Here is a screen shot of a video--a video made from a kinescope--from the March 17, 1951 St. Patrick's Day telecast of Your Hit Parade, on NBC (seventy-three years ago today).
The image is of a production number, that night, of the Irish-themed popular song "MacNamara's Band."
The performers, for the number, were the Hit Paraders (the program's vocal/choral group), and the Hit Parade dancers.
In the foreground of the picture is the dance team of Fosse & Niles, who appeared often on Your Hit Parade during the program's 1950-1951 season.
In addition to being a dance team, Bob Fosse and Mary Ann Niles were married to one another (though they would divorce in 1951, the year of this broadcast).
The image from the video is unfortunately blurred. In the background, behind Ms. Niles, are three of the Hit Parade dancers: Lenny Claret (in a light sport coat, seen clapping), Virginia Conwell (obscured by Ms. Niles), and Dusty McCaffrey. Members of the Hit Paraders, singing "MacNamara's Band," included Artie Malvin and Gene Lowell (on the elevated stage behind the dancers), singer Hubie Hendrie (obscured, on the floor in front of the elevated stage), and singers Rae Whitney and Geri Beitzel (standing with others on tables at the left side of the TV screen, but out of camera range in the above image).
Fosse & Niles made appearances on a number of early television programs, such as The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Fifty-Fourth Street Revue, and The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.
Mr. Fosse, of course, would later become a much-celebrated choreographer and director, for both Broadway and film.
(Your Hit Parade image, © Lost Gold Entertainment, Inc.)
