ABC's Silver Anniversary Celebration - 1978

[Joannec95]

Put the whole special up please.

[AlbieGray]

Hilarious for Penny and Cindy to do something Laverne and Shirley would have done! Absolutely hilarious!

[ruthiemanilow]

BARRY MANILOW!!!!!!<3

[WizardGlik]

Cyndi Williams = 1978 version of Zooey Deschanel

[tahitisweetie61496]

Does anyone know if you can find this anywhere else the whole thing! please let me know

[skates76]

@tahitisweetie61496

try i-offer.com

[snoops71]

I'd love to see the whole thing! Terrific beginning :)

[143AC]

Dear From The Sidelines,

The opening night cerimonies of WJZ(WABC)TV Ch.7 in NYC were presented from the stages of The Palace Theater.This occured on August 10,1948.They gave the viewers and the theater audience a star studded stage show.

[fromthesidelines]

KInescopes of some of ABC's live broadcasts before February 1953 DO exist, but current executives, in maintaining the illusion of the year ABC "officially" went on the air, ignore that fact...or have no idea there WAS an "ABC" network before February '53.

[fromthesidelines]

...Noble originally bought what had been NBC radio's "Blue Network" in October 1943, changing its name to "American Broadcasting Company" in June 1945, beginning sporadic network TV broadcasts through April 1948 (mostly through DuMont stations)- then WJZ {now WABC} officially signed on as their flagship TV station in August 1948, officially inaugurating a regular network program schedule.

[fromthesidelines]

ABC "officially" dates the beginning of their TV network on February 9, 1953, when United Paramount Theaters (under Leonard Goldenson), acquired majority ownership of the network from Edward J. Noble.

[jeaniene31]

I can't believe this was over 30 years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. I actually used a small recorder and recorded this song, I wore it out. So glad to have found it here....THANK YOU!

[DorisDayFanatic]

What a cast!!  =)

[Juliaflo]

@DorisDayFanatic They actually had T-A-L-E-N-T.

You will never, I repeat, NEVER see the likes of these again.

[DorisDayFanatic]

@Juliaflo I totally agree.

[Juliaflo]

In loving memory of John Forsythe.

[143AC]

Actress Mariette Hartley appears in that"Poleroid"TV plug with

Mr.Garner.

[Juliaflo]

In memoriam-Dennis Cole.

Pop quiz-Name the angel he was once married to.

Merry Christmas.

[Beautifulmusiclistnr]

@Juliaflo I'm deeply saddened to hear that Dennis Cole is no longer with us. I had no idea until just now. Of course, he met Jaclyn Smith in 1976 on Charlie's Angels, and they were married in 1978 for 2 and a half years. He had a difficult life especially with the loss of his son in the 90's. RIP Dennis.

[proken58]

You have to remember the times. After being kicked around for decades, this was when ABC was becoming the number 1 network. So there was a huge reason for ABC to celebrate. I noticed, though, that no almuni or current members of ABC News were mentioned in the opening. I suppose they weren't particularly proud of ABC News' past and in 1978 the news division was (again) in transition.

[micmac99]

Just watch the ABC clips here on YouTube of the ABC news coverage of the initial moments of the JFK assassination and compare it to NBC or CBS. Big difference.

[143AC]

The ABC TV Network began in 1948..with only a few stations and a limited ammount of programming and airtime back then. It was not until the 1950's..that ABC TV had more broadcast time and more programs that they came into being.

[143AC]

I remember Mr.Danny Kaye use to do the tv plugs for

"Polaroid's" "Instant movies". The device and the tv plugs

didn't last too long.

[Juliaflo]

Because videocasettes and subsequent camcorders trampled Polaroid's PolaVision. Furthemore, PolaVision's cartridges had NO sound.

[143AC]

Dear PDS, The 40th and 50th anniversry tv tributes to ABC TV were

lousey.  I can only hope and pray that the 100th anniversar tv

tribute to ABC TV in 20053 will be better than the 40th and

50th tv specials.

