In 1954, Steve Allen was chosen to portray Benny Goodman in The Benny Goodman Story, and this special is built around his journey out to the film capitol to make the picture. Opening with Goodman and his band performing, the focus then shifts to Steve Allen, whose journeys through Universal with snide publicity man Danny Dayton allow him to look in on various rehearsals, supposed scenes in progress, and other events on the Universal lot. The highlights include a seductive Cyd Charisse-style dance number featuring Patricia Crowley and Damnjte de Paolo, Audie Murphy plugging (and showing a scene from To Hell and Back, Keith Andes, Tommy Rall and company doing "The Eagle and Me" from The Second Greatest Sex, Tony Curtis rough-housing with a pair of stuntmen from (including Republic Pictures stuntman legend Dave Sharp), Piper Laurie performing a song, a clip from The Private War of Major Benson with Charlton Heston, and acting class featuring Mara Corday (Tarantula, The Giant Claw ), and Jane Howard, Jeff Chandler, plugging Foxfire starring him and Jane Russell, and introducing a recreation of a dramatic scene from Bright Victory with Rex Reason, Grant Williams, and a young Clint Eastwood, who gets his first television introduction here from Chandler; and Steve Allen dueting with Muriel Landers in "Two Lost Souls."

Bonus: The Tonight Show – lost ½ hour warm up show seen only in New York only 1954. Great show with Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme, Andy Williams, Gene Rayburn, Skitch Henderson, Kim Novack. The first Tonight announcer was Gene Rayburn , Allen's version of the show originated such talk show staples as an opening monologue, celebrity interviews, audience participation, and comedy bits in which cameras were taken outside the studio, as well as music, including guest performers and a house band under Lyle "Skitch" Henderson.