MILTON BERLE SHOW, THE {SAMMY DAVIS, JR., THE WILL MASTIN TRIO, KAY THOMPSON, GOGI GRANT} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedy/variety programs starring Milton Berle. This program was telecast live from "Color City," Burbank, California. In his opening monologue, Berle jokes about the recent marriage of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, acknowledges his eighth anniversary in television, quips about Pat Weaver's response to Berle's first dramatic role, and suggests that Marilyn Monroe run as a candidate in the presidential election. Sammy Davis, Jr., then performs an up-tempo version of "That Old Black Magic." In a comedy sketch, Casey Adams and Mary Beth Hughes play nuclear research scientists who attempt to neutralize a miniature bomb shallowed by a none-too-bright janitor, played by Berle, who mistook their explosive pellet for a mint. The Will Mastin Trio, starring Davis, sings "Gee, It's Good to Be Home" and tap dance to "Liza." Next, Davis offers impressions of Nat "King" Cole, Billy Eckstine, Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Frank Sinatra, and the show's announcer, Vaughn Monroe, singing "Hey, There." With his father and uncle, Davis performs "I Love a Happy Ending Every Time." Kay Thompson then joins Berle in a spoof of the recent Mary Martin-Noel Coward television spectacular, "Together with Music," in which Berle portrays a sophisticated Coward-like host and sings "Mad Dogs and Englishmen." In a medley of songs identified with Coward and Martin, Berle sings "I'll Follow My Secret Heart," Thompson sings "A Wonderful Guy" and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," and Berle sings "Some Day I'll Find You"; after Thompson sings "Barney Google," the parody ends with a duet of "It's De-Lovely." Next, Gogi Grant performs her hit recording, "Suddenly There's a Valley." Then, Berle and Davis perform a duet of "Love and Marriage" with special lyrics and impersonate legendary vaudeville teams, including Gallagher and Shean; Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis singing "Side By Side"; and Eddie Jackson and Jimmy Durante singing "Bill Bailey." Jerry Lewis makes a special appearance to ask viewers to contribute to the Muscular Dystrophy Fund. Commercials deleted. (This is a black-and-white copy of a program that was telecast in color.)
(Series title varies; this series was also telecast under the titles "The Texaco Star Theater" from 1948 to 1953; "The Buick-Berle Show" from 1953 to 1955; and "The Milton Berle Show" from 1955 to 1956.)
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 8, 1955 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:52:39
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T:05627
- GENRE: Comedy/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Music, popular (songs, etc.); Television - Parody; Variety
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1948-1959; ABC - 1966-1967
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Gore Vidal … Writer, "Together With Music" parody
- Young, Victor, and His Orchestra … Music Group
- Milton Berle … Host, Singer
- Sammy Davis Jr. … Performer, Singer
- Mastin, Will, Trio, The … Performer, Singer, Dancers
- Kay Thompson … Performer, Singer
- Gogi Grant … Performer, Singer
- Jerry Lewis … Guest
- Adams, Casey (See also: Showalter, Max) … Cast, a Scientist
- Mary Beth Hughes … Cast, a Scientist
- Sammy Davis Sr.
- Will Mastin