SID CAESAR: The Dancing Towers (CAESAR'S HOUR, Dec 8, 1956)

Here's a lesser known but hilarious extended sketch from Caesar's Hour: a career retrospective about the fictional team, The Dancing Towers. Caesar's Hour tended to have much longer sketches than Your Show of Shows, despite the program being a half hour shorter. This one sketch is 38 minutes long!
With Carl Reiner and Howard Morris. . . and a small part by Bea Arthur in the dance hall scene!
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[@tonynicholas5539]

Best sitcom ever

[@vincentanguoni8938]

I can't help but be reminded of Gleason!

[@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq]

Know what you mean. It's the comedy mixed with pathos . . . both Gleason & Caesar were masters at striking that delicate & heartbreaking balance. Thanks for posting.

[@billding7073]

Insanely creative. This is the stuff that cannot be recreateated. Starrstuffing.!!!!!

[@Lynda-oo7ey]

Sid Caesar and his group did brilliant comedy.

[@poetcomic1]

"You can't quit me I'm firred!" Carl Reiner wrote that into a Dick Van Dyke Show script a few years later.

[@joebev59]

Janet Blair and Pat Carrol are a big part of this too. There is no doubt un my mind that Mel Brooks wrote a lot of this on!

[@rowbygoren1830]

Yes, that’s Bea Arthur about 35:00 in.... ...Rowby.

[@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq]

So thrilled to come upon these clips; thanks for posting! I find this extended sketch particularly sweet. The Caesar and Reiner characters are both extremely funny *and* touching. (I wanted give them each a hug when the sketch was over.) And what an amazing early performance by the great Bea Arthur -- humiliating poor Sid right before he reunites with his girl! Magnifique!

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

That was Bea Arthur as the sailor!

[@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq]

This is a remarkable sketch that, sadly, came towards the end of "Caesar's Hour's" celebrated run. IMHO, Sid always had great chemistry w/ his female co-stars, including Janet Blair (who first appeared w/ him in "Tars & Spars"). Carl Reiner's just *too* sweet here ,and it's a treat to see Pat Carroll -- not to mention Bea Arthur(!) -- when they were both so young. IMHO, the whole "reverse sexism"" interplay between Sid & Bea was *very* progressive for a '50s show. In less than a minute, Sid managed to convey the helpless indignation that countless women would've felt in that situation -- and that really speaks to what a highly empathetic & vulnerable performer he was. Bravo, all around -- how I would've loved to have seen this when it first aired!

[@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq]

As a rather superficial aside, I was always intrigued by Sid's sartorial choices. In particular, he seemed to have a penchant for plaid - -his "Tony Towers" wears a lot of that here, and I've also noticed he frequently wore various plaid patterns throughout the run of "Caesar's Hour" (much as Bob Newhart later did on his show).

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

@@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq It comes right out of vaudeville, comics wore plaid.

[@billding7073]

As long as there's hope. That's the bottom line. LMAO!

[@leoroys9683]

ONE OF MY FAVORITES

[@leoroys9683]

a natural comic

[@vincentanguoni8938]

Productions like this cost a fortune today!

[@jgsmile1331]

He's got worms? Lol

[@patriciamooney928]

Starstuffing 😁

[@magnificentfailure2390]

Awesome

[@leoroys9683]

9yrs old when this nut was on TV ha

[@daniellack3559]

That would make you same age as Rob Reiner, (Carl's son) and in archive interviews, Rob recalls those years well, including learning to swim in Sid Caesar's large swimming pool in Great Neck Long Island...

[@Gypsyqueen-lt7tq]

I loved how athletic Sid was in general & how he seemed to enjoy swimming in particular! I can honestly imagine him insisting Carl bring over Rob so that "the kid could learn to swim good," LOL! These were not perfect men -- by any means -- but at heart they were all mensches. Thanks so much for posting!

[@billding7073]

Holy Smoke!

[@curiouscharacter1]

+bill ding I remember back in the 90's when I was amazed by something I used to use that phrase. All my employees (mostly 18 to 22 years old) thought it was hysterical. Any time they were surprised by something they put their hands on either side of their head and shouted "holy smoke". Talk about feeling like a dinosaur!

[@2541940a]

Are there more episodes with Bea Arthur?

[@sidcaesaryourshowofshowsca2250]

I really don't know-- none that I'm personally aware of.

[@jimardito4040]

Is that Janet Blair playing Nola?

[@sidcaesaryourshowofshowsca2250]

Yes. She would be one of Sid's "wives" on Caesar's Hour. Their association went all the way back to "Tars and Spars," where she was the female lead!

[@jimardito4040]

Thanks

[@tonynicholas5539]

Best sitcom ever

[@tonynicholas5539]

Best sitcom ever

[@tonynicholas5539]

Best sitcom ever

[@tonynicholas5539]

Best sitcom ever