In 1950, Martin and Lewis signed with NBC to be one of a series of weekly rotating hosts of "The Colgate Comedy Hour", a live Sunday evening broadcast. Lewis, writer for the team's nightclub act, hired Norman Lear and Ed Simmons as regular writers for their "Comedy Hour" material. Their "Comedy Hour" shows consisted of stand-up dialogue, song and dance from their nightclub act and movies, backed by Dick Stabile's big band, slapstick and satirical sketch comedy, Martin's solo songs, and Lewis' solo pantomimes or physical numbers.