The Bell Telephone Hour (1959–1968)

The long-running television version of the long-running NBC radio series devoted to classical music as well as Broadway composers.

Stars:

Edward Villella, Jacques d'Amboise, Joan Sutherland

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Edward Villella	...	Himself - Ballet Dancer (12 episodes, 1961-1968)
Jacques d'Amboise	...	Himself - Dancer (10 episodes, 1959-1965)
Joan Sutherland	...	Herself - Opera Soprano (10 episodes, 1961-1968)
Carol Lawrence	...	Herself - Singer (10 episodes, 1960-1967)
Florence Henderson	...	Herself - Hostess (10 episodes, 1962-1966)
John Raitt	...	Himself - Singer (9 episodes, 1959-1966)
Patricia McBride	...	Herself - Ballerina (8 episodes, 1961-1968)
Earl Wrightson	...	Himself - Singer (8 episodes, 1961-1965)
Maria Tallchief	...	Herself - Ballerina (7 episodes, 1959-1966)
Grant Johannsen	...	Himself - Pianist (7 episodes, 1959-1965)
Ray Bolger	...	Himself - Host (7 episodes, 1960-1966)
Barbara Cook	...	Herself - Singer (7 episodes, 1960-1965)
Richard Tucker	...	Himself - Opera Tenor (7 episodes, 1961-1967)
The Brothers Four	...	Themselves - Folk Singers (7 episodes, 1961-1966)
Donald Voorhees	...	Himself - Host (6 episodes, 1965-1968)
Nicolai Gedda	...	Himself (6 episodes, 1959-1968)
Dolores Gray	...	Herself - Singer (6 episodes, 1959-1966)
André Previn	...	Himself - Pianist (6 episodes, 1959-1966)
Melissa Hayden	...	Herself - Ballerina (6 episodes, 1959-1965)
Howard Keel	...	Himself - Singer (6 episodes, 1959-1965)
Martha Wright	...	Herself - Singer (6 episodes, 1959-1964)
Benny Goodman	...	Himself - Clarinetist (6 episodes, 1960-1966)
Erik Bruhn	...	Himself - Ballet Dancer (6 episodes, 1961-1967)
Susan Watson	...	Herself - Singer (6 episodes, 1964-1966)
Birgit Nilsson	...	Herself - Opera Soprano (5 episodes, 1961-1967)
Polly Bergen	...	Herself - Host (5 episodes, 1959-1966)
Burl Ives	...	Himself - Host (5 episodes, 1959-1966)
Allegra Kent	...	Herself - Ballerina (5 episodes, 1959-1966)
Harry Belafonte	...	Himself - Singer (5 episodes, 1959-1965)
Lorin Hollander	...	Himself - Pianist (5 episodes, 1959-1965)
Rosemary Clooney	...	Herself - Singer (5 episodes, 1959-1961)
Anna Moffo	...	Herself - Opera Soprano (5 episodes, 1961-1967)
Janet Blair	...	Herself - Singer (5 episodes, 1962-1966)
Robert Merrill	...	Himself - Opera Baritone (5 episodes, 1962-1966)
Rudolf Nureyev	...	Himself - Ballet Dancer (5 episodes, 1962-1965)
Patti Page	...	Herself - Singer (5 episodes, 1962-1965)
Matt Mattox	...	Himself - Dancer (5 episodes, 1963-1965)
Anita Gillette	...	Herself - Singer (5 episodes, 1964-1966)

Storyline

The long-running television version of the long-running NBC radio series devoted to classical music as well as Broadway composers.

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Plot Keywords:

song | singing | musician | singer

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Genres:

Music

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Telephone Hour

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was one of the first TV series to be telecast exclusively in color (using the color TV system perfected by RCA in 1954) and recorded on videotape. Many of the taped performances (several now 50 years old) survive to this day.

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Connections

Edited into The Bell Telephone Jubilee (1976)

User Reviews

A pioneer in color videotape.

There are currently some wonderful compilation DVDs of this musical anthology show. I have one which pays tribute to classical pianists (including Jose Iturbi, Grant Johanssen, and Van Cliburn) and another celebrating the most renowned opera stars: Rise Stevens & Renata Tebaldi in 1959, Robert Merrill and Roberta Peters in 1962, Leontyne Price and Joan Sutherland in 1963. These shows were originally broadcast on NBC and recorded on color videotape as early as 1959. These tapes appear to have been dusted off and remastered and they now look and sound as crystal clear as a live performance. That's why this VAI DVD series is so precious. Many of these Bell Telephone clips appear on the cable access station Classic Arts Showcase, but I suggest buying the DVDs in order to see the full performances. There are Bell DVDs of opera singers, violinists, and I think even one with ballet dancers. This was the last avenue for commercially broadcast classical music, before it all migrated to PBS. Don't miss it.