When Television Was Young: The Inside Story With Memories by Legends of the Small Screen

by Ed McMahon

This is the first oral history of early television by those who made it happen. Reminiscences of the stars, the writers, the producers create a feeling of being there when television first came into America's homes. Ed McMahon has known most of the entertainment icons of the last 50 years. He started his television career in Philadelphia and moved to New York in 1958 to appear on Who Do You Trust with Johnny Carson. Ed has interviewed writers, producers, cameramen and stars such as Annette Funicello, Dick Clark, Andy Griffith, Art Linkletter, Gale Storm, Barbara Billingsley, Walter Cronkite, Jerry Mathers, Soupy Sales, Ron Howard, Merv Griffin and more to provide not just a history of early television, but a history told by those who made it happen.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Film

314 pages, Hardcover

First published September 11, 2007

About the author

Colonel (retired) Edward "Ed" Peter Leo McMahon, Jr. was an American comedian, game show host, announcer, and television personality most famous for his work on television as Johnny Carson's announcer on Who Do You Trust? from 1957 to 1962 and on the Tonight Show, from 1962 to 1992, and as the host of the talent show Star Search, from 1983 to 1995. He later also became well-known as the presenter of American Family Publishing sweepstakes (not to be confused with Publishers Clearing House) who arrives unannounced at the homes of winners. He subsequently made a series of Neighborhood Watch Public Service Announcements reprising that role in parody.

He also cohosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, and has performed in numerous television commercials, most notably for Budweiser.

In the 1970s and 1980s, he anchored the team of NBC personalities conducting the network's coverage of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Reviews

[Buddy Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems I am rating everything a 5. I guess I am lucky to have picked good books to read. I spent many nights laying in bed with my grandparents waiting for Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon to come on. I have a lot of blank spots in my memories from childhood but i do remember the anticipation of watching The Tonight Show. There was nothing better, not even Knight Rider. And I LOVED Knight Rider.

Ed McMahon and Johnny started in tv when it was brand new. Ed brings to life some of the earliest commercial broadcasts in his writing. It is so great to read his words and hear him speak them in my head, punctuated every now and again with a, "Hiyo!"

A wonderful book with some great stories of the early days of television.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun look at the early days of television. I didn't realize what a long career Ed McMahon had in TV before he teamed up with Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. McMahon shares lots of behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the freewheeling days of early television. I especially liked the part about the early children's shows like Captain Kangaroo!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and very informative.

[Chy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was only interested in this book because I thought it would focus more on the shows and less on the actual history of tv and because of that I was very disappointed in this book. This book was so... boring! Even the history on the early shows was boring. Do yourself a favor and skip this book. Don't torture yourself trying to get through it like I did.

[ASHaase · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the start of television and the career beginnings of many actors and actresses. Many of those mentioned have passed on now, but Bob Barker is still going at 99 years of age. I watched him for years as host of the “Truth or Consequences” game show!

[Donald Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always a fan of the Tonight Show, Johnny, and Ed. This book is an easy read, it’s written as if Ed was telling you the story. The book covers TV from its earliest days, along some memories of Ed’s. It brought up a lot of memories of TV in the 50s when I was young.

[MagicDave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, nostalgic read about the early days of television told by one who was there.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not expect this book to be so comprehensive and so fascinating.

[Andrew Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was unaware of McMahon's early background in broadcasting, particulary his role as a talk show host bc (before Carson). Overall, the book provided some insight into the development of the early morning and late night shows, particularly from McMahon's perspective.