For 55 years I had the privilege of enjoying a very busy studio singing career. The 60’s were filled with wonderful musical variety shows and I had the honor of six years’ work backing up Dean Martin as part of an 8-voice group. He was the GREATEST man to work for, kind, professional and no star ego. How I miss those memorable days!
YOU were VERY Lucky! That's like a dream come true. Dean Martin was SO cool! Him and Elvis were/ are my 2 favorites. In my opinion the are the best singers and actors. LOVE their voices. Nothing or no one will EVER replace either! EVER!
Miss Lee, Thank you for sharing about your INCREDIBLY FABULOUS LIFE MEMORIES with all of us here on RU-vid. It's part of what once made American entertainment the BEST in the WORLD!!!
Recently (this past year) I had seen a RU-vid video of outtakes from old TV shows/movies and Lee J. Cobb was in one of them doing a serious scene and then laughing away at some mistake. One of the people who left a comment said that he was actually very funny and left a few examples in the comment. I would believe this. I always thought he was a very good actor and why not a fun likeable guy too? 😊💖
Back in the day Vaudeville and working the Borscht Belt was more than just a memory for many entertainers. It was what they did to learn their craft and separate them from those who never made it.
A generation of multifaceted , hardworking performers - acting, dancing, singing, musicians, comedians. They did it all and made it look easy. And sometimes with a faux Transatlantic accent. 😂 I miss them dearly.
Don’t forget Cobb played Paul Newman’s father in “Exodus”. Eva Marie Saint who co-starred with Cobb in “Exodus” as well as “On the Waterfront” is still living at age 97.
@MTN Man Well did you watch Annie in December 2021? It can make a comeback but you have to tune in and support it if it does . Maya Rudolf , Martin Short , and Kenan Thompson did a little something a few years ago . The talent is out there , the public has to support it . Ratings go through the roof and you will see this again !
@@ericdaniel323 are you kidding? "Masked Singer"? Lip Sync Battle Shows? The only show I used to watch when it was in the early seasons was "Dancing with the Stars". Name a couple of good variety entertainment shows? Periodically I find myself watching reruns of "The Lawrence Welk Show"!
You can just smell the cigarette smoke, hear the laughter and smell those vacuum tubes cooking away in TV sets all a crossed America watching these shows after a hard day at work.. Man what a great era in the American vernacular of life and entertainment!!!! 👍👍
@baskerville Variety shows vanished with the video age of the 80s . Dolly Parton tried one in that era but it just didn’t work out . Bob Newhart said that they don’t work anymore after that . Well NBC did revive the TV musical with Carrie Underwood in Sound of Music in the last decade and it has lasted somewhat in spite of turbulent times derailments and Maya Rudolph , Kenan Thompson , and Martin Short did a little something a few years ago before Covid . The talent is there . Stuff like this could make a comeback . Make sure you tune in whenever it does . I always do .
[SIGH] that's the same old, tirsom whinhg. Time are always changing, and artists, cater, to what, the paying audience wats. Don't lilr it? Quit whinig, and spend your time and money to create the sort, of entertainment you prefer.
@@waswestkan, times are changing to what? Auto tune, rap, that isn't music, that's called rhyming, no playing of instruments, etc, etc. You need to spend your time on learning how to spell. Your generation is worthless for the most part.
What a joyful and enchanting moment. One of the most intense stage and film actors, a legendary song and dance man, a Borscht Belt comic, a camp comedian and the eternal cool of Dino. They not only make it look easy but a hell of a lot of fun. It's the old days I'm missing.
For the record, Charles Nelson Reilly was a nationally-respected, very talented theater director and actor. He was definitely not a "camp comedian." He was an acclaimed director.
@@thefrontpage Charles Nelson Reilly had the moves going on there to the end. I don't know what Borscht Belt comic meant, but I saw an episode of Beverly Hillbillies where Buddy Ebsen did some Buck Dancing so smooth it looked like he was floating, so I went on a binge of any Buddy Ebsen dance movies, and he was phenomenal. He started in dancing. .What a talented man.
