Those Were the Days
159th day of 2009 - 206 remaining
Monday, June 8, 2009
MR. TELEVISION DAY
It was a long trip from silent films and vaudeville, from Broadway
and radio to this day in 1948 when Mr. Television was born.
It was the beginning of the television era, and an actor, comedian,
and vaudevillian named Milton Berle was the first host of Texaco Star
but Berle made the cut, becoming the permanent emcee, staying in the
spotlight for another eighteen years.
Milton Berle quickly became a national institution known as Mr.
Television. He was undoubtedly responsible for selling millions of TV
sets, ultimately making TV the most popular form of entertainment in
America. People bought the new contraption just to see the zany
comedian on Tuesday night on the NBC network. Shops, restaurants and
streets emptied out throughout America as folks rushed home to see the
Texaco Star Theater.
Texaco jingle which then worked into a musical introduction of Milton
Berle. He would come on stage at this point, dressed in some
outlandish costume. And the show went on... Berle would end each
variety show (similar to an old-fashioned vaudeville variety hour) by
singing his theme song, Near You.
The format evolved over the years, but Milton Berle, known fondly as
Uncle Miltie, stayed the consummate entertainer. Berle has written
songs and books, won many awards including one of the first Emmys
awarded to a performer [1950]. The entertainer has given more charity
performances than any other in show biz.
Mr. Television ... Uncle Miltie ... Milton Berle made us laugh till
tears ran down our faces. Those were simpler times. Those were the
days...
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