NYC's St. Patrick's
Day
Parade Telecasts A short history by Kevin S. Butler
March 17, 2013 marks the 64th anniversary of
the very first broadcast of NYC's annual St. Patrick's Day Parades.
WPIX 11 became the very first NYC based television station to air the
event; actually, the real reason for telecasting the parade was just
to test Channel 11's newly acquired cameras for upcoming baseball games.
Channel
11 originally intended to air an hour of the celebration and elected
veteran radio/TV host and station co-founder Jack McCarthy to serve
as the event's moderator. McCarthy's hosting of the parade was so successful
that he received a phone call on the spot from the assistant director
asking him if, "he would continue hosting the parade for another
half hour?" He agreed to do so and thus was born a NYC tradition!
At the beginning of each year, McCarthy would do his own
research into the history of the parade and would prepare notes about
the persons marching. This enabled him to do interviews with participants
and guests; he would also prepare historical information about Ireland
and talked about his own experiences for the benefit of the viewers
and spectators along the "Queen of Avenues."
During
the first few years of the telecasts Joe Bolton served as Jack McCarthy's
co-host, the two would talk about the history of the parades and the
old country while fully decked out in the finest tam o' shanters and
kilts.
More often than not McCarthy (aka "Mr. Ireland USA")
would interview people along the parade route like the actor who played
"Sean" the promoter of Irish Spring Soap, excited young kids,
and many well known Irish dignitaries and city officials.
Bands from all over the City played their tunes, dancers
showed off their high steps, and organizations displayed colorful banners
from the many counties in Ireland; billowing in the NYC breezes, they
dazzled the crowds.
The station was so pleased with the results that the parade's
running time was extended from an hour to two hours, then three and
finally four hours.
For a time other stations in the NYC viewing area began
to air their own versions of the event. In the late 1950s WRCA TV 4
assigned newsman Gabe Pressman and radio DJ "Big John" Wilson
to cover the parade. It didn't click.
Earlier in the 1950's WJZ (WABC) TV 7 had hired a broadcaster
from Ireland to host the event - unfortunately he was given pre-written
copy that represented only ten minutes worth of researched material.
His efforts were also unsuccessful.
In
the 1970s WNEW TV 5 hired radio/TV personality Arthur Godfrey - and
later on entertainer Jack Cassidy - to host the parade. Their efforts
failed to match McCarthy's meticulously prepared script and his truly
witty and gentle presentation.
Jack McCarthy would continue to host the St. Patrick's
Day Parade telecasts on WPIX until 1990 when controversy infringed on
the event - gay and lesbian groups wanted to march in the parade to
protest the mistreatment and abuses that they were suffering at the
time. They were refused permission to march leading to protests from
the gay communities. Parade officials also fought over who to select
for a Grand Marshall that year.
Fed up with the problems that were wreaking havoc on the
event, McCarthy refused to host the parade that year.
Channel 11 instead chose actors/singers Andrea McArdle
(best remembered for her performance in the original Broadway stage
production of Annie) and Ed Herlihy (the third and last host
of The Horn & Hardedt Children's Hour and the TV spokesman
for the Kraft Foods Co.) to MC the telecast.
Despite their best efforts, Ms. McArdle and Mr. Herlihy
were not as successful as Jack McCarthy who returned to host the parade
a year later - sort of. For the 1991 telecast, Channel 11 decided to
utilize the multiple host concept again and added WNEW TV 5 newsman
Jim Ryan and veteran newsmen Tommy Smythe and Chris O'Donnell (not to
be confused with the young actor who played Robin in Batman Forever
and Batman and Robin) to host the event. WPIX also hired an
outside production company to handle the technical aspects of the telecast.
As
a result, Jack McCarthy's role as the parade's moderator was diminished
during the Saturday March 16, 1991 and Tuesday March 17, 1992 broadcasts
of the parade. At the end of the 1992 telecast he announced his retirement
as parade host, ending with a saying that had become a tradition for
all of his years as MC - "May God keep the heart of you clean and
may you be in heaven a half hour before the Devil finds out you're dead.
Remember me always."
WPIX would broadcast NYC's St. Patrick's Day Parade for
a few more years before the TV rights were sold to WNBC.
Channel
11 originally intended to air an hour of the celebration and elected
veteran radio/TV host and station co-founder Jack McCarthy to serve
as the event's moderator. McCarthy's hosting of the parade was so successful
that he received a phone call on the spot from the assistant director
asking him if, "he would continue hosting the parade for another
half hour?" He agreed to do so and thus was born a NYC tradition!
During
the first few years of the telecasts Joe Bolton served as Jack McCarthy's
co-host, the two would talk about the history of the parades and the
old country while fully decked out in the finest tam o' shanters and
kilts.
In
the 1970s WNEW TV 5 hired radio/TV personality Arthur Godfrey - and
later on entertainer Jack Cassidy - to host the parade. Their efforts
failed to match McCarthy's meticulously prepared script and his truly
witty and gentle presentation.
As
a result, Jack McCarthy's role as the parade's moderator was diminished
during the Saturday March 16, 1991 and Tuesday March 17, 1992 broadcasts
of the parade. At the end of the 1992 telecast he announced his retirement
as parade host, ending with a saying that had become a tradition for
all of his years as MC - "May God keep the heart of you clean and
may you be in heaven a half hour before the Devil finds out you're dead.
Remember me always."