Hour Glass (TV series)
| Hour Glass | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Variety |
| Directed by | Ed Sobol |
| Presented by |
Eddie Mayehoff Helen Parrish |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | May 9, 1946 – March 1947 |
Hour Glass is the first regularly scheduled variety show shown on American network television. The Encyclopedia of Television noted that the program "is historically important because it exemplified the issues faced by networks, sponsors, and advertising agencies in television's formative years."
Hour Glass was broadcast only on WNBT in New York City from May 9, 1946, through November of that year, when distribution to NBC affiliates in Philadelphia and Schenectady began. From that time, the three-city network continued until March 1947.
Described as "the first [television] hour-long musical variety show",Hour Glass was sponsored by Standard Brands, promoting Chase and Sanborn coffee and Tenderleaf Tea. The program included comedians, musicians, entertaining films (such as a film of dance in South America), and a long, live commercial for the sponsor's products.
Such famous names as Doodles Weaver, Bert Lahr, Dennis Day, Anton Reiter, Jerry Colonna, Peggy Lee and Joe Besser appeared on the program.
On November 14, 1946, Edgar Bergen brought his ventriloquism act to the show. It was one of the first times that a major radio performer had appeared on television.
The Columbia History of American Television attributed the program's short life to its cost, saying, "Standard Brands invested $200,000 in this series over its ten-month tenure at a time when that level of investment just couldn't be supported and sustained, leading to the Hour Glass's abbreviated run." Another factor was that James Petrillo, president of the American Federation of Musicians forbade musicians from performing on television without an agreement between the AFM and the networks, thus limiting directors and performers to use of recorded music.
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