Jerry Lester Family, Real Name, Spouse, Profession, Eye Color, body stats, Feet Size, Wiki

Jerry Lester Family, Real Name, Spouse, Profession, Eye Color, body stats, Feet Size, Wiki

Jerry Lester (February 16, 1910 â€" March 23, 1995) was an American

comedian, singer and performer on radio, television and the stage, who

hosted the first network late night television program as host of

Broadway Open House on NBC, a vaudeville-esque combination of comedy

and music, whose success demonstrated the potential for late-night

television and led to the creation of the Tonight Show.Jerry Lester

was born in Chicago in 1910. His father was a music critic. As a

youth, Lester competed in dance contests and performed in various

venues. Following his graduation from Northwestern University, he

performed nationally in music halls and nightclubs, going on to appear

in vaudeville, several Broadway musicals including Beat the Band and

Jackpot, and Hollywood films in the 1940s, as well as being a

performer on radio.In 1950, he became host of Cavalcade of Stars on

the DuMont Television Network, replacing Jack Carter. After viewers

phoned in their appreciation for Lester's guest appearance on an early

television talk show, NBC president Pat Weaver invited Lester to be

one of the hosts of Broadway Open House, a planned late-night show

whose host, Don Hornsby, died two weeks before the show was scheduled

to premiere. Lester quit Cavalcade of Stars and Jackie Gleason was

hired as his replacement; the show was soon renamed The Jackie Gleason

Show.Broadway Open House went on the air in May 1950 with Lester

hosting three nights a week and Morey Amsterdam hosting two nights,

but Lester soon became the show's sole emcee. The program introduced

and made stars of Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, all of

whom would go on to host the Tonight Show. It also made a star of cast

member Dagmar, who became such a sensation that she overshadowed

Lester, leading him to walk off the show in May 1951.
Jerry Lester Family, Real Name, Spouse, Profession, Eye Color, body stats, Feet Size, Wiki


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