Five Star Jubilee was a country music variety show carried by NBC-TV from
March 17–September 22, 1961. The live program, a spin-off of ABC-TV’s Jubilee
USA, was the first network color television series to originate outside New York
City or Hollywood. It was produced from the Landers Theater (above) in Springfield, Missouri. The series featured five rotating hosts, Snooky Lanson, Tex Ritter, Rex
Allen, Jimmy Wakely, and Carl Smith. The sponsor was Massey Ferguson.

Jerry Lewis is a veteran comedian, actor, film producer, screenwriter, film director
and singer. He is best-known for his slapstick humor in screen, television, stage
and radio. He was originally paired with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed
comedy team of Martin and Lewis (shown below). In addition to the duo’s popular nightclub work, they starred in a successful series of comedy films. Lewis is also
known for his charity fund-raising telethons and position as national chairman for
the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Lewis has won several awards for
lifetime achievements and In 2005, he received the Governors Award of the
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors, which is the
highest Emmy Award presented.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis during the 2010 MDA telethon

Musician and bandleader, Harry James was an instrumentalist of the swing era. He
was one of the most popular bandleaders of the first half of the 1940s, and he
continued  to lead his band until just before his death, 40 years later. His was the
first "name band" to employ vocalist Frank Sinatra, in 1939. He wanted to change Sinatra’s name to ‘Frankie Satin’ but Sinatra refused. His later band included
drummer Buddy Rich. Harry James was second only to Glenn Miller as the most successful recording artist of 1942.  

Harry James and his Orchestra on The Ed Sullivan show

 
Frank Sinatra, right, with Harry James and his orchestra in 1939

 The Morning Show on the CBS television network aired from 1954 until 1956 and was originally hosted by Walter Cronkite (above). It was very similar to NBC’s The Today Show and was on the air for two hours from 7-9 a.m. ET until being reduced to one
hour to accommodate the premiere of Captain Kangaroo in 1955. Additional hosts
over the years included Jack Paar, John Henry Faulk, and Dick Van Dyke.

 
Walter Cronkite with the weather

Jack Paar hosting The Morning Show

On October 1, 1962, Groucho Marx (left) made a television guest appearance
to introduce the Tonight Show’s new host, Johnny Carson.