A couple weeks back my co-author provided an excellent precis of what happened the morning of February 6, 1952, as Today had to throw out its planned program to cover the death of King George VI. As it happens, Billboard had been publishing ongoing reviews of Today (“because of its importance in opening up additional morning hours in television,” the publication promised it would continue to offer critiques “as long as it believes significant improvements may still be made”), and the program’s coverage of the King’s passing was a major component of its February 16 review.
Joe Csida’s review began by noting the program had improved in its second and third weeks, losing the “frantic, disorganized atmosphere” of its first week and slowly discarding ideas “which no doubt sound great on paper but come off just short of ludicrous on the air,” including a bowling match between players in Chicago and New York and a knitting contest. But the February 6 program, which had to deal with two major stories that broke before air, made Csida believe “the show really seemed to come into its own.”
The King’s death, obviously, dominated the morning. Csida noted that the program’s tribute included newsreel footage of the King’s life, a telephone report from London correspondent Romney Wheeler, and an in-studio visit from H.V. Kaltenborn, “who was shaken out of the hay for the event [and] contributed interesting sidelight and background data in interviews with Garroway to round out the picture.” Csida called the program’s coverage “dignified yet exciting” and that it “left little to be desired,” summarizing it as “knowing and beautifully-handled.”
(One casualty of the story was a plan to have a group of Boy Scouts take over the program that morning. Garroway had them come on camera, where he apologized to them and explained that in view of what had happened, the Scouts would need to come back the next day.)
As if that wasn’t enough, Today dealt that same morning with word that President Harry Truman, who had earlier called the state primaries “eyewash,” had decided to enter the New Hampshire primaries after all. The program carried a pickup from Washington with NBC’s Richard Harkness and newspaperman James Reston discussing the move. Their conclusion that Truman’s announcement was meant to counter the rise of Sen. Estes Kefauver, riding a wave of popularity after his well-known hearings into organized crime, prompted Csida to praise them for “a nice piece of ‘inside’ reportage.”
Csida concluded his review by noting that Today would rise and fall on how stories broke, and that the inevitability of dull news days meant that producers needed to bring together “sound thinking on the feature-type stuff,” and that other elements of the program needed improvement. However, he noted, “Garroway gets better every day. The guy is a great performer, and his development on this tough job is something to be marked in TV’s history books. Jim Fleming and Jack Lescoulie continue, too, to make solid contributions.”
Csida concluded his review with these words: “If the program’s planners and thinkers don’t let up, Today is a cinch to make it, and make it big.” (Wonder how that turned out?)
By November 1953 the big window of the RCA Exhibition Hall had become a popular attraction for visitors to New York, and every once in a while a famous face could be seen looking in on Dave Garroway and his merry group as they made Today happen. But one day, a particularly famous face could be seen looking in from the 49th Street sidewalk – and but for one particular remark, Today could have landed its biggest interview to date.
On Friday, November 13, former president Harry Truman was in New York. Truman, who had been out of office less than a year, was known for the brisk walks he would take each morning. New York was no obstacle to his routine, and that morning he left his hotel for a two-mile stroll around the city. In tow were his old haberdashery store partner, Edward Jacobson, and entertainer George Jessel. Following them were about 15 reporters and photographers, who peppered the former president with questions about current controversies and received Truman’s candid comments in response.
Truman’s path through Midtown brought him along 49th Street, and as he passed through Rockefeller Center he noticed the crowd looking in on the Today program across the street. Intrigued, he crossed in the middle of the block. “I know this is against the law,” the nation’s highest-ranking jaywalker told reporters.
Inside, the program staff noticed Truman at the window, smiling and waving. Cameras were quickly swung around. Somebody scooped up J. Fred Muggs and brought him to the window to see Truman, who smiled. “I’d better get along,” he said. “I don’t want to spoil the show.” Quickly, staffers hurried outside, bringing Muggs along to meet Truman. Truman shook hands with the chimp, but backed away when he tried to put a hand around his shoulders. “I don’t let people get so intimate with me,” the former president quipped. Although Truman drew the line at an embrace, he did sign a baseball for Muggs.
