Series synopsis
Kraft Music Hall is an American drama television series that premiered on NBC on October 8, 1958. It ended on September 1, 1971. It stars Perry Como, Milton Berle, Arte Johnson and Bernadette Peters.
Kraft Music Hall is an umbrella title for several television series aired by NBC in the United States from the 1950s to the 1970s in the musical variety genre, sponsored by Kraft Foods, the producers of a well-known line of cheeses and related dairy products. Their commercials were usually announced by "The Voice of Kraft", Ed Herlihy.
Premise
Kraft Music Hall is an umbrella title for several television series aired by NBC in the United States from the 1950s to the 1970s in the musical variety genre, sponsored by Kraft Foods, the producers of a well-known line of cheeses and related dairy products. Their commercials were usually announced by "The Voice of Kraft", Ed Herlihy.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Perry Como as Self - Host
- Milton Berle as Self - Host
- Arte Johnson
- Bernadette Peters
- Don Knotts
- Debbie Reynolds
- Carol Lawrence
- Shecky Greene
Supporting cast
- Herschel Bernardi
- Joseph Cotten as Self
- Polly Bergen
- Jerry Van Dyke as Self
- Bob Hope as Self
- George Lindsey
- Lou Rawls as Self
- John Cunningham
- Lena Horne
- Woody Allen as Self
- William F. Buckley Jr. as Self
- Aretha Franklin as Self
Guest cast
- Milton Berle as Self - Host
- Arte Johnson
- Bernadette Peters
- Don Knotts
- Debbie Reynolds
- Carol Lawrence
- Shecky Greene
- Herschel Bernardi
- Joseph Cotten as Self
- Polly Bergen
- Jerry Van Dyke as Self
- Bob Hope as Self
Episodes
This series spans 13 seasons with 214 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 48 | October 8, 1958 | September 23, 1959 |
| Season 2 | 1 | ||
| Season 3 | 1 | ||
| Season 4 | 1 | ||
| Season 5 | 1 | ||
| Season 6 | 1 | ||
| Season 7 | 1 | ||
| Season 8 | 1 | ||
| Season 9 | 1 | ||
| Season 10 | 40 | September 13, 1967 | September 4, 1968 |
| Season 11 | 41 | September 11, 1968 | September 10, 1969 |
| Season 12 | 40 | September 17, 1969 | September 2, 1970 |
| Season 13 | 37 | September 16, 1970 | September 1, 1971 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Dunhills Scheduled guests: --The Dunhills, precision dancers who toured with Milton Berle during the summer of 1958. The trio was made up of Walter Long, Bob Roberts and Art Stanley. |
October 8, 1958 |
| 2 |
Gary Crosby Scheduled guest: --Gary Crosby (singer-actor, son of Bing Crosby) |
October 15, 1958 |
| 3 |
The Jordanaires / Carl Sandburg / Tony Roberts Scheduled guests: --The Jordanaires (vocal group) --Carl Sandburg (poet) --Tony Roberts |
October 22, 1958 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass --Herb Alpert (host) --Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - ""I've Got a Lot of Livin' to Do,"" ""Habanera,"" and an international medley --Louis Armstrong Quintet - ""Cabaret"" --Louis Armstrong and Herb Alpert - ""Mame"" --Louis Armstrong and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - ""Mack the Knife"" --Jackie Vernon (comedian) --Jackie Vernon & the Tijuana Brass - ""Spanish Flea"" --Robin Wilson - ""What Now, My Love?"" --dancers - ""Music to Watch Girls By"" (choreography by Peter Gennaro) |
September 13, 1967 |
| 2 |
The Hollywood Musical ""The Hollywood Musical"" - a tribute to movie musicals --Rock Hudson (host) - sings ""Louise,"" ""Good Ship Lollipop,"" ""Thanks for the Memories"" & ""'S Wonderful"" --Connie Stevens - ""42nd Street"" & ""Hi Lilli"" --Rock Hudson and Michele Lee - ""Shadow Waltz"" --Michele Lee - ""Sing You Sinners"" & ""Trolley Song"" --Bobby Van - ""Singin' in the Rain"" & ""Song-and-Dance Man"" --All (entire cast) - Academy Award medley, ""For Me and My Gal"" and ""We're a Couple of Swells"" |