R.I.P. Buddy Ebsen (1908-2003), Lee J. Cobb (1911-1976), Dean Martin (1917-1995), Jackie Vernon (1924-1987) and Charles Nelson Reilly (1931-2007). Five great entertainers that will never be replaced and will never be duplicated again. Buddy Ebsen lived into his 90's, Dean Martin and Charles Nelson Reilly lived into their 70's which is around average life expectancy in the U.S. and Lee J. Cobb and Jackie Vernon only lived into their 60's.
When that show aired, Dean Martin was 52, Buddy Ebsen was 61, Lee J. Cobb was 58, Jackie Vernon was 45, and Charles Nelson Reilly was 39. Yes, age is only a number, but those guys were still amazing. May they all rest in peace.
@@trevormiles5852 Reilly earned a Tony Award for featured actor in a musical for creating the role of Bud Frump in the original Broadway production of 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'. He earned a second nomination (but did not win) for the role of Cornelius Hackl in the original 'Hello Dolly' with Carol Channing. He earned another Tony nomination as Best Director of a Play for the revival of The Gin Game, starring Julie Harris. And that's just the *beginning* of his resume.
These gentlemen were loaded with talent that came from coming up in the business through many arduous years of performing in front of live audiences as young men. A class act all the way.
this was MORE reality tv than REALITY tv. this stayed with you the next day: "did you see...?" today, it's ALL disposable. just content - and NOT very good content at that.
@@brucekuehn4031 they had a 🚚 truckload of variety show during early to mid 1970s; they had lots of special entertainment talent ( people actors 🎬 singers ) 1950s/ 1960s/ 1970s;; ; I ❤️ sports they says current athletes are better than old athletes; Either argument; ok with me ;;; :but entertainers are different
Very funny when Lee j Cobb sings his part then Jackie Vernon chimes in "can't stop me" just watch Dean and his reaction, it's priceless, I truly love the guy. No other like him.
Buddy Ebsen was a famous dancer in the 1930’s. He was originally cast as the Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz but they hired Ray Bolger and made Buddy the Tinman. He had an allergic reaction to the silver make-up and almost died. So, the part went to Jack Haley. You can tell he has the moves and probably taught the step to the others.
I love Buddy. I have watched every Barney Jones episode Beverly Hill Billy and I love her m dancing in that Shirley Temple...Yes this 67 yr old Blk woman is a fan of Buddy. Found out he was close to Ronald Reagan.
This kind of television entertainment fizzled out just as the seventies took place (this is 1969, when I was just a kid). I miss this genre of music a lot, one that the majority of young folks simply wouldn't understand today. I think the "Go-Go" girls- who lunge in at the end of the number- represented this transition in style, right before our eyes. Nothing 1950's about them. A very unlikely group of famous guys dancing and singing together, but what a rarity. Love the upload.
Yes definitely 1969 fashion. My aunt was married in June 1969 and her bridesmaids' dtesses said 1969 all over them. What they worn back then is so different then today!
How? could you not like this video, a man with a big heart . big smile, big talent , Ho yes and the best singer ever, thank you Mrs Crocetti, I don't think you know how many people you have made happy by posting dean's video's please keep them coming love from England oldmick
Love this video. Can't believe they can all dance Love Lee J. Cobb. He is a favorite of mine. I knew Buddy Ebson was a dancer and am sure Dean Martin could dance. Great memories
When American truly had talent. They could do it all without even trying. All were funny could sing act and dance. Show me anyone today that is as talented as anyone of the Gentlemen.
Those were the days when entertainers were actually entertaining. Multi-skilled, not worried the audience would think they were pansies for bring able to dance. These men showed how talented they were and were great entertainers. I absolutely loved Dino.
I was two when this was on but I love it, my dad dragged me up listening to this music rat pack and of course Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck, I sure miss my dad
What an eclectic bunch! I was excited at first because I scanned Lee J Cobb as Lee Marvin. Who wouldn’t want to see him tap dance? Buddy Ebsen was always a terrific dancer and the rest were good sports.
