Jerry Lester

Jerry Lester

2/16/1910 – 3/23/1995Chicago, Illinois, USA

Jerry Lester (February 16, 1910 – March 23, 1995) was an American comedian, singer and performer on radio, television and the stage, who hosted the first network late night television program as host of Broadway Open House on NBC, a vaudeville-esque combination of comedy and music, whose success demonstrated the potential for late-night television and led to the creation of the Tonight Show.

Filmography (12 titles)

50 Years of NBC Late NightMovie

50 Years of NBC Late Night

Self (archive footage) · 2001

Smokey and the Bandit II5.5Movie

Smokey and the Bandit II

Warehouse Guard · 1980

Hardly Working4.7Movie

Hardly Working

Slats · 1980

Odds and Evens7.0Movie

Odds and Evens

Mike Firpo · 1978

The Godmothers5.5Movie

The Godmothers

Ricky Mastrasso · 1973

The Monkees6.5Show

The Monkees

Kramm · 1966

The Mike Douglas Show5.8Show

The Mike Douglas Show

Self - Co-Host · 1961

The Rookie10.0Movie

The Rookie

Jerry Mann · 1959

Show

The Name's the Same

1951

Sleepytime Gal9.0Movie

Sleepytime Gal

Downbeat · 1942

Arizona to Broadway7.5Movie

Arizona to Broadway

Jimmy Dante · 1933

Mickey's Gala Premiere6.3Movie

Mickey's Gala Premiere

Maurice Chevalier / Ed Wynne / Jimmy Durante (voice) · 1933