The Las Vegas Show
Encyclopedia
The Las Vegas Show is an American late night television program broadcast on the short-lived United Network
. The two hour long talk show, hosted by comedian
Bill Dana, was supposed to be the flagship program of a planned fourth television network
.
in Las Vegas, Nevada
, and featured regulars Ann Elder
, Pete Barbutti
, Danny Meahan, Joanne Worley, Cully Richards and Jack Sheldon
.
The series was seen on 106 television stations. The program was transmitted live on the United Network at 11PM ET / 10PM CT, though many stations, many of them with affiliations with NBC
, CBS
or ABC
, delayed the show until 11:30 PM ET, or even the afternoon hours the next day. Of those that did air the program during late night, many of these were CBS affiliates, as CBS did not have a late night program at the time.
However, The Las Vegas Show, the network's sole program, had difficulties finding sponsors and many local stations were "erratic in their support" for the new network. After just one month on the air the network effort failed; The Las Vegas Show (and the network itself) were cancelled.
Overmyer Network
The Overmyer Network was a short-lived television network. It was intended to be a fourth national network in the United States, competing with the Big Three television networks. The network was founded by self-made millionaire Daniel H. Overmyer, who built five UHF stations from 1965-67...
. The two hour long talk show, hosted by comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Bill Dana, was supposed to be the flagship program of a planned fourth television network
Fourth television network
In American television terminology, a fourth network is a reference to a fourth broadcast television network, as opposed to the Big Three television networks that dominated US TV from the 1950s to the 1990s: ABC, CBS, and NBC....
.
Overview
The show originated live from the Hotel HaciendaHacienda (resort)
The Hacienda was a Paradise, Nevada hotel/casino that operated on the Las Vegas Strip from 1956 to 1996. It was one of four Hacienda properties owned by Standard Motels, Inc., with the other three being located in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Indio, California. The other Haciendas also featured the...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and featured regulars Ann Elder
Ann Elder
Ann Elder is an American Emmy Award-winning screenwriter. She won Emmy awards also for comedy writing, . She also wrote for Mama's Family as well. Elder appeared several times on The Match Game during its run in the 1970s.-External links:...
, Pete Barbutti
Pete Barbutti
Pete Barbutti is an American comedian and musician . He made at least twelve appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, from 1971 through 1992...
, Danny Meahan, Joanne Worley, Cully Richards and Jack Sheldon
Jack Sheldon
Jack Sheldon is an American bebop and West Coast jazz trumpeter, singer, and actor. He is a trumpet player and was a comedian on The Merv Griffin Show, as well as the voice heard on several episodes of the educational music television series Schoolhouse Rock.-Biography:Sheldon was born in...
.
The series was seen on 106 television stations. The program was transmitted live on the United Network at 11PM ET / 10PM CT, though many stations, many of them with affiliations with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
or ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, delayed the show until 11:30 PM ET, or even the afternoon hours the next day. Of those that did air the program during late night, many of these were CBS affiliates, as CBS did not have a late night program at the time.
However, The Las Vegas Show, the network's sole program, had difficulties finding sponsors and many local stations were "erratic in their support" for the new network. After just one month on the air the network effort failed; The Las Vegas Show (and the network itself) were cancelled.