Rating: 
Summary: historic Broadway gems
Review: This is a historical collection of Broadway hits by some of the greatest stars that have graced the American musical theater, and includes interviews with Oscar Hammerstein, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, and Richard Rodgers conducts his "Oklahoma !" in the first segment.
A small portion of Ethel Merman singing "There's No Business Like Show Business" is part of the introduction, and John Raitt is the narrator throughout.
The two selections from "Oklahoma", are in concert format, the rest of the scenes are in costume, though all are performed during the Ed Sullivan telecasts. Most of it is in black and white, with the last three songs from '66 and '67 in color."Oklahoma !" (1955): "Oklahoma !", with John Raitt, Celeste Holm, Florence Henderson, Barbara Cook and Richard Collett. "I Cain't Say No", with Celeste Holm.
"Flower Drum Song" (1958): "I Enjoy Being a Girl", with the petite, sparkling Pat Suzuki.
"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1959): "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" with Carol Channing, who has fun at the end of the song going down the aisle of the theater throwing rhinestone bangles into the audience.
"My Fair Lady" (1961): "Wouldn't it be Loverly" with the beautiful Julie Andrews and the singers and dancers from the cast.
"West Side Story" (1958): "Tonight" with Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert. Carol Lawrence is radiant, and both are vocally superb. It's a lovely scene, even with the very shaky balcony rail they are hanging on to !
"Camelot" (1961): "What do the Simple Folk Do ?" with Julie Andrews and Richard Burton. Burton, here in his glorious prime, is hilarious as he dances a very awkward jig. The man could act, and even sing, but he could definitely not dance...and he knows it, making it a very funny scene.
"The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd" (1965): "Who Can I Turn To ?", with Anthony Newley, singing in the show he wrote with Leslie Bricusse. One of the most unique talents of his era, Newley is riveting in this song.
"Man of La Mancha" (1966): "The Impossible Dream", with the marvelous Richard Kiley.
"Sweet Charity" (1966): "I'm a Brass Band", brilliantly performed by Gwen Verdon. Verdon was the quintessential interpreter of her husband, Bob Fosse's choreography, as can be seen here.
"Hello Dolly !" (1967): "Before the Parade Passes By", with the one and only Pearl Bailey, looking fabulous and singing her heart out. So many of these extraordinary artists are no longer with us, and I miss the kind of entertainment that the Ed Sullivan Show provided television viewers. In between the plate-spinners and other oddities, he presented superb performances by the very best in show business, all looking unvarnished and so real. If you are a fan of musical theater, this is a collection of gems well worth watching. Total running time is 56 minutes.
Rating:
Summary: A Time Capsule from the past
Review: This was pure delight - straight from a time when live TV broadcasts were the norm. I've always loved Broadway musicals, and I look forward to Part Two of this one (it was previewed on the DVD and even told us what would be included). How pleasant to watch nearly an hour of wonderful performances and note that no-one had to grab their crotch to call it entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: A Time Capsule from the past
Review: This was pure delight - straight from a time when live TV broadcasts were the norm. I've always loved Broadway musicals, and I look forward to Part Two of this one (it was previewed on the DVD and even told us what would be included). How pleasant to watch nearly an hour of wonderful performances and note that no-one had to grab their crotch to call it entertainment.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding Performances - Well Done
Review: What you will find on this DVD is nearly 60 minutes of pure entertainment! Complete performances by some of the great Broadway and theater performers of the 1950's and 60's. With the exception of one, these are FULL performances without editing or voice-over. If you've ever watched a tribute show where you get to see a 15-second blip of a classic performance, then you need to add this DVD to your collection. My only flaw (hence 4 stars, not 5) is that the first number with Ethel Merman is incomplete; although it is listed on the back cover of the DVD, it is NOT listed on the inside "Chapter Index", nor is it included on the DVD Scene Index. Chapter 1 is simply titled "Introduction" and includes a portion of the performance. Again the only flaw. The overall quality is very good, keeping in mind there was no Dolby Surround Sound 30 plus years ago! The DVD extras are just filler, nothing substantial, some text to read about each show. By all means, this DVD is worth the money, and if people support this type of programming, I imaine the companies will produce more - a second volume is indicated in the credits.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Performances - Well Done
Review: What you will find on this DVD is nearly 60 minutes of pure entertainment! Complete performances by some of the great Broadway and theater performers of the 1950's and 60's. With the exception of one, these are FULL performances without editing or voice-over. If you've ever watched a tribute show where you get to see a 15-second blip of a classic performance, then you need to add this DVD to your collection. My only flaw (hence 4 stars, not 5) is that the first number with Ethel Merman is incomplete; although it is listed on the back cover of the DVD, it is NOT listed on the inside "Chapter Index", nor is it included on the DVD Scene Index. Chapter 1 is simply titled "Introduction" and includes a portion of the performance. Again the only flaw. The overall quality is very good, keeping in mind there was no Dolby Surround Sound 30 plus years ago! The DVD extras are just filler, nothing substantial, some text to read about each show. By all means, this DVD is worth the money, and if people support this type of programming, I imaine the companies will produce more - a second volume is indicated in the credits.
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