For a moment, Today staffers thought they’d have the interview of the year. A staffer asked Truman and Jessel if they’d step inside to talk with Garroway. Truman sounded receptive to the idea. But Jessel, who had a program on ABC, had other ideas. “The president is too busy and I work for another network,” Jessel said. (Years later, recounting the incident, former Today writer Gerald Green called Jessel “the biggest schmuck that ever lived.”) To the consternation of Today staffers, the retired chief executive and his entourage waved goodbye and wandered on, the hoped-for exclusive gone as quickly as it seemed to appear.
From the November 10, 1975 issue of Broadcasting: an ad heralding Dave’s attempt to come back via syndicated radio. The concept sounds terrific, with Dave featuring some of his favorite music and artists, but for whatever reason the show didn’t take hold.
In November 1955 Mad magazine trained its sights on Today. The result was The Dave Garrowunway Show, a spoof that gleefully skewered the program’s conventions. Dave not only loved the piece, but talked about it on the air and recommended the Today audience check it out.
Obviously I can’t post the whole piece here (besides, the version I have is the reformatted version printed in the paperback The Brothers Mad, and it doesn’t look anywhere as good as the magazine version). But the image above, the work of the great Jack Davis, should give you an idea of how deliciously off-the-wall The Dave Garrowunway Show is.
It’s a given, almost as if guaranteed by some kind of law of nature, that any discussion of the Garroway era on Today will mention J. Fred Muggs. And, yes, it’s important to remember Mr. Muggs, who provided a ratings boost after his February 1953 debut (and whom some accounts credit with saving the program from cancellation) and became something of a pop-culture sensation. An entire generation still has vivid memories of Muggs’ mischievous antics on early morning television.
That’s all well and good. But J. Fred wasn’t the only animal sidekick on Today, and another chimpanzee is often lost in his shadow, or identified as Muggs in photos or footage. And that’s sad, for while Kokomo Jr.’s tenure on Today wasn’t as long, his story is no less interesting.
In early 1957, Muggs’ days on Today were numbered. (That’s a story I will get into another day; let’s just say it’s complicated, and since lawsuits ensued I want to make sure I tell that one correctly.) Producers were going to have a gap to fill somehow. As it happened, an upcoming Florida remote would provide an answer.
Enter New York bricklayer and nightclub magician Nick Carrado, who had fallen in love with an adorable year-old chimp during a visit to a Massachusetts wild animal farm in 1956, and purchased the little one. Frustrated with trying to teach a rabbit to do tricks, Carrado thought of incorporating the chimp into his act. But his plans changed when the chimp started stealing the show. Carrado, who remembered “literally raising him like a child,” taught the chimp how to do magic tricks and other things that would delight audiences. In honor of two fallen Marine Corps buddies, Koke and Moe, Carrado named the chimp Kokomo Jr. They shared Carrado’s Manhattan apartment, where Kokomo had his own room with its own television set. “He’s crazy about programs with horses and dogs in them. He likes to bark at horses,” Carrado told a reporter.
In early 1957 Carrado and Kokomo Jr. took their show to Florida. While they were down South, Today was doing a remote from the state. The producers had heard about Kokomo’s act and wanted to meet him, and the chimp ended up on the program. As Carrado remembered, “NBC taped the whole show around us and we were hired on the spot.” According to contemporary accounts, Today began promoting Kokomo Jr.’s March 1 debut in mid-February, before Muggs’ send-off.
NBC photo
Kokomo made his official Today debut on March 4, dressed in a white shirt, gray trousers and a bow tie. Throughout the program, he ran errands for Garroway and carried paper to a wastebasket. “At the close of the first day,” wrote one reviewer, “he rubbed his natural crew-cut (signifying he had a headache), but then – after some thought – he dropped his hand and applauded his own performance.” In later programs Kokomo wrote “poetry” on a typewriter and did watercolor paintings, or helped Garroway with the weather.
The producers would sometimes ask Carrado for certain routines, like playing a violin, and Carrado would train Kokomo in how to play. Carrado took pride in Kokomo, taking him for regular shaves and haircuts and keeping him outfitted in nice clothes, and adding new tricks to the repertoire.
