Livewire (talk show)

America

The story

Livewire is an American children's talk show that premiered on the American television cable network, Nickelodeon on September 29, 1980 and ended in 1985. The series was designed for kids of all ages, and the show's main focus was to discuss true current events and stories during those times. It was taped at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York through Reeves Teletape Studios of Sesame Street fame. It was filmed "live on tape" with a participating audience of about twenty to thirty teenagers, and was hosted initially by Mark Cordray, but Fred Newman soon replaced Cordray as host. It was a CableACE Award winner, the first Nickelodeon talk show to achieve that feat. Livewire was the number one rated show on Nickelodeon in 1982, and never went below number seven in the ratings during the five-year span of the show. After the last episode aired, the show went into reruns until May 3, 1986.

The show was mostly known for giving relatively unknown bands and singers their first television appearance. Bands and celebrities who appeared on the program include:

List of guests

Adam Abeshouse
Afrika Bambaataa
Aileen Quinn – from Annie
Adam Yauch – from Beastie Boys
Albert Hague – from Fame
Alex Tannous – psychic
Average White Band – rock band
Bill Irwin – actor
Billy Squier
Blotto – rock band
Bow Wow Wow – rock band
Buckner & Garcia
Caian Devora – actor
Carlene Carter – singer
Carroll Righter – astrologer
Chris Atkins – actor
Comateens – rock band
David Liederman
DJ Jazzy Jay – hip hop DJ
Dr. Michael Carrera – author
Edward Bush – director of The Museum of Holography
Eek-A-Mouse – reggae artist
Erin Gray – actor
Errol Manoff and the Fantasy Factory
Eubie Blake
Frank Zappa
Fred Newman – voice actor
Garland Jeffreys – singer
Gene Roddenberry – creator of Star Trek
Geri Jewell – from The Facts of Life
Graham Nash – singer
Grey Panthers
Haircut One Hundred – music group
Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds – linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
Jackie Torrence – storyteller
James Bethea
James Earl Jones – actor
Jennifer Gatti – actor
Jimmy Baio
Joffrey Ballet Concert Group
John Hurt
John E. Mack – psychiatrist
Jordan Walker-Pearlman
June Foray – voice actor
Kiss – rock band
Laurie Anderson – performance artist, singer
Lazoo
Lee Curreri – from Fame
Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul
The Lords of the New Church – rock band
Manowar
Mark Cordray
Mark Wilson – magician
Marty Feldman
Merri Wood – physicist
Molly Picon
Mummenschanz – theater company
Novo Combo
Paul Reiser – actor
Phil Paul Call
The Pink Ladies – from Grease 2
Psychedelic Furs – rock band
R.E.M. – rock band
The Ramones – punk rand
Ray Williams – manager of Six Flags Over Texas
Rene Teboe
Ricky Schroder – from Silver Spoons
Robert Duvall
Robert Truax
Ronnie Dyson – singer
Ronnie Lamm – PTA council president
Rudolf of Danceteria – October 30, 1983
Split Enz
Stanley Jarocki – Vice President of Marketing for Bally Midway
Stephanie Mills
Sugar Hill Gang – rap group
Teresa de Rose and Andrew Needhammer – from American Ballet Theatre II
Tom Savini – special effects makeup artist
The Tom Tom Club – rock band
Triumph – Mike Levine
Twisted Sister – rock band
Valerie Harper – The Hunger Project
Valerie Landsburg – from Fame
The cast of You Can't Do That on Television