MARCH OF DIMES PRESENTS: ONCE UPON A DIME (TV)
Summary
This televised comedy/musical special is a charity benefit for the March of Dimes, which works to aid the health of mothers and babies, particularly those affected by polio. The program begins as a band of robbers, led by Blackie, sneak into a bank basement and spy through the wall. Next door, the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the March of Dimes gets underway as the celebrity guests introduce themselves and perform a series of Broadway-themed songs, including "Give My Regards to Broadway," "Bill" from "Show Boat," "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider," and "Who?". Next door, the robbers discuss their "caper," and Blackie explains that they plan to steal a priceless necklace that once belonged to Catherine the Great, though his dimwitted henchmen are a bit slow on the uptake. One of the men, Shuggy, shows off his celebrity impressions and explains that he will sneak into the benefit by pretending to be a movie star. Bing Crosby then talks about the March of Dimes' twenty-five years of work, and Andre Previn performs a jazzy "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" with accompaniment. The robbers are suddenly joined by Edna, Blackie's cheerful wife, who brings sandwiches and other snacks for the men and works on her crossword puzzle. In another sketch, Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam portray three comedy writers trying to come up with a good sketch. Van Dyke tries his "dog bit," Rose Marie plays a song on the piano, and Amsterdam tries some standup-slash-cello, but in the end they decide that a straightforward pitch for the charity is best. After Dick Powell recaps the first half of the program, Juliet Prowse performs "Get Happy." Jane Wyatt works with two young twin girls, with whom she plans to present later, though one of the girls spots the robbers through the wall. One of the crooks talks to her and convinces her they are playing a game, instructing her to warn them if the police appear. Powell then introduces Basil O'Connor, Franklin D. Roosevelt's co-founder for the March of Dimes, who speaks briefly about the association's aims. Edna offers the young lookout a sandwich, and when the young girl invites her sister to participate in the "game," the crooks are stunned to realize that there are two of them. They manage to procure the phony necklace and make plans to switch it. After Pearl Bailey sings "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me," the crooks find the real necklace and Shuggy encounters the guard, Ed Wynn. He lays down his own impressive Ed Wynn impersonation and manages to "borrow" his badge, then having him arrested for pretending to be a guard. Wynn does his comedy routine to prove his identity, but the cops are unconvinced and haul him away. The robbers use the twin girls to stage a clever theft and make off with the jewels, and the girls tell Wyatt about their adventures. Crosby sings "I Can't Believe You're in Love With Me," and Richard Chamberlain talks with a March of Dimes representative about the twins' serious medical condition and the charity's efforts to end such illnesses. The robbers overhear them and, somewhat abashed, return the necklace. Dean Martin sings "The Last Time I Saw Paris" and plays a few holes of golf, after which Wyatt helps the twins dress in costumes and then presents a young polio victim, the current March of Dimes poster boy, who rides a modified toy scooter. The girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and Wyatt asks the audience to make generous donations. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: WPIX-TV (NY)
- DATE: January 12, 1963 2:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:46
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:49362
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Specials; Charities; Music
- SERIES RUN: TV, 1963
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Edward A. Franck … Executive Producer
- Jack Donohue … Producer, Director
- John W. Swallow … Associate Producer
- John Bradford … Writer
- Jerry Fielding … Music by
- Jack Baker … Choreographer
- Morey Amsterdam … Performer
- Pearl Bailey … Performer
- Richard Chamberlain … Performer
- Bing Crosby … Performer
- Lionel Hampton … Performer
- Dean Martin … Performer
- Dick Powell … Performer
- Andre Previn … Performer
- Juliet Prowse … Performer
- Rose Marie … Performer
- Dick Van Dyke … Performer
- Jane Wyatt … Performer
- Ed Wynn … Performer
- Connie Stevens … Performer
- Basil O'Connor … Guest
- Neville Brand … Cast
- Frank Gorshin … Cast
- Don Knotts … Cast
- Soupy Sales … Cast
- Cara Williams … Cast
- Catherine the Great
- Franklin D. Roosevelt