Series regulars or semi-regulars in 'Tony Orlando & Dawn Rainbow Hour' from 1970-1982:
- Alice Nunn (1974-1976)
- Joyce Vincent Wilson (1974-1976)
- Lonnie Schorr (1974-1976)
- Telma Hopkins (1974-1976)
- Tony Orlando (1974-1976)
- Adam Wade (1976)
- Bob Holt (1976)
- Edie McClurg (1976)
- George Carlin (1976)
- Jimmy Martinez (1976)
- Nancy Steen (1976)
- Susan Lanier (1976)
1970-1982 Episode Guide for 'Tony Orlando & Dawn Rainbow Hour':
(Episodes with dates prior to 1970 aired as reruns.)
July 3, 1974:
Season 0, episode 1
With Loretta Swit. The first of four comedy-variety shows starring the vocal group Tony Orlando and Dawn. MASH star Loretta Swit will make her television singing debut when she guests on tonight's show.
Season 0, episode 2
With Lloyd Bridges, Charo. Lloyd tells the tale of stubborn baseball player Boom Boom Bill Bailey (Tony)and joins Tony in a vaudeville rendition of "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer". Tony sings "Quando Caliente el Sol" with Charo translating the lyrics. Tony Orlando and Dawn sing "Love Train" and "Who's in the Strawberry Patch with Sally?"; Dawn performs "Rockin' Roll Baby" and "Rock-A-Bye Baby"; Tony sings "Something".
Season 0, episode 3
With Jimmie Walker, Shari Lewis, Karen Morris (Junior Miss 1974). Shari's puppet Hush Puppy discusses his recent divorce. Shari, Jimmie, Tony and Dawn and other regulars do a comedy vignettes on TV commercials from the 50's and 60's. Karen and Tony sing "You Say the Sweetest Things". Dawn sings "Touch Me in the Morning". Tony Orlando and Dawn perform "Will It Go Round in Circles?" and "Steppin' Out".
Season 0, episode 4
With Will Geer, Jo Anne Worley. Will portrays Mark Twain and recites from the author's works. Will joins Tony in "Making the Best of a Bad Situation". Jo Anne plays a lady who has an obsession with plants. Dawn's Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent sing a medley of "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and join the entire cast for a comic rendition of "Hard-hearted Woman". Tony sings "You're a Lady" then joins with Dawn for "Candida".
December 4, 1974:
Season 1, episode 1
With William Conrad, Florence Henderson. Tony Orlando and his singing partners, Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson, who had a hit variety series last summer, return to the weekly lineup replacing Sons and Daughters. Tonight, William plays a college student (with Tony as his father) and an ice-cream parlor proprietor who employs an Eskimo (Tony). Florence teams up with Tony and Dawn for "Mr. Big Stuff". Tony Orlando and Dawn perform "Crocodile Rock".
Season 1, episode 2
With Jackie Gleason, Nancy Walker. Jackie gives Tony a lesson in coining phrases, Nancy is cast as a snowbird, and Tony attempts to salute his childhood cowboy heroes. The entire cast gets together for "That's Entertainment", a series of blackouts covering show business from vaudeville to the present. Jackie and Tony do "I'll Teach You Everything I Know"; Tony sings "Snowbird" and "I Shot the Sheriff"; Tony Orlando and Dawn do "Hello, My Baby", and Tony closes with "Hava Nagila".
Season 1, episode 3
With Carroll O'Connor, The International Children's Choir. In comedy spots, Carroll plays grouchy King Blear, a ruler who wants to take Christmas away from his complaining kingdom, and Tony appears as a bumbling magician.
Season 1, episode 4
With Esther Rolle, Lloyd Bridges. Tony's grandmother makes a cameo appearance. Esther is an extremely wealthy woman in the TV series "Very, Very Good Times", and series regular Alice Nunn plays a female Santa. Tony and Dawn do a musical salute to gypsies, Tony sings "Grandma's Hands", Esther and Dawn do "Elegance". Then Tony Orlando and Dawn perform "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" and Dawn sings a medley of "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Always".
Season 1, episode 5
With Telly Savalas, Anne Meara. Anne is cast as Cinderella's wicked stepmother, who wants to set the record straight about herself. Telly joins Tony in a campaign to improve he image of mothers-in-law. In the "Lou Effie and Maureen" spot, the two girls argue over the housecleaning chores. Telly sings "If", Tony solos "Only You", and Dawn sings "Climb Every Mountain" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".
Season 1, episode 6
With Loretta Swit, Bill Macy. Bill offers to do a scene from the nude play "Oh! Calcutta!". Loretta and Tony reminisce about their high school days. Tony dresses as Harry Belafonte for a calypso number with Dawn. Bill has "Dreams of an Everyday Husband" at a bar. Loretta and Tony sing "When I Did the Mashed Potato with You", Tony and Dawn perform "I Can See Clearly Now" and "Does Your Chewing Gum Loses Its Flavor on the Bed Post Overnight?"
