NBC MONITOR "Durward Kirby"

 

Durward Kirby host on this Monitor segment. He was on only a short time in ’69 (and so was his associate for many years, Garry Moore, who hosted another segment on Monitor). Here he is on Sunday night Monitor on Sept. 21, 1969, from 9 to about 9:20 p.m. ET Homer Durward Kirby (August 24, 1911 – March 15, 2000), sometimes misspelled Dirwood or Durwood Kirby, was an American television host and announcer. He is best remembered for The Garry Moore Show in the 1950s and Candid Camera, which he co-hosted with Allen Funt from 1961 through 1966. He hosted NBC Radio's MONITOR in 1969.

NBC MONITOR, 6th hour last day

 

Along with Big Wilson, John Bartholomew Tucker was one of the last communicators (hosts) of the long-running NBC Radio program Monitor. They were on the air when the show signed off for the last time on January 26, 1975. This is the sixth hour on that last day...,a Sunday.

'Big' WILSON

J B TUCKER

NBC MONITOR "Creation by Pat Weaver"

 

Monitor was an American weekend radio program broadcast live and nationwide on the NBC Radio Network from June 12, 1955, until January 26, 1975. It began originally on Saturday morning at 8am and continued through the weekend until 12 midnight on Sunday. After the first few months, the full weekend broadcast was shortened when the midnight-to-dawn hours were dropped since few NBC stations carried it. The show was the brainchild of Sylvester (Pat) Weaver, whose career bridged classic radio and television's infancy and who sought to keep radio alive in a television age. Believing that broadcasting could and should educate as well as entertain, Weaver fashioned a series to do both with some of the best-remembered and best-regarded names in broadcasting, entertainment, journalism, and literature taking part. The final sound heard on Monitor was of the "Beacon", followed by the NBC chimes at 5:58:50pm. About 125 stations still carried the program on its last day, with few in major markets.

NBC MONITOR "Joe Garagiola"

 

An hour of NBC MONITOR aired February 22, 1969. Host is Joe Garagiola. Joseph Henry Garagiola Sr. (February 12, 1926 – March 23, 2016) was an American professional baseball catcher, later an announcer and television host, popular for his colorful personality. Garagiola played nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and New York Giants. He was later well known outside baseball for having been one of the regular panelists on The Today Show for many years and for his numerous appearances on game shows as a host and panelist. One of many NBC celebrities who hosted the Monitor weekend radio program.

NBC Monitor "Gene Rayburn"

PETER HACKES

 

This brief episode of NBC Monitor was recorded from WCOP in Boston on March 16, 1968. The host is Gene Rayburn with a report from NBC Newsman Peter Hackes. A WCOP newscast presented by announcer Jim Dixon. I suspect the primary NBC station in Boston, WBZ, did not carry Monitor but did carry the hourly newscast from NBC. Thus WCOP aired Monitor and excerpted NBC commercials for a locally produced newscast.

GENE RAYBURN

WNAC-AM morning show from October 27, 1960 with Roy Leonard, Gus Saunders, Jim Dixon and Mary Sparks....

JIM DIXON, WNAC, 1960

NBC MONITOR "Brad Crandall"

 

\Bradley Crandall (born Robert Lee Bradley; August 6, 1927 – March 14, 1991) was an American radio personality, voice-over announcer, and film narrator, best known for his radio show on WNBC in New York City, which aired from March 1964 to September 1971. Here is an episode of the NBC weekend radio service, MONITOR from 1968 with host Brad Crandall. "Going places and doing things, you're on the Monitor beacon". That was the cue for local staff announcers such as me to break away with local weather, commercial or news. I was working the Saturday and Sunday evening shift on the NBC affiliate WBAL AM 1090 kc, in Baltimore3 , Maryland.

NBC MONITOR "Brad Crandall"

 

Bradley Crandall (born Robert Lee Bradley; August 6, 1927 – March 14, 1991) was an American radio personality, voice-over announcer, and film narrator, best known for his radio show on WNBC in New York City, which aired from March 1964 to September 1971.

MONITOR NBC RADIO "Excerpts"

 

FRANK BLAIR

HENRY MORGAN

Excerpts from several segments of NBC Monitor from the mid 1960's. With hosts Frank Blair, Ted Steel and Henry Morgan. Including a feature with Jules Rind reporting from Philadelphia. (Perhaps NBC affiliate at the time WPEN).

NBC MONITOR "Pauline Frederick, newscast"

 

This 1964 episode of NBC MONITOR is hosted by Barry Nelson. It opens with a newscast reported by Pauline Frederick. Pauline Frederick (February 13, 1908 – May 9, 1990) was an American journalist in newspapers, radio and television, as well as co-author of a book in 1941 and sole author of a book in 1967. In her nearly 50-year career, she covered numerous stories ranging from politics and articles of particular interest to women to military conflicts, and public interest pieces. Her career extended from the 1930s until 1981; she is considered one of the pioneering women in journalism.

