From Bob Hope to Macy's Thanksgiving Parade to 'Wicked: One Night Only': How NBC Became America's Home for TV Specials

It did not receive good reviews. The host was awkward on camera while moving through the emerging medium, and the musical numbers and sets did not translate well to the screen. But none of that mattered. Bob Hope's first NBC TV special, 'The Frigidaire Star Spangled Revue,' was welcomed by viewers when […]

It did not receive good reviews. The presenter was awkward in front of the camera as she navigated the emerging medium. Musical numbers and sketches didn't translate well to the main screen.

But none of that mattered. Bob Hope's first television special for NBC - "The Frigidaire Star Spangled Revue" - was a hit with viewers when it aired in the late afternoon Eastern time zones on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1950. RELATED STORIES Oscar Prediction: Best Original Screenplay - 'Club Kid' and 'Josephine Personal' Rwanda's Ben Imana named first entrant in international film competition

Hope was already a huge box office draw and a huge radio star for NBC. He was the first of the giants of radio comedy to try a television show. He won $40,000 (from Frigidaire) for the first special. A few months later, Variety reported that Hope had signed a deal with Frigidaire for six NBC specials, also for $40,000 (or about $555,000 today). Popular in Variety

Over the next 46 years, Hope hosted 283 NBC sitcoms and comedy specials. The run, which included specials broadcast from behind the lines during the Vietnam War, remains a sign of longevity between a star and a network. It helped cement NBC's reputation as a home for entertainment specials and live events.

Bob Hope (1903-2003) did his comedic work during the waning years of vaudeville, working his way through short series and long bills in the late 1920s and '30s. This experience prepared him for nearly 60 years of television specials for NBC. #NBC100 @nbc @UniversalTV pic.

In radio and television, NBC has consistently invested in special events to offset its regularly scheduled series. Some were designed to draw huge crowds to overnight performances, such as the famous 1983 "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" concert. Some are designed to become annual traditions, such as the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center, and the reigning champion of NBC's holiday specials, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

"Today's feature is Money in the Bank for both the sponsor and the network," Variety reported in 1957.

For NBC, a company born as a radio network that celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, a special tradition remains. NBC made a splash 13 years ago with a live performance of the ambitious musical "The Sound of Music" starring Carrie Underwood. Most recently, NBC reunited Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for late last year's musical special, "Wicked: One Wonderful Night," which doubled as a promotion for Universal Pictures' theatrical release of "Wicked: For Good."

NBC has a proud history of airing high-profile concert specials, from 1983's "Motown 25" to Elvis Presley's legendary 1968 comeback vehicle to last year's "Wicked: One Wonderful Night." #NBC100 @nbc @UniversalTV pic.

Many of NBC's top franchises are decades-old traditions that have become part of viewers' annual calendars, a way to mark the time between seasons. It's a gift from past NBC executives to the current generation of executives. Jen Neal, executive vice president of live and special events for NBC and Peacock, never takes that for granted.

"Audience desire for these collective experiences is as vital as ever — even more so today than in years past because there's so much going on in the world," Neal tells Variety. "At a time when media is so fragmented and there are so many options and places to consume content, live TV remains one of the most powerful ways to bring people together."

For advertisers as well as viewers, there's something special about reaching viewers at a time when they're likely to be reflective and nostalgic, especially during the holiday season.

"Live TV events do it differently than anything else," says Neal. NBCUniversal does it brilliantly in sports and the Olympics and news. "But with the big live specials, it's really a place where you can bring people together for those regular patterns at certain times of the year."

Here's a look at some of its radio events in its first nearly 50 years

1938 Bob Hope is named host of NBC's "The Pepsodent Show," which makes him a radio star and begins Hope's 60-year association with NBC.

1951 NBC televised the annual Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center for the first time as part of "The Keith Smith Show."

1953 The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade aired on NBC as an hour special. In 1969, the televised telecast of the parade was extended to three hours. Today, this broadcast has more than 20 million viewers. This year is the 100th anniversary of this parade.

1954 NBC owner RCA introduces its state-of-the-art color television system with a New Year's Day broadcast of the Pageant of the Roses Parade.

1964 NBC broadcasts the Golden Globes for the first time. In the 2000s, the show was established as a major frontrunner for the Oscars. Ricky Gervais, as well as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, are among the NBC-affiliated stars who have made several appearances as co-hosts of Codex during the NBCUniversal era.

1968 "Elvis, Comeback Special '68" marks Elvis Presley's return to live performances. This concert is known as one of the most watched concerts of all time.

1974 "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast" series of specials begins a 10-year run of snarky ribs and playful skewering. Guests included everyone from then-California Governor Ronald Reagan to Truman Capote and Joe Namath.

1976 NBC airs the 4 1/2 hour special "NBC: The First 50 Years".

(above picture: Bobhope and George Burns)