British variety shows on American TV

[installLSC]

While looking some things up about sixties TV, I noticed a surprising number of variety shows and specials from the UK in that period (especially in the summertime). Which of them can you remember? Did they emphasize British acts or did they have mostly American guests?

 

[JeffM]

One I remember well was the Des O'Connor show, which ran (I think) two seasons as the summer replacement for the "Kraft Music Hall." The British series usually featured a mix of US and Brit guests, in an effort to make the shows appealing (and salable) on both sides of the ocean. I saw a number of British singers on these shows who were very good but never "scored" in the US; performers like Clodagh Rodgers (pronounced cloh-dah, a sort of second-string Dusty Springfield) and Tony Christie (all the vocal muscle of Tom Jones, all the "sex appeal" of a CPA...) I've run into some of their records on ebay recently, they're as good as I remembered.

 

[onairb2014]

"This Is Tom Jones" may have been the first example of that crop of UK variety shows from that era, which could be said to have continued all the way to the early '80s, when 'The Muppet Show' ended production. The lesser-known shows that only aired in this country for a summer or two(replacing the likes of Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton, and Dean Martin) tended to have fewer, if any, American(or at least 'familiar to Americans') guests, while Jones and the Muppets had more lavish affairs that were intended more for US consumption, even though they were made in the UK.
(The only 'Muppet Show' guest I can think of off the top of my head who would have been considered a star in the UK but an unknown in the US(barring series writer Chris Langham, who was on in the final season when a bigger name was unavailable), was comic Spike Milligan, who turned up early in the run; I'm not sure if that episode was even aired in the US.)

 

[anotherguyTN]

I had to dig this up from another similar thread, but Marty Feldman had a show on ABC in 1971, and Monty Python was on ABC late night in 1974.

 

[onairb2014]

I had to dig this up from another similar thread, but Marty Feldman had a show on ABC in 1971, and Monty Python was on ABC late night in 1974.

The members of MP actually sued ABC (successfully) to get the network to stop showing the programs.

 

[semoochie]

The Hollywood Palace summer replacement one year was Piccadilly Circus.

 

[JeffM]

I believe the last season (or part of the last season?) of "This Is Tom Jones" was done at ABC in Hollywood in order to feature more US guest stars. For some reason I dimly recall some "Monty Python" clips appearing either on the Dean Martin show or one of his "summer replacement" series.

Guess we should include "The Benny Hill Show" here, though (like Python) it involved few if any guest stars. Never was much of a Python fan, but Benny's corny humor was right up my alley (still is.) The hour-long Benny Hill specials as aired in England were more variety-oriented than the half-hour shows that aired here.

There was some syndicated package of Brit variety specials in the late 60's/early 70's that paired up US and English stars as co-hosts, like Paul Anka with Benny Hill. They aired in my area too, once a month, but damned if I can remember what it was called. Some generic-sounding title like "Showtime." Anyone remember?

 

[installLSC]

For some reason I dimly recall some "Monty Python" clips appearing either on the Dean Martin show or one of his "summer replacement" series.

You're thinking of The Dean Martin Comedy World from 1974.

 

[onairb2014]

You're thinking of The Dean Martin Comedy World from 1974.

So, that show is remembered in TV comedy history for two reasons:
1. First appearance of Monty Python on American TV;
2. NOT the first appearance of Jay Leno.
The August 8 episode was supposed to include stand-up comics performing at L.A.'s famous Improv comedy club. Young Mr. Leno was scheduled...but NBC broke in with a bulletin announcing that Nixon's resignation would go into effect at noon the following day. So, Leno didn't make his first TV appearance until a 1976 Freddie Prinze special, on some newfangled channel called Home Box Office. He began making the rounds of TV talk and variety shows in '77.

 

[JeffM]

You're thinking of The Dean Martin Comedy World from 1974.

That's it! Thanks!

 

[joebtsflk1]

This might loosely qualify as it originated in the British Commonwealth, but I remember seeing Paul Hogan's 70s variety show from Australia on Iowa Public Television in the late 70s. Or at least I thought it was IPTV.

Re: Monty Python...didn't individual PBS stations buy the rights to that show, but it never aired as part of the PBS network. I never remembered seeing any PBS logos at the end of each episode during the IPTV run in the 70s.

 

[JeffM]

Now that you mention Australia and the British Commonwealth, I remember another Aussie variety show, though I believe with US stars, which aired as part of the "English Channel" programming block on USA Cable Network on Sunday nights back in the mid-80's. It was "The Serendipity Singers Show," featuring the vocal group and an Aussie comic named Paul something. I recall a lot of the numbers being taped outdoors, with great scenery and that bright, clean look outdoor tape shows always had. Maybe nothing special, but I can think of worse ways to kill half an hour.

 

[rnigma1]

I recall the future Crocodile Dundee's variety/sketch show - he spoofed John McEnroe's tantrums in one sketch, and played a character called Leo Wanker or something like that.

 

[BD Sullivan]

In the summer of 1971, ABC showed "The Val Doonican Show," highlighting the Irish singer who died approximately a month ago.

 

[installLSC]

There was some syndicated package of Brit variety specials in the late 60's/early 70's that paired up US and English stars as co-hosts, like Paul Anka with Benny Hill. They aired in my area too, once a month, but damned if I can remember what it was called. Some generic-sounding title like "Showtime." Anyone remember?

That's exactly what it was called. I've got a TV Guide from 1970 that lists a special that pairs Juliet Prowse with Buddy Greco. All the guests listed are British.

 

[JeffM]

Thanks! That show, and a similar series of specials with the equally imaginative title "Something Special" were sponsored in my area by Glass-Block, the biggest local department store (long defunct) who bought the whole thing and would knock out one or another of CBS's big variety hours once a month for it. The "Something Specials" were I think US-made, and starred past-their-prime performers like Allan Sherman or Sandler and Young. (I still recall Glass-Block's cheezy local commercial for their bridal shop, built around Gary Puckett's record of "This Girl Is A Woman Now" as the soundtrack...sheeesh...)

Thinking back again, I have dim memories of a (late 60's?) summer replacement variety show that was not British but European, with acts from France, Germany, etc. performing in their native languages. The acts were film or tape clips, tied together by a US host. I seem to recall Jim Backus, though he may have been only one of several rotating hosts. It had a title something like "International Showtime," but that wasn't it as that was Don Ameche's circus-of-the-week show from the early 60's. (Memories, memories...) This show might have been a summer replacement for either Jackie Gleason or Red Skelton.

 

[blackgold]

I wonder if anyone remembers "The Spike Mulligan Show" on ABC?

 

[RyanHoward]

I remember watching Morecambe and Wise's classic comedy show on Saturday nights on WOR-TV in New York back in the early 80's. They were another popular British duo in the Monty Python tradition. Has that show ever aired on a Philadelphia TV station?

 

[PirateJohnny]

And don't forget, Doctor Who showed up on American TVs in the mid-70s, too.

 

[JeffM]

And don't forget, Doctor Who showed up on American TVs in the mid-70s, too.

Yes, but it wasn't a comedy/music/variety show...