The Martha Wright Show is the name of both an American television musical program (also known as The Packard Showroom) that was broadcast on ABC from April 18, 1954, through December 5, 1954, [1] and a radio program that was broadcast on WCBS beginning in late 1954.
The Martha Wright Show replaced The Jane Pickens Show in April 1954. Pickens's program replaced Wright's show in July 1954, and in September 1954 Wright's program again replaced Pickens's. Singer Martha Wright starred in the quarter-hour program. Norman Paris played the piano, with trumpeter Bobby Hackett providing additional music. [2] Hackett initially led a combo; when the show returned in September, he led a full orchestra. [3]
The Martha Wright Show was broadcast on Sundays from 9:15 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time. [4] Fred Heider and Cort Steen were the initial producer and director, respectively. During the show's hiatus, they went to work on another program; when it returned, Matt Harlib filled both roles. [3] Packard canceled the program when it decided to sponsor TV Reader's Digest , which debuted on January 17, 1955. The time slot vacated by Packard and the Wright program was taken by Ceba Incorporated for a new show. [5]
Harry MacArthur wrote in The Evening Star that The Martha Wright Show was "a pleasant if not precisely exciting musical interlude". [6] MacArthur complimented Hackett's trumpet playing and wrote that Wright "can sing a song with proper respect for both melody and lyrics." [6]
The trade publication Variety described the program as "a pleasant and simple quarter-hour of good music, unencumbered by a lot of production trappings and concentrating strictly on the music." [3] It also complimented the performances of Wright, Hackett, and Paris. [3]
The Martha Wright Show radio program was broadcast weekday mornings on WCBS Radio. [7] The program began shortly before Wright's TV show ended. Wright was primarily a disc jockey, playing records by artists such as Leroy Anderson, Don Cornell, Eddie Fisher, and Kitty Kallen, but she occasionally sang with piano accompaniment by Hal Hastings. Walter Cheetam was the director. Initially the show was on from 9:30 to 10 a.m. E. R.; [8] in May 1959 it was moved to the 10-11 a.m. E. T. slot. [9] A review in Variety said that Wright was "bright and personable" and complimented her work as a disc jockey and as a singer. [8]
David Cunningham Garroway was an American television personality. He was the founding host and anchor of NBC's Today from 1952 to 1961. His easygoing and relaxing style belied a lifelong battle with depression. Garroway has been honored for his contributions to radio and television with a star for each on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame, the city where he spent part of his teenaged years and early adulthood.
Stephen Richard Wright was an English disc jockey, radio personality, and occasional television presenter, credited with introducing the morning zoo format to British radio with a humorous collection of personalities. He presented Steve Wright in the Afternoon for 12 years on BBC Radio 1 and 23 years on BBC Radio 2, two of the BBC's national radio stations. He continued to present his Sunday Love Songs on Radio 2 until his death and, in October 2023, he took over as the host of the long-running Pick of the Pops chart show. On BBC Television, Wright hosted Home Truths, The Steve Wright People Show, Auntie's TV Favourites, Top of the Pops and TOTP2.
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Martha Wright was an American actress and singer best known for her performances on Broadway and on television.
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The Jane Pickens Show is the title of an American television series which aired in 1954 on ABC and a radio program broadcast on NBC from 1948 to 1949 and again from 1951 to 1957.
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