July 29
JACK PAAR DAY
The Tonight Show began simply as Tonight in 1954. Then it changed titles to Tonight! America after Dark. On this night in 1957, Jack Paar began a successful five-year run as host of the Tonight show on NBC-TV, changing its name to The Jack Paar Tonight Show.
Jack Paar came to NBC from the competition over at CBS where he had been a game and talk-show host. Paar’s forte was interviewing. He would get so involved with his guests and their stories that he would not only laugh with them, but would sometimes, even cry. Paar’s emotional outbursts, whether they involved an interviewee, a personal crusade or a feud with the likes of Ed Sullivan or Dorothy Kilgallen, became the major attraction of the show.
Jose Melis and his orchestra stayed with Paar through the years as did his sidekick and announcer, Hugh Downs. Those of us who stayed up night after night got used to being entertained by regulars such as Dody Goodman, Cliff Arquette, Pat Harrington, Hans Conried, Joey Bishop and Florence Henderson.
The very first show had as guests Alexander King, singer Robert Merrill, and funnyman Buddy Hackett. King and Hackett became regulars over the years just as Jack Paar became a regular in our bedrooms every weekday night until March 30, 1962.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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