Les Crane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Les Crane
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Crane on the set of his television talk show, 1964
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| Born |
Lesley Stein
December 3, 1933 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | July 13, 2008 (aged 74) Greenbrae, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Tulane University |
| Known for | Talk-show host |
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| Children | Caprice Crane |
Les Crane (born Lesley Stein; December 3, 1933 – July 13, 2008) was a famous radio and television host. He was a pioneer in a new kind of broadcasting where he talked directly with his audience. He also had a hit spoken-word recording in 1971 called Desiderata. This recording even won him a Grammy. Les Crane was the first TV personality to try and compete with Johnny Carson's popular late-night show.
Contents
Les Crane's Life Story
Early Years and Military Service
Lesley Stein was born in New York City in 1933. He went to Tulane University and studied English. After college, he joined the United States Air Force. He served for four years as a jet pilot and also taught others how to fly helicopters.
Starting in Radio
Crane began his radio career in 1958 in San Antonio. He later worked in Philadelphia. In 1961, he became a very popular host at KGO radio in San Francisco. KGO's strong signal reached many places, from Seattle to Los Angeles. This helped him gain a large audience across the West Coast.
Variety magazine described him as a host who was "popular, confrontational and sometimes controversial." He was known for pioneering "talk radio." He would speak his mind and sometimes even hang up on callers who disagreed with him.
One of his famous late-night radio shows was Crane at the hungry i. On this show, he interviewed many talented people. These included Barbra Streisand and Professor Irwin Corey.
Les Crane, along with John Barrett, helped create the idea of the Top 40 list. This list ranks the most requested pop songs.
Moving to Television
In 1963, Les Crane moved to New York City. He started hosting a late-night talk show called Night Line on WABC-TV. This was the main station for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
In June 1964, The Rolling Stones made their first American TV appearance on Crane's show. Only people in New York could see it then. Later, in August 1964, his show, now called The New Les Crane Show, was shown nationwide for a week. It started at 11:15 p.m. on ABC.
This show was the first network program to compete with The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Both shows were recorded before they aired.
ABC used recordings of two episodes to convince other TV stations to carry The New Les Crane Show. One episode featured the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald discussing her son's guilt. She debated with lawyer Melvin Belli, Crane, and audience members. The other episode featured famous writer Norman Mailer and actor Richard Burton.
More stations decided to air the show, and it relaunched in November as The Les Crane Show. Look magazine even ran a big story about him. It included photos from his August shows. One photo showed Shelley Winters discussing a topic with Jackie Robinson, May Craig, and William F. Buckley.
Some people thought Crane's show was very new and different. However, it never attracted a large audience.
In June 1965, the show was renamed ABC's Nightlife. Network executives wanted less controversy and more light entertainment. The show moved from New York to Los Angeles for its fall season. It was finally canceled in November 1965.
Most of the surviving video and audio from Crane's show comes from the recordings ABC used to promote it. The UCLA Film and Television Archive has clips from early episodes. The National Archives has a transcript of the August 1964 episode with Oswald's mother.
Audio recordings of other famous guests still exist. These include Malcolm X (December 1964) and Bob Dylan (February 1965). While the video of Dylan's appearance was erased, photos and a short silent film clip survive.
Les Crane was known for his direct interview style. He even used a special "shotgun microphone" that he pointed at the audience. This earned him the nickname "the bad boy of late-night television." Critics had mixed feelings. Some found him sharp and insightful. Others found his microphone distracting. Most agreed he looked good on camera.
Despite his unique style, Crane couldn't beat Johnny Carson's ratings. His show lasted only 14 weeks before it was changed into ABC's Nightlife.
Besides Dylan, Malcolm X, and Richard Burton, Crane's show featured many other important guests. These included Martin Luther King Jr., Ayn Rand, Judy Collins, George Wallace, and Robert F. Kennedy.
After ABC's Nightlife was canceled, Crane tried acting. He appeared in the film An American Dream (1966). He also made a few guest appearances on TV shows, like The Virginian.
Some sources say Les Crane named the rock group The Mamas and the Papas. However, this is debated. John Phillips, a band member, said he and Cass Elliot came up with the name. They were watching a TV show about the Hells Angels. A member of the Hells Angels said they called their women "mamas." This became a funny inside joke for the band.
Les Crane was a strong supporter of civil rights. Black journalists praised him for his respectful interviews with black leaders. These included Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Muhammad Ali.
Crane was also one of the first interviewers to have a guest who openly discussed their identity on his show. This happened in January 1964. However, when Crane tried to invite a group of women who advocated for certain rights, WABC officials told him to cancel the booking.
After his last TV appearance in the early 1970s, Crane stopped talking about his television career. He didn't answer questions about any recordings he might have had of his old ABC show. His daughter, Caprice Crane, believes he saved two full episodes from August 1964.
Later Career and New Ventures
In 1967, Crane tried acting again. He starred in a pilot film called I Love a Mystery. This film was meant to start a new TV series, but it never happened. The movie itself didn't air until 1973.
By 1968, Les Crane was hosting a radio talk show in Los Angeles. He had changed his style, dressing in turtlenecks and moccasins. He used words like "groovy." He still interviewed important people and discussed topics like civil disobedience and meditation. Crane left this station when it changed to a country music format.
In late 1971, Crane's recording of Desiderata became a huge hit. It reached number 8 on the Billboard music charts. Many called it a "New Age anthem," and it won him a Grammy.
Crane thought the poem was free for anyone to use. But the rights actually belonged to the family of the author, Max Ehrmann. So, royalties (payments) were given to them. Later, in 1987, Crane said he couldn't listen to the recording without feeling sick.
In the 1980s, Crane moved into the software industry. He became the chairman of The Software Toolworks. This company created popular computer games like Chessmaster and educational programs like Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. The company was later sold and renamed Mindscape.
Family Life
Les Crane was married five times. In 1964, a Look magazine profile showed him with his wife, Eve King. They lived in Oyster Bay, Long Island. The article mentioned he was helping raise her three children from a previous marriage.
His fourth wife was Tina Louise, an actress from Gilligan's Island. They married in 1966 and divorced in 1971. Their only child together was Caprice Crane, born in 1970. Caprice later became an author, screenwriter, and TV producer.
Les Crane and Tina Louise even appeared together as actors in a 1969 episode of Love, American Style.
Passing Away
Les Crane passed away on July 13, 2008, in Greenbrae, California. He was 74 years old. At the time of his death, he was living in nearby Belvedere, California with his wife Tina.
Images for kids
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Crane on the set of his television talk show, 1964
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Scenes from Crane's television talk show in 1964.
