Stephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen 
                   (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000)

Allen is best remembered as the first host of The Tonight Show on
NBC from 1954 to 1957. He innovated the concept of the television
talk show.

The Lennon Sisters with Lawrence Welk in the background

The Lennon Sisters quartet, consisting of four of the six sisters from a family of 
11, made its television debut on ABC’s The Lawrence Welk Show on Christmas
Eve – December 24, 1955. A high school classmate, Larry Welk, son of band
leader Lawrence Welk, brought them to the attention of his father. Welk was
at home, sick in bed, when his son brought the sisters in to sing for him. Mr.
Welk was so impressed that he immediately booked them for that week’s show
and they were a mainstay until they left to start a career of their own in 1968. 

Ross Simpson

A young Paul Winchell and his young dummy Jerry Mahoney

Paul Winchell was born Paul Wilchinsky in New York 
City, New York.

             (December 21, 1922 – June 24, 2005)

Winchell was a ventriloquist, actor, and comedian who hosted
The Paul Winchell Show from 1950 to 1954 on NBC along
with Winchell-Mahoney Time from 1965 to 1968. He was
also the cartoon voice for Tigger in Winnie the Poo.

Winchell, who had medical training, was also an inventor,
becoming the first person to build and patent a mechanical
artificial heart.

Comedian Jackie Gleason sits behind the wheel of his new Buick as
assembly plant manager H.T. Anderson stands along side.

The Buick Motor Company signed Jackie Gleason (above) to one of the largest
contracts ever entered into with an entertainer. Gleason agreed to produce 78
half-hour shows over a two-year period for $6,142,500.

Original run on CBS: October 1, 1955 – September 22, 1956.

Art Carney (left) and Jackie Gleason on the Honeymooners set.