Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, writer, and advocate of scientific skepticism. In September 1954, he achieved national fame as the first host of The Tonight Show, which was the first late night television talk show. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his extensive network television career.

Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, writer, and advocate of scientific skepticism. In September 1954, he achieved national fame as the first host of The Tonight Show, which was the first late night television talk show. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his extensive network television career.

see comedians

From archive: AND 1954 Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein: General Foods 25th Annversary Show. The special was hosted by Groucho Marx, Mary Martin, Jack Benny, Ed Sullivan, and Edgar Bergen with his puppet Charlie McCarthy.Tribute to the then-ten-year partnership between composer Richard Rodgers and librettist-lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, presented by General Foods, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Featuring many original cast members, the special featured musical sequences from all of the R&H shows up to that time: Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel (1945), State Fair (1945), Allegro (1947), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951) and Me and Juliet (1953). Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen, Yul Brynner, Noel Coward (in audience. Image re-sold for back jacket of a biography), Rosemary Clooney, Mary Martin, Tony Martin, Mainbocher (couturier in audience), Enzio Pinza, Groucho Marx, Ed Sullivan

and Milton Berle, Nancy Marchand & Richard Kiley in Kraft Theatre (1947-1958) “Material Witness” 1958.

"The Funniest Pair on the Air," Saturday Evening Post, December 25, 1954. Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding. For current article with these images: http://bit.ly/2CUWHmY

Sid Caesar, Howard Morris & Carl Reiner as "The Haircuts" for Pageant Magazine Circus of the Stars with Dagmar One original print with Imogene Coca

American humorist, Corey Ford Prints, negatives. Extensive archive.

Illusionist Uri Geller with photographer Lawrence Fried and Maria Janus and Hank Gans. Berkey K&L and Leonard Freed's dark room. November 1973. Human Behavior Magazine. 93 35mm color slides. "Thought Photograpy" article by Lawrence Fried about the experiments. https://www.urigeller.com/scientific-paranormal/the-geller-papers/thought-photography-a-photographers-account/ Uri Geller is an Israeli-British illusionist, magician, television personality, and self-proclaimed psychic. He is known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other illusions. Geller uses conjuring tricks to simulate the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy.

5 original prints Jackie Gleason with Jack Lescoulie. And part of the "Earl Wilson Story" Photo of Gleason in his bathrobe was in LOOK magazine.

Bob Hope, entertainer 33 original prints from The Bob Hope Show, 1954. On set, behind the scenes. With The Corbett Twins. Published in The Saturday Evening Post, February 13, 1954

Extensive print archive and contact sheets. With Tommy Dorsey, Dave Garroway, McGuire Sisters, and more. For Cosmopolitan. Jack Lescoulie (November 17, 1912—July 22, 1987) was a radio and television announcer and host, notably on NBC's Today during the 1950s and 1960s;] Lescoulie was also known for his voice impersonation of comedian Jack Benny. He was a musician and had an orchestra. he was an announcer on Jackie Gleason's Cavalcade of Stars (1949–52).as well as the original network announcer for The Honeymooners (1955–56).

Two extensive archive from 1954 for Saturday Evening Post; "My Old Man Groucho" written by Arthur Marx. Color is from "A Taste of Funny," Kraft Music Hall, aired December, 1967. 1954 Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein: General Foods 25th Anniversary Show (televised) Groucho with Mary Martin sitting in audience Groucho with Rosemary Clooney 22 originall contact sheets 10 35mm sleeves (not all full) 2 120mm sleeves. Great images of Martin with Yul Brynner

Radio host, Dell Shields, WRVR "Night Call" 1968-69 African American radio host contact sheets, 35mm black and white negatives. ‘Night Call’ spurred conversations on race in 1960's (Died, 2015) To listen to the shows: https://soundtheology.org/night-call-1968-69/ The first run of Night Call was the first national call-in radio program. It originated in Dearborn, Michigan, and ran weeknights on stations across the country. It was an excellent format for discussion of social issues. The program began in 1965 and ended in 1966, a total of 230 programs. The Methodist Television, Radio, and Film Commission planned to re-start the program in the fall of 1968, but in the midst of Civil Rights unrest, and following the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., TRAFCO decided to move up the re-start date to June 3, 1968. A budget of $450,000 was arranged, and the search went into high gear for a host, a producer, a program director, and researchers. The program would originate at WRVR, a community FM station with studios at Riverside Church in New York City. The hour-long program would run at 11:30pm Eastern Time, every weeknight, and syndicated on stations across the country. Del Shields was hired to host the program. He was executive secretary of the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers (with a membership of 500 African-American broadcasters.) Shields had also hosted a daily 4-1/2 hour show on WLIB-FM in New York City. ...In the summer of 1968, guests on the show included James Baldwin, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Sargent Shriver, Arthur Miller, H. Rap Brown, Jackie Robinson, Roy Innis, Eldredge Cleaver, Bill Cosby, Rev. A. D. King, Stokely Carmichael, Julian Bond, and Dick Gregory.A Time Magazine article on August 23, 1968 called Night Call “The Cool Hot Line.” It said: … the United Methodist Church … is sponsoring a radio dialogue between the races that is more compelling than any heard on the sudden multitude of such talk shows, including those produced on TV. By the time of the Time Magazine article, the number of stations carrying the show had grown to 57.

Actor and comedian, Phil Silvers with Benny Goodman, original print. SEP September 7, 1957 “I Call On Phil Silvers” Rehearsal for The Phil Silvers Show. 6 contact sheets, 35mm negatives. Maurice Lionel Gosfield as Private Doberman and other cast members. And, at home with his family. Article by Pete Martin . Tearsheet in our file “I Call On Phil Silvers” 1 photo with side kick “Private Doberman”  The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S. Army post in which he played Master Sergeant Ernest (Ernie) Bilko. 

Sophie Tucker part of The Earl Wilson Story article, 1 original print Sophie Tuck (January 13, 1887 – February 9, 1966), known professionally as Sophie Tucker, was a Ukrainian-born American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertainers in America during the first half of the 20th century. She was widely known by the nickname "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas"

Columnist, tv game show host, Earl Wilson. The Earl Wilson Story for Coronet Magazine early 1950's. Extensive file. Don Ameche, Sophie Tucker, Showgirls, Tv Show, Theatre, family life. On the set of "Who Said That" 35mm negatives and contact sheets. Harvey Earl Wilson (May 3, 1907 – January 16,