STEVE ALLEN: ALLEN IN HOLLYWOOD
(approx 75 min)
In 1954, Steve Allen was chosen to portray Benny Goodman in THE BENNY GOODMAN STORY, and this special is built around his journey out to the film capitol to make the picture.
Opening with Goodman and his band performing, the focus then shifts to Steve Allen, whose journeys through Universal with snide publicity man Danny Dayton allow him to look in on various rehearsals, supposed scenes in progress, and other events on the Universal lot.
The highlights include a seductive Cyd Charisse-style dance number featuring Patricia Crowley and Damnjte de Paolo, Audie Murphy plugging (and showing a scene from TO HELL AND BACK, Keith Andes, Tommy Rall and company doing "The Eagle And Me" from THE SECOND GREATEST SEX, Tony Curtis rough-housing with a pair of stuntmen from (including Republic Pictures stuntman legend Dave Sharp)...
Piper Laurie performing a song, a clip from THE PRIVATE WAR OF MAJOR BENSON with Charlton Heston, and acting class featuring Mara Corday (TARANTULA, THE GIANT CLAW et al), Danio Crain, and Jane Howard, Jeff Chandler, plugging FOXFIRE starring him and Jane Russell...
And introducing a recreation of a dramatic scene from BRIGHT VICTORY with Rex Reason, Grant Williams, and a young Clint Eastwood, who gets his first television introduction here from Chandler; and Steve Allen dueting with Muriel Landers in "Two Lost Souls."
SID CAESAR SHOW
(approx 55 min)
Charlton Heston is the special guest on this one-hour CBS show, also featuring Audrey Meadows, Howard Morris, Barbara Britton, Jack Cole, Chita Rivera, and Paul Reed.
Caesar runs through several favorite routines, including his pantomime of a violinist performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. "Keyhole Courtroom" is a parody of various courtroom "re-entactment" shows of the period, with Heston as a comically zealous prosecutor pitted against defendant Caesar and his attorney Morris.
"Tear For A Samurai" is Caesar's take-off on Japanese costume dramas (from "Tuk-a-Taksi Productions"), featuring Heston as the villain (Prince Mishogas) and everyone speaking in mock-Japanese.
Best of all is Caesar's parody of Leonard Bernstein hosting a show called "What is Jazz" (we never do fibnd out). Writers on this show include Mel Brooks and future Get Smart alumnus Sid Zelinka.
SID CAESAR'S HOUR
(approx 55 min)
Another show on a different network has Caesar doing his pantomimed Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Nanette Fabray in a production number ("The Old Soft Shoe") and an excrutiatingly funny sketch called "The Commuters," all about a family fight that breaks up a New Year's Eve celebration. The hour closes with Caesar's version of the opera "La Cyranosa," with Caesar as Cyranno de Bergerac.
SHOW BUSINESS with George Jessel
(approx. 60 Min.)
This tape includes two rare and remarkable George Jessel shows with his sole guest Eddie Cantor. In the first show, they talk about and show clips of Jack Benny, Ethel Merman, and Sophie Tucker.
The second show features clips of Burns and Allen and W.C. Fields.
In spite of the fact that these were filmed after his cancer operation, Cantor in fact looks great but you can see that his spirit is tired. Shortly after these shows were completed Mr. Cantor passed away.
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SID CAESAR SHOW (approx 55 min)
Charlton Heston is the special guest on this one-hour CBS show, also featuring Audrey Meadows, Howard Morris, Barbara Britton, Jack Cole, Chita Rivera, and Paul Reed.
SID CAESAR'S HOUR (approx 55 min)
Another show on a different network has Caesar doing his pantomimed Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Nanette Fabray in a production number ("The Old Soft Shoe") and an excrutiatingly funny sketch called "The Commuters," all about a family fight that breaks up a New Year's Eve celebration. The hour closes with Caesar's version of the opera "La Cyranosa," with Caesar as Cyranno de Bergerac.
SHOW BUSINESS with George Jessel (approx. 60 Min.)
This tape includes two rare and remarkable George Jessel shows with his sole guest Eddie Cantor. In the first show, they talk about and show clips of Jack Benny, Ethel Merman, and Sophie Tucker.