Sid Caesar & Nanette Fabray - "Shadow Waltz"

[From "Kovacs Corner" on KZbin.com] - After the cancellation of the critically acclaimed "Your Show of Shows", Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and newcomer Nanette Fabray joined Sid in "Caesar's Hour". The staging of this sketch is a take off of the type utilized on television shows of the era like "Your Hit Parade". Using the terminology of the era, Sid plays "the listener". Retaining most of his first rate writing staff, this show also broke ground for the addition of a fledgling comedy writer by the name of Woody Allen.

[@matthough3590]

Hysterically funny; glorious song and comedy performance from Nanette. Sid steals the show with his pantomime antics. Priceless and a master class in comedy performance.

[@rolko52]

I never realized until now on how impressive an operatic voice Nanette Fabray had.

[@ploplisphilin]

The conductor Artur Rodzinski paid her brief time at Julliard for classical voice training. She decided to stick with Broadway, instead. In her early performing career she created an act of singing "Caro nome" and tap-dancing simultaneously. She had so much natural talent.

[@williamschlenger1518]

Beautiful voice.

[@cmcb09]

Nanette referenced this as being one of her favorite sketches, in her interview for the Archive of American Television. So happy to be able to see it.

[@gailjarvis2592]

Gorgeous Nanette! Gorgeous! RIP.

[@gailjarvis2592]

Glorious. I love the up-staging bit. Sid could go full blast or play it small and tight. The whole range: a master. RIP both!

[@kwestakwella]

Wonderful, just wonderful. What and era for comedy.

[@wisethirtyseven]

Was listening to an interview with the late Mary Tyler Moore and she cited Nanette Fabray (who I was not aware of) as an influence, which led me to this vid. Ms. Fabray is so fantastic in this sketch. She and Sid have great comedic chemistry. Thanks for uploading this!

[@steveseifer6784]

Nanette was so cute and so talented in many ways. Check out the sketch on the Jack Benny Show.

[@elizabethmurphy9384]

One of Nanette’s signature strengths was her ability to commit completely to her part. She was completely convincing no matter how mad the comic action, because she only saw and felt what her character saw and felt. The other thing was her great energy. Did they mention she was Shelly Fabares’ Aunt.

[@daveerhardt1879]

I love sight humor and this is a classic.

[@grammarilyn]

These were so funny. I am really enjoying all the old shows on KZbin. Great writers wrote from life, as the writers for Lucy Ball said. The ones from today , well, I won't go there.

[@ruthiehenshallfan99]

Rest in Peace, Nanette Fabray

[@GuinnevereB]

It's a funny, funny sketch, which I first saw Sid Caesar perform with Carol Lawrence. I don't know which lady (Fabray or Lawrence) actually performed it first; but they were both beautiful, both talented... and they both made a good show of being long suffering and patient through their co-star's pretended clumsiness. Thank you for sharing this!

[@williamschlenger1518]

What a voice. Was 12yrs.old when this was on TV.

[@mfb3042]

She sure could sing!

[@pj101]

Or couldn't with the wrong pendand

[@pj101]

Or get slapped

[@williamschlenger1518]

I watched this as a kid.🤣🤣

[@kalonakitu]

RIP Sid!

[@rolko52]

Glad for offering the laugh. Take care.

[@esmeephillips5888]

Nanette was an all-round trouper. In 1955 'Caesar's World' mounted a big number parodying 1930s movie musicals. The producers auditioned a hundred chorines, none of whom could do a plausible imitation of Eleanor Powell tap dancing. So Nanette did it. She disliked the conditions of movie-making, and despite her success in 'The Band Wagon' her metier was performing live and continuously to civilian audiences, on stage or in broadcast studios. The same applied to Sid and Nanette's predecessor, Imogene Coca.

[@fromthesidelines]

This was originally telecast in 1955. Nanette sings "Shadow Waltz", written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin for "Gold Diggers of 1933"; music arranged and conducted by Bernard Green.

[@williampelto6095]

It later appeared in the Broadway Musical 42nd Street. Sung by the character Dorothy Brock.

[@maxreger100]

With music by the greatest American song writer few know by name: Harry Warren.

[@judyshoaf448]

Marvelous. I am a MacDonald-Eddy fan and this satirizes them, too, though of course with them it would have been a duet.

[@theressamurphy2996]

Nanette and Sid were the best comedians together

[@kaj-nagibe]

what a riot!

[@xsagemasterx]

RIP NaN

[@petertroyan1241]

Funny.

[@rolko52]

Thank you for the name of the composer. What is the title?

[@michaelmcgee8543]

by that time all those AL Dubin songs were public domain, so early t.v could use them

[@Backintime4you]

Her birth chart was a match to mine : Scorpio sun, Taurus moon, and Virgo rising

[@mfb3042]

That's cool when you know those things.