by Peter Tatchell (copyright 2010)
U.S. television came of age in the latter part of 1950, when a significant amount of advertising dollar shifted from radio. As a result, top-line performers were enticed to the medium, but rarely to be seen every week.
Eddie Cantor conceived the idea for a regular weekly variety hour, but with the hosts appearing only once a month on a rotational basis. NBC agreed to the plan and The Colgate Comedy Hour was the result. (see the separate Laughterlog listing for details)
The format was also used for Four Star Revue, a weekly one hour variety show which aired on NBC Wednesday nights, with a performer line-up that included Ed Wynn, Danny Thomas, Jack Carson and Jimmy Durante.
A year later, top line names like Martha Raye, Spike Jones and Olsen & Johnson were added to the mix and the programme was retitled All Star Revue with a new timeslot on Saturday nights.
By the show’s third (and final) season, Durante was the only original still taking part, joined on the roster by such names as George Jessel and Tallulah Bankhead (following the demise of her Big Show on NBC radio).
The following has been compiled through reference to the TV listings in The New York Times. Further details may be obtained by consulting the bound editions of VARIETY television reviews.
Series 1 (as FOUR STAR REVUE): NBC Wednesday 8-00pm (60 min)
October 4 1950 Ed Wynn
October 11 1950 Danny Thomas
October 18 1950 Ed Wynn
October 25 1950 Jack Carson
November 1 1950 Jimmy Durante
November 8 1950 Danny Thomas
November 15 1950 Ed Wynn
November 22 1950 Jack Carson
November 29 1950 Jimmy Durante
December 6 1950 Danny Thomas
December 13 1950 Ed Wynn
December 20 1950 Jack Carson
December 27 1950 Jimmy Durante
January 3 1951 Danny Thomas
January 10 1951 Ed Wynn
January 17 1951 Jack Carson
January 24 1951 Jimmy Durante
January 31 1951 Danny Thomas
February 7 1951 Ed Wynn
February 14 1951 Jack Carson
February 21 1951 Jimmy Durante
February 28 1951 Danny Thomas
March 7 1951 Ed Wynn
March 14 1951 Jack Carson
March 21 1051 Jimmy Durante
March 28 1951 Danny Thomas
April 4 1951 Ed Wynn
April 11 1951 Jack Carson
April 18 1951 Jimmy Durante
April 25 1951 Danny Thomas
May 2 1951 Ed Wynn
May 9 1951 Jack Carson
May 16 1951 Jimmy Durante
May 23 1951 Danny Thomas
May 30 1951 Ed Wynn
June 6 1951 Jack Carson
June 13 1951 Danny Thomas
June 20 1951 Ed Wynn
June 27 1951 Danny Thomas
July 4 1951 Jack Carson
July 11 1951 Danny Thomas
Series 2 (as ALL-STAR REVUE): NBC Saturday 8-00pm (60 min)
September 8 1951 Ezio Pinza
September 15 1951 Olsen and Johnson
September 22 1951 Ed Wynn
September 29 1951 Jack Carson
October 6 1951 Jimmy Durante
October 13 1951 Danny Thomas
October 20 1951 Martha Raye, Ezio Pinza
October 27 1951 Victor Borge
November 3 1951 Jimmy Durante
November 10 1951 Ed Wynn
November 17 1951 Danny Thomas
November 24 1951 Jack Carson
December 1 1951 Jimmy Durante
December 8 1951 Ed Wynn
December 15 1951 Olsen and Johnson
December 22 1951 Danny Thomas
December 29 1951 Jimmy Durante
January 5 1952 Martha Raye
January 12 1952 Spike Jones
January 19 1952 Jack Carson
January 26 1952 Jimmy Durante
February 2 1952 Olsen and Johnson
February 9 1952 Danny Thomas
February 16 1952 Jack Carson
February 23 1952 Jimmy Durante
March 1 1952 Olsen and Johnson
March 8 1952 Ed Wynn
March 15 1952 Danny Thomas
March 22 1952 Jimmy Durante
March 29 1952 Martha Raye
April 5 1952 Ed Wynn
April 12 1952 Danny Thomas
April 19 1952 Jimmy Durante
April 26 1952 Bob Hope
May 3 1952 Ed Wynn
May 10 1952 Danny Thomas
May 17 1952 The Ritz Brothers
May 24 1952 Martha Raye
May 31 1952 Spike Jones
June 7 1952 Danny Thomas
June 14 1952 Paul Winchell
June 21 1952 Ed Gardner
Series 3: NBC Saturday 8-00pm (60 min)
September 6 1952 Dennis Day
September 13 1952 George Jessel
September 20 1952 Jimmy Durante
September 27 1952 Martha Raye
October 4 1952 Phil Harris, Milton Berle
October 11 1952 Talullah Bankhead, Groucho Marx, Ethel Barrymore
October 18 1952 Jimmy Durante, Frank Sinatra
October 25 1952 George Jessel
November 1 1952 Martha Raye
November 8 1952 Tallulah Bankhead, David Niven
November 15 1952 Jimmy Durante
November 22 1952 The Ritz Brothers
November 29 1952 George Jessel
December 6 1952 Martha Raye
December 13 1952 Jimmy Durante, Sophie Tucker
December 20 1952 Tallulah Bankhead
December 27 1952 Walter O’Keefe, Buster Keaton
January 3 1953 Jimmy Durante
January 10 1953 Tallulah Bankhead, Milton Berle
January 17 1953 Martha Raye
January 24 1953 George Jessel
January 31 1953 Jimmy Durante
February 7 1953 Tallulah Bankhead
February 14 1953 Perry Como
February 21 1953 Martha Raye
February 28 1953 George Jessel
March 7 1953 Jimmy Durante
March 14 1953 Tallulah Bankhead
March 21 1953 Sonia Henie, Harpo Marx
March 28 1953 Ben Blue
April 4 1953 George Jessel, Eddie Cantor, Fred Allen
April 11 1953 Jimmy Durante
April 18 1953 Martha Raye
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