| Genre: | Variety show |
| Starring: | Sammy Kaye |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Runtime: | 30 mins. |
| Network: | ABC |
So You Want to Lead a Band is a half-hour television variety show hosted by Sammy Kaye. It was also known as The Sammy Kaye Show, The Sammy Kaye Variety Show, Sammy Kaye's Music from Manhattan, and Music from Manhattan.[1]
Members of the studio audience are invited to conduct the band. Then through its applause, the audience chooses the winning amateur conductor. The winner receives a prize. Vocalists on the program included Barbara Benson and Jeffrey Clay.[2]
The series aired on Thursdays at 9pm Eastern Time after Treasury Men in Action and before Kraft Television Theater. The show's competition on NBC was Dragnet.[3]
In 1954, it was replaced by Star Tonight.[4]
| Span on the Air | Network | Day of Week | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June - July 1950 | NBC | Sunday | 8-8:30 | |
| July 1951 - July 1952 | CBS | Saturday | 7-7:30 | |
| August - September 1953 | NBC | Saturday | 8-8:30 | |
| August 1954 - January 1955 | ABC | Thursday | 9-9:30 | |
| September 1958 - February 1959 | ABC | Saturday | 10-10:30 | |
| February - April 1959 | ABC | Thursday | 10-10:30 | |
| April - June 1959 | ABC | Saturday | 10-10:30 |