The Big Party (variety, hosted by Rock Hudson, with Tallulah Bankhead)

    [original title: "The Big Party by Revlon";

     a short-lived attempt to migrate the venerable Tallulah 
     Bankhead radio series "The Big Show" to television in a
     more intimate but contrived "party" set; Rock Hudson was
     perhaps an odd choice for a variety show host, and his
     discomfort was visible; perhaps it was Mz. Bankhead who 
     appreciated his hunky charms and requested his presence; but
     not even the regular appearances by La Diva Bankhead could
     keep the series from broadcast oblivion; it was cancelled
     in mid-season and replaced by "The Revlon Revue", which see.]

    (CBS Primetime, 1959)


Close Theme: "May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You"

    [one of the few Meredith Willson hit songs which did not
     originate in a Broadway Musical Theatre show; it was adopted by 
     Tallulah Bankhead as the closing theme on her radio series 
     named "The Big Show" and for other appearances.
     
     Later Kate Smith closed her TV show named "The Kate Smith
     Evening Hour" singing this song too.
     
     This song became a standard -- recorded by Frankie Laine, 
     Perry Como and Jim Reeves, among others.]

     Composer: Meredith Willson (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: MCA, Inc. (ASCAP)
     
     1997 Publisher: MCA, Inc. (ASCAP)

     2000 Publishers: Frank Music Corp. (ASCAP)
                         of New York, NY; and
                      Meredith Willson Music (ASCAP)
                         c/o Frank Music Corp. (ASCAP)
                         of New York, NY
                           
     2018 Publishers: Frank Music Corp. (ASCAP)
                        c/o MPL Communications Inc., 
                        New York; and
                      Meredith Willson Music (ASCAP)
                        Los Angeles, CA

     Published Copyright Date: Dec. 26, 1950; EP  51 685.
     Published Renewal   Date: Feb. 13, 1978; RE-000-430.

     Recordings:



Return to the 1950s TV Series Title Page


Copyright 1960 - 2018 by The Media Management Group. All Rights Reserved