Within two months of his Today debut, the city of Kokomo, Indiana named the chimp an honorary citizen. A New York restaurant asked him to contribute a painting for display. Soon Kokomo was asked to appear on the newly-retooled Tonight program with Jack Paar in July 1957, and went through basic training with a Naval Air Reserve unit for a September 1957 Today segment. Merchandise soon followed, including a doll. The chimp was invited to Kokomo, Indiana, and even invited to throw out the first ball on the opening day of the Kokomo Dodgers’ season.
Kokomo’s personality differed from that of his predecessor. While Muggs had a reputation for mischief, Kokomo Jr. came across as relaxed. Take a look, for instance, at this moment from November 1957 as Garroway gently reads poetry to an affectionate Kokomo. (And note that while the video misidentifies Kokomo Jr. as Muggs, that is Kokomo Jr. If you look closely, you will see the “Kokomo Jr.” nametag on his vest.)
While Kokomo Jr. was an adorable addition to Today, lightning did not strike twice. Perhaps audiences accustomed to the higher-octane antics of Muggs weren’t as engaged by the laid-back Kokomo Jr. Perhaps the producers, or Garroway himself, got tired of the concept or felt it didn’t fit the increasingly informative nature of Today. In any event, by July 1958 Kokomo Jr. was off the program. Columnist Marie Torre noted at the end of that month that “Kokomo Jr. (of old Today fame)…is posing for photographic illustrations for a series of Hallmark greeting cards.”
After his Today gig was over, Kokomo went on to continued success on television and the stage, doing everything from mall openings to television commercials. In 1969 the original Kokomo Jr. retired to a farm Carrado owned in upstate New York. Kokomo’s son took over the act, traveling with Carrado in a custom motorhome from gig to gig. A reporter noted in 1977 that Carrado credited the elder Kokomo for a successful act that made millions of dollars. Carrado later revealed that he used two chimpanzees in the act, alternating them between days to keep them from getting exhausted. “I was always concerned about not pushing them too hard,” Carrado told an interviewer in 2000 about that secret. “In the end, I’d rather that people know that I’m humane.”
In 1983 Carrado and the chimps retired to North Carolina. Carrado and his wife started a company that sold packaging tape. The chimpanzees lived out their retirement painting, snacking, watching television and riding on their Big Wheels through the Carrados’ yard. Carrado himself, long concerned about the humane treatment of animals, drew up a proposal for a retirement home for show-business animals. When Carrado passed away in December 2007, his obituary noted that he was “best friend and trainer of Kokomo Jr.”
Though the various Kokomos are long retired, they live on at the official Kokomo Jr. website, where you can learn more and see some interesting photographs and artifacts from Kokomo’s moments in the spotlight.
—– SOURCES:
Associated Press, “Kokomo Jr. Swinging, Rich Chimp,” Orangeburg, SC Times and Democrat, 24 June 1977.
Hurley E. Badders, “Tuning In,” Greenville News March 10, 1957.
William Ewald, “Kokomo A Versatile Young Chimp,” San Mateo Times, 8 May 1957.
Jack O’Brian, “Lark Rating Falls Short,” Des Moines Tribune 13 Feb. 1957.
Marie Torre, “Lawrence Welk Plans To Try Teen-Age Band,” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 29 July 1958.
The very first Today program aired on January 14, 1952. The complete program is lost to history, since in the run-up to “T-Day” nobody thought to order a kinescope. All that remains on film are the 7:00-7:29 segment and the segment from roughly 8:44 to 8:58. Many years ago the Today website had a rundown transcribed from the NBC archives, but some segments in the original document were out of sequence, and some other information was missing, incorrect, or didn’t seem to square up somehow.
What is presented below is the result of a years-long effort to reconstruct that first program. The detailed portions are from my notes from the kinescope (which you can watch here), while the rest is reconstructed from the rundown document, from the photographs Peter Stackpole took for Life that morning (many of which are linked below), from contemporary articles, and other sources. I have also embedded a few screen captures (credit: NBC) to illustrate from time to time. This is a living document, and as more information is found this post will be updated. If you have information that will help make this more complete, please share (gently) in the comments or drop us an e-mail.
TODAY – January 14, 1952
7:00 am – 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time
(kinescope begins) 6:59:30: NBC ID 6:59:35:Telop and v/o promo for Richard Harkness and the News 6:59:50: WNBT ID telop/spoken ID
The very first images of Today came from this camera position, which stayed busy that morning. (NBC photo)
7:00:00: Program begins. Jack Lescoulie spoken intro. 7:00:15:Garroway’s “preamble” begins. 7:02: Time stamp and headline crawl begin. Garroway walks to headline board for “Today in Two Minutes.”
