| ABC's Nightlife | |
|---|---|
 Host Les Crane on the show in 1964 | |
| Also known as |
|
| Starring | Les Crane |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | November 9, 1964 (1964-11-09) – November 12, 1965 (1965-11-12) |
ABC's Nightlife is an American television talk show carried by theAmerican Broadcasting Company (ABC) from November 9, 1964, until November 12, 1965.[1] It was an effort by ABC to compete withThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson onNBC.[2]
Initially known asTheLes Crane Show, the program had included Crane's exchanges with members of the audience in addition to celebrity guests. Crane's style was described as "informal, highly spontaneous, and often controversial".[1] The show was renamed when Crane left after four months.[1] A revised format used a rotation of stars as hosts, beginning withShelley Berman.[3] Other hosts includedWilliam B. Williams,Nipsey Russell,Jimmy Cannon,[1]Pat Boone,[4] andAllan Sherman.[5] Orchestra leaders were Cy Coleman, Elliot Lawrence, and Donn Trenner.[1] In June 1965, Crane returned as the regular host, accompanied by Russell.[6]
After the series ended, ABC would not return to the late-night television picture untilThe Joey Bishop Show began in April 1967.
