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The Bell Telephone Hour

1959·Show
120Episodes in10Seasons

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

The Bell Telephone Hour fingerprint

No humor.

Energy

Spectacular

  • Spectacle7
  • Fast Pace2
  • Adrenaline0

Heart

Heartwarming and nostalgic

  • Wholesome9
  • Nostalgia9
  • Hopefulness7

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay3
  • Situational Comedy2
  • Physical Comedy0

World

History and show business

Holds up on a rewatch.

  • Rewatchability8
  • World Immersion7
  • Novelty5

Craft

Solid, not remarkable

  • Acting7
  • Direction6
  • Dialogue Quality4

Style

Standout score

  • Music Centrality10
  • Music Composition8
  • Cinematography6

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFamily Movie NightFriends NightParty VibeIntergenerationalKidsPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensBackground WatchComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyPure Escapism

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every show. Select a row to see all of them.

Episode ratings

IMDb rating of every episode, one row per season
SeasonEpisode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7Episode 8Episode 9Episode 10Episode 11Episode 12Episode 13
Episode 1 not ratedEpisode 2 not ratedEpisode 3 not ratedEpisode 4 not ratedEpisode 5 not ratedEpisode 6 not ratedEpisode 7 not ratedEpisode 8 not ratedEpisode 9 not ratedEpisode 10 not ratedEpisode 11 not ratedEpisode 12 not rated
IMDb rating of every episode, one column per season
Episode
Episode 1Episode 1 not rated
Episode 2Episode 2 not rated
Episode 3Episode 3 not rated
Episode 4Episode 4 not rated
Episode 5Episode 5 not rated
Episode 6Episode 6 not rated
Episode 7Episode 7 not rated
Episode 8Episode 8 not rated
Episode 9Episode 9 not rated
Episode 10Episode 10 not rated
Episode 11Episode 11 not rated
Episode 12Episode 12 not rated
Episode 13

About

“The Bell Telephone Hour” was a musical variety show that aired on “NBC” TV from 12 January 1959 to 14 June 1968 that showcased the best in Broadway, Classical, Concert, Jazz and Popular music each week. The series had its’ own house band appropriately named the “Bell Telephone Orchestra”. The show also had its’ own theme song being the “Bell Waltz” composed by “Donald Voorhees” who was also the show's Orchestra conductor. Some of the greatest violinists of the 1960’s performed on this show that aired in the old “Black & White” format. Some of these great violinists included “Erica Mornin”, “Isaac Stern", "Michael Rabin", "Ruggiero Ricci", "Yehudi Menuhin" and "Zino Francesacatti". From time to time some of the great singers and bandleaders of the 1960’s would perform on the show as well. Some of these were “Bing Crosby”, “Gordon MacRae”, “John Gary”, “Leslie Uggams”, “Mary Martin”, “Nelson Eddy”, “Patti Page” and “Roy Rogers”. The TV show followed on the heels of its’ predecessor with the same name on “NBC” radio that aired from 29 April 1940 to 1958 on Monday nights at 8 PM. The name of the show was derived from its’ Major sponsor “Bell Telephone Laboratories”. The TV version began airing on Friday nights at 8:30 PM once a month. It later was given it’s same time slot now airing every other week alternating with another show on the other weeks such as News shows and specials. The show time slot changed quite often over the years. In September 1960 it aired at 9 PM and in September 1961 it moved to 9:30 PM. In October 1963 it moved to Tuesday nights at 10 PM, September 1965 it moved to Sunday night at 6:30 PM and in September 1967 it made its' final move back to Friday night at 10 PM.
Musical Variety ShowClassic TelevisionLive PerformancesBroadway & Classical MusicNostalgic & WholesomeHistorical ShowcaseOrchestral FocusTimeless Entertainment

Actors

Crew

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Bell Telephone Hour

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Bell Telephone Hour legally?

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Is The Bell Telephone Hour worth watching?

78
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 79/100 (IMDb 7.7). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

How many seasons does The Bell Telephone Hour have?

10 seasons

It has 10 seasons with 120 episodes.

When did The Bell Telephone Hour air?

It ran from 1959 to 1968 and has ended.

What language is The Bell Telephone Hour in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in United States.