March
26 – April 1, 1978
The
origins of CBS date back to January 27, 1927, with the creation of
the “United Independent Broadcasters” network. The
fledgling network soon needed additional investors though, and the
Columbia Phonograph Company, manufacturers of Columbia
Records,
rescued it in April 1927; as a result, the new network was renamed the
Columbia
Phonographic Broadcasting System on
September 18 of that year. Columbia Phonographic went on the air on
September 18, 1927, with a presentation by the Howard L. Barlow
Orchestra
from
flagship
station
WOR
in
Newark,
New Jersey,
and fifteen affiliates. This was the birth of CBS radio.
CBS’s
involvement in television dates back to the opening of experimental
station W2XAB
in
New York City on July 21, 1931. Its initial broadcast featured New
York Mayor
Jimmy
Walker,
Kate
Smith,
and George
Gershwin.
The station boasted the first regular seven-day broadcasting schedule
in American television, broadcasting 28 hours a week.
To
celebrate its fiftieth year of broadcasting, CBS devoted seven nights
to a celebration of their history – nine
and a half hours of air time: “CBS:
On The Air – A Celebration of 50 Years.” The goal was to bring
together more than 100 network stars, past and present, with Walter
Cronkite and Mary Tyler Moore serving as overall hosts. Other stars
and personalities stepped up to host nights they were associated
with. The
event was produced by Alexander H. Cohen and written by his wife,
Hildy Parks.
The
music for the event was written by some of the greatest theatre
composers of the time with the main musical theme written by Leonard
Bernstein. “Member of the Family” was written by Jerry Herman.
“Cowboys and Clowns” was written by Jule Styne.
The
event’s announcer was Dick Tufeld.
The schedule:
- Sunday,
March 26 – “Night of 100 Stars” – co-hosted by Telly Savalas and
Jean Stapleton - Monday,
March 27 – “Have a Laugh on Us” – with Lucille Ball, George
Burns, Arthur Godfrey, and Bea Arthur - Tuesday,
March 28 – “Chills
and Thrills with a Laugh Chaser” with Alan Alda, Garry Moore, and
Phil Silvers - Wednesday,
March 29 – “Dreams
Come True” with Dick Van Dyke, Buddy Ebsen, Cicely Tyson, and Danny
Kaye - Thursday,
March 30 – “Join the Family” with Richard Thomas and the cast of “The
Waltons” - Friday,
March 30 – “We’re
Getting Personal” with Lauren Bacall, Eve Arden, Bert Convy,
Richard Crenna, Bonnie Franklin, Jim Nabors, and Linda Lavin - Saturday,
April 1 –
“A Rootin’, Tootin’, Hootin’ & Hollerin’ Salute to
Cowboys and Clowns” with Carol Burnett, Carroll O’Connor, Art
Carney, Isabel Sanford, Tony Randall, and Sherman Hemsley
Although
CBS attempted to bring together as many of its stars as possible, a
few were just unable–or unwilling–to be involved. According to TV
Guide, Cher and Amanda Blake were sick, while ABC refused to allow
Cloris Leachman to participate in a special on another network.
Supposedly, Charlton Heston declined to give CBS permission to use
his likeness.
Lucille
Ball,
who helped bring the television network to prominence in the 1950s,
was part of the celebrations on Sunday as one of the 100 stars, and
on Monday, the night she ruled on CBS with her three sitcoms.
Like
other network anniversary celebrations, “CBS: On the Air” has
never been repeated nor has it been officially released on any
format. However, The Paley Center for Media has more than 40 listings relating to the specials, including complete installments, clip
compilations, and rough cut reels.
Although they are not near each other on stage due to the alphabetical order of entrances, this is the last time Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance would be on the same television show. Vance would make one more appearance on her own before her death in 1979.
Lucy
Ricardo: “What
are you? The Cuban television network?”
Ricky
Ricardo: “Yes.
CBS. The Cuban Broadcasting System.”
Sunday,
March 26 – “Night of 100 Stars”
The
115 (or so) stars were introduced to viewers by the night that they
first enjoyed success, starting with Sunday. Lucille Ball enters
during the second group (Monday) and is one of the first because the
stars are introduced alphabetically. Vivian Vance ends the Monday
night group. It takes nearly nine minutes to introduce all the
“members of the CBS family.”
