This Is How Telethons Became a Fundraising Tradition

When Hollywood bands together for Hand In Hand: A Benefit For Hurricane Harvey Relief on Tuesday night, the entertainers who show up will be participating in a long-running tradition of lending star power to important causes via televised fundraisers.

While the comedian Jerry Lewis became the biggest celebrity telethon-er when he started hosting fundraisers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in the '50s he wasn't the first to do one. Comedian Milton Berle is credited with hosting the first telethon, which NBC broadcasted from 12 p.m. on April 9, 1949, to 3:55 a.m. on April 10th.