| NAME | MESSAGE |
| Steven Lewis |
posted 02/07/05 04:54 PM Central Time (US)  no email address given
I see that on this day (Feb. 7) in history Lee's favorite song, Swinging on a Star, was recorded by Bing, the Williams Brothers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra. And wouldn't you give your eye-teeth to have seen this episode of the Hollywood Palace? First Aired October 31, 1967 Guest Stars: Bing Crosby (as Himself, host) Roger Miller (as Himself) Paul Lynde (as Himself) Victor Borge (as Himself) Gail Martin (as Herself) Synopsis --Bing Crosby and the United Nations Children's Choir - "Small World" --Bing Crosby and Roger Miller - Hobo medley --Roger Miller - "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" and "Code of the West" --Bing Crosby and Gail Martin - "You Make Me Feel So Young," "Roses and Lollipops," "Mutual Admiration Society" and "That's Amore" --Bing Crosby, Victor Borge, Roger Miller and Paul Lynde sing "I Dig Rock 'n' Music" --Fred and Mickie Finn (ragtime group) - "Sweet Georgia Brown" |
| Arne |
posted 02/07/05 10:21 PM Central Time (US)  contact the author directly
Steven, Thanks to my advanced age, I DID see that Palace show, and I can still keep my eye-teeth. I remember it well (actually had the soundtrack on tape for about two years until my college tuition-influenced sense of "cheapnis" forced me to recycle the tape during a band rehearsal)! All I can say is, the show played much better than it sounds from the printed description, which sounds pretty horrendous, I'll admit. The positive spin, as I remember it is this: *The Hobo medley with Miller was actually very good, with Bing singing things like "My Heart Is A Hobo" (rarely sung on TV), Miller fitting in nicely, and Bing doing a couple of his patented Ballet "leaps" into the air! *The medley with Gail Martin (Dean's daughter) was good; she sang.....just fine (let's be kind), and had a sparkly, articulate air and personality. *Bing and Paul Lynde did what I remember was a very funny and topical skit about the then-current trend of pop singers taking up with personal gurus (this era was the beginning of the Beatles' fascination with Mahareshi). In this instance the pop star was Bing Crosby, seeking an audience with Paul Lynde, wearing a turban. Was it funny? I thought it was great at the time. However, I was only 18, what did I know? |
| Lars |
posted 02/08/05 02:34 AM Central Time (US) no email address given
The show wasn't ever aired in the Sweden area, however, some years ago I obtained a (b/w) videocopy of it and I remember the show as quite good, especially the medley's with Miller and Martin. The comedy parts might be a bit dated... I expected Paul Lynde to be funnier. I've seen and heard skits with Lynde that was a lot more fun. I recall it as a I was disapointed. Victor Borge did his usual routines.... good or bad is a matter of opinion... I think it's unbelievable that you today can find copies of old TV-shows like this - shows you had no chance to watch when they first was on the air (either because you lived in another country or was too young). I got a bunch of these Crosby shows át the same time a few years ago, that I brought along to my dad and we had a full night watching one show after another (my mother only made cameo appearanced throughout the screening). We both loved it.... like two kids in a candystore.... |
| Lee |
posted 02/08/05 01:00 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I just think the commercial platter of "Swinging On A Star" has been over reproduced, it's on almost every Bing CD. But I did hear a version of the song that I didn't cringe to, it was from a KMH broadcast, the song sounded very lively and fresh and bouncy. Liked that version much better than the rather staid and much overplayed Decca disc. I've got that Palace show, I try to watch it at Halloween time every couple of years. Bing and Victor talk about the old Kraft days in the show. Frankly, I never saw anything funny about Victor, but he has his loyal fans somehow. But it was interesting to see the 2 old timers doing some old cheese talk. |