Shirley Bassey: A Special Lady
★ 9 · 1980 · 60m · Music
Recorded and broadcast by British TV (Thames Television) in 1980 with special guests Robert Goulet and Richard Clayderman
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Doris Day Today
1975 · ★ 6.5
America's sweetheart Doris Day offers songs and sketches with some of her famous friends in this smash hit television special from 1975. John Denver and Day sing a few entertaining duets, and funnyman Tim Conway joins in on a couple of skits. Then, Rich Little impersonates some of Day's legendary co-stars, including Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Jack Lemmon. Songs include selections from Love Me or Leave Me, Teacher's Pet, Calamity Jane and more.
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Julie and Carol: Together Again
1989 · ★ 7
Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews join forces for their third TV Special. Following the format of their first two specials, Julie and Carol: Together Again is an entertaining hour of comedy, song, and dance, featuring clips from their first performances together, an extended medley of 70s and 80s hit songs and even riotous a rap number!
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The Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff Special
1971 · ★ 8
This was the first of two one-hour musical specials which were part of CBS' 1968 multi-million-dollar contract with Doris Day's production company, a contract that Day insists to this day was negotiated by her husband and manager Martin Melcher without her knowledge. When Melcher died suddenly in April 1968, Day chose to go ahead and honour the contract, appearing in both specials as well as starring in her eponymous sitcom for five seasons, from 1968-1973.
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Movin' with Nancy
1967 · ★ 7
Billed as the "full-hour musical spectacular that won Nancy Sinatra the coveted Hollywood Star of Tomorrow award," this 1967 NBC-TV special, sponsored by Royal Crown Cola, is hosted by Nancy and features Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lee Hazlewood and Frank Sinatra (billed as 'A Very Close Relative'). Brother Frank, Jr. makes a cameo appearance (and doesn't sing a note). Conspicuously absent from the program is Nancy's biggest hit: "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'".
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Wonderful Town
1958 · ★ 7
Ruth Sherwood and her sister, Eileen, have moved to 1935 Greenwich Village. They're surrounded by colorful Village characters (including an out-of-work football player known as the Wreck, and Mr. Appopolous, a modern painter and their landlord) and embark on various New York adventures. Ruth, who's trying to make it as a writer, meets up with a sleazy newspaper writer named Chick and a kindly editor named Bob, both of whom take an interest in both her career and her.
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Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man
1970
A CBS television special, renowned for its legendary "Yma, Ava....Yma, Uta... Yma, Oona" sequence. Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man (1970) won Anne Bancroft her only Emmy for her portrayal of 14 different woman in 14 musical and comedy sketches. Bancroft's husband Mel Brooks contributed to the script and also appears onscreen.
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The Beatrice Arthur Special
1980
The Beatrice Arthur Special was a prime time U.S. television special broadcast on CBS on January 19, 1980. The production centered around Bea Arthur, who was joined by guest stars Rock Hudson, Melba Moore and ventriloquist Wayland Flowers with his puppet Madame in a series of musical numbers and comedy sketches.
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Shirley MacLaine: Gypsy in My Soul
1976
Musical Special featuring Shirley MacLaine in her tribute to chorus dancers, colloquially known as "gypsies." Produced by Cy Coleman and Fred Ebb, the special uses a self-referential show business plot in which the star rehearses for her television special about the life of a dancer. MacLaine performed a wide range of songs including "Lucy's Back in Town," during which Lucille Ball made a "surprise" appearance. The program won Outstanding Special: Comedy-Variety or Music at that year's Emmys as well as awards for writing (Ebb), music composition (Coleman), and choreography (Tony Charmoli).
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Ann-Margret: Hollywood Movie Girls
1980
George Burns, Dom DeLuise, Danny De Vito, Dean-Paul Martin and Roger Moore provide arms for A-M to lean on as she impersonates Hollywood stereotypes, from a rejected script girl to an over-the-hill sex symbol. Highlights include Ann-Margret's slowed-down rendition of I Will Survive and a jaw dropping version of Stouthearted Men that looks like it is set in the backroom of a 70s gay club!
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From Raquel with Love
1980 · ★ 9
Musical Special designed to showcase the minimal talents of Raquel Welch. Highlights include: a scene featuring Welch and Mickey Rooney, portraying a cab driver with seemingly magical abilities; a scene featuring Welch in a subway station performing a medley and dance sequence; a scene wherein Welch attempts to sing “Money Makes the World Go Round”; Raquel performing a version of “We Are Family” in a martial arts training class; Rooney and Welch performing “Heaven on Earth”; Welch performing “Don’t Rain on My Parade” while escaping from a straitjacket; Welch performing “A Quiet Thing”; and Welch and Rooney performing “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.”
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Night of 100 Stars
1982 · ★ 5.8
The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event, for which ticket-buyers paid up to $1,000 a seat (tax-deductible as a contribution to the Actors' Fund) was billed as "The Night of 100 Stars" but, actually, around 230 stars took part. And most of the audience of 5,800 had no idea in advance that they were paying to see a TV taping, complete with long waits for set and costume changes, tape rewinding, and the like. Executive producer Alexander Cohen estimated that the 5,800 Radio City Music Hall seats sold out at prices ranging from $25 to $1,000. The show itself cost about $4 million to produce and was expected to yield around $2 million for the new addition to the Actors Fund retirement home in Englewood, N. J. ABC is reputed to have paid more than $5 million for the television rights.
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Ann-Margret Smith
1975 · ★ 7
Book-ending the year 1975 with two big budget TV Specials, Ann -Margret also earned her second Oscar nomination that year, for Tommy. In January, "Ann-Margret Olssen" premiered and was titled with the star's maiden name. This second special premiered late in the year and was titled with the star's married name. Her husband Roger Smith also appears in the opening sequences. Presented by the Bell System's Family Theatre, the program was filmed at the ATV Studios at BBC Elstree Centre, Borehamwood, England.
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