The Arthur Murray Party
Encyclopedia
The Arthur Murray Party is an American television variety show
which ran from July 1950 until September 1960. The show was hosted by famous dancers Arthur
and Kathryn Murray, and was basically one long advertisement for their chain of dance studio
s. Each week the couple performed a mystery dance, and the viewer who correctly identified the dance would receive two free lessons at a local studio.
The Arthur Murray Party is notable for being one of only four TV series—the others were Down You Go
, Pantomime Quiz, and The Original Amateur Hour -- broadcast on all four major commercial networks in the 1950s during the Golden Age of Television
. It may, in fact, be the only series which had a run on all four networks at least twice.
waltz
. The dancers often dressed in elegant clothing, which could cause amusing problems at times; In one surviving episode, the well-dressed female dancers are heard squealing with teenage-like excitement at guest star Johnnie Ray
. A rare surviving kinescope of that episode survives and has surfaced online. Buddy Holly
and The Crickets
performed "Peggy Sue" on a December 1957 telecast, also preserved on a kinescope.
The J. Fred and Leslie W. MacDonald Collection at the Library of Congress contains thirteen kinescoped programs and partial programs of the various incarnations of Arthur Murray television. These include a complete half-hour show from August 17, 1954 featuring guest Don Cornell; a complete one-hour show from late 1950 featuring guests The DeMarco Sisters plus Andy and Della Russell; a segment from September 27, 1956 in which The Platters perform "You'll Never Know" and Andy Williams sings "Canadian Sunset;" and a segment from August 5, 1957 in which celebrites Jack E. Leonard, Bert Lahr, Paul Winchell, and June Havoc compete in a dance contest.
for the first few months of its broadcast as Arthur Murray Party Time, then moved to the DuMont Television Network
, ABC, CBS
, DuMont, CBS, NBC
, CBS, and finally NBC (in that order).
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
which ran from July 1950 until September 1960. The show was hosted by famous dancers Arthur
Arthur Murray
Arthur Murray was a dance instructor and businessman, whose name is most often associated with the dance studio chain that bears his name....
and Kathryn Murray, and was basically one long advertisement for their chain of dance studio
Dance studio
A dance studio is a space in which dancers learn or rehearse. The term is typically used to describe a space that has either been built or equipped for the purpose....
s. Each week the couple performed a mystery dance, and the viewer who correctly identified the dance would receive two free lessons at a local studio.
The Arthur Murray Party is notable for being one of only four TV series—the others were Down You Go
Down You Go
Down You Go is an American television game show originally broadcast on the DuMont Television Network. The Emmy Award-nominated series ran from 1951–1956 as a prime time series hosted by Dr. Bergen Evans...
, Pantomime Quiz, and The Original Amateur Hour -- broadcast on all four major commercial networks in the 1950s during the Golden Age of Television
Golden Age of Television
The Golden Age of Television in the United States began sometime in the late 1940s and extended to the late 1950s or early 1960s.-Evolutions of drama on television:...
. It may, in fact, be the only series which had a run on all four networks at least twice.
Overview
The show was set up like a large party, with Kathryn hosting a variety of guests, from sports stars to actors or musicians. Murray dance studio instructors would help Kathryn and Arthur to show their guests how to perform a particular dance step. At the end of the show, the couple would perform a Johann StraussJohann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
. The dancers often dressed in elegant clothing, which could cause amusing problems at times; In one surviving episode, the well-dressed female dancers are heard squealing with teenage-like excitement at guest star Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
. A rare surviving kinescope of that episode survives and has surfaced online. Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
and The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
performed "Peggy Sue" on a December 1957 telecast, also preserved on a kinescope.
The J. Fred and Leslie W. MacDonald Collection at the Library of Congress contains thirteen kinescoped programs and partial programs of the various incarnations of Arthur Murray television. These include a complete half-hour show from August 17, 1954 featuring guest Don Cornell; a complete one-hour show from late 1950 featuring guests The DeMarco Sisters plus Andy and Della Russell; a segment from September 27, 1956 in which The Platters perform "You'll Never Know" and Andy Williams sings "Canadian Sunset;" and a segment from August 5, 1957 in which celebrites Jack E. Leonard, Bert Lahr, Paul Winchell, and June Havoc compete in a dance contest.
Broadcast history
The show appeared on ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
for the first few months of its broadcast as Arthur Murray Party Time, then moved to the DuMont Television Network
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
, ABC, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, DuMont, CBS, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, CBS, and finally NBC (in that order).
See also
- List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
- List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts