| Stage Show | |
|---|---|
| Format | music variety show |
| Directed by | Frank Satenstein |
| Starring | Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey (hosts 1954-55) Jack Carter (host 1956) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Jackie Gleason Productions |
| Camera setup | multi-camera |
| Running time | 60 minutes and 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | CBS-TV |
| Picture format | black-and-white NTSC 4:3 |
| Audio format | monaural |
| Original run | July 3, 1954 – September 18, 1956 |
Stage Show was a popular music variety series on American television originally hosted on alternate weeks by big band leaders and brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Produced by Jackie Gleason, the CBS-TV show included the first national television appearances by Elvis Presley.
The series began as a one-hour show on July 3, 1954 as a summer replacement for The Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason brought it back in the fall of 1955 as a half-hour show and scheduled it from 8–8:30 p.m. ET before his own program on Saturday nights.
In 1956, Jack Carter, a frequent guest, became the permanent host. The June Taylor Dancers made regular appearances. Bobby Darin made his national TV debut on the program in early 1956, singing "Rock Island Line".
The show's final telecast was September 18, 1956.
Introduced by Cleveland, Ohio disc jockey Bill Randle, Presley first appeared on January 28, 1956, performing "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Flip, Flop and Fly" and "I Got a Woman". He made five more appearances during the next eight weeks:
These shows were preserved on kinescopes and released on home video.