Hollywood Today is an American television program that was broadcast on NBC from January 3, 1955, until September 23, 1955.[1]

Gossip columnist Sheilah Graham was the initial host, with the program running 15 minutes each weekday. Each week featured a celebrity as co-host. During the summer, the show was lengthened to 30 minutes and renamed Hollywood Backstage. Later that summer, Ern Westmore replaced Graham as host.[1] The latter program was sponsored by Charles Antell Inc., advertising its liquid makeup.[2]

Related programs

ABC television broadcast a weekly nighttime version of Hollywood Backstage beginning on August 7, 1955, and ending on September 11, 1955. Westmore was host, with each episode featuring a makeover of a woman selected from the studio audience and a demonstration of how an actress had been made up for a specific role.[3]

On September 26, 1955, The Search for Beauty, with Westmore as host, took over the time slot previously occupied by Hollywood Backstage.[1]: 734  Betty Westmore was co-host, with Phil Hanna as assistant and Dick Hageman as announcer.[4] This program also featured celebrity guests and beauty tips for women in the audience. It ended on December 9, 1955.[1]: 734 

Westmore had a similar program, The Ern Westmore Show, on ABC-TV in 1953.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 384. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. ^ "Antell Buys on 200 Tvs" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 3, 1955. p. 56. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  3. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 622. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  4. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 939. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  5. ^ "ABC-TV Axes 'Jean Carroll'; Pares Budget" (PDF). Billboard. January 2, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
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