NBC photo
7:04: News film of Capt. Carlsen of Flying Enterprise. 7:05: Return to studio; sports stories. Garroway explains when news summaries will be presented during the program. Begins tour of communications center. 7:06: Introduces Jack Lescoulie. Visits with Mary Kelly, who tells him the weather bureau is on the line for him. Garroway shows off Kelly’s electric typewriter. 7:07: Garroway shows off tape recorder and telephoto machine. Visits with Buck Prince, who has Romney Wheeler from London on the line. Also talks to Ed Haaker in Frankfurt. The big story there is the first big snowstorm of the year. “It’s really chilly here today.” Garroway: “You’re not alone. Thank you very much, Ed.” 7:09:Garroway introduces news editor Jim Fleming. 7:10: Garroway shows off wire service machines and wall of newspapers flown in for the program.
Newspapers from around the country. I think that’s Estelle Parsons holding the newspaper. (NBC photo)
7:11: Garroway walks back to telephoto machine and looks at photo – “still wet.” Walks back to his desk. 7:12: First remote – view from top of RCA building.
The first remote gives a view of 30 Rock’s ventilator stacks, but the rainy and cloudy morning prevents seeing much else. (NBC photo)
7:13:Remote from outside Pentagon. Frank Bourgholtzer v/o. Says things aren’t too visible from the Wardman Park Hotel location. Pans right from Pentagon to view of Washington skyline. Cut back to monitor view in New York. 7:13: Remote from Chicago. Jim Hurlbut interviews two Chicago police officers who are sitting in their patrol car. 7:14: In the middle of Hurlbut’s interview, we cut back to the studio. Call over studio PA from control room: “Station break, Dave.” “Oh…recess time, right back!” 7:15: Telop and v/o promo for The Mel Martin Show and WNBT ID. 7:15:Garroway at desk attempts to resume remote to Chicago but cannot get through to Hurlbut (although Hurlbut is visible on monitors with police officers).
Garroway gives up on trying to reach Jim Hurlbut: “Peace, lad.” (NBC photo)
7:23: Garroway walks over and cues Jim Fleming at the newspaper board on far end of communications center. Fleming compares Minneapolis headlines vs. San Francisco headlines. Lescoulie (next to Fleming) marvels that the late headlines from San Francisco would come in via wirephoto so quickly. Garroway comes over and announces “recess time.” 7:24:30: NBC tones. Telop promo for Dave and Charlie. Telop and v/o promo for Lights Out with Frank Gallop. Telop ID for WNBT; v/o promo for Tex and Jinx. V/O ID for WNBT.
NBC photo
7:25: Jack Lescoulie explains what viewers can expect on the program and over the next half-hour. Previews records, upcoming interview with family with son in Korea. Introduces Garroway, who interviews Lescoulie about his background and experiences. 7:27: “Sentimental Journey” fades up. “Recess; right back.” Garroway walks back to desk. 7:27: Film PSA for Treasury Dept./US Savings Bonds. No sound from film; instead, sounds from inside communications center (teletypes, phones, bells, etc). 7:28:Garroway at desk: “I didn’t know there was any sound with that film or I’d have whistled ‘Dixie.’” Remarks that he didn’t hear it over his speaker. Also notes they lost the time at the bottom of the screen and “we’re having some new times made.” 7:29: Garroway does time check, explains program for those just tuning in. Notes people looking in through windows. “Recess time right now for a minute.” 7:29: Telop promo for Richard Harkness and the News.
