Browse all episodes of The Bell Telephone Hour

Adventures In Music

American Festival

Concert 1959

An Hour of Music

A Night Of Music

Music of the West

On Stage With Music

The Music of Gershwin

The Gift of Music

Our Musical Ambassadors

We To

The Four of Us

Portraits In Music

The Music Makers

Main Street USA

Concert Hall

The Mikado

Holiday In Music

The Unforgettable Music of Vincent Youmans

One Nation Indivisible

And Freedom Sings

The Music Of Romance

'Twas Was the Night Before

And There Shall Be Music

Music Hath Charms

Almanac for February

The Sounds of America

A Galaxy of Music

Much Ado About Music

The Signs of Spring

The Younger Generation

Encore!

Opening Night

Salute to Autumn

Trio

The Music Of Richard Rodgers

Designs In Music

Trip To Christmas

A Measure Of Music

Weavers Of Song

Portals Of Music

The Songs Of Irving Berlin

The Music Of Love

Gala Performance

Springtime In The Park

Till Autumn

Season 5, Show 1

Season 5, Show 2

Season 5, Show 3

Season 5, Show 4

Season 5, Show 5

Season 5, Show 6

Season 5, Show 7

Season 5, Show 8

Season 6, Show 1

Season 6, Show 2

Season 6, Show 3

Season 6, Show 4

Season 6, Show 5

Season 6, Show 6

Season 6, Show 7

Cole Porter: An All-Star Tribute

Almanac

Season 6, Show 11

Season 6, Show 12

Season 6, Show 13

Season 6, Show 14

Season 6, Show 15

Season 6, Show 16

Season 6, Show 17

Season 6, Show 18

Season 6, Show 19

Season 7, Show 1

Season 7, Show 2

Season 7, Show 3

Season 7, Show 4

Season 7, Show 5

Love Makes The World Go Round

The Sound Of Music

The American Song

The Masques Of Music

The American Girl

Wayfarer On The Mississippi

Festival Of Spring

Great Moments

Tin Pan Alley

The Many Faces Of Cole Porter

Salute To Jerome Kern

Music In Manhattan

Joan Sutherland

Salute To Veteran's Day

Thanksgiving

The Music Of Harold Arlen

An Old Fashioned Christmas

The Music Of The West

The Song And The Dance Man

A Gershwin Portrait

Valentines

The Lyrics Of Allan Jay Lerner

“The Bell Telephone Hour” was a musical variety show that aired on “NBC” TV from 12 January 1959 to 14 June 1968 that showcased the best in Broadway, Classical, Concert, Jazz and Popular music each week. The series had its’ own house band appropriately named the “Bell Telephone Orchestra”. The show also had its’ own theme song being the “Bell Waltz” composed by “Donald Voorhees” who was also the show's Orchestra conductor. Some of the greatest violinists of the 1960’s performed on this show that aired in the old “Black & White” format. Some of these great violinists included “Erica Mornin”, “Isaac Stern", "Michael Rabin", "Ruggiero Ricci", "Yehudi Menuhin" and "Zino Francesacatti". From time to time some of the great singers and bandleaders of the 1960’s would perform on the show as well. Some of these were “Bing Crosby”, “Gordon MacRae”, “John Gary”, “Leslie Uggams”, “Mary Martin”, “Nelson Eddy”, “Patti Page” and “Roy Rogers”. The TV show followed on the heels of its’ predecessor with the same name on “NBC” radio that aired from 29 April 1940 to 1958 on Monday nights at 8 PM. The name of the show was derived from its’ Major sponsor “Bell Telephone Laboratories”. The TV version began airing on Friday nights at 8:30 PM once a month. It later was given it’s same time slot now airing every other week alternating with another show on the other weeks such as News shows and specials. The show time slot changed quite often over the years. In September 1960 it aired at 9 PM and in September 1961 it moved to 9:30 PM. In October 1963 it moved to Tuesday nights at 10 PM, September 1965 it moved to Sunday night at 6:30 PM and in September 1967 it made its' final move back to Friday night at 10 PM.