Hollywood Legends
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Hollywood Legends
Hollywood Legends
Greatest Hollywood Legends of Song & Dance & Comedy
Hollywood Legends from Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly – Busby Berkeley and beyond – this is a star-studded excursion into the glittery world of song and dance musicals from Hollywood’s heyday of the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s.
Classic Crooners
Bing Crosby – “Swingin’ on a Star”
Even today, Bing Crosby remains one of the top vocalists of all time. His meteoric rise to fame and popularity came about during the heyday of radio. He was a ‘phonogenic crooner’ who possessed the pipes to swoon millions of enthralled listeners. He suddenly found himself ‘swingin’ on a star’ through a lucky set of circumstances that catapulted him to stardom in Hollywood films, radio broadcasts, records, USO tours and television specials lasting for decades…all of which continue to bolster the legend that is Bing Crosby…
Maurice Chevalier – The Beloved Boulevardier!
Maurice Chevalier – the beloved boulevardier, the international Frenchman, the troubadour who remains the symbol of all that is romantic, carefree, and debonair. His life and career is a kaleidoscopic history of some 70 years in show business: the circus, the music halls, the theater, the silent screen, the great Hollywood musicals, television spectaculars, and of course, the one-man show, which he pioneered.
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“That’s Amore”! – The Smooth Song Stylings of Dean Martin
Dean Martin was a singer and actor who was a member, with Jerry Lewis, of one of the most popular comedy teams on stage and television and in motion pictures. After this ended he became a successful singer, actor, and television variety show host of the Dean Martin Show, followed by the Dean Martin Comedy Hour where he portrayed life as an alcoholic lush. This, however, was just an act—an impression aided by his easygoing manner, ever-present glass, and slurred, smooth singing style. He struck gold with hit songs such as “That’s Amore”, “Memories Are Made of This”, and “Everybody Loves Somebody”. Come rediscover the life and career of this legendary screen and stage performer, best known for his comedic partnership with Jerry Lewis and member of the iconic Rat Pack, and hear some of his beautiful, smooth songs.
“By the Light of the Silvery Moon” – The Shining Voice of Gordon MacRae
Gordon MacRae was first and foremost a popular singer second-to-none! One of the so-called ‘Big Five’, he was successful as a radio performer, recording artist, movie actor, Broadway star, and Las Vegas headliner. His hit recordings of such perennial favorites as “It’s Magic”, “That Feathery Feelin’”, “Tea for Two” and many others with talented female vocalist Joe Stafford, remain memorable chart toppers. His starring roles alongside equally talented singing actresses in a number of musicals remain unsurpassed in pure nostalgic pleasure. Come rediscover the life, career, and above all the music of the beautiful baritone voice of the immortal Gordon MacRae. There will be plenty of singing along ‘Memory Lane’!
Famous Comics of the 20th Century
Red Skelton – America’s Clown Prince
From vaudeville and radio to Hollywood and television, red-haired Red Skelton was truly America’s “Clown Prince”. This informative and highly-entertaining new program celebrates Red’s long-held reign in the “kingdom of laughter.” It is at once a heartfelt and loving tribute in story and humor to a comedian and humanitarian of extraordinary talent, whose contribution to the world of laughter and love was, and remains, without equal.
Lucille Ball – The Red-Headed Queen of Comedy & “I Love Lucy” Fame
For more than half a century, Lucille Ball was television’s most recognizable and beloved face. As Lucy Ricardo, she was the ultimate screwball spouse, constantly getting herself into and out of scrapes with unmatched comic finesse. As the first woman to produce her own television show and co-found a major Hollywood studio, she was a true pioneer, rewriting the rules and forging new paths for women in the boardroom and on the sound stage.
Danny Kaye – Court Jester of Comedy
Danny Kaye could ‘draw tears of laughter from a glass eye’, or so the legend goes. Singer, actor, comedian, dancer, writer and all-around entertainer, he was known as the ‘Court Jester of Comedy’ with an inborn talent for mimicry and quick-fire patter second to none!
The WWII Big Band Era
“Moonlight Serenade” – The Glenn Miller Story
During WWII, it was said that ‘next to a letter from home, listening to the music of Glenn Miller and his Army Air Force Band was the best morale booster an American GI could get.’ And indeed it was. March along down memory lane for a music-filled and patriotic salute to Glenn Miller, the WWII-era, and America’s Greatest Generation.
Classic Song & Dance Performers
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Dancin’ on Air with Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers
The famous dancing duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers have come to define style, dance and romance for millions of fans the world over. Experience a spectacular song and dance-filled celebration sure to make you smile and to set your ‘toes a-tappin’ to the classics that last’…!
