Editing Steve Allen (section)

==== Filmways ====
In 1968 Steve Allen returned to syndicated variety/talk with a new show for [[Filmways]], produced and co-written by Jeff Harris and Bernie Kukoff. The show was a free-wheeling, light-entertainment blend of comedy sketches, musical specialties, and conversation. It sometimes featured the same wacky stunts that would influence David Letterman in later years, including becoming a human [[hood ornament]], jumping into vats of [[oatmeal]] and [[cottage cheese]], and being slathered with [[dog food]] before allowing dogs backstage to feast on the food. During the run of this series, Allen also introduced [[Albert Brooks]] and [[Steve Martin]] to national audiences for the first time; Allen's talent coordinator for the Filmways show was [[Bill Saluga]], who himself became a TV personality in the 1970s as "Raymond J. Johnson, Jr." ("You can call me Ray! Or you can call me Jay!"). The Filmways show was offered to local stations in both 60-minute and 90-minute versions; during each taping, after an hour had passed, Allen simply said goodbye to part of his audience and continued the show for those stations using the longer version. This Filmways show ran through 1971.