SUNDAY SPECTACULAR, THE: SHOW BIZ FROM VAUDEVILLE TO VIDEO (TV)
Summary
Program Overview: Groucho Marx serves as the Grand Marshal of this Sunday Spectacular. Show Biz, a parade of fifty years of show business. This is a black and white copy of a color telecast, the purpose was to sell RCA color televisions.
Program begins with a logo throw to RCA. Open credits and announcer introduce: Dennis Day, Eartha Kitt, Jay C. Flippen, Paul Gilbert, Beatrice Kay, Buster Keaton, Rosemary Clooney, Bert Lahr, Art Linkletter, and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra star in this timeline presentation of show business.
Linkletter introduces the "Show Biz: From Vaude to Video" book, by Variety's Abel Green and Joe Laurie Jr., which was also an RCA record. He introduces Groucho Marx, who does a sketch set at the turn of the century including a short honky-tonk burlesque number.
Below a theater marquee, Marx talks about the history of show biz.
Next are Vaudeville performances starring Beatrice Kay singing two songs, Buster Keaton and an unidentified silent slap-stick actor, and Groucho Marx as a German Senator, (AUDIO ID is Hans Schnickel-Fritz) who sings a silly song in a German accent.
A man introduces and shows early theater advertising on a cloth screen. Throw to Commercial: Maybelline Eye Makeup.
Marx and an unidentified woman in a skit at the box office outside of a nickelodeon. Marx narrates a "Keystone Kops" excerpt to describe the era of silent movies with music.
Dennis Day sings a medley of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", "Bicycle Built for Two", "Get Out and Get Under", "Hello, Frisco, Hello", "Over There", and "Pack Up Your Troubles."
A man pretends to be flying a box kite, once used to advertise a stage show. It is a throw to a commercial for Sunbeam.
Skit starring Jay C. Flippen, as a performer trying to get an agent and ending up with a monkey as a partner.
Bert Lahr stars in a sketch that also he starred in at the Bijou Theater many years prior. He plays a drunken police officer harassing a female pedestrian. He meets a Sergeant and a woman who shoots two people then herself in a love triangle. The officers walk away.
The Roaring Twenties era acts include Marx in a sketch with Eartha Kitt singing "Making Whoopee" and does a shimmy-shimmy flapper and Charleston dance number with an audience of dancers. A mock prohibition police bust breaks up the crowd.
A circus barker throws to commercial: United States Rubber Tires.
The Broadway era is presented with Marx in a Parade of Nations musical number including the Follies Girls. Marx talks about the Great Depression, including the introduction of radio shows such as "Amos 'n' Andy" and the Exercise Man. Cast members provide visuals of people listening to and participating with radio shows.
Giveaway radio shows are introduced, then a throw to commercial.
Giveaway radio shows introduced by Marx. This skit stars Paul Gilbert as the chosen contestant, with multiple phones ready for him and his unidentified wife to answer the call from the radio show. When the call comes, he has trouble speaking. He answers all questions correctly but still doesn't win the prize.
Marx comments on how love songs lost popularity to war-time era songs.
Flippen performs, "This is the Army, Mr. Jones."
1941 Foxhole Circuit for performers on tour during the war. Marx performs a standup act in front of troops, followed by Rosemary Clooney singing "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To."
The All Soldier Show, "Call Me Mister," is performed by Jay C. Flippen, Dennis Day and another performer. Throw to commercial - Sunbeam Electric Frypan.
Marx introduces the era of television and his daughter, Melinda. She sings, "I Hear Singing and There's No One There" and Groucho joins in.
The introduction of disc jockeys on the show business scene is demonstrated in a comical Marx performance as 'DJ Platter Happy Groucho' (AUDIO ID), spinning records. Dennis Day sings "You'll Never Walk Alone."
Marx mentions video television and the future of color video. Jay C. Flippen and Rosemary Clooney sing "Rock Around the Clock". All the stars join in on stage for the finale, including Bert Lahr, Beatrice Kay, Paul Gilbert, Dennis Day, and Eartha Kitt.
Marx holds the Show Biz book and salutes performers and backstage support. Linkletter makes departing remarks. No closing credits.
Notable commercials and recognizable celebrity spokespeople include the following: United States Rubber Tires; Maybelline Eye Makeup; Sunbeam Ladies' Electric Shaver, Electric Mixer, and Electric Frypan. Peg Murdoch appears for Sunbeam.
Cataloging and preservation of this program was made possible by Mel Brooks.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: October 9, 1955 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:81275
- GENRE: Comedy/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Maybelline
- TV - Commercials - Sunbeam
- TV - Commercials - United States Rubber
CREDITS
- Art Linkletter … Host
- Groucho Marx … Host
- Rosemary Clooney … Guest
- Jay C. Flippen … Guest
- Dennis Day … Guest
- Buster Keaton … Guest
- Bert Lahr … Guest
- Eartha Kitt … Guest
- Beatrice Kay … Guest
- Paul Gilbert … Guest
- Melinda Marx … Guest
- Peg Murdoch … Talent, for Sunbeam