1950s Lavish TV Musical Spectaculars

In 1948, fewer than 2% of US homes had a TV set-by the end of the decade nearly 90% of homes in the United States had a TV set. The fifties, often called the 'golden age of television,' presented live drama, live comedy, live music, and live variety offerings to an eager audience.

During the 1950s television networks mounted impressive musical reviews with classy production values and top musical performers. These musical tributes saluted composers, music genres, and the recording industry itself. Major advertisers were anxious to celebrate their anniversaries with lavish musical telecasts.

13 BEST LAVISH NETWORK TV MUSICAL CELEBRATIONS DURING THE 50s

Richard Rodgers Jubilee Show
(NBC) March 4, 1951
Music tribute with Mary Martin, Celeste Holm, and Patrice Munsel.

Irving Berlin: Salute to America
(NBC) September 12, 1951
Music with Irving Berlin and guests Tony Martin, Dinah Shore, and Margaret Truman.

Ford Fiftieth Anniversary Show
(CBS and NBC) June 15, 1953
Variety celebration, with appearances by Marian Anderson, Eddie Fisher, Frank Sinatra, and Rudy Vallee, highlighted by a Mary Martin and Ethel Merman duet.

General Foods Anniversary Show
(all 4 networks) March 28, 1954
Musical special featuring Mary Martin, Jack Benny, Ezio Pinza, John Raitt, Groucho Marx, Tony Martin, Rosemary Clooney, Yul Brynner, and Gordon MacRae.

Sunday In Town
(NBC) October 10, 1954
Musical review with Judy Holiday, Steve Allen, and Dick Shawn.

Three For Tonight
(CBS) June 22, 1955
Musical review with Harry Belafonte and Marge and Gower Champion.

Rock 'n' Roll Show
(ABC) May 4 and May 11, 1957
Alan Freed's special with Sal Mineo, Guy Mitchell, June Valli, Martha Carson, the Clovers, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and the Dell-Vikings.

Holiday In Las Vegas
(NBC) November 16, 1957
Variety show with Jayne Mansfield, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tony Randall, and Vic Damone.

General Motors Fiftieth Anniversary Show
(NBC) Nov 17, 1957
Music/variety celebration with Kirk Douglas, Cyril Ritchard, Helen Hays, Pat Boone, Dean Martin, Carol Burnett, June Allyson, and Steve Lawrence.

All Star Jazz
(CBS) November 10, 1958
Music with Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, and Jane Morgan.

Accent on Love
(NBC) February 28, 1958
Musical revue with Ginger Rogers, Louis Jourdan, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, Marge and Gower Champion, and Jaye P. Morgan.

The Golden Age of Jazz
(CBS) January 7, 1959
Music with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Gene Krupa.

The Record Years
(NBC) June 28, 1959
Dick Clark's tribute to the recording industry with guests Johnny Mathis, Fabian, the McGuire Sisters, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Fats Domino, and Stan Freberg.

More information on 1950s television, singers, and songs can be found at the content-rich website: 50sPopMusic.com and in the definitive reference book "Remembering 1950s EASY-POP Songs and Singers" by Daniel Niemeyer.