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Post by I Love Melvin on Sept 16, 2024 12:56:17 GMT
Here's more Mary Martin, appearing with Ethel Merman on the Ford Motor Company's 50th Anniversary TV special in 1953, which got big ratings at the time.
And the two again, but singing separately, about three decades later on this 1981 televised tribute to Beverly Sills. I love seeing this older white-haired version of Mary, practically the definition of growing old gracefully. They both still had it, two of the major voices of a generation.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Sept 16, 2024 14:50:21 GMT
Another famous and ratings-grabbing pairing was Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, a primetime variety special from 1962. As a title added later explains, this number was a satire of The Sound of Music a few years before Julie was signed for the movie version.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Sept 18, 2024 14:24:22 GMT
I remember seeing Mahalia Jackson on TV a few times, but never in a context like this, from Bing's variety series in 1958. Mahalia was truly one of a kind. And I'm sure the ever-alert christine will be quick to spot who their singing companion is.
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Post by christine on Sept 25, 2024 14:10:05 GMT
I Love Melvin - yes indeed I do know that third man singing! How excellent - I love when this happens. I'm just browsing and all of a sudden I come across a piece of the past with my Dino in it that I've never seen before!!!
This made my day! What a short sweet clip of three great voices - Mahalia, Bing and Dean!!!
Thanks so much for posting this!
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 6, 2024 23:13:37 GMT
I'd totally forgotten that Sha Na Na had a variety series, but I'm absolutely in love with these two, a fun pairing on the level of Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 18, 2024 12:49:21 GMT
We just lost a very special entertainer who made her mark on variety television with a series of dynamic specials, bringing all her considerable talents to "the small screen" after a distinguished career in movies. A lovely, personable woman who will be missed. Here she is in her second TV special from 1969. "Let Go", and, boy, could she ever!
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 19, 2024 23:16:48 GMT
Something from The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976).
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 19, 2024 23:22:05 GMT
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Post by NoShear on Oct 22, 2024 15:55:50 GMT
Something from The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976). Wow: Even Witchiepoo was there, I Love Melvin! Has galacticgirrrl seen this? |
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Post by NoShear on Oct 22, 2024 16:33:13 GMT
Something from The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976). And the winner is...I Love Melvin! (Of all the Halloween posts seen and will be seen this season, for me, I can't see any trumping this one: the Wicked Witch of The West and Witchiepoo - damn.) |
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 24, 2024 12:49:46 GMT
Hats off to Carol Burnett for getting Vincent Price into the act.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Oct 24, 2024 13:12:59 GMT
Sid Caesar also loved to poke fun at movies, something which MAD Magazine made a practice of later in the decade. Here he is taking on A Streetcar Named Desire in 1952, only a year after the film's release. Imogene Coca always makes me laugh before she even says a word, so throw in a wig and you've got a winner. And that's Betty Furness completing the cast.
For added chuckles, here's Sid and Imogene doing a heroic job of trying not to laugh in a clip from their take on From Here to Eternity.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Nov 2, 2024 23:35:14 GMT
Nobody who isn't old ever really believes me, but there used to be 15-minute TV variety shows, some with big names attached to them. Here's one from Perry Como in 1953 which goes from Perry Crying in the Chapel to a pretty elaborate dance number by The Lee Morris Dancers to the Dragnet theme, all done live and including live commercials.
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