Argument to Beethoven's 5th 

Nanette Fabray passed away today (Feb. 23, 2018) at age 97. RIP. This skit is a piece of genius!

It looks just like Beethoven watched this video and then wrote the music for it. Absolutely dead-on!

when you see art like this, pure genius that you can both appreciate and emotionally be aroused by, you wonder how we ended up in our state of artistic complacency today.

I saw Sid Caeasr do this live with Imogene Coca on their "Together Again" tour in 1991. One of the best shows I ever saw!

Still one of the best interpretations and commentary on Beethoven's Fifth, opening movement.

Sid Caesar was my role model or idol as a kid. Loved this show immensely. One reason I went into acting was because of him. A genius in many ways.

Considering Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Danny and Neil Simon and others were writing behind the scenes, it has to be brilliant. I wonder who helped block the piece? And the live directing with probably two cameras (maybe 3) was brilliantly crafted. Genius on all accounts!

OK, OK, Sid's a genius, but let's hear it for Nanette a little. Fabulous piece!

Wow! That's really all I can say! This is the greatest pantomime I've ever seen, hands down.

I reckon even Ludwig Van Beethoven himself would be delighted by this. It's brilliant!

Ahhh, refreshing! Television the way it was meant to be. I'd gladly trade anything on TV nowadays for pure talent such as this.

At the end I laughed so much my cats came over to see why I was cracking up. Sid Cesar and Nanette Fabray were outstanding!! I wonder how many times they rehearsed this classic. This is ENTERTAINMENT!!! Thanks for sharing!!

A brilliant talented performance - with a real twist to the ending!

Standing ovation!! I used to "play" to classical my mom had on the "hi-fi" - what a reminder of what the mind can come up with!

Absolutely BRILLIANT! Who could do this today? No one. Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Danny Kaye, Imogene Coca, Mel Brooks, Lucille Ball, Steve Allen, etc. - a specific glorious time. Wonderfully funny things are done today - just different thought processes. I LOVE this era. I also wish we ladies could wear clothes like the movie characters of the 40's did. What marvelous dresses, shoes, hats and coats. Gloves! Like Bette Davis in Now, Voyager. Bless the technology that preserves this wonder.

Simplemente, un homenaje impecable al padre de la música! Magnifico...

Tremendous classic! Thanks. You are super-conservator!

Very funny. I laughed out loud. Everyone here gives Sid Caeser credit and he was extremely funny but the woman (I don't know her name) made a great contribution to this sketch too.

Pure genius. And it stands the test of time.

Wonderful and great......Classic Television that will NEVER NEVER be seen again...these days are passed and gone....even though it was before my time....i still treasure Classics performances like these

Absolutely brilliant. I was totally absorbed. I loved especially the "yes" and "no" back-and-forth, and the point at which Nanette very clearly mouthed "my mother!" giving context to at least the first part of the argument.

Love this! Priceless - they were both so talented.

Thanks very much for posting this. A routine such as this one requires a level of talent, timing, and cultural literacy found all too rarely amongst today's performers (and audiences).

HAHAHAHAHAH THIS IS HILARIOUS!! totally brilliant. it really is hearing the piece in a new way... such a serious piece too, it's amazing what they did with it. The choreography is perfect.

Brilliant! What extraordinary musicianship it takes to do this!!! Love it love it.

Absolutely brilliant!...Beethoven's Fifth is one of my favorites. But now I'm afraid I'll only laugh every time I hear it again. ;-)

One of the most glorious pieces of television ever made. I hope there's a higher quality copy out there somewhere, and that it will find its way to the general public. :)

The best part is "YOUR MOTHER!" "MY MOTHER?!" at 2:00.

magnifico bravo!!! una obra de arte..aprendan artistas de estos dos genios!

This show and his previous shows are pure genius, true comedy. Much missed.

Bravo and Brava! A classic masterpiece.

Just.... I... I am speechless. This is absolutely masterful. One of the most brilliant things I've ever seen

I saw it when it was broadcast on "Your Shows of Show." It's just as funny today and I'll be rewatching many more. (Aug 8, 2024)

Supreme demonstration of nonverbal communication in fusion with one of the greatest classicals! I'm so glad I chanced upon this!! (Oh where have all the great comedies gone now...)

Downright brilliant! Thanks for posting this gem.

it gave the symphony some spirit!!!! i love it

One of the first (and greatest) comedians on television. It doesn't get any better than Cid Caesar. Thanks for posting this.

Fabulous... I love the yes/no argument where they switch over. I can never listen to Beethoven 5 the same again!

Nanette Fabray's 6 part archive interview is on You Tube. She is 84 years old in the interview and does wonderfully In part 3 14:40 she is asked about this Argument sketch. Although her memory seems excellent she doesn't recall doing it. This is an indication of how incredibly routine brilliant productions were at the time.

