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Post by BunnyWhit on May 28, 2023 21:24:17 GMT
The Ed Sullivan Show (Toast of the Town) (1948-1971)
The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982)
pilot episode
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jun 27, 2023 12:02:57 GMT
This great teaming from across the generations was part of a 1962 variety special benefitting cancer research. Bobby Darin was quite a showman himself, so this number with one of the greatest showmen of all time seems like a natural. It looks like they both got a kick out of it.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jun 27, 2023 12:41:33 GMT
Except for Finian's Rainbow (1968) and a brief performance in That's Entertainment Part 2 (1976) Fred Astaire was done with movie musicals after Silk Stockings (1957), concentrating on a few acting roles in films like On the Beach (1959) and The Pleasure of His Company (1961). BUT it marked the birth of a whole second career as a musical performer on television in a series of four Emmy-winning specials with dancer Barrie Chase, making one of the single best arguments against the popular "vast wasteland" criticism of the television medium. This is from the first of the variety specials, "An Evening with Fred Astaire" (1958).
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jun 27, 2023 13:21:16 GMT
Mitzi Gaynor was another popular singer/dancer from the movies who was welcomed with opened arms by television in a series of nine variety specials, keeping her name alive for a whole new generation of fans. This is from her first special, "Mitzi" (1968).
From a historical perspective it's interesting to note that Mitzi headlined the Ed Sullivan Show in which The Beatles made their second appearance, at the Deauville Hotel in Miami in February of 1964. Mitzi performed between their numbers and was given more air time. "Too Darn Hot" was her opening number.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jun 28, 2023 13:56:49 GMT
This is a good example of how sketch comedy was usually worked into musical variety shows back in the day. I was ecstatic to find this extended bit from The Dinah Shore Chevy Show from 1958, not only because it includes Ginger Rogers and Ida Lupino but also because it's a rare early appearance of Mike Nichols and Elaine May, my all-time favorite comedy duo.
My original intention was to post Ginger's number from this show, so I'll add that too. My parents had the Lena Horne Live at The Waldorf Astoria album, which was recorded in 1957, and I always loved this number from it and apparently Ginger did too, doing it here the next year. This is also a good example of the between-song patter which was standard for these variety shows.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jun 28, 2023 14:34:01 GMT
While I'm thinking of it, here's another good example of how movie performers were able to thrive on television in the variety format. Anne Bancroft's 1970 CBS special "Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man" won her an Emmy for her singing and acting, a highlight being this hilarious routine with guest Lee J. Cobb, The Yma Dream.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jul 3, 2023 13:38:26 GMT
Carol Channing and Ethel Merman were probably the two Broadway performers most often stiffed by Hollywood. For the most part roles they originated were recast for the movies because neither was judged to be "right" for the screen, so there's no film record of their achievements. Thankfully, the television variety format made good use of both of them, such as in this 1957 performance by Carol of her signature tune from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
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Post by sepiatone on Jul 3, 2023 15:31:53 GMT
Melvin, I'm curious as to just which "variety shows" the Channing an Bancroft appearances came from.
Sepiatone
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jul 3, 2023 23:45:35 GMT
Melvin, I'm curious as to just which "variety shows" the Channing an Bancroft appearances came from. Sepiatone The Anne Bancroft clip was from a variety special she did, in which she sang and did comic and dramatic skits with guests. She liked to sing and appeared on Perry Como's variety series a few times. It was a one-off variety special and not a series, so is that what you're questioning? Not sure which show Carol performed "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" on; there's an earlier clip from a 1953 Milton Berle Buick Hour that I didn't go with because of the quality. |
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Post by BunnyWhit on Jul 4, 2023 14:07:44 GMT
The Muppet Show (1976 - 1981)
Saturday Night Live (1975 - present)
There's a little crossover action between these two variety shows.
When Jim Henson wanted to expand the Muppets audience beyond the children's programming offered on Sesame Street (an educational variety show to be sure), a couple of specials were produced for ABC (1974 and 1975), but neither were picked up as pilots. Then came "The Land of Gorch" segments in the inaugural season of SNL. The Muppets lasted only the one season on SNL due to, it is said, conflicts between writers and producers, but the experience taught Henson a great deal about working in television on a very tight schedule and problem solving on the fly. He also gained a great many connections in the business which helped him as The Muppet Show moved forward.
The first of "The Land of Gorch" skits features Scred's parents discovering that their offspring has fallen in love with Lily Tomlin. Later, Tomlin and Scred sing "I Got You Babe" together. (SNL, 1976, S. 1, Ep. 6)
The Muppets have made periodic appearances throughout the years on SNL. Keegan-Michael Key hosted when the skit "The Muppet Show" (2021; S. 46, Ep. 19) was performed, in which Lily Tomlin is the supposed guest on the show and Key plays a security guard for the venue. Something of a full-circle moment.
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Post by sepiatone on Jul 4, 2023 15:44:34 GMT
All the second clip showed was why I was smart enough to quit watching SNL by that time.  Sepiatone |
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Post by BunnyWhit on Jul 4, 2023 22:11:06 GMT
All the second clip showed was why I was smart enough to quit watching SNL by that time. Sepiatone |
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Post by I Love Melvin on Jul 9, 2023 21:41:06 GMT
George Burns and Jack Benny were both veterans of variety television and they each had their own individual style, but they meshed together really well. I love this joint appearance on The Smothers Brothers' short-lived (and very topical, which did the poor guys in) variety series in 1967.
This was an earlier appearance at The Royal Variety Performance in 1961, an annual tradition on British television, which revived a bit they did together on Jack's weekly TV show back in 1954, in which the joke was that Jack had to substitute at the last minute when guest star Gracie "couldn't make it". I love these two old hambones.
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Post by sepiatone on Jul 10, 2023 15:37:30 GMT
Seeing those two work together is gold. They were such close friends it's sometimes sad to think about. I do remember reading about when Jack Benny died, George was set to give the eulogy but once up front to deliver it he was so overcome with emotion he couldn't speak and had to be helped back to his seat. And earlier, when Gracie died, Jack and George were having a telephone conversation and George told Jack that he was having trouble sleeping and asked Jack if he had the same trouble when HIS wife, Mary Livingston, died some years earlier.
Jack said he did too, and advised George, "Try sleeping on HER side of the bed." And that advice worked for George, and years later it also helped me out. And I passed it on to my brother in law Stan a few years after that. And never a day goes by where I don't watch something of their's.
Sepiatone
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Post by BunnyWhit on Jul 10, 2023 22:42:20 GMT
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971-1974)
The program was a top-20 hit for its entire run. When Sonny and Cher's marriage fell apart, each launched a solo effort. The Sonny Comedy Revue (1974) came first and lasted only a couple episodes. I've read that the design was to crush Cher in the ratings, as the programs were slated to air against one another. Cher (1975-1976) faired better, ending its first season at number one. Cher admitted that doing the show solo was overwhelming, and before the end of the program's run, Sonny and Cher agreed to reunite on The Sonny and Cher Show. It lasted a season and a half.
Donny and Marie (1975-1979)
At the time the show aired, Donny (18) and Marie (16) were the youngest performers to host a variety show. The show's popularity waned in the final two seasons after Donny announced his engagement.
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