Elvis Musical Variety Series 1969: What if?

[AndyDumas]

Elvis Musical Variety Series 1969: What if?

When I come across some of the music variety series of the late 60s/early
70s, I can’t help but wonder what could have been created as a vehicle for Elvis. With Steve Binder at the helm it might have been something special, had they stayed away from some of the horribly written sketches that you’ll find in the many YouTube clips available. While many of the “comedy bits” were cringe worthy, many of the musical guests that made appearances on these shows were phenomenal.

For most of these specials, the format was generally, an opening number by the star, a duet with a guest star, and usually some comedy segment.

Some shows of that time:

This is Tom Jones - S02E21 19 February 1970



The Engelbert Humperdinck Show 1969 FULL Pilot Episode



Johnny Cash Show 2 11 Dec 2, 1970-With Guest Star Merle Haggard And Anne Murray


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Phone: 416-726-5458
Attachments area
Preview YouTube video This is Tom Jones - S02E21 19 February 1970

Preview YouTube video The Engelbert Humperdinck Show 1969 FULL Pilot Episode

Preview YouTube video Johnny Cash Show 2 11 Dec 2, 1970-With Guest Star Merle Haggard And Anne Murray

[brian]

Elvis Musical Variety Series 1969: What if?

When I come across some of the music variety series of the late 60s/early
70s, I can’t help but wonder what could have been created as a vehicle for Elvis. With Steve Binder at the helm it might have been something special, had they stayed away from some of the horribly written sketches that you’ll find in the many YouTube clips available. While many of the “comedy bits” were cringe worthy, many of the musical guests that made appearances on these shows were phenomenal.

For most of these specials, the format was generally, an opening number by the star, a duet with a guest star, and usually some comedy segment.

Yes. Back then in the 1950's thru the 1970's variety shows were extremely common. Back then Elvis Presley was pretty much the only singer that never had his own variety series. I could certainly have seen Elvis hosting his own variety show on either NBC, ABC or CBS and it being a big hit that would probably run for 3 or 4 seasons. After it's run it would subsequently get released on VHS and then later be released on DVD and have a considerable shelf life after it was cancelled. I could see Elvis Presley doing a television series in either the 1960's or the early 1970s. I could see it being similar to the Johnny Cash show but probably less rural than Cash's variety show. Because Elvis liked all kinds of music I could see rock & roll, R&B, country, gospel, blues and folk singers coming on his show to promote their latest singles and his show showcasing a wide variety of artists. I could also have seen the show occasionally having comedians on as well. Also I think Elvis would've participated in duets and jam sessions with the artists that appeared as guests on his show. He would also sing his own songs and promote his latest singles on his variety show. To me that would've been very cool to see. I think the reason that Colonel Parker didn't agree to one is that he felt Elvis would be too overexposed by being on television for free every week. Colonel Parker also felt that if Elvis was on television every week it would make him seem like every other entertainer and take away some of his mystique. Because there was so many singers that had variety shows back then. That was Colonel Parker's way of thinking and how he did things because as you know he rarely had Elvis appear on television. So it never happened but I could've have seen Elvis doing one. I'm sure he got offers to host his own variety series.

[drjohncarpenter]

Elvis Musical Variety Series 1969: What if?

When I come across some of the music variety series of the late 60s/early
70s, I can’t help but wonder what could have been created as a vehicle for Elvis. With Steve Binder at the helm it might have been something special, had they stayed away from some of the horribly written sketches that you’ll find in the many YouTube clips available. While many of the “comedy bits” were cringe worthy, many of the musical guests that made appearances on these shows were phenomenal.

For most of these specials, the format was generally, an opening number by the star, a duet with a guest star, and usually some comedy segment.

Some shows of that time:

This is Tom Jones - S02E21 19 February 1970



The Engelbert Humperdinck Show 1969 FULL Pilot Episode



Johnny Cash Show 2 11 Dec 2, 1970-With Guest Star Merle Haggard And Anne Murray


--
Phone: 416-726-5458
Attachments area
Preview YouTube video This is Tom Jones - S02E21 19 February 1970

Preview YouTube video The Engelbert Humperdinck Show 1969 FULL Pilot Episode

Preview YouTube video Johnny Cash Show 2 11 Dec 2, 1970-With Guest Star Merle Haggard And Anne Murray

This is a neat fantasy from the standpoint of Elvis mingling musically with artists he liked, but there just no way I see this happening in reality.

He wasn't a TV variety guy, and his show at the time would've been seen as a concession to successful gambits by Tom Jones, Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell. Elvis was bigger than all of these fellows, greater than another network variety project.

