Sounds of NBC Monitor – 1955-1964

So what did NBC Radio’s weekend-long Monitor sound like? Like nothing ever heard before, or since, on network radio. Each weekend the program featured a kaleidoscope of news, music, comedy, sports, variety, remotes, live interviews and taped snippets.

During its nearly 20-year run, Monitor was on the air for 20,000 hours. Below are about three dozen hours from 1955-1964, in chronological order.  Monitor hours from later years are on separate “Sounds” pages you can access from the Index.

Below, you’ll hear the entire first eight hours of Monitor’s first day on the air — Sunday, June 12, 1955 — plus dozens of other hours from Monitor’s first years on NBC Radio.

Pat Weaver’s 1955 Closed-Circuit announcement about “Monitor” — April 1

Time:  about 40 minutes

On Friday, April 1, 1955, Sylvester L. “Pat” Weaver — NBC’s president — went on his radio network’s closed-circuit line to announce to affiliates that a radically new program concept would soon debut on NBC Radio. That, of course, was “Monitor” — and this is rare audio of the announcement about the program that would become network radio’s greatest endeavor. (Courtesy of Gene Garnes Sr.)

Here’s the Beacon in MP3 format (courtesy of Steve Rood, formerly of KNBR Radio in San Francisco)

Monitor Themes

Here you go, Monitor fans — virtually every theme the program used, over its many years on the air!

Monitor ’55, the First Day — June 12 — 4-5 p.m. ET

Here you go, Monitor fans — the first hour of Monitor on its debut Sunday. This 4-5 p.m. hour was simulcast on NBC-TV.  Among the amazing number of people you will hear in this first hour:  Morgan Beatty (the first voice ever heard on Monitor), Pat Weaver, Jim Fleming, Dave Garroway, Bob and Ray, Walter & Peg McGraw, Al Kelly, Roscoe Drummond, Clifton Fadiman, Nathan Pusey, Walter Kiernan, “Miss Monitor,” and Jerry Lewis. Among the places you’ll go to, all live:  Hermosa Beach, California; San Quentin Prison; a TWA airliner about to take off from NYC to London; Bucks County, Pennsylvania; Chicago; and a New York City bar.  And, oh, yes, you’ll hear the sound of oysters.  Absolutely incredible. (All Monitor “first day” audio courtesy of Louis Castaing.  Copyright National Broadcasting Company.  Used with permission.)

Monitor ’55, the First Day — June 12 — 5-6 p.m. ET

Time: one hour

This incredibly fast-paced second hour, ever, of Monitor from 5 to 6 p.m. ET on June 12 includes Clifton Fadiman, Don Russell, Jim Fleming, Robert McCormick, Joseph C. Harsch, “Miss Monitor,” Vincent Sheehan, “Crazy Otto,” Frank Gallop and more.  You’ll hear live reports from Detroit on negotiations to avert an auto workers’ strike; live music from Chicago; a live report from that TWA airliner that’s taken off and is heading to Europe; a live report from the Detroit Zoo; a report from Edinburgh Castle; and a live musical pick-up from New York City.  And sounds from Jupiter.

Monitor ’55, the First Day — June 12 — 6-7 p.m. ET

This third-ever hour of Monitor on June 12 features “Meet the Press,” simulcast from NBC-TV; another live report from San Quentin Prison; live music from New York City; John Chancellor (yes, the future anchor on NBC Nightly News) live at the Chicago Sun-Times  newspaper press room; and a report from the Belasco Theater in NYC, where Al Capstaff interviews Helen Hayes.

Monitor ’55, the First Day — June 12 — 7-8 p.m. ET

Time: one hour

This fourth hour of Monitor’s first day on the air is amazingly energetic and fast-paced.  You’ll hear, among others: Joseph C. Harsch; Don Russell; Bob and Ray (with some hilarious live comedy skits); Ben Grauer; Frank Gallop; “Miss Monitor”; Victor Borge; Eddie Fisher; Bob Hope and Jeff Chandler. Among the places you’ll go to, live: San Quentin Prison; Chicago for a band performance; and that TWA flight making its way across the Atlantic.

Monitor ’55, the First Day — June 12 — 8-9 p.m. ET

Monitor fans, this is an amazing hour. It’s the first of what would become years of Sunday night Monitor hosting appearances by Dave Garroway, who also, of course, was hosting “Today” on NBC TV.  And this one features one of the most famous interviews Dave would ever do — with Marilyn Monroe. You’ll also hear NBC Monitor News on the Hour; the voices of Ken Banghart, Joseph C. Harsch and Jim Fleming; plus live remotes from San Quentin Prison, from a band performance in Chicago and from that TWA flight winging its way across the Atlantic, and a live tribute to Carl Sandberg. Wow, indeed.

Dave Garroway hosts Monitor ’56 — June 17

Dave Garroway — the first host of the “Today” Show on NBC-TV — also hosted Sunday night Monitor from 1955 until ’61.  Here is a short piece from Sunday night, June 17, 1956 — a first-anniversary salute hosted by Dave.

**1958**

Monty Hall & Bob Wilson host Monitor ’59 — June 6

Time: one hour

Yes, Monitor fans, this is the Monty Hall of “Let’s Make a Deal” fame.  But that would come later.  Here are Bob Wilson & Hall, sitting in for Frank Blair and Don Russell, on Saturday morning, June 6th, 1959, from 11 a.m. to noon ET.  It starts with NBC Monitor News on the Hour and what follows are sports reports, Ernie Kovacs, Miss Monitor, Bob & Ray and more. (Courtesy of Gary Dibble)

Hugh Downs & Peter Roberts host Monitor ’59 — June 6

Time: one hour

Hugh Downs & Peter Roberts hosted Saturday afternoon Monitor from the start — from 1955 to ’59.  Here they are, on Saturday, June 6, 1959, from 3 to 4 p.m. ET.  After NBC Monitor News on the Hour, you’ll hear a Paul Mason report, Ernie Kovacs, Doug Storer and more. (Courtesy of Gary Dibble)

Morgan Beatty & Ted Bond host Monitor ’59 — June 6

Time:  a half-hour

Morgan Beatty’s was the first voice ever heard on Monitor on Sunday, June 12, 1955. He was still hosting the program in 1959, and on this Saturday night, June 6, from 11 to 11:30 p.m. ET, his co-host was Ted Bond. Beatty reports NBC Monitor News on the Hour, followed by the Modernaires & the Jonah Jones Quartet performing live. (Courtesy of Gary Dibble)

**1961**

Frank McGee hosts Monitor ’61 “Date Special” — Oct. 22

Time: about 5 minutes

This is one of the first “Date Specials” that Monitor’s new Sunday night host, Frank McGee, did in late 1961.  The “Date Specials” were produced by Bud Drake, who would go on to become Monitor’s longest-tenured producer.  This piece looks back on the same date in 1932. (This and other “date specials” courtesy of the family of Bud Drake)