Milton DeLugg, Composer, Accordionist-Bandleader, Musical Director For Original "Gong Show," R.I.P.

Milton DeLugg, the songwriter, accordionist, and bandleader who was the musical director on TV's Broadway Open House (1950-51), The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1966-67), and who is best remembered by some TV viewers as the orchestra leader on Chuck Barris' original version  of The Gong Show (NBC, 1976-78; syndication, 1976-80) passed away on Monday at age 96.

Mr. DeLugg, amongst whose songs he wrote or co-wrote, wrote the song "Orange Colored Sky," which was a big hit in the early 1950s for Nat King Cole and "Hoop-De-Doo," a polka that was a big hit at that same time for Perry Como.

Milton remained active as the Musical Director of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade through 2013.

Heeeeere's Jerry!

Here is the January 30, 1951 telecast as captured on kinescope of Broadway Open House, which was the first major late-night network television late-night entertainment show.  It aired Monday through Friday nights from 11PM until Midnight, Eastern Time and ran for 15 months.  We see Jerry Lester (who hosted the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday editions), joined by bandleader-accordionist (and songwriter) Milton DeLugg (of future Gong Show fame, or infamy), announcer Wayne Howell, singer-tap dancer Ray Malone, the Mello Larks vocal group, singer-comedian David Street, and the one and only Jennie Lewis, known by the nom-de-plume Dagmar.  Morey Amsterdam hosted the Monday and Thursday installments.  BOH,  forerunner of the long-running Tonight Show went off the air in August, 1951.  The program was the brainchild of NBC president Sylvester (Pat) Weaver, who also created the Today and Tonight shows and other innovative programs for the network.