And don't get me started about how management would have interfered.

[minkahed]

Elvis Musical Variety Series 1969: What if?

When I come across some of the music variety series of the late 60s/early
70s, I can’t help but wonder what could have been created as a vehicle for Elvis. With Steve Binder at the helm it might have been something special, had they stayed away from some of the horribly written sketches that you’ll find in the many YouTube clips available. While many of the “comedy bits” were cringe worthy, many of the musical guests that made appearances on these shows were phenomenal.

For most of these specials, the format was generally, an opening number by the star, a duet with a guest star, and usually some comedy segment.

Some shows of that time:

This is Tom Jones - S02E21 19 February 1970



The Engelbert Humperdinck Show 1969 FULL Pilot Episode



Johnny Cash Show 2 11 Dec 2, 1970-With Guest Star Merle Haggard And Anne Murray


--
Phone: 416-726-5458
Attachments area
Preview YouTube video This is Tom Jones - S02E21 19 February 1970

Preview YouTube video The Engelbert Humperdinck Show 1969 FULL Pilot Episode

Preview YouTube video Johnny Cash Show 2 11 Dec 2, 1970-With Guest Star Merle Haggard And Anne Murray

This is a neat fantasy from the standpoint of Elvis mingling musically with artists he liked, but there just no way I see this happening in reality.

He wasn't a TV variety guy, and his show at the time would've been seen as a concession to successful gambits by Tom Jones, Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell. Elvis was bigger than all of these fellows, greater than another network variety project.

And don't get me started about how management would have interfered.

Always on the ball Doc. Agree 100%.

[pmp]

Some were great (Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, Andy Williams).

Some had solid with great moments (Judy Garland, Tom Jones).

Some were pretty awful (Bobby Darin).

But 1969 was the point in which these shows were losing their lustre, and the regular format was getting tired - hence why the nearly all-music Cash series worked best around that period.

The problem is that Elvis wasn't a natural host. It would have been better for him to have a yearly special (as Sinatra did) rather than a variety show.

[TheKingOfMusicEP]

Some were great (Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, Andy Williams).

Some had solid with great moments (Judy Garland, Tom Jones).

Some were pretty awful (Bobby Darin).

But 1969 was the point in which these shows were losing their lustre, and the regular format was getting tired - hence why the nearly all-music Cash series worked best around that period.

The problem is that Elvis wasn't a natural host. It would have been better for him to have a yearly special (as Sinatra did) rather than a variety show.

I love this one

[pmp]

Some were great (Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, Andy Williams).

Some had solid with great moments (Judy Garland, Tom Jones).

Some were pretty awful (Bobby Darin).

But 1969 was the point in which these shows were losing their lustre, and the regular format was getting tired - hence why the nearly all-music Cash series worked best around that period.

The problem is that Elvis wasn't a natural host. It would have been better for him to have a yearly special (as Sinatra did) rather than a variety show.

I love this one

Yes, it's such a charming moment on one of Armstrong's final TV appearances. Sadly his solo spot on this one was songs from his awful country album - although they're better than on the album itself. The song in the duet's proper title is Blue Yodel #9, I think. The reason for that song being chosen, IIRC, is because Louis Armstrong had an uncredited appearance on Jimmie Rodgers' 1930 recording. There's a longer video from the Cash show where they talk about it before singing it.



This a wonderful moment from the Johnny Cash series, too. Would love to have the whole series made available, but sadly copyright and licencing get in the way yet again. He had some great guests - guests that other variety series couldn't stand a hope of getting, like Bob Dylan, of course.

[Swedish]

This a wonderful moment from the Johnny Cash series, too. Would love to have the whole series made available, but sadly copyright and licencing get in the way yet again. He had some great guests - guests that other variety series couldn't stand a hope of getting, like Bob Dylan, of course.

But you have these:
(By the way, The complete Johnny Cash Show 1969-1971 also exist released on 27 DVD)

91S0ng7q+rL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

johnny-cash-dvd-back.jpg

[robbie]

would have been great if he done another TV special in 69 doing some of the new memphis recordings

[TheKingOfMusicEP]

would have been great if he done another TV special in 69 doing some of the new memphis recordings

After the success of the 68 TV Special and the sold shows in Vegas they made documentary TTWII, but I wonder that TV stations did not offer for another TV show.
Or is something known if he got offered?

[jurasic1968]

No.

[drjohncarpenter]

would have been great if he done another TV special in 69 doing some of the new memphis recordings

FWIW, the original plan for the 1970 project that became the MGM documentary was for a close-circuit TV broadcast.

And a similar idea was floated in 1961, the Pearl Harbor benefit being an NBC-TV special.