NBC MONITOR "George Burns"

 

1964 Gene Rayburn is host to a 68th birthday salute to comedian George Burns. Burns died at the age of 100.

George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896 – March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, singer and writer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebrow and cigar-smoke punctuation became familiar trademarks for over three-quarters of a century. He and his wife Gracie Allen appeared on radio, television and film as the comedy duo Burns and Allen.

NBC MONITOR "Sinatra"

 

Stage, screen and TV star Barry Nelson first became a Monitor host in 1963 and remained on the program until 1967. After hosting Saturday afternoon Monitor for a couple of years, he became Sunday afternoon’s host in ’65, and on this first-Sunday-of-the-New Year in 1966. This episode features Frank Sinatra.

NBC MONITOR "Groucho Marks"

 

Jim Lowe hosts this episode on NBC Monitor with a special for the 68th birthday of comedian Groucho Marx. Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, and television star. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit and one of America's greatest comedians.

NBC MONITOR "Jimmy Durante"

JIM LOWE

Jim Lowe hosts this episode of NBC's MONITOR from 1963 celebrating comedian Jimmy Durante on his 70th birthday. Plus other features of the day on the NBC Radio weekend news service.

NBC MONITOR "Mel Allen"

 

NBC Radio, 1962. Mel Allen (born Melvin Allen Israel; February 14, 1913 – June 16, 1996) was an American sportscaster, best known for his long tenure as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. During the peak of his career in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Allen was arguably the most prominent member of his profession, his voice familiar to millions. Years after his death, he is still promoted as having been "The Voice of the Yankees." In his later years, Allen was a weekend host on NBC's MONITOR and the first host of This Week in Baseball.

MONITOR "New Years Eve 1961"

 

Veteran announcer Jimmy Wallington introduces this hour of NBC Monitor with host: NBC newsman Frank McGee. Frank McGee was an American television journalist, best known for his work with NBC from the late 1950s into the early 1970s. In the early 1960s, he also served as a news reporter and host (referred to as "communicators") on the NBC Radio weekend show Monitor.  WIKIPEDIA BIO

NBC MONITOR "Monte Hall, host"

 

This one hour episode of MONITOR, the NBC weekend radio service was aired on a Saturday morning in 1959 and hosted by Monte Hall and NBC announcer Bob Wilson. Monty Hall OC, OM (born Monte Halparin; August 25, 1921 – September 30, 2017) was a Canadian radio and television show host who moved to the United States in 1955 to pursue a career in broadcasting. After working as a radio newsreader and sportscaster, Hall returned to television in the U.S., this time in game shows.From 1956 to 1960, along with NBC Radio newsman Morgan Beatty, Hall co-hosted the Saturday night segment of the NBC Radio Network weekend program Monitor from 8 p.m. until midnight (EST). 

WIKIPEDIA BIO

NBC MONITOR "Hugh Downs and Peter Roberts"

 

This episode has been published and can be heard everywhere your podcast is available. 1959 Hour segment of NBC's weekend radio service.

NBC MONITOR "Morgan Beatty"

 

Morgan Beatty was the first host voice ever heard on Monitor. Aircheck is from 1959 with Morgan Beatty. Monitor was a U.S. weekend radio program broadcast from June 12, 1955 until January 26, 1975. Airing live and nationwide on the NBC Radio Network, it originally aired beginning Saturday morning at 8am and continuing through the weekend until 12 midnight on Sunday. BEATTY BIO

NBC MONITOR "Dave Garroway" and creation

 

This audio excerpt of MONITOR is from the 1956 first anniversary broadcast. 

When Monitor began on June 12, 1955 at 4pm, the first hour of the program was simulcast on NBC-TV. That initial June 12 broadcast lasted eight hours, from 4pm through 12 midnight. Following the Monitor beacon, Morgan Beatty was the first voice ever heard on Monitor. After an introduction by Pat Weaver, news headlines by Dave Garroway and a routine by Bob and Ray, Garroway cued Monitor's opening music remote: live jazz by Howard Rumsey and the Lighthouse All-Stars at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California. It was the first of many jazz remotes in the weeks to come. 1956 Monitor was a U.S. weekend radio program broadcast from June 12, 1955 until January 26, 1975. Airing live and nationwide on the NBC Radio Network, it originally aired beginning Saturday morning at 8am and continuing through the weekend until 12 midnight on Sunday. However, after the first few months, the full weekend broadcast was shortened when the midnight-to-dawn hours were dropped since few NBC stations carried it. WIKIPEDIA

GO TO: The NBC MONITOR TRIBUTE PAGES where yiou can listen to many other hours of the program.