Hollywood Today is an American television program that was broadcast on NBC from January 3, 1955, until September 23, 1955.[1]
Gossip columnist Sheilah Graham was the initial host, with the program running 15 minutes each weekday. Each week featured a celebrity as co-host. During the summer, the show was lengthened to 30 minutes and renamed Hollywood Backstage. Later that summer, Ern Westmore replaced Graham as host.[1] The latter program was sponsored by Charles Antell Inc., advertising its liquid makeup.[2]
ABC television broadcast a weekly nighttime version of Hollywood Backstage beginning on August 7, 1955, and ending on September 11, 1955. Westmore was host, with each episode featuring a makeover of a woman selected from the studio audience and a demonstration of how an actress had been made up for a specific role.[3]
On September 26, 1955, The Search for Beauty, with Westmore as host, took over the time slot previously occupied by Hollywood Backstage. Betty Westmore was co-host, with Phil Hanna as assistant and Dick Hageman as announcer.[4] This program also featured celebrity guests and beauty tips for women in the audience. It ended on December 9, 1955.
Westmore had a similar program, The Ern Westmore Show, on ABC-TV in 1953.[5]