Jerry Lester
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Born Name:
Lester J. Goldberg
Born Date: February 16, 1910
Born Place: Chicago, Illinois
Died Date: March 23, 1995
Died Place: Miami, Florida
Occupations: Actor, comedian, host, singer
Brief Biography: Jerry Lester was known for hosting the first network late-night television show, Broadway Open House. Born Lester J. Goldberg in Chicago, Illinois, he was a vaudeville-style performer who bridged the gap between old-school comedy and early television variety shows.
Key Career Highlights:
Broadway Open House (1950–1951): Lester hosted this pioneering NBC late-night show, which was a hybrid of comedy, music, and vaudeville. His success helped demonstrate the potential of late-night, directly influencing the creation of The Tonight Show. The show made a star of his cast member, Dagmar.
Early Career: Before television, Lester worked in music halls and nightclubs throughout the U.S., Europe, and Australia, performing as a dancer and singer.
Other Roles: In the 1950s, he hosted Cavalcade of Stars (preceding Jackie Gleason) and was a frequent panelist on game shows like The Name's the Same and Pantomime Quiz.
Theater: In the 1960s, he gained critical acclaim in the road production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and later replaced Zero Mostel on Broadway.
Born Date: February 16, 1910
Born Place: Chicago, Illinois
Died Date: March 23, 1995
Died Place: Miami, Florida
Occupations: Actor, comedian, host, singer
Brief Biography: Jerry Lester was known for hosting the first network late-night television show, Broadway Open House. Born Lester J. Goldberg in Chicago, Illinois, he was a vaudeville-style performer who bridged the gap between old-school comedy and early television variety shows.
Key Career Highlights:
Broadway Open House (1950–1951): Lester hosted this pioneering NBC late-night show, which was a hybrid of comedy, music, and vaudeville. His success helped demonstrate the potential of late-night, directly influencing the creation of The Tonight Show. The show made a star of his cast member, Dagmar.
Early Career: Before television, Lester worked in music halls and nightclubs throughout the U.S., Europe, and Australia, performing as a dancer and singer.
Other Roles: In the 1950s, he hosted Cavalcade of Stars (preceding Jackie Gleason) and was a frequent panelist on game shows like The Name's the Same and Pantomime Quiz.
Theater: In the 1960s, he gained critical acclaim in the road production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and later replaced Zero Mostel on Broadway.