(From 2/6/2019) Nat King Cole was the first African American man to host an American television series. Cole recorded “Sweet Lorraine” in 1940, and it became his first hit. According to legend, his career as a vocalist started when a drunken bar patron demanded that he sing the song. Cole said that this fabricated story sounded good, so he didn’t argue with it.
In 1956, The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC. The program started at a length of 15 minutes but was increased to a half-hour in July 1957. The last episode aired on December 17, 1957. Rheingold Beer was a regional sponsor, but a national sponsor was never found. Commenting on the lack of sponsorship, Cole said shortly after its demise, “Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.”
In January 1964, Cole made one of his final television appearances, on The Jack Benny Program. He was introduced as “the best friend a song ever had” and sang “When I Fall in Love” that can be heard in the video below. Prepare to have your soul soothed…
