Leeza
| Leeza | |
|---|---|
| Presented by | Leeza Gibbons (and John Tesh 1993-1994) |
| Country of origin | USA |
| No. of episodes | 1,270 |
| Production | |
| Location(s) |
Paramount Studios Hollywood, California |
| Running time | approx. 44 min (without adverts) |
| Production company(s) |
Leeza Gibbons Enterprises Paramount Network Television (NBC run) Paramount Domestic Television (syndicated run) |
| Distributor | Paramount Domestic Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC and Syndication |
| Original release | June 14, 1993 – September 8, 2000 |
Leeza is an NBC and syndicated daytime television talk show. It premiered on June 14, 1993 as John & Leeza from Hollywood, hosted by John Tesh and Leeza Gibbons. Tesh left the show after seven months, and on January 17, 1994, the program was retitled Leeza, and Gibbons became the sole host remaining in that capacity throughout the remainder of its run.
The original format centered on celebrity news and interviews, but once Tesh left the show it became more of a traditional television talk show.
The show ran on NBC between 1993 and 1999, showing on other stations in markets where the local NBC affiliate pre-empted it in favor of other programming. NBC dropped Leeza in favor of Later Today and the show aired its final episode there on September 3, 1999. It continued for one additional season in syndication, finally coming to an end September 8, 2000. It was taped at Paramount Studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California, and was produced by Gibbons' production company and Paramount Television (Network for NBC run, Domestic for syndicated run).
Gibbons was also a hands-on executive producer in addition to host of the show, involved in every aspect from selecting show topics to finding guests. Each week, Gibbons worked with her team to track stories and to bring the audience new, in-depth and real perspective on the issues of the time.
Recurring topics discussed on the show include: the Columbine High School massacre, the Oklahoma City bombing, JonBenét Ramsey's murder, the O. J. Simpson murder case, Matthew Shepard's murder, the Northridge earthquake, and actor David Strickland's suicide, among others.
Leeza received 27 Daytime Emmy Award nominations (including nominations for Outstanding Host and Best Show for every year the show has been on the air) and has won three Emmy awards. The show also received a Genesis Award for programs that revealed animal abuse, the Media Access Award for accurately portraying persons with disabilities and an award from the Alzheimer's Association for show programming.
Leeza's timeslot often varied, as some stations aired the show in the morning while others aired it in the late-afternoon.
The program was also shown in the United Kingdom, as part of the original daytime schedule on Channel 5.
External links
- Leeza at the Internet Movie Database
- Leeza at TV.com