Early Television Shows Hosted By Singers Quiz

Answer: Perry Como

Perry Como (Pierino Como, 5/18/12-5/12/2001) had a regular television program (with various titles) from 1948-1963. After that he appeared in several specials each year, most notably at Christmas. Between 1955 and 1973, Como had 29 Billboard Top 40 Pop hits, including at Number One "Hot Diggity" (1956) and "Catch A Falling Star" (1958).

Answer: Jo Stafford

Jo Elizabeth Stafford (1917-2008)saw her career really begin when she and others formed The Pied Pipers in 1938. Tommy Dorsey hired the group in 1939 to sing back-up vocals for his orchestra and, a bit later, for Frank Sinatra. After a solo career on radio and in the recording studio, Stafford hosted a live 15-minute variety show in prime time on CBS television for a year. Between 1955 and 1956, she had three Billboard Top 40 Pop hits: "Suddenly There's A Valley" (Number 13 in 1955), "It's Almost Tomorrow" (Number 14 in 1955), and "On London Bridge" (Number 38 in 1956).

Answer: Eddie Fisher

"Coke Time With Eddie Fisher" was a very popular NBC show that led to "The Eddie Fisher Show," an hour variety program also on NBC, from 1957-1959. Between 1955 and 1956, Fisher had eight Billboard Top 40 Pop hits, including "Heart" (Number Six, 1955), "Dungaree Doll" (Number Seven, 1955), and "Cindy, Oh Cindy" (Number Ten in 1956).

Answer: Guy Mitchell

Guy Mitchell (Albert George Cernik, 1927-1999) had several top guests on his show (e.g., Sam Cooke, Chuck Berry, Peggy Lee, and Margaret Whiting). He also had five Billboard Top 40 Pop Hits 1956-1959, including at Number One: "Singing The Blues" (1956) and "Heartaches By The Number" (1959).

Answer: Tony Martin

Tony Martin (Alvin Morris, 1913-2012) was a recording artist, Big Band singer, and movie star. "The Tony Martin Show" was an NBC prime time fifteen-minute television series that ran April, 1954-February, 1956. During that time, his only Billboard Top 40 Pop Hit was "Walk Hand In Hand" (Number Ten in 1956).

Answer: Patti Page

Patti Page (Clara Ann Fowler, 1927-2013) sold over 100 million records. "The Patti Page Oldsmobile Show" ran only one season (1958-1959). Guest artists included Teresa Brewer, The Ames Brothers, Nat "King" Cole, and The Everly Brothers. Among her top Billboard hits were "Allegheny Moon" (Number Two in 1956), "Old Cape Cod" (Number Three in 1959), and "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (Number Eight in 1965).

Answer: Pat Boone

Pat Boone (Charles Eugene Boone) hosted "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom" from October, 1957 to June, 1960. A half-hour variety show, it had such top guests as Steve Allen, Frankie Avalon, Tony Bennett, Tab Hunter, Dinah Shore, Gale Storm, and Mel Torme. Boone had 38 Billboard Top 40 Pop Hits 1955-1962. "I'll Be Home" was a Number Four in 1956 and "Friendly Persuasion" was a Number Five in the same year.

He also had six Number One hits: "Ain't That A Shame" (1955); "I Almost Lost My Mind" and "Don't Forbid Me" (1956); "Love Letters In The Sand" and "April Love" (1957); and "Moody River" (1961).

Answer: Nat "King" Cole

Nat "King" Cole (Nathaniel Adams Coles, 1919-1965) hosted "The Nat 'King' Cole Show" on NBC. Although some companies bought a little air time regionally, national companies refused to sponsor the show because they feared boycotts by segregationists. Among Cole's Top 40 hits were "A Blossom Fell" (Number 2 in 1955) and "Ramblin' Rose" (Number Two in 1962).

Answer: Gisele MacKenzie

Gisele MacKenzie (Gisele LaFleche, 1927-2003) was also a fixture on television as a regular or guest performer on such shows as "Club 15," Mario Lanza's "Coke Time,"
and "The George Gobel Show." Her only Billboard Top 40 Pop Hit was "Hard To Get" (Number Four in 1955). "Pepper Hot Baby" reached Number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1955.

Answer: Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert Sinatra (1915-1998) hosted "The Frank Sinatra Show" on CBS from 1950-1952. The show was also known as "Bulova Watch Time." It featured nearly every possible guest star (Louis Armstrong, Perry Como, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Peggy Lee, Basil Rathbone, Sarah Vaughan, etc.).

He later hosted on ABC "The Frank Sinatra Show," again with major guests (Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, and Ethel Merman, for example). He won his Oscar for his performance in the 1953 film "From Here To Eternity."