Season 1, episode 7
With Danny Thomas, Ruth Buzzi. Ruth plays the wife of a jealous butcher and a distressed woman who files a missing person report at a police station. Everyone joins in the musical sketch "Ya Gotta Give the People Hope". Tony sings "Until It's Time For You to Go", Dawn performs"I'm a Woman" and team up with Tony for "Personality".
Season 1, episode 8
With Ted Knight, Kate Smith. Kate plays TV chef Julia Mild and Ted plays a rich Arabian sheik. Ted and Tony offer optimistic outlook on the Nation's economy. Kate sings "Love is a Many Splendored Thing", Ted, Tony & Dawn do "Knock Three Times", Kate and Tony perform "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", Dawn sings "Yesterday Once More" and all join in for "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da".
Season 1, episode 9
With Art Carney, Anne Meara. Art, Anne, Tony and Dawn do a takeoff of "Casablanca". Tony interviews contented housewife Anne Meara and puts on his magician robes for a mind-reading demonstration. Art and Dawn perform a medley of old favorites. Tony sings "I Am, I Said", then with Dawn performs "Look What They Done to My Song, Ma" and "Take Me Home, Country Roads".
Season 1, episode 10
With Andy Griffith, Georgia Engel. Andy and Georgia join Tony in a spoof of that traditional western sport, "The Showdown".
Season 1, episode 12
With Loretta Swit, Roosevelt Grier.
Season 1, episode 12
With Dom DeLuise, Tammy Wynette. In skits, Dom plays Rudolpho, Tony's barber, who ends up auditioning for the show by doing his impression of Tony singing "Sweet Gypsy Rose". The cast also spoofs TV commercials.
Season 1, episode 13
With Tony Randall, Charo.
Season 1, episode 14
With Frankie Avalon, Lisa Todd, Arte Johnson.
Season 1, episode 15
With Kate Smith, Buddy Ebsen. Buddy does a soft-shoe to "Stop It", "Carolina in the Morning" and "Ballin' the Jack". Tony lectures Dawn on Greek life and dances to "Dance My Troubles Away". Buddy sings "A Piece of the Past", Kate sings "As Long as He Needs Me" and Kate and Tony do a medley of "That Is Rock and Roll", "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Hound Dog". The entire cast joins in for the final production number "Cigarettes, Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women".
Season 1, episode 16
With Nancy Walker, Demond Wilson, Mel Tillis, John Amos. A program of Easter music and comedy, including a spoof on commuter car pools and the Fashion Fatale Awards of 1975. The men model at the fashion awards show with Nancy as the hostess. Tony and Dawn come out for their "Happy Wanderer" number in Swiss costumes. Mel and Tony duet on "Detroit City", Tony sings "You Are So Beautiful", then all join in for a medley of "An Old Fashioned Love Song", "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" and "Baby Face".
Season 1, episode 17
With Jack Albertson, Ruth Buzzi.
Season 1, episode 18
With Ted Knight, Georgia Engel, Hank Aaron.
September 10, 1975:
Season 2, episode 1
With Lucie Arnaz, Reverend Ike, Art Carney.
Season 2, episode 2
With Hermione Baddeley, Fred MacMurray. A comedy sketch saluting captains real and imaginary (John Smith, Kidd, Queeg and Spalding). Tony persuades Fred to appear on his show. Magician "The Great Orlando" dispalys his legerdemain by attempting to saw his assistants (Joyce & Telma) in half. Hermione and Tony duet on "Lambeth Walk", Dawn performs "Have You Never Been Mellow?" and Tony sings "How Sweet It Is".
Season 2, episode 3
With Anne Meara, Hal Linden.
Season 2, episode 4
With Demond Wilson, Kate Smith, The Domino Man.
Season 2, episode 5
With Nancy Walker, Tony Randall. Tony and Nancy take part in a comic treatment of old-fashioned gangster films with Tony as the tough guy, Randall as his kid brother the priest and Nancy as his disappointed mother. The trio also reminisce about the long-running TV Western "Gunsmoke". Tony plays a guru who tries to lead the bickering Dawn duo in a meditation session. Randall and Orlando duet with "Reach Out and Touch", Tony Orlando and Dawn sing "Put a Little Love in Your Heart", "Gone at Last" and "Listen What the Man Said".
Season 2, episode 6
With Roy Clark, Ruth Buzzi. Ruth Buzzi plays Marsha Dillon, Dodge City's first woman sheriff, and country singer Roy Clark portrays the crook she is trying to catch in another sketch. Lonnie Schorr plays a carpool driver who is trying to force his mismatched, computer-selected riders to smile. Roy sings "Heart to Heart", Roy & Tony do "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", Tony Orlando & Dawn sing "Hello Goodbye", Dawn performs "Let Me Be the One" then Tony sings "Try to Remember".
Season 2, episode 7
With Isabel Sanford, Dom DeLuise.
Season 2, episode 8
With Barbara Eden, Mel Tillis.
Season 2, episode 9
With Phyllis Diller, Neil Sedaka, Jim Nabors.
