Who hosted the New Year's Eve countdown (U.S. television) before Dick Clark?

fredsixties

Dick Clark originated and hosted New Year's Rockin' Eve from it's inception untill his passing. However...(see below) Prior to the premiere of New Year's Rockin' Eve, the most well-known New Year's Eve program was that of bandleader Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, broadcast from the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Guy Lombardo would host 48 straight New Year's Eve broadcasts on CBS until his death in 1977, beginning on radio in 1928 (and for a period, splitting with NBC Radio following midnight ET), and on CBS Television from 1956 to 1976. Lombardo's specials were also well known for his band's performance of the song "Auld Lang Syne" at midnight, which helped make the standard synonymous with New Year's festivities. http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Clark's_New_Year's_Rockin'_Eve_with_Ryan_Seacrest Jan 01 13, 8:33 PM

dottie4

Thank you. Jan 02 13, 9:14 PM