KRAFT MUSIC HALL: THE KOPYKATS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedy/variety programs. This program is hosted by a collection of impressionists known as the "Kopykats." The Kopykats include Edie Adams, David Frye, Frank Gorshin, George Kirby, Rich Little, and Will Jordan, who employ their mimetic might in impersonations of an assortment of politicians, entertainers, and celebrities. Highlights include: a White House sketch with David Frye as President Richard M. Nixon and former President Lyndon B. Johnson, Edie Adams as Lady Bird Johnson, George Kirby as the Flip Wilson character "Geraldine," and Frank Gorshin as actor Burt Lancaster; next Will Jordan offers his impression of Clark Gable; Kirby performs as Pearl Bailey, singing with Gorshin as Dean Martin and Al Jolson; Frye performs both roles in a sketch which has Howard Cosell interviewing name-dropping Southern author Truman Capote; Adams sings "Hello, Dolly!" under the guise of Carol Channing, Marlene Dietrich, Shirley Temple, Mae West, Phyllis Diller, Barbra Streisand, and Ethel Merman; Adams, with an Hungarian accent, gives her impression of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, searching for her luggage at an airport staffed by Jordan as Bing Crosby, Little as Raymond Burr, Gorshin as a posturing, wordless Marlon Brando, and Frye as conservative pundit William F. Buckley; Jordan offers his impersonation of "Sabu"; Jordan, Kirby, Little, Gorshin, Adams perform their Ed Sullivan impersonations before the real Sullivan makes a guest appearance; Gorshin gives his impression of actor Broderick Crawford; Kirby sings "Paper Moon" as Nat "King" Cole; Little as news broadcaster David Brinkley interviews Frye as Nelson Rockefeller and Hubert Humphrey; Gorshin gives his impression of a hoary, hirsute Lee Marvin; Frye appears as Henry Fonda in a Western where he is confronted by Gorshin's Kirk Douglas; and Gorshin stars in a sketch about the musical "Camelot." Commercials deleted.
("Kraft Music Hall" had an earlier run on NBC from 1958-1959. "The Kopykats" later became a part of "The ABC Comedy Hour" in 1972, and these episodes were subsequently syndicated.)
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 11, 1970 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:56
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:03598
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Impersonations; Music, popular (songs, etc.); African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1967-1971
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Gary Smith … Producer
- Dwight Hemion … Producer, Director
- Frank Badami … Associate Producer
- Danny Simon … Writer
- Marty Farrell … Writer
- Norman Barasch … Writer
- Carroll Moore … Writer
- Tony Webster … Writer
- Coleman Jacoby … Writer
- Bob Ellison … Writer
- Peter Matz … Music by
- Ed Sullivan … Guest
- Edie Adams … Performer
- David Frye … Performer
- Frank Gorshin … Performer
- George Kirby … Performer
- Rich Little … Performer
- Will Jordan … Performer
- The Kopykats