STEVE ALLEN PLYMOUTH SHOW {NAT KING COLE, ANN RICHARDS, CHARLIE MANNA, CYRIL RITCHARD} (TV)

Summary

One in this series of comedy/variety shows hosted by Steve Allen.

In this program, Allen displays the episode's rundown, explaining that every segment is carefully timed, and he speedily introduces special guests Cyril Ritchard, Ann Richard, and Charlie Manna, though Nat "King" Cole dismisses "that 30-second jazz" and sits down at the piano with Allen to perform "It's Only a Paper Moon." Next, in a comedy sketch entitled "The Nutley Hinkley Butley Winkley Report," four veteran journalists report on a story about "America at Work" and interview a series of oddball professionals, including a "rainmaker," a deep-sea diver, a missile expert and a bowling-ball inspector.

Richard sings "Deep Night," and Manna performs a stand-up routine in which he describes the complicated communication system of the various parts of the human body, among other topics. Cole sings "For You," "Paradise," "Time and the River" and "Just One of Those Things." Allen displays the "Man on the Street" comedy album featuring Allen and his frequent co-stars Tom Poston, Don Knotts, and Louis Nye. Next, in a comedic musical "adaptation" of H.G. Wells' famous 1897 science-fiction novel "The Invisible Man," Dr. Kemp is shocked when his former colleague, Dr. Griffin, "appears" at his home and reveals that he has turned himself invisible with a potion and has clearly gone insane in the process, declaring that he can commit all manner of crimes and never be caught. The two doctors end up fighting, and Griffin reappears in corporeal form when he is tragically killed. Finally, Allen, Ritchard and the other performers sing "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (An Actor's Life For Me)" from "Pinocchio" (1940). Includes commercials for Plymouth.

Details

• NETWORK: NBC
• DATE: March 9, 1960 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:59:14
• COLOR/B&W: B&W
• CATALOG ID: B:03643
• GENRE: Comedy/Variety
• SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy/Variety; Music
• SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1956-1960; ABC - 1961; Syndication - 1962-1964
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - Plymouth automobiles

CREDITS

• Jules L. Green … Executive Producer
• William O. Harbach … Producer
• Robert Scheerer … Associate Producer
• Dwight A. Hemion … Director
• Stan Burns … Writer
• Herb Sargent … Writer
• Bill Dana … Writer
• Don Hinkley … Writer
• Arne Sultan … Writer
• Marvin Worth … Writer
• Les Brown … Music by
• Roy Fitzell … Choreographer
• Steve Allen … Host
• Cyril Ritchard … Guest, Performer
• Ann Richards … Guest, Performer
• Charlie Manna … Guest, Performer
• Nat "King" Cole … Guest, Performer
• Don Knotts … Cast
• Louis Nye … Cast
• Pat Harrington Jr. … Cast
• Dayton Allen … Cast
• Gabe Dell … Cast
• Bill Dana … Cast
• Les Brown … Cast
• H.G. Wells