(end of kinescope segment; until further notice, this is reconstructed from program log sheet and other sources)
“Changing Times” was with “Today” on its first telecast. Kiplinger’s publications remained “Today” sponsors into the 1970s. (NBC photo)
8:44: Garroway does live spot for Changing Times while leaning on desk. Notes that a lady from Brooklyn called in reference to a spot earlier in the program: “Tell Garroway that the penny postcards he’s talking about now cost two cents.” Remarks that’s a sign of changing times. 8:45: NBC chimes/telop promo for Howdy Doody. Film promo for Boston Blackie. V/O promo by Don Pardo. Film ID for WNBT with V/O promo for Kukla, Fran and Ollie. 8:45: Back to studio. Garroway sees he’s on camera – “Oh, I’m talking to a friend! Is that all right?…Mort [Werner, producer], will you tell our cue people that they’re running about three inches high?” Gives time check; throws to Jim Fleming. Fleming gives story just in from Tokyo: US Navy patrol bomber crashed this morning near Yokohama. Recaps Mark Clark story, Douglas will not run for president or VP, attacks in Suez zone, Chinese charges that US planes overflew Manchuria, AEC chairman says we’re still working on H-bomb, new US proposal in Paris about control of A-bomb, Secretary of State Dean Acheson to testify before Senate Foreign Relations Committee today, Iranian prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh refuses to rescind order to close British embassies in Iran next week, economic adviser Leon Keyserling predicts $85 billion US budget for the year, recap of inflammable sweater story, bad weather in Pacific prevents search for survivors of missing freighter. Late bulletin comes in: Capt. Carlsen received a decoration today from the king of Denmark; Fleming notes that he will be honored in NYC Wednesday. Throws back to Garroway: “Brother Garroway, are you there?” 8:46: Garroway is on phone; grins at Fleming. Goes back to phone; asks control room if the mobile units are coming up after “Frenesi.” Asks them to hold “Frenesi” and to go to mobile units first. Cues Frank Blair in Washington. There’s a pause, cue channel chatter audible; picture from Wardman Park comes up, cough over audio. Garroway says he sees Jim Hurlbut in Chicago. Frank Bourgholtzer comes on, identifies himself. Picture shows morning traffic on Connecticut Avenue bridge and Rock Creek Parkway. Bourgholtzer says he’s at the Pentagon. Picture cuts to Pentagon and crowded parking lots there. Bourgholtzer says Ray Scherer is standing in front of the Pentagon, doesn’t know if they can cut to him or if they’ll show the yacht basin. “Sherm, can we have that shot? There we are!” Bourgholtzer notes that some come to work by boat, including Air Force brass from Bolling Field. Pan over parking lots; Bourgholtzer notes some can contain 6-7,000 cars. Bourgholtzer then throws to Ray Scherer, who notes parking lots on Mall side of Pentagon and how quickly they filled up. Notes Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial in distance. Says he expects Secretary of the Army Frank Pace at any moment. Gloomy, overcast morning in Washington. 8:50: Quick view of Pentagon exterior before cuts back to Garroway: “There! We got it that time!” Garroway, smiling, gives quick explanation of how these are some of the tools that will be used on the program to take you to various places, how they can get into just about any place. Cues Jim Hurlbut in Chicago.
NBC photo
8:51: Hurlbut in Chicago, outside the Loop Terminal of the Illinois Central suburban railroad. Shows people coming out of terminal to go to work. Cuts to corner of North Michigan and East Randolph, showing pedestrians and traffic. Hurlbut notes how busy that corner gets during rush hour. Cuts back to Hurlbut outside terminal with people coming out of terminal. Hurlbut notes the fog will be with them all morning long. Cut to view of bridge tower in fog and NBC mobile unit on bridge, panning left. Cut to view of buses waiting for passengers. Cut back to Hurlbut, who wraps with “so, take it away, Dave Garroway.”
The state of the art in 1952. If only this baby could come up for sale in Hemmings the month after I win the lottery. (NBC photo)
8:53: “Thank you, Jim, old friend…and he is that.” Garroway notes Chicago is his old hometown and it looks familiar to him, but NYC is his new hometown and how busy and populated it is. Time check as he cues camera at Grand Central Terminal and Peter Roberts. Shots of commuters arriving as Roberts explains what’s going on. 8:54: Back to Exhibition Hall and Garroway. “We’re going to take a time-out for a short recess at this minute. Be right back, folks.”