Here
are the CBS Stars with professional connections to Lucille
Ball:
Sundays
Arlene
Francis
(“What’s My Line?”) was a panelist for Lucille Ball’s six
appearances on “What’s My Line?” from 1954 to 1965.
Alan
Funt
(“Candid Camera”) guest-starred as himself (and his evil
doppelganger) on “Lucy and the Candid Camera” (HL S4;E14) in
1971.
Valerie
Harper
(“Rhoda”) was in the chorus of Wildcat
(1960) on Broadway starring Lucille Ball. Harper joined Lucy on
“Dinah!” singing “Hey Look Me Over” in 1976 and sang a musical tribute to Ball at “The Kennedy Center Honors” in 1987.
Ann
Sothern
(“Private Secretary”) was one of Lucille Ball’s closest friends
from her days at RKO. Ball would always say that she would hang
around the casting office asking if there were any roles Ann Sothern
was too busy to do. She guest-starred as her “Private Secretary”
character on the very first “Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” In return,
Lucy appeared on her next sitcom, “The Ann Sothern Show.”
Sothern played Rosie, the Countess Frambois, in several episodes of
“The Lucy Show.”
Nancy
Walker
(“Rhoda”) did the 1943 film Best
Foot Forward
with Lucille Ball.
Mondays
Beatrice
Arthur
(“Maude”) starred opposite Lucille Ball in the 1974 musical film
Mame,
recreating the role she created on Broadway. Like Valerie Harper,
she paid tribute to Ball in song at “The Kennedy Center Honors”
in 1987.
Lucille
Ball (“I
Love Lucy” / “The Lucy Show” / “Here’s Lucy”)
Ken
Berry
(“Mayberry RFD”) was spotted by Lucille Ball performing on stage
and put under contract to Desilu for the Desilu Workshop. He played
himself on a 1968 episode of “The Lucy Show.”
George
Burns
(“Burns and Allen”) and Lucille Ball appeared on many TV variety
and award shows together. In 1966 he played himself on “The Lucy
Show” and did a cameo as himself on a 1970 episode of “Here’s
Lucy.”
Arthur
Godfrey
(“The
Arthur Godfrey Show”)
also hosted “Talent Scouts” on which Lucile Ball did a guest
appearance in 1963. After a career lull, Ball guest starred him on
“The Lucy Show” as himself in March 1965.
Andy
Griffith
(“The Andy Griffith Show”) filmed his show on the Desilu backlot.
Lucy interviewed Griffith on her radio show in 1965. In 1968, the two
did a pantomime sketch on “The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special.” He
finally teamed with Ball on “Here’s Lucy” in 1973.
Don
Knotts
(“The Andy Griffith Show”) played Lucy Carter’s “last blind
date” on a 1973 episode of “Here’s Lucy.”
Art
Linkletter
(“The Art Linkletter Show”) was
first mentioned on “The Lucy Show” in 1962 and would appear as
himself four years later. Lucille Ball was his guest on “House
Party” in 1964. Linkletter will also play himself on a 1970 episode
of “Here’s Lucy.”
Danny
Thomas
(“Make Room for Daddy”) and Lucille Ball’s careers are forever
linked. “Make Room for Daddy” was filmed at Desilu Studios and
when it moved to CBS the characters did a cross-over episode of “The
Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” exchanging homes with the Ricardos. In
return, Lucy and Desi played Lucy and Ricky on an episode of “Make
Room for Daddy.” When Thomas starred in a sequel titled “Make
Room for Granddaddy” Ball guest-starred and did the same when he
starred in the short-lived series “The Practice.” Thomas
appeared as himself in a 1965 episode of “The Lucy Show” and as
an eccentric artist on “Here’s Lucy” in 1973.
Vivian
Vance
(“I Love Lucy” / “The Lucy Show” / “Here’s Lucy”) is best
remembered as Lucy’s best pal Ethel Mertz on “I Love Lucy.” She
returned to play Vivian Bagley on “The Lucy Show” and Vivian
Jones on “Here’s Lucy.” The pair also were seen together on CBS
in “Lucy Calls The President” in 1977.