[josephD32]

I think ABC will be older than 100 in 20053... lol. I'm just playin' with ya, I know what ya mean.

[PDS1990]

ABC's 75th Anniversary will be wonderful, I can predict.

I would love to be a part of the diamond anniversary celebration in 2028.

[pandorabangles]

"From ME to Lawrence WELK!!" LOL!

It doesn't get cheesier than that!!

[PDS1990]

Can someone put the lyrics to the ABC Silver Anniversary themed It's A Miracle?

[PDS1990]

Never mind. I got it.

[143AC]

Dear PDBG, NBC TV only had a fraction of their old guard with the

New on their 75th Anniversary TV Tribute..the same with

CBS TV on their 75th and they didn't even acknowledge alot of their old radio and tv shows.

[barryloverforever]

This is definitely a stroll down memory lane...Barry you never cease to amaze me with your talents~! Such a wonderful job of introducing all those fabulous long lost shows which I so enjoyed. I loved you then but I love you even more, even now...Linda LaRose

[143AC]

This is something that you will never see on network tv

or anywhere else on tv again? A large gathering of tv

performers and personalities on one special show.

[pdbg]

Never to see the like again? Don't be so sure. NBC had an all-star anniversary special for their seventy-fifth in 2001.

[drmagic]

i don't care what anyone says. the 70s were AWESOME!

[Karenmb]

I agree ;)

[mrsbarry]

Loving Barry jumpsuit...what a cutie!!

[ChefHannah715]

do u havee the john denver portion of this john is my idol

[tommyrock69]

I used to have such a crush on Cindy Williams.

[usa02]

Ahhh, the good ol days of ABC, Barry Manilow performing and voiceovers/announcing by Ernie Anderson doing the sponsors for "ABC's Silver Celebration".

[maxi937]

Go Barry!

[kamenstien]

Wonderful! Thank you, MaineTvClips

[smctopia]

This is awesome! I know there is a clip floating around out there of the ending finale with Toni Tenille singing a tune about ABC to the tune of the Rocky Theme and everyone comes up on the stage.

[Juliaflo]

I saw the original special, and it was SWEEEEET.

Those of you who want this on DVD....RAISE YOUR HAND.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

[PDS1990]

I'm in!

[Attmay]

Why do they call 1953 the date of their beginning? They were on well before that. I guess they use 1953 because it's when they split by court order from United Paramount Theaters.

[micmac99]

Actually it was when United Paramount Theaters and Leonard Goldenson bought the about-to-go-out-of-business original ABC (nee "Blue Network"), which was spun off by court order from NBC during WWII.

[143AC]

Dear Marine TVClips,

Do you have any more scenes from the ABC TV

Network's 25th Anniversary tv tribute?

[143AC]

Yes!

You're right TV Zone that is Mr.John Forsythe announcing

the show(and he was also the off camera voice of

"Charlie Townsend")Believe It Or Else?!

[143AC]

OMG!

It's been a long time since I've seen this intro

to ABC TV's 25th Anniversary tv tribute?

Thanks for bringing this back to us all!

[myTVzone]

That is John Forsythe himself announcing!If I'm wrong, sue em!

[myTVzone]

*sue ME.

and yeah, Ernie Anderson announcing the sponsors!

[eyeh8nbc]

At the end of this special they say "Let's hope the NEXT 25 years are just as great!" Unfortunately ABC died about 20 years after this aired.

[myTVzone]

And 25 years after that, they had a THREE hour special.

[60sThru80s]

"And 25 years after that, they had a THREE hour special."

That's to accomodate the reduced attention spans. I'm sure there's a mathematical formula to compensate for each new generation.

In another 25 years it will be a rapidly jiggling camera on an actors left nostril for 5 seconds, and that'll be it. "Roll the close credits...and squish 'em to the side!"

[jwgreek8606]

that's James Garner in that Polaroid commercial!