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Poster:
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The_Emperor_Of_Television |
Date:
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April 26, 2012 03:47:56am |
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Forum:
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classic_tv
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Subject:
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Early 1950s "Once Upon a Tune" sounds like an interesting series |
Here's a description for the May 8 1951 episode:
One in this weekly series that presents original musical productions, often satirical, tongue-in-cheek adaptations of classic fairy tales, or spoofs of current Broadway musicals. In this twentieth-century update, the three little pigs are actually three young ladies with the last name Pigge. They have come to New York from Iowa to seek their fortune, but find themselves being questioned in a robbery case. A Shah's ruby has disappeared from a hotel where each of the ladies either resides or is employed. They are each questioned by a reporter named Phil Wolf, who is investigating the story. Mr. Wolf thinks that he is in charge of the situation, but soon finds that each of the three Pigges are after him. During this program, the following songs are performed: "In the Spring of the Year," "If I Were a Bell," "I Remember the Cornfields," "You Do Something to Me," "Isn't That Just Like Love?" "I Wanna Settle Down," and "Three Little Pigs."
Here's a description of another surviving episode:
In this twentieth-century version of the Grimm fairy tale, a young woman, who believes she is Rapunzel, runs away from home after finding her "prince." The "prince" is really a soldier named Phil. The affluent young woman's female guardian is dismayed that the girl may marry below her station, so she calls out the F.B.I. and the National Guard to assist her in finding "Rapunzel." Meanwhile, Phil and a friend also search for "Rapunzel," who is hiding out at the Ostrich Club where Phil's sister works. During this program the following songs are performed: "I Get Carried Away"; "Some Enchanted Evening"; "Someday I'll Find You"; "If I Were a Bell"; "Just One of Those Things"; "Friendship"; and "This is Love."
Descriptions were "borrowed" from the Paley Center for Media website. Any financial loss they may suffer will be paid for from the tax dollars of my empire.
There may also be a third surviving episode. Of course, being a DuMont/Du Mont/Dumont/DuMONT/DUMONT/DMT/DMTN series, the production values are probably cheap-o-rama, but isn't that part of what makes the network so much fun?
The only real problem is that is was produced by Bob Loewi, whose shows are regarded among the biggest problems DuMont had at the time. Which is a nice way of saying that I read that they sucked. Or maybe I'm confusing him with someone else?
I may be able to upload some more DuMont series (consisting of episodes of "The Morey Amsterdam Show" and "Cavalcade of Stars") in a few weeks (or days), but there's a 50% chance I might not be able to at all. I have quality standards (albeit very low ones), and I don't know the quality of these copies until I get them. I hope they don't contain any waterwarks. Though I can accept and at times even celebrate the limitations of kinescope recording technology. Those distorted close-ups of faces, curved corners of the screen, and lack of depth....memorable to say the least.
But then again, if I have quality standards, then why did I upload that episode of "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" from 2 August 1953? Shocking picture quality. Not good. Bad.
....and I've uploaded stuff with watermarks before.
Um, this is not good.
One of the cheapest DuMont series was "Monodrama Theater". IMDb says "Actors performed or read their lines (usually monologues) before a black curtain, accentuated by recorded music cues". I don't think any episodes survive, but then, maybe some dead actor requested a copy of their appearance and it exists in someones attic. Do you have a attic? Please check it.
This post was modified by The_Emperor_Of_Television on 2012-04-26 10:47:56
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