When did Times Square New Year's broadcasts begin?

[Stanislav]

Anyone know what year any of the Big 3 networks started doing a live broadcast from Times Square for New Year's? Who hosted back then? (I mean, Dick Clark has been around forever, but was there anyone before him?)

[dhett]

Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians were legends on New Year's Eve before Dick Clark.  Traditional jazz/big band sound with Auld Lang Syne at midnight. When you hear the song played at Times Square, it's a recording of Lombardo's band. Their New Year's broadcasts originated first on radio from the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City from 1929 until 1949 and later from the Waldorf Astoria Hotel until 1976. (I assume that would be the 1977 New Year - Lombardo died in November 1977.) Eventually, the radio broadcasts moved to television.

IMO, New Year celebrations have never been the same since - Dick Clark was a major step down from Lombardo.

[dhett]

Additional note: The TV broadcast would alternate between the Waldorf Astoria and Times Square. I don't know when the Times Square segments began, nor do I remember whether or not the Times Square segments were hosted, or just live shots, but they would always go to Times Square for the ball drop.

[Buddy Hayes]

Dick Clark's New Year's celebration began in the early 70's, I think.

[BRNout]

Additional note: The TV broadcast would alternate between the Waldorf Astoria and Times Square. I don't know when the Times Square segments began, nor do I remember whether or not the Times Square segments were hosted, or just live shots, but they would always go to Times Square for the ball drop.

Yes, I remember it well.  Most of the adults around the house insisted that the TV be tuned to Guy Lombardo rather then Dick Clark because that was the place to see the "official" celebration in Times Square. 

Dick Clark was for the younger folks and took a while to catch on.  Now it is his show that is thought of as being the 'venerable' New Year's tradition.  But, Guy Lombardo was definitely much bigger in his day.  That's what almost everyone watched some 35 years ago.

[Cincinnati Kid]

I remember watching TV coverage of Times Square on New Year's Eve on NBC-TV in the 1950's.  The announcer was Ben Grauer who covered celebrations there on radio and later TV for decades, including VJ Day, etc.   On New Year's Eve, 1956, the sponsor was General Electric Telecron clocks and the face of a clock with a second-hand was shown on the screen as midnight approached.   Ben Grauer also did the NBC Radio coverage.  There were times when he did both radio and TV on New Year's Eve.  As he was ready to go on TV, he would turn the radio microphone over to colleague Bob Wilson.  I also remember Guy Lombardo being on CBS-TV on New Year's Eve and Times Square was covered by newsman Robert Trout.

[Braves2005]

I didn't know this until now and that is that Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve began on NBC in 1972 and that ABC did not carry it until 1974. Three Dog Night hosted the very first Rockin' New Year's Eve in 1972.

I wonder what ABC did on New Year's Eve before 1974 or NBC before 1972.

[anotherguy]

Didn't NBC tie a New Year's Eve broadcast into The Tonight Show before New Year's Rockin' Eve started?

[sack]

Hey dhett,

If Dick Clark is a step down from Guy Lombardo (don't remember much of old Guy), what do you think of Seacrest taking that gig? Any potential?
And is it the host as much as the "entertainment"?  I stopped watching years ago because of the crap they show before and after the ball drops.  Bad lip sync,  semi drunk guests with nothing to say,,, if I want egomaniacs with minimal talent, I don't even have to turn on the TV, I've got in-laws, live without commercial interruptions.

[Cincinnati Kid]

NBC-TV did have the Times Square coverage on The Tonight Show, particularly when Tonight was originating from New York.

To me, part of the problem with the music shows on New Year's Eve came when they started pre-recording them in advance.  It became too staged and not spontaneous.