It's not just the acting, but the story that makes it amazing :)

Gee, I just love Sid, and especially Nanette Fabray. Who could believe that we once had this level of quality on TV. What happened? Isn't it interesting that their emotions and gestures match the music so cleverly?

this proofs that you don't need words to tell a story in music!

I love this clip! I remember having to memorize this movement chord by chord at Eastman for a quiz. Wish I had this video back then. I'm sure Professor Marvin would have loved it too!

This gives me joy. Nobody's born knowing about everybody... good for you, seeing quality on an initial exposure to a performer who is new to you, and seeking out more of his work.

That was brilliant! Thanks for posting this!

Cool! Old film that's actually still cool 60 years later!

its like dance, the music is the script, they are interpreting the music following an argument inspired in the music caracter, one of many interpretation,what achievment!!

HAHAHAA!! This is soo funny! XD The "Yes-No" and "Ha-ha-ha"-parts is the funniest XD

FANTASTIC !!! My day, will be BETTER ... Thanks to you and Uploader !!!

This is actually quite enlightening about the dialectic character of this movement, the asking strings, the crushing answers of the brass, every intensifying until the code where brass and timpani cut through the strings' question mercilessly - or should, quite often this essential detail of the score is obscured by an over-sized string section, smeared articulation and the mellower, quieter modern trumpets.

A brilliant idea, conceived by Sid and his legendary writing staff, and flawlessly carried out by Sid and Nanette.

YES, YES, YES, "High culture" meeting popular culture in a way that we somehow simply cannot manage right now. Makes me want to cry.

Better than anything that has ever been on MTV!

Awesome! There's true comedic genius at work here.

L00ks fantastic with the body language actions and the music thanks for sharing Pia

I think this is brilliant and one of the funniest things I've ever seen!

Marvelous!! What memories.

this proof that comedy is art...and not the crap theyre pumping out today!

this video relaxes me at night.The music, the classic acting. Brilliant

The arguments I had with my wife were more like Stravinsky's Rites of Spring.

Amazing!!! I love the yes, no, yes, no part and of course the ending... what talent...

I rarely comment on videos- but thank you so much for adding this. What a gem!

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

Excellent. Thanks you SO much for posting this!

This was really funny. It's not what the actual emotion of the song is, but the implication is hysterical. Good job.

I am in awe. Live TV... thank god the tape still exists.

R. I. P. Sid

F*cking BRILLIANT! A couple of real pros right there.

This extradinarily well done... and that goes for the camera work and direction, too. No zoom lenses back then, you know.

Absolutely brilliant. Thanks for the post.

Classics never die.

Mad as a fish! This should inspire non classical listeners to listen

A masterpiece!! - c.a.t.

Wonderful! The dog turned out to be man's best friend In the end.

hahahah this cracked me up... we need more shenanigans like this nowadays. :)

Now THAT is what I call PURE talent!

The man is Sid Caesar, who worked with the brilliant Imogene Coca. But the lady in this performance is actually Nanette Fabray. The skit is absolutely amazing, and beautifully choreographed. It must have been exhausting to do. It is priceless, from beginning to end. The posters who say that "there is no TV like there used to be"...are regretfully right. SanJoseMIke

Very clever. Sid was a genius.

Agreed with most everyone. Brilliant concept and perfectly executed!

Magnificent and sublime.

My word, why haven't a bunch of other comedians stolen this, as they have everything else Sid Caesar ever did. They wouldn't be 10% as good, but 10% would seem like millions to most people who watched.

Que --MARAVILHA --!!!! 15-05-2013

They get it so right. This piece speaks to you exactly like an argument or a battle.

This is great. I only knew of him from It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Oh yes, every bit as good... exceeding him, IMHO... Nanette was a comedic genius as well... here they prove their inate musicality and timing. Classic indeed; classical revelation.

Ha ha ha ha. This is really funny. Great !!!!

haha the repetitive motif does really sound like ramblings...brilliant!

Thanks!!! I will use this for students to write a short scene for English class! :)

the single greatest argument EVER!!!!! XD

yes, no, yes, no, yes, no, yes, no amazing!

This is from 1954. Mr. Caesar and Ms. Fabray are still with us today.

Genius, sheer genius!

This is sheer genius. Almost 6 solid minutes of carefully choreographed "story" timed perfectly to the music. Absolutely BRILLIANT. WHO ARE THESE TWO?

They just don't make tv like they used to! These two were awesome!

That woman is SO fifties. Excellently done.

Sid Caesar was the best.

the next time my mom and dad have an argument i gonna put Beethoven's symphoney on heahphones.

R.I.P. Sid you gave a lot to the world.

HA HA HA HA - fantastic...genius!

Movement One (of four). Sounds like Toscanini's recording of it from that general time. Long live Caesar and Fabray!