Kevin McGeogh
February 26, 2003
Com 290-01
Dr. Rohler
Milton
Berle
Milton Berle was born to his given name Mendel Berlinger in
New York City in 1908, but then
changed it to Milton as many people
in show business often do. At only
five years old he began one of the longest and most diverse careers in show
business history when he appeared in the Perils of Pauline and Tillie’s
Punctured Romance. His career would
include silent film, vaudeville, radio, motion pictures, and television. He moved up the vaudeville circuit
throughout the 1920’s, making a name for himself as a comic known for stealing
the material of fellow comedians and as a master of ceremonies. During the 1930’s,
Milton appeared in a variety of
Hollywood films, in night clubs, and on the radio, but is
best known for his role as the host of TV’s most popular show during its early
years called Texaco Star Theater.
The show began on ABC radio network in 1948 and became a T.V. version for
Texaco and NBC later that year.
Within two months, Milton Berle became television’s first real superstar
with the highest ratings ever attained and was referred to as “Mr. Television”,
“Mr. Tuesday Night”, and “Uncle Miltie”.
Restaurants, night clubs, and theaters eventually rearranged their
schedules in order not to miss the show at 8p.m. The
television industry says that he stimulated sales and audience for television in
the same way that Amos and Andy had done for radio. The budget for each one of his programs
was only $15,000, but all of the most well known entertainers were eager to
appear on it simply for the television exposure. The shows were live, one hour in length,
and included vaudeville routines, music, comedy, and sketches. What we would think of as a variety
show. Other regular features on the
show were the singing Texaco station attendants and pitchman commercials by Sid
Stone. The show did so well that in
1951, he signed a contract with NBC granting him $200,000 a year over the next
thirty years, providing he appeared on NBC exclusively. His show was one of the first to be
promoted through advertising and merchandising products like Uncle Miltie
t-shirts, comic books, and chewing gum.
Once other programs came about, however, to compete with
Milton’s popularity, his audience
grew smaller and Texaco ended its sponsorship. In 1953, the show was retitled the
Buick-Berle Show. Since they were
facing greater competition, Berle’s staff changed the show to be more structured
and less zany. The show managed
still to obtain a large audience, but was dropped by Buick after two years. After the show ended,
Milton was featured in
Kraft Music
Hall in the late 1950’s and a 1960’s game show
called Jackpot Bowling. He
renegotiated his thirty-year contract with NBC in 1965 allowing him to appear on
any network. With this freedom he
later made guest appearances in dramas as well as comedies, film, night clubs,
and benefit shows. He has been
given every show business tribute or award, most important being an Emmy and two
T.V. specials devoted to his legacy in broadcasting. He was married three times. Twice to Joyce Matthews and twice
divorced, and to Ruth Rosenthal with which he had two children; Vicki and Billy
(adopted).