Good Friday is not a federal holiday in the United States, although it is a
state holiday in some states. It occurs two days before Easter Sunday and
is the day when Christians commemorate Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, which
plays a major role in the Christian faith.

Walter Cronkite began as anchor of "The CBS Evening News" on April 16,  
1962. On September 2, 1963, the CBS Evening News became network 
television’s first half-hour weeknight news broadcast which was extended
from its original 15 minutes, and telecast at 6:30 P.M. ET. Walter Cronkite 
retired from “The CBS Evening News” on March 6, 1981. 

A Labor Day weekend interview in 1963 with President John F. Kennedy
and Walter Cronkite at Hyannis Port was to inaugurate the first half hour
CBS News, network national nightly news broadcast.

Walter Cronkite (left) and an unidentified staff member

From left: Guest star Douglas Fairbanks and show host Bob Hope.
Other guests included Dinah Shore, and the Mexico City Boys Choir
singing the Hallelujah Chorus.

It was Easter Sunday, April 9, 1950 and the national TV debut of Bob
Hope on NBC in a 90 minute variety extravaganza called The Star
Spangled Review. He had previously appeared on a 1947 West
Coast broadcast, but this was a Big Deal, his first national television
appearance.

The TV special, produced by Max Liebman who was also responsible
for Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca’s “Your Show of Shows” at the time.

The show was a ratings success and Hope agreed to become the host
on a regular basis. It was much like Hope’s radio show, a mixture of jokes,
skits, and musical quest stars. It was eventually renamed the Bob Hope
Special and aired as a staple on NBC until 1997.