Variety Series - Before there was YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS with Sid Caesar, TEXACO THEATRE with Milton Berle or TOAST OF THE TOWN with Ed Sullivan, there was HOUR GLASS, the first hour-long entertainment variety series produced for network television. HOUR GLASS premiered May 9, 1946 on NBC and set the format for all future variety shows. Helen Parrish and later by Eddie Mayehoff. emceed the series.  See also "Musical Comedy"