The television show began airing regularly on NBC on October 7, 1950--65 years ago today.
The program starred singers Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson, and Dorothy Collins; the show's "Lucky Strike Orchestra" was led by musician, composer and bandleader Raymond Scott. Also prominently featured were the Hit Paraders, the show's choral group, and the Hit Parade dancers. Andre Baruch was the program's announcer. The show aired each week following NBC's Your Show of Shows.
My mother, Sue Bennett, became a part of the cast in early 1951. At first, she performed with singer Russell Arms, and others, in the show's "extravaganza" commercials for Lucky Strike; the commercials featured singing and dancing. She later became a featured singer on the program, and remained with the show until the close of the 1951-1952 season.
(Pictured: Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson, and Dorothy Collins, the primary singing stars of Your Hit Parade from 1950 to 1952. Wilson left the program in 1952; Lanson and Collins remained until 1957. Collins also starred in a 1958-1959 version of the program, with singer Johnny Desmond.)