Dagum....I forgot all about Jackie Vernon being around back in those days!!! I absolutely LOVE these old clips....they spark memories from my youth that seemed long gone!! Dean & my Dad were born the same year, but I fell in love with Dino just like he was a kid my same age....still love him!! There will never be another Dean Martin and the entertainment TV brought us back then will never be seen again
Just discovered this. I've watched it several times and love it every time. Buddy Ebsen carried the dancing, but watch Charles Nelson Reilly. You can tell he's trained for the stage and has directed dance numbers. He keeps in time with Ebsen and looks at him often to stay in time. Lee J. Cobb played tough, serious and sometimes scary roles. It was fun watching him do a soft shoe and be light-hearted and crack up several times. When the girls come out his reaction is like, "Oh, my wife will KILL me if I flirt with these girls!" Jackie Vernon's dancing was like all of us would do if thrown into an act. And, his "Oh, that's terrible!" reaction to Dean's clomping around makes me laugh. Five guys just cutting up and allowing us to watch.
Just a little aside.... George Raft who made a living playing gangsters, started out as a dancer. He danced with many partners, same sort of dancing style as Fred Astaire but especially did the tango.
everything here passes, unfortunately not one is here in this world anymore. lee j.cobb.1976 Jackie Vernon 1987 Dean Martin 1995 buddy ebsen 2003 Charles Nelson Reilly 2007
It's good see all these men alive again; dancin and singin. Variety shows had a great existence on the big three networks at one time. Oh, the memories.👍✌
@@TSquared84679 Now, why do you have to make an allegation like that? After an entertainer dies, people usually want to make up rumors about them. And even if he was, no matter what his personal shortcomings were, he was still a funny guy.
Alot of GREAT TALENT on that stage at one time! Great show & dancing! Buddy Ebsen was suppose to be the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz but, his skin had a bad reaction to the make up. Buddy was a great dancer!
I know these comments are 2 & 3 years old, but Buddy actually breathed in some paint flakes from his make-up and was hospitalized, forcing them to replace him with Jack Haley. There is footage of him and Judy doing a number called "The Jitterbug", but it was not re-shot with Haley because he was not the dancer that Buddy was.
@@robbarbieri8676 That is fine. Thanks for the information. looked up on Wikipedia and found out that Buddy's voice can still be heard in the movie and sound track: Ebsen turned down Louis B. Mayer's offer of an exclusive MGM contract, and Mayer warned him that he would never work in Hollywood again. Nonetheless, MGM cast him as the Scarecrow in its 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Ebsen then swapped roles with actor Ray Bolger, who was originally cast as the Tin Man. Bolger wanted to play the Scarecrow, and Ebsen did not object to the change. Ebsen had recorded all of his songs as the Tin Man, attended all the rehearsals, and begun filming. However, he soon began experiencing body aches, muscle cramps, and shortness of breath, eventually leading to a lengthy hospitalization. Doctors determined that he was suffering a reaction to the aluminum dust used in the Tin Man makeup, and he was forced to leave the production.[9][10] Ebsen recalled in an interview included on the 2005 DVD release of The Wizard of Oz that the MGM studio heads did not believe that he was ill until he was ordered back to the set and was intercepted by an angry nurse. Ebsen was replaced by Jack Haley, with the makeup quickly changed to a safer aluminum paste. MGM did not publicize the true reason for Ebsen's departure; even Haley was not told until much later. Haley re-recorded most of Ebsen's vocals, although Ebsen's Midwestern accent can still be heard on the soundtrack during several reprises of "We're Off to See the Wizard", with the enunciated "r" in the word "wizard", as opposed to Haley's Boston accent. Ebsen's recording of the Tin Man's solo "If I Only Had a Heart" is included on the deluxe edition of the film's soundtrack, while a still photo recreation of the sequence featuring shots of Ebsen as the Tin Man was included as an extra with all VHS and DVD releases of the film since 1989. For the rest of his life, Ebsen complained of breathing problems from his involvement in "that damned movie" I always loved that movie and would have been great with Buddy in there. TAKE CARE!
Charles played Cornelius Hackl in the original HELLO DOLLY Broadway production. For some stupid reason they did not cast him in the film version with Babs. I can imagine how brilliant Charles in that comedic role.
True....but I laughed my butt off seeing the old queen sing about 'getting a girl!' 😂🤣The only thing funnier was if Paul Lynde was there singing it too! HAHA!