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Fred Astaire & Bing Crosby – A Couple of Song & Dance Men
What could be better than Fred and Bing – a couple of song and dance men – especially when set against the backdrop of the music of Irving Berlin. Bing could surely sing, and Fred could certainly dance, but rarely did they ever do so together, until now… Based upon the lives of these great talents, this program takes us back to a time of ‘blue skies’ and beautiful melodies. So shine up your tap shoes and start singing in the shower, and get ready to take the stage with two of the world’s most famous song and dance men.
“It’s De-Lovely” – The Life & Music of Cole Porter
The music of Cole Porter is synonymous with style, wit, and memorable melodies. As a resident of Paris, New York, and Hollywood, he was blessed with talent and private means. He never needed to make money, but he did have an insatiable need to make music – and make it he did! Preferring to trust in his own powers of imagery, he began with a flair for words and lyrics – then combined them with melodies. The result was absolutely de-lovely!
The Life & Music of Irving Berlin – An American Patriot in Song
In a career that spanned half a century, he penned some of the most recognizable and enduring songs of all time. Jerome Kern may have said it best: “Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music.” Incredibly, the composer of classics like “Cheek to Cheek,” “God Bless America,” and “White Christmas” never learned to read music beyond a basic level. But that didn’t stop 35 of his compositions from reaching the Number One spot on the charts. Filled with wonderful music and rare film clips, this is a fascinating portrait of the life and times of Irving Berlin.
“Singin’ and Dancin’ in the Rain” with Gene Kelly
“Singin’ and Dancin’ in the Rain” with Gene Kelly
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The Magnificent Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza, the American operatic tenor and Hollywood movie star, was a success story whose voice was considered by many critics to rival that of the great Caruso. Learn more about his biographical background and operatic talents and achievements in both the world of opera and Hollywood, where he was among the first to bring opera to millions through the medium of film, before meeting his tragic and untimely end at the age of 38. The story of this South Philadelphia hero is indeed one of a meteoric rise in the rarified worlds of opera and Hollywood—a most unusual and unique accomplishment, one that still provides plenty of local color and personality even today.
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“Oklahoma” – The Liveliest Musical of Them All!
Composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein joined forces to create the most consistently fruitful and successful partnership in American musical theatre. Oklahoma!, a musical tale of wide-open skies and unforgettable songs, was their first musical and also the first of a new genre – the musical play – representing a unique fusion of Rodgers’ musical comedy and Hammerstein’s operetta. A milestone in the development of the American musical, it also marked the beginning of the most successful partnership in Broadway musical history. Includes specially selected film clips and lots of music, song and dance.
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“June is Bustin’ Out All Over” – The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Carousel”
The famous songwriting duo Rodgers & Hammerstein created a string of successful and immensely popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s. This most consistently fruitful and successful partnership in the American musical theatre produced such works as Oklahoma, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, The King & I, and State Fair. Carousel, the story of star-crossed lovers, will always be considered one of the most profound and powerfully uplifting musicals ever written. It was the favorite musical of Richard Rodgers. Includes specially selected film clips and lots of music, song and dance.
“The Sound of Music” – The Immortal Legacy of Rodgers & Hammerstein
The story behind “The Sound of Music” and the immortal legacy of Rodgers & Hammerstein”
“Strike Up the Band” – The Musicals of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
“Strike Up the Band” – The Musicals of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
Sparkle! – The Story of Shirley Temple – America’s Favorite Child Star
Sparkle! – The Story of Shirley Temple – America’s Favorite Child Star
Doris Day – America’s Singing Sweetheart
As one of the biggest movie and musical recording stars of the post WWII era, Doris Day combined a highly successful career – singing, dancing, and acting her way into America’s hearts. This program travels back to the end of Hollywood’s so-called ‘Golden Era’ when the stars were as memorable as the movies they made and the songs they sang. Along the way, discover just what it was that made Doris Day and her time ~ ‘magic’!
Judy Garland – “Over the Rainbow”
Judy Garland once said: “I really mean every word of every song I sing.” And indeed she did! Hollywood’s very own archetype of the “little girl who grew up too soon” and the subsequent star of more than 40 feature films and singer of numerous songs on the Hit Parade, she remains a Hollywood Legend and the ‘stuff of which dreams are made.’
Debbie Reynolds – An All-American Titan of Talent!
Debbie Reynolds – An All-American Titan of Talent!
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Shirley Jones – Sweet Nostalgia
Shirley Jones – Sweet Nostalgia