Today in Television History (September 27th, 1954): The First Episode of "The Tonight Show" Airs on NBC!
On September 27th, 1954, the first episode of what would become "The Tonight Show" aired on NBC! "The Tonight Show" was the first late-night talk show, as well as the first late night television series of any kind to achieve long-term success. Originally called, "Tonight!", the first host was Steve Allen, who was the host for two and half seasons, from fall 1954 to January 1957. The show originally aired at 11:20 PM on WNBT New York, but the program was quickly moved to NBC and aired fully on this date in 1954. The success of "The Tonight Show" led Steve Allen to receive a separate weekly prime time show, which aired every Sunday night.