Season 2, episode 10
With Totie Fields, Don Knotts. Don checks out the no-frills hospital where he is about to have surgery. Tony as Rocky Tchaikowsky, a tough slum kid with musical genius, becomes the protege of a bored socialite (Totie). Tony sings "Unchained Melody" while handcuffed to Don, Totie and Dawn sing "Razzle Dazzle", Dawn sings "Our Day Will Come", Tony Orlando and Dawn perform "Bill Bailey (Won't You Please Come Home)" and "If I Had a Hammer".
Season 2, episode 11
With Adrienne Barbeau, Freddie Prinze. Freddie and Tony play struggling entertainers and Adrienne is a dancer in "The Road to Puerto Rico", a takeoff on the Bob Hope-Bing Crosby "road" pictures. Tony as Rudolph Valentino re-creates a scene from the silent classic "The Sheik". Adrienne and Dawn sing "If They Could See Us Now", Dawn sings "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady", Tony sings "Feelings".
Season 2, episode 12
With Kate Smith, Conrad Bain, Neil Sedaka.
Season 2, episode 13
With Dinah Shore, Dom DeLuise.
Season 2, episode 14
With Minnie Pearl, Tony Randall. A New Year's Eve Show features sketches about three sanitation workers celebrating the holiday at the dump, and a TV series that involves characters from real shows in a tale of murder. Tony Randall and Dawn perform the tongue-twisting "Sister Susie's Sewing Shirts for Soldiers". Minnie reminisces about life in her home town. Tony Orlando shows photos of his gridiron days during a salute to New Year's Day bowl games. Tony Orlando and Dawn sing a college fight song medley, and Tony sings "Moments to Remember".
Season 2, episode 15
With Danny Thomas, Georgia Engel. Comedy segments include the invention of the doorbell by Ludwig Who-iz-it (Tony), and Lou Effy and Moreen's experiences with shady television salesman Wild Bill (played by Ted Zeigler). Danny does a monologue about his father. Georgia sings and dances in a production number. Dawn teases Tony, who's performing in a barbershop quartet. Georgia sings "I'm the First Girl in the Second Row", and Tony Orlando and Dawn sing "Never Ending Song of Love".
Season 2, episode 16
With Junior Samples, Ronnie Stoneman, Buck Owens. The "Hee Haw" crowd invades Hollywood, playing country gawkers. Junior trots about in silver overalls, Ronnie models a country-style bathing suit, and Buck strums "Tie a Yellow Ribbon".
Season 2, episode 17
With John Davidson, Captain Kangaroo, Ruth Buzzi.
Season 2, episode 18
With Joe Namath, Charo, Freddy Fender.
Season 2, episode 19
With Jim Nabors, Kate Smith.
Season 2, episode 20
With Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, Joey Bishop. The comics of the 1950s show young Tony how it's done. They teach Orlando the art of the put-down, skitter about doing flamenco, Russian and Charleston dance steps, and kid about old movies.
Season 2, episode 21
With Sherman Hemsley, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans.
Season 2, episode 22
With Jerry Lewis, Anne Meara.
Season 2, episode 23
With Totie Fields, Tanya Tucker, Andy Griffith.
September 21, 1976:
Season 3, episode 1
With Alice Cooper. The third season begins with an overhauled format. George Carlin becomes a regular with a weekly five-minute report ("Time" is the opening topic).
Season 3, episode 2
With Steve Lawrence, The Walter Murphy Band.
Season 3, episode 3
With Freddie Prinze, England Dan & John Ford Coley.
Season 3, episode 4
With Bernadette Peters, Sly & The Family Stone. Bernadette plays a patient romantically involved with her doctor (Tony) in a spoof of soap operas. Bernadette teams up with Tony in a takeoff of the film "Silent Movie". Telma Hopkins plays a feisty old nanny who's fed up with stepping and fetching for faded Southern plantation owners. Musical highlights: Sly and the Family Stone perform "Dance to the Music" and "Stand", Bernadette sings "Razzle Dazzle", Dawn performs "I Won't Last a Day Without You" and Tony sings "That's All".
Season 3, episode 5
With Bonnie Franklin, Dr. Hook.
Season 3, episode 6
With Carroll O'Connor, Engelbert Humperdinck.
Season 3, episode 7
With Donald O'Connor, Soupy Sales.
Season 3, episode 8
With Johnny Cash. In a comedy sketch Lou Effy (Telma) plays Cupid for a hesitant Moreen (Joyce). Jimmy Martinez is a talent agent for an unusual tap-dancer and Tony plays an Army recruiting officer interviewing an applicant with 18 personalities. Johnny sings a medley of his hits, Tony and Dawn perform "What the World Needs Now", Joyce sings "Mr. Melody", and Tony & Johnny sing "Making Little Ones Out of Big Ones".
Season 3, episode 9
With Abe Vigoda, The Bay City Rollers.
Season 3, episode 10
With Fred MacMurray, Cory Braverman.