''Cross-Canada Hit Parade'' is a Canadian music television series which aired on

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...

from 1955 to 1960. Episodes featured performances of current popular songs in a concept derived from the American series '' Your Hit Parade''.

Premise

The series featured the week's most popular songs in the traditional pop and contemporary genres. Guests performers and disc jockeys appeared in the series. Austin Willis hosted the series with regular performers Joyce Hahn, Wally Koster, Phyllis Marshall, and singing group the MCs. Adam Timoon joined the series for the 1956-57 season. The series house orchestra was led by Bert Niosi. Choreography was directed by Alan and Blanche Lund.

Production

The series was based on staged performances of the current most popular songs for which the series team spent considerable effort in developing the sets, choreographing the song presentations and planning camera positions. Since some songs were top chart hits for multiple weeks, show producers were challenged to vary the presentation of these songs from episode to episode. For example, the song " Green Door" was a top chart hit for 19 weeks during the 1956-57 season. The series concentrated on the lighter pop styles of music. Rock songs were occasionally included on ''Cross-Canada Hit Parade'' which were attractive to youth viewers but rejected by adult audiences. For example,

Bill Haley & His Comets Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band founded in 1947 that continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...

performed "

Rock Around the Clock "Rock Around the Clock" is a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter being under the pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight") in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was record ...

" and " See You Later, Alligator" in the 29 February 1956 episode. By the beginning of the 1957-58 season, producers Drew Crossan and Stan Harris indicated that the series would not be transformed into "a rock 'n roll runaway". They also noted the difficulty in adapting Elvis Presley's songs to an appropriately visual format for the series. ''Music '60'' producer Norm Sedawie noted there were few objections after curtailing rock songs on ''Hit Parade'' by 1960. In 1959, CBC financial figures released to the Commons Broadcasting Committee revealed that each week's episode of ''Cross-Canada Hit Parade'' typically cost $30,132 of which $8,214 represented expenses for talent. Sponsorship revenues were $9,678, leaving $20,454 to be supported by government funding.

Episodes

The first season began with minimal advance promotion. Episodes aired 9 p.m. Wednesdays in a half-hour time slot. Jaye P. Morgan was the guest singer on the 12 October 1955 debut episode. Paul Anka was a guest on the series prior to attaining international stardom.

Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocalist ...

also appeared on the 11 April 1956 episode.

The Happy Gang ''The Happy Gang'' was a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio lunchtime variety show that ran from 1937 to 1959. During the Golden Age of Radio and well into the 1950s, it was one of Canada's most popular programs. In its heyday, it had about ...

appeared on 9 May 1956. For the 1959-60 season, the series was rebranded as '' Music '60 Presents the Hit Parade'', airing on alternate Mondays but lengthened to an hour. A series featuring Jack Kane aired on the other Mondays, also under the ''Music '60'' banner. The season debut on 12 October 1959 featured guest performances from The Everly Brothers and Hermione Gingold and introduced a larger studio space. The final episode on 11 July 1960 featured Della Reese and Jonathan Winters.

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title, 0341725 CBC Television original programming 1950s Canadian music television series 1960s Canadian music television series 1955 Canadian television series debuts 1960 Canadian television series endings Black-and-white Canadian television shows