The Breakfast Club, TV Special From 1948, Part 1

[fromthesidelines]

....however, it wasn't until early 1954 that ABC finally began simulcasting "THE BREAKFAST CLUB" on TV for one year...and it flopped (no advertisers bought the TV version, and very few ABC affiliates- and there WERE few of them- bothered to carry it). The radio show continued until 1968, when Don McNeill retired.

[fromthesidelines]

"THE BREAKFAST CLUB" originated from Chicago in 1933, becoming a national program via NBC's Blue Network- which became an independent network upon its sale to Edward J. Noble in 1943, becoming ABC in the summer of 1945. They wanted to see how Don McNeill would look on TV as early as 1948, and arranged this special "simulcast" with their Philadelphia affiliate {WFIL-TV} and the New York DuMont station [their own N.Y. station, WJZ-TV, didn't sign on until August of '48]....

[GreenTea200]

thanks for the insight horarwgt.

you missed just one song, the famous Hawaiian hula song, The Hukilau Song, from 1948.

if you listen again, he said he knew him even before the Hukilau Song. no idea if that song charted but it was a huge hit locally in Hawaii along with the B side, I'll Weave A Lei Of Stars For You.

do you know if either charted at all??

[horarwgt]

Jack Owens makes reference to some of the hits he wrote. Just for the record (so to speak), "The Hut Sut Song" was a #2 hit for Freddy Martin in 1941. "Hi Neighbor" hit #22 for Orrin Tucker the same year. "By-U, By-O" reached #7 for Woody Herman in 1942. "Cynthia's In Love" climbed to #15 in 1946 for Tex Beneke. Finally, "How Soon" peaked at #2 in 1947 for Jack Owens himself..

[robjasonfain]

If they are talking about the political conventions, this would be summer 1948 -- BEFORE there was even an ABC-TV network, though it's coming from ABC radio! Note that it's being carried in NYC over the Dumont station -- WABD! You can just catch a bit of the station ID from WFIL in Philadelphia, before the WABD announcer cuts in, from New York. This could be one of the earliest existing kinescopes of live TV -- recorded before the big fall season of 1948, when network TV took off. Wow.

[GreenTea200]

you're right. it was the Dumont station. i think it was from may 48.

also not many people realize that Jack Owens, who wrote The Hukilau Song after a Hawaiian vacation in Feb of that same year, left the Breakfast Club in July 49, joined Decca label, and in 1950 had his own TV show, aired on TV and radio, 50-55.

[Dondj55]

Judging by the fact that everybody, including the singer are reading from a script, I would venture to guess that this was simulcast on radio as a lot of shows were back then. I would also guess that more people were listening to it on radio rather than television because like jlarson88 said, only folks with money could afford a set.

It's too bad there wasn't a channel that showed only old videos like this. I would watch 24/7

[GreenTea200]

yes it aired on TV and radio at the same time.

you're right, it would be great to have a kinescope/early TV channel.

youtube user fromthesidelines

has some good video favorites

[thegalaxybeing]

Boy - ain't that the truth!!!!!

[MrBonifant]

@Dondj55 me too

[fromthesidelines]

Disney/ABC currently considers February 5, 1953 as the "birthdate" of their TV network; that's when Leonard Goldenson's "United Paramnount Theaters" bought controlling interest in the American Broadcasting Company from Edward J. Noble (who bought it from NBC back in 1943, when it was the "Blue Network"). Any programming seen before February 1953 [especially if they don't own it] is of very little interest to them, 'Green'. In other words, they just don't care...

[jlarson88]

I'm guessing this is one of the earliest kinescope programs available. At this point, some people would be fortunate to see this at a bar if anywhere. Only the very rich could possibly think of having at TV at this time.

Although it seems the networks continue to bring out more older shows to the 'net with limited commercials, they don't seem very interested in kinescope material. Fortunately much of it is public domain and is making its way onto the 'net anyhow.

[GreenTea200]

who knows?? re-running a show like this would be entertaining and fun, but it wouldn't suprise me one bit if they never would consider airing it. It's their heritage as a broadcast company and our heritage as a culture, but it seems like these days only crap makes it through and gets the greenlight.

[noahf67]

Maybe ABC could re-run these when "The View"

goes on hiatus...(!)