Tuesdays
Jamie
Farr
(“M*A*S*H”) was seen on “Lucy, The Rain Goddess” (TLS S4;E15)
in 1966.
Garry
Moore (“The
Garry Moore Show”) was also the host of “I’ve Got A Secret” on
which Lucille Ball appeared in 1956 and 1961. In between, she was a
guest on “The Garry Moore Show” in 1960.
Phil
Silvers (“The
Phil Silvers Show”) played an efficiency expert on a 1966 episode
of “The Lucy Show.” Lucy made a cameo appearance on “The Phil
Silvers Show” in 1959.
Red
Skelton
(“The Red Skelton Hour”) did five films with Lucille Ball between
1938 and 1945, including
DuBarry Was a Lady
(1943). Skelton played himself on “Lucy Goes to Alaska” in 1959.
Wednesdays
Steve
Allen
(“The Steve Allen Show”) was the guest-host or panelist for three
of Lucy’s appearances on “What’s My Line?” and “I’ve Got a
Secret.” He played himself on “Lucy Calls the President”
(1977).
Eva
Gabor
(“Green Acres”) made two appearances on “Here’s Lucy,” once
playing herself.
Danny
Kaye
(“The Danny Kaye Show”) appeared as himself on a 1964 episode of
“The Lucy Show.” Before that, Ball guest-starred on two “Danny
Kaye Specials.”
Dick
Van Dyke (“The
Dick Van Dyke Show”) invited Lucille Ball to appear on his
short-lived variety show “Van Dyke & Company” in 1976.
Thursdays
Ellen
Corby (“The
Waltons”) played Miss Hannah, Lucy Ricardo’s high school drama
teacher in “Lucy Meets Orson Welles” (ILL S6;E3) in 1956. She
also appeared in a 1963 episode of “The Lucy Show.”
Fridays
Eve
Arden (“Our
Miss Brooks”) did a one line cameo as herself in “Hollywood at
Last!” (ILL S4;E16) in 1955. Arden and Ball did two films together
at RKO in the late 1930s.
Richard
Crenna (“Our
Miss Brooks”) played Arthur Morton, a variation on his character
Walter Denton in “Our Miss Brooks,” on “The Young Fans” (ILL
S1;E20) in 1952.
Jim
Nabors
(“Gomer Pyle USMC”) did an uncredited cameo as Gomer Pyle in
“Lucy Gets Caught Up in the Draft” (TLS S5;E9) in 1966. Both
shows were shot at Desilu Studios.
Saturdays
Carol
Burnett
(“The Carol Burnett Show”) was a protege of Lucille Ball’s. In
1966 Lucille Ball and Zero Mostel were the stars of “Carol + 2”.
Ball and Burnett would exchange appearances on each other’s shows.
Carol made seven appearances on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s
Lucy,” while Ball did four installments of “The Carol Burnett
Show.”
Art
Carney (“The
Honeymooners”) played
Lucille Ball’s husband in the 1967 film A
Guide for the Married Man.
He also starred in Lucille Ball’s 1976 TV special, What
Now, Catherine Curtis?
As well as her first special, Happy
Anniversary and Goodbye in
1974.
Mike
Connors
(“Mannix”) played his iconic detective Joe Mannix on an episode
of “Here’s Lucy” in 1971. Lucille Ball was responsible for
rescuing “Mannix” from being canceled early in its run.
Fred
MacMurray (“My
Three Sons”) played himself in “Lucy Hunts Uranium” in 1958.
Audrey
Meadows
(“The Honeymooners”) played Lucy’s sister on one episode of “Life
With Lucy” (1986).
Tony
Randall
(“The Odd Couple”) played a mountain climbing executive on a 1971 “Here’s
Lucy.”
Betty
White
(“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”) was a life-long friend of Lucille
Ball’s. The two made no dramatic appearances together, but did
co-star on episodes of “Password.”
On
Saturday, April 1, the special ended with these same celebrities
lined up on a elevated walkway outside CBS Television City. Lucille
Ball appears behind the screen credit for director Clark Jones.
Papermoon Loves Lucy 
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