoted after this switch to channel 62 in Detroit. Oddly enough, Detroit’s Big Three network affiliates were on the same channels as the network affiliates in NYC & LA, at least until the Fox takeover of WJBK-TV in the mid-90s.
The Charlie Brown Halloween special was rerun Thursday, October 26, 1967, not Saturday as was stated above.
Jon, thanks for the correction re: the date for the Charlie Brown repeat. I literally had a calendar open while writing this post and somehow I still managed to get the date wrong.
Back in the 1960’s, I recall there were many times our local CBS affiliate, WTIC-TV Channel 3, would do the same thing. The audio of a network program’s end credits would be turned down in order for the station to be able to plug one of its own local shows. I hated missing the music.
That voice belonged to Johnny Olson, the longtime announcer and voice of Goodson-Todman Productions.
Olson did such shows as “Match Game” and TPIR. He in fact coined the phrase “Come on down!” Jackie must have liked him as he was the only cast member to travel from New York to Miami when he moved south in 1964.
Oh, yes…covering the net audio and video was an essential skill you learned as a TV Master Control operator, as I was for years in Louisville and at AFRTS (Armed Forces Radio-Television Service) during my USAF days. Most master switchers had an audio/video “breakaway” function to make smoother transitions.
Philip Morris (Marlboro) was one of Jackie’s regular sponsors during the 1960’s.
Gleason smoked a lot of cigarettes, so it is no surprise that he was sought out by tobacco companies. L&M, a major rival brand, sponsored the ill-fated “You’re in the Picture’ as well as the short-lived talk show spinoff.
Sorry for the double post. When I tried to correct my typing error, it created a duplicate post. Feel free to drop the one with the semi-colon.
Oh, what a magical moment Gleason’s close to his Miami Beach audience following a “Honeymooner”‘s edition of “The Jackie Gleason Show” — taped for later broadcast on his longtime network home, CBS. Holding his “tea cup” and saucer he’d acknowledge “the greatest audience in the world, Miami Beach!” then, one-by-one, introduce his “Honeymooners”‘ regular cast to enter the stage and take a bow.
With a loud, proud voice: “Jane Kean !”
Next, a tad stronger: “SHEILA MacRae!”
THEN, the crowd pleasure: with an even more joyful, boastful voice that could blow the walls out of the auditorium and practically carry out into the parking lot: ” A R T C A R N E Y !!!” whereupon the crowd erupted. In fact it sounds as if a number of the audience members were stamping their feet, it got so boisterous. The people were elated to see Carney jogging onto the stage, usually still in his Norton wardrobe. His comedic talents had ‘had them in stitches’ throughout much of the scripted segments the previous hour.
Then, as we hear here, Gleason’s trademark sign-off: “Goodnight, everybody!!”
The promo for the “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” repeat was V/O’d by CBS New York (and WCBS-TV/AM/FM) staff announcer Pat Connell. Saturday nights were his major shift at this point.