There’s no way I was leaving this out. (NBC photo)
8:54: NBC chimes. Telop promo for Kukla, Fran and Ollie. Telop card for Mothers’ March on Polio with Eddie Cantor v/o. Don Pardo v/o repeats phone number. Telop ID for WNBT with Pardo v/o for Ben Grauer’s Seeing is Believing. WNBT verbal ID. 8:55: Lescoulie at desk recaps what program has done thus far and what it intends to do, bringing you top stories “as regularly as coffee is served.” Wire service photos will also be shown. “And, of course, we’ll always have…Dave Garroway!” Garroway standing near desk realizes he’s on, gives time check. Time and headline crawl return to screen. Garroway notes a lady has called and said it’s an interesting program but they haven’t once mentioned Brooklyn. Garroway walks over to Lescoulie, says Jack was telling him something about “a rhubarb between [Roy] Campanella and the Dodgers.” Lescoulie notes the lady calling about the lack of a Brooklyn mention; Garroway taps Lescoulie’s shoulder and says “I just said that.” They laugh about it. 8:56: Lescoulie begins telling story about Campanella’s refusal to have bone chips removed. “Sentimental Journey” comes up and Lescoulie is faded out in middle of story. 8:56: Filmed PSA for Big Brothers of America with Gene Lockhart. “Sentimental Journey” still plays over first few seconds. 8:57: Back to Lescoulie in studio; no audio for first few seconds. Lescoulie recaps his conversation with Campanella about a story that he was holding out on re-signing with the Dodgers for the 1952 season. Campanella debunks story, saying he would return to the Dodgers.
Jack Lescoulie not only smiled between every sentence, but kept smiling while he was talking. It’s truly amazing to watch. (NBC photo)
8:58: Garroway at desk notes they have a box of gadgets. Shows off needle-threading device.
NBC photo
8:59: Garroway notes it’s time to say goodbye to east coast viewers. Notes he wants to stand because he means it sincerely, and notes that the show has a lot of bugs but they will work them out. “Today” super comes up. “Peace.”
During the run-up to the premiere of Today, Dave Garroway made guest appearances on some NBC programs. In the process, he got to match wits with some comedy legends. Here’s Dave paying a visit to Bob and Ray in the week before Today‘s premiere:
Maybe it’s me, but in that sketch Bob looks a lot like Pat Weaver and Ray reminds me of Today‘s first newsman, Jim Fleming.
Another preserved bit captures Dave’s January 6, 1952 visit to Fred Allen’s program. It’s a real treat.
NBC’s promotional push for its brand-new morning experiment, as seen in a two-page ad in Broadcasting, January 7, 1952. (Trivia: Today had been scheduled for a January 7 debut, but in December 1951 it was decided to bump the debut back one week; among other things, it allowed a little more time to get everything ready in the RCA Exhibition Hall, plus it allowed a few more run-throughs before the big day.)
To spend hours upon wonderful hours exploring a huge archive of Broadcasting and other industry periodicals, visit the incredible American Radio History website.
A couple weeks back my co-author provided an excellent precis of what happened the morning of February 6, 1952, as Today had to throw out its planned program to cover the death of King George VI. As it happens, Billboard had been publishing ongoing reviews of Today (“because of its importance in opening up additional morning hours in television,” the publication promised it would continue to offer critiques “as long as it believes significant improvements may still be made”), and the program’s coverage of the King’s passing was a major component of its February 16 review.
By November 1953 the big window of the RCA Exhibition Hall had become a popular attraction for visitors to New York, and every once in a while a famous face could be seen looking in on Dave Garroway and his merry group as they made Today happen. But one day, a particularly famous face could be seen looking in from the 49th Street sidewalk – and but for one particular remark, Today could have landed its biggest interview to date.
Enter New York bricklayer and nightclub magician Nick Carrado, who had fallen in love with an adorable year-old chimp during a visit to a Massachusetts wild animal farm in 1956, and purchased the little one. Frustrated with trying to teach a rabbit to do tricks, Carrado thought of incorporating the chimp into his act. But his plans changed when the chimp started stealing the show. Carrado, who remembered “literally raising him like a child,” taught the chimp how to do magic tricks and other things that would delight audiences. In honor of two fallen Marine Corps buddies, Koke and Moe, Carrado named the chimp Kokomo Jr. They shared Carrado’s Manhattan apartment, where Kokomo had his own room with its own television set. “He’s crazy about programs with horses and dogs in them. He likes to bark at horses,” Carrado told a reporter.
To spend hours upon wonderful hours exploring a huge archive of Broadcasting and other industry periodicals, visit the incredible