September 27, 1967 |
| 3 |
The George M. Cohan Story --Bobby Darin (as George M. Cohan) --Liza Minnelli --Dennis Day --Kaye Stevens --George Carle --cameo: Jack Benny walk-on |
October 4, 1967 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Kraft Premier Show --Eddy Arnold (co-host) --Don Rickles (co-host) --Alan King (co-host) --Bobbie Gentry --Rocky Graziano --Joe Louis --Sugar Ray Robinson |
September 11, 1968 |
| 2 |
Don Rickles' Brooklyn ""Don Rickles' Brooklyn"" --Don Rickles --Joan Rivers --Steve Lawrence --Robert Merrill --Roy Campanella |
September 18, 1968 |
| 3 |
Kraft Presents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans --Roy Rogers & Dale Evans --Sons of the Pioneers --Stiller & Meara --Kate Smith --Bobby Van |
October 2, 1968 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Alan King: A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to September --Alan King (host) --Alan King and Browning Bryant - ""The Straight Life"" --Browning Bryant (teenage singer) - ""Shenandoah"" --Carol Lawrence - ""Wait till the Sun Shines, Nellie"" --Carol Lawrence and Alan King - medley: ""Summertime,"" ""Blue Skies"" and ""Up a Lazy River"" --Marian Mercer (actress, from Broadway's ""Promises, Promises"") --Carl Ballantine (comedian) |
September 17, 1969 |
| 2 |
Kraft Presents Eddy Arnold --Eddy Arnold (host) - ""That's How Much I Love You,"" ""I'll Hold You in My Heart"" & ""Make the World Go Away"" --Bobbie Gentry - ""Peaceful"" --Bernadette Peters --Phil Harris --Browning Bryant (teenage singer) - ""Patches"" --Phil Harris, Eddy Arnold and Bobbie Gentry - ""Muskrat Ramble"" --All guests - Country medley: ""By the Time I Get to Phoenix,"" ""Wichita Lineman,"" ""Jackson,"" ""Green Green Grass,"" ""Harper Valley PTA,"" ""Gentle on My Mind"" and ""Honey"" |
September 24, 1969 |
| 3 |
The Friars Roast Milton Berle ""The Friars Roast Milton Berle"" with Alan King as the ""Roastmaster"" Guests: --Jack Benny --Red Buttons --Don Drysdale (former Dodger's pitcher) --Steve Lawrence --Jan Murray --Bishop Fulton J. Sheen --Henny Youngman |
October 1, 1969 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Alan King Looks At Women's Rights & Wrongs Season Premiere: ""Women's Liberation"" theme Sketches: --Eva Gabor plays a female baseball player giving an interview. --A newly liberated woman (Eva Gabor) and her husband (Paul Lynde) share their newfound happiness with friends (Alan King & Anne Meara). --An elderly couple (Alan King and Totie Fields) argue over who is is charge of the family. The couple sings ""Do You Love Me?"" --A runaway wife returns home. The husband is Alan King and the wife is...Paul Lynde! |
September 16, 1970 |
| 2 |
Mr. Anthony Quinn and Miss Peggy Lee Music: --Anthony Quinn and Peggy Lee - ""What Is a Woman?"" & ""Love Story."" --Peggy Lee - ""He's Got the Whole World in His Hands,"" ""Lost in the Stars,"" ""Don't Explain"" & ""Me and My Shadow."" The duo also appeared in a few vignettes: (1) a scene from ""Requiem for a Heavyweight"" (2) a ""carnival barker"" (3) a scene from a Thomas Wolfe novel --Anthony Quinn and Peggy Lee also appeared as three different couples (an English couple, a Japanese couple and an Italian couple) in three short scenes. Each scene ended with the words ""you don't love me anymore."" |
September 23, 1970 |
| 3 |
The Friars Roast Don Rickles Friars roast Don Rickles --Johnny Carson (Roastmaster) --Milton Berle --George C. Scott --Alan King --Henny Youngman --Dick Cavett --Chet Huntley |
September 30, 1970 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NBC |
|---|---|
| First aired | October 8, 1958 |
| Last aired | September 1, 1971 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | ended |