On The Monitor Beacon Trivia Quiz

Answer: Broadcasts of great operas and symphonies

Known to detractors in the industry as Weaver's Folly, "Monitor" initially was on the air 40 hours every weekend - Saturday 8AM until midnight Sunday. Few affiliate stations carried the Sunday midnight to 8AM segment so it was quickly dropped. Begining in 1961 "Monitor" was cut to 16 hours of live programming every weekend. Hours were reduced a couple of more times until by it's final years only 12 hours of live programming was sent to a dwindling number of affiliates.

In "Monitor's" heyday of the 1950s and 60s, stars of all facets of show business appeared frequently. By the 70s "Monitor" was relying more heavily on recorded pop music hosted by popular disc jockeys.

Answer: A mixture of telephone switching tones

AT&T provided NBC with recordings of the tones sent by the phone company's equipment to complete long distance calls. The network's engineers filtered the tones and added the sound of an audio oscillator sounding the Morse Code "M" (for "Monitor"). The sound was immediately identifiable and unforgettable. It remained the program's signature for its entire twenty year run.

Answer: Dave Garroway

Garroway was a "Monitor" host from 1955 through 1961. Celebrity "communicators" over the years included Jim Backus, Mel Allen, Tony Randall, James Daly, Bert Parks and Henry Morgan. Gene Rayburn (TV host of "Match Game") was one of the best-known and longest-lasting "Monitor" hosts from 1961 through '73.

Answer: An attractive woman who delivered weather forecasts in a sexy, breathy voice

Tedi Thurman was a model, magazine cover girl and actress (her one film role was in Ed Wood's 1954 "Jail Bait"). She signed on as talent on "Monitor" and quickly became "Miss Monitor". Reporting the weather over a sensuous musical background, she "made the [weather] report sound like an irresistible invitation to an unforgettable evening" according to a New York Times review. "Miss Monitor" was a regular on the program from its 1955 sign-on until 1961.

Answer: Home repair tips by Joe Garagiola

Garagiola did appear on "Monitor" for several years, but discussed sports, not do it yourself projects. Other celebrities who presented features or commentaries included Jerry Baker (the Master Gardener), Barbara Walters (health tips), Mitch Miller (music), Chris Economaki (motorsports), and Al Capp (cartoonist and know-it-all).

Answer: Bob and Ray

Bob and Ray were regulars during the show's first few years. They stayed in the studio for the entire weekend, ready to fill in with ad-libbed routines in case the show experienced technical problems. In 1957 they won a Peabody Award for their work on the program.

Answer: Fibber McGee and Molly

When "Monitor" came on the air, traditional network radio was in a state of flux. The classic 30 and 60 minute dramas and comedies were bleeding audience and being cancelled due to the rise of television. In an effort to bridge the older format to a more modern approach to radio, "Monitor" brought several of these programs back to life as five minute program segments. The comedy format worked well as writers could set up a joke and deliver the punchline in that short time. "Ethel and Albert", "Duffy's Tavern" and "Fibber McGee and Molly" all appeared on "Monitor".

"Fibber McGee and Molly" had been a highly rated mainstay of NBC Radio's lineup since 1935 in its thirty minute format before moving to the shorter segments on "Monitor". It aired there in 1955 and 56 when it ended due to the death of co-star Marian Jordan.

Answer: Lenny Bruce

Lenny Bruce's comedy which included political satire and obscene language kept him from appearing on network television as well as "Monitor". He was convicted of obscenity in his nightclub act in 1964.

Answer: Don Imus

Imus was briefly a "Monitor" host in 1973.

In 1968 KFI, Los Angeles became the first major market affiliate to drop "Monitor" completely from its schedule. Even more painful, in 1970 the network's own WNBC-AM in New York dropped the program, moving it instead to WNBC-FM (in that era the FM had far fewer listeners).

Answer: Dave Garroway and Hugh Downs

After 20 years, 20,000 hours on the air and two Peabody Awards for broadcasting excellence, "Monitor's" detractors who had called it Weaver's Folly could finally claim they were right. John Bartholomew Tucker said for the last time, "This is "Monitor" on NBC". The Beacon played followed by the NBC three note chimes. At 5:58:50PM on January 26, 1975, it was all over.