The Las Vegas Show
The Las Vegas Show | |
---|---|
United Network | |
Release | May 1 June 1, 1967 | –
The Las Vegas Show was an American
Overview
When entrepreneur
Production
David Sontag was named as the show's executive producer; Sontag previously served as ABC's executive producer for specials and head of talent, and developed
The program was the first of its kind to be telecast from Las Vegas.
Broadcast
The United Network's carriage nationwide varied significantly. Up to 123 stations signed with the network by December 1966 specifically to carry Las Vegas,[17][18] but multiple stations either dropped out or failed to sign on the air when Las Vegas debuted on May 1, 1967;[a] this included Overmyer's unbuilt KEMO-TV (channel 20),[19] which was sold to American Viscose Corporation along with Overmyer's other unbuilt stations.[20][21] Thus, the show never aired in San Francisco.[16] Knoxville, Tennessee, ABC affiliate WTVK-TV (channel 26) could not use ABC's network lines to receive Las Vegas when The Joey Bishop Show debuted two weeks earlier.[22]
The majority of United's affiliates were composed of existing "Big Three" affiliates, many of them with CBS as that network declined to launch a late-night show of their own.[18] United affiliates with primary NBC affiliations either delayed Las Vegas to the late afternoon,[1] aired it after Tonight[23] or only on the weekends.[24] Flagship WPIX aired Las Vegas on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11:30 p.m., and Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 9 p.m.[25] WGN-TV in Chicago aired the show at 12:35 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10:15 p.m. on Saturdays, and 8 p.m. on Sundays.[15][26] The Las Vegas Show was ultimately carried on 106 television stations[27] but the affiliate base was regarded as "irregular"[26] and "erratic".[28]
An additional 32 television stations based in Latin America also reportedly signed up to carry the program.[5]
Guests
Guests that appeared on The Las Vegas Show included the following:
- Week of May 1, 1967: Milton Berle, Billy Daniels, Sarah Vaughan, Chad & Jeremy, Big Tiny Little, Rich Little, Della Reese, Julius La Rosa, Don Cornell, Helen O'Connell, Allen & Rossi, Abbe Lane, Dana Wynter, Frankie Laine, Fran Jeffries, Al Hibbler, Pat Morita, Molly Bee, Robert Clary, Jaye P. Morgan, Page Cavanaugh, Roberta Sherwood, Barbara McNair, Mel Carter, Sammy Shore, Rusty Draper, Tommy Leonetti[3][29]
- Week of May 8, 1967: Sally Ann Howes, The Teddy Neely Five, Clea Bradford, Davis and Reese, Juliet Prowse, Anita O'Day, Gisele MacKenzie, Pat Henry, Sérgio Mendes, Nicholas Brothers, Jackie Gayle, Edith Head, Hugh O'Brian, Don Rickles, The Baker Twins, Harold Robbins[30]
- Week of May 15, 1967: Mort Sahl, Dana Wynter, Carmen McRae, Helen O'Connell, Hank Grant, Tammy Grimes, Liberace, Rod Serling, Hugh Hefner, Elaine Dunn, Gretchen Wyler[31]
- Week of May 22, 1967: Chita Rivera, Jennie Smith, Don Rickles, Tony Daryl, John Wayne, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Earl Wrightson, Lois Hunt, Marty Ingels, Mary Grover, The Kingston Trio, Dave Barry, Marni Nixon, Eileen Brennan[32]
- Week of May 29, 1967: Tommy Noonan, Damita Jo DeBlanc, Redd Foxx, Xavier Cugat, Charo, Don Cornell, Irwin Corey, Gilbert Price, Sue Ane Langdon,[33] Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses[34]
- Guest slated for June 1, 1967: Della Reese[35]
Reception
Critical reviews
Las Vegas was met with mixed reviews from critics.
Ratings
Las Vegas initially premiered to strong ratings, particularly in New York and Los Angeles,
Cancellation
United quickly lost money throughout May 1967 despite initial promise of Las Vegas being able to lure advertising during the first week.
After an executive board vote, the United Network shut down on Thursday, June 1, 1967. Network president Oliver Treyz set a telegram to all 106 affiliates that United "ceased its interconnected program operations".[13][46] Production staff was told following the previous night's taping that Las Vegas "would stop taping for awhile".[45] Two additional shows had been pre-recorded for broadcast,[45][46] which did not happen as affiliates were pressed into finding replacement programming within a matter of hours.[50]
Bill Dana, who blamed the failure of United on the reluctance of ownership to provide it financial sustenance, mused, "At least I set a record. I'm the first man in history to sink an entire network."[48] In a later interview, Dana said, "[i]t burns me when they say the Vegas show folded. It didn't. It was the network that folded and down went the show with it."[52] Historian Hal Erickson wrote that "The Las Vegas Show [was] the first series in history to leave the air because its network was cancelled."[53]
Notes
- United Network § Affiliate stations.
References
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- ^ a b c d e f Levin, Penny (May 7, 1967). "The Strip Gives Birth To a New TV Network". Las Vegas Review-Journal. pp. The Nevadan 4–5. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
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- ^ a b "United tries its wings tonight: Ventures out of Las Vegas nest with 90-minute series to compete with Carson and Bishop". Broadcasting. Vol. 72, no. 18. May 1, 1967. p. 51.
- ^ a b c Gould, Jack (May 3, 1967). "TV Net Makes Bow With 2-Hour Show". Richmond Times-Dispatch. The New York Times. p. C15. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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- ^ "Want to Be a Star? Make Commericals [sic]". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. April 27, 1967. p. 10F. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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- ISBN 9780786411986.
External links
- The Las Vegas Show at IMDb