The Red Skelton Show

The Red Skelton Show was a staple of American television for almost two decades, from the early 1950s through the early 1970s.

The Show's Final Years, 1970-1971

CBS ended its association with the program in the spring of 1970. This apparently marked the beginning of one of several attempts by CBS to downplay programming whose primary appeal was to "Middle America", an audience more rural and also somewhat older than that generally desired by network television advertisers, who generally choose to be associated with programming appealing to younger, "hipper", and more urban audiences.

Related Topics:
1970 - Middle America - Rural - Advertisers - Urban

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The Move to NBC, 1970

At least in part due to Skelton's iconic status, the program was picked by up NBC in the fall of 1970. However, the program that it aired was quite different than the one that Skelton's CBS audience was used to seeing. The new set was dark, devoid of the backdrops that viewers had seen on CBS. The show was cut back to its original half-hour length. It was moved from Tuesday to Monday nights.

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But perhaps the biggest change was that, for the first time, the show incorporated "regulars" beyond Skelton, Rose, and Rose's orchestra. A repertory company of young comic actors and actresses was added, as were The Burgundy Street Singers, previously seen on network television when 1950s folk singing star Jimmie Rodgers had made an abortive comeback to network television on ABC two years earlier.

Related Topics:
Actor - 1950s - Jimmie Rodgers - ABC

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The new format never really worked; the audience sensed that there was little chemistry between Skelton and his young colleagues. The program ended in March of 1971, although selected programs from this final season were rerun on NBC on Sunday nights during the summer of 1971, so it could be said that Skelton's network television career ended exactly where it had begun.

Related Topics:
March - 1971

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