SPIKE JONES:Tchaikovsky Medley

All Star Review (June 7, 1952)

[@stuartwallace6154]

Thank God for KZbin for keeping this stuff alive 🙏

[@lethersing5909]

Amen to that ❤

[@dariowiter3078]

Absolutely! 😁

[@dariowiter3078]

​@lethersing5909 👍😁

[@rotunda57]

Hear, hear Stuart. Considering Spike has been dead now longer than he lived

[@marcochimio]

I had HEARD numerous Spike Jones recordings when I was a kid, but I had never SEEN his show. HOLY MACKEREL, I had NO idea!

[@garykinsey9515]

When I was about nine years old in the early 50s, my mother bought a striped sports jacket for me. It was sorta loud, but not a screamer. When I wore it to Sunday School, I could not understand why so many older people called me Spike Jones. Now I understand!

[@klingoncowboy4]

Same, I had it explained to me that all the effects were done live but until you see it on video you don't appreciate the sure spectacle and raw talent it took to keep up with Spike Jones and his City Slickers

[@deewesthill1213]

It takes exceptionally brilliant musicians, who truly admire and love the works of Tschaikovsky and other great classical composers, to perform them so comically!

[@chriskroll4166]

Yeah these guys must go home and listen to every type of music ever recorded. A real musician will appreciate the skill that these guys have and also the sense of humor.

[@evieraotacon]

I was born in the 70's. I am forever grateful that my dad introduced me to Spike Jones when I was 6 years old. Everything rolled into one comedy, musical and acting talent. This is the stuff I appreciate even more at my current age. Thank you for posting.👍🤪😂

[@bennybongosbigolebonanza894]

Wait, but you never shared your current age? 😜

[@evieraotacon]

@@bennybongosbigolebonanza894 Well I was born the 70's. Pretty much that puts me in my late 40's early 50's😁🤪

[@virginiawhedon5078]

Sigourney Weaver’s uncle Doodles Weaver was Spike’s chief sound effects man. It so happens that when “Doodles” was born, his mother thought he was “funny looking” and nicknamed him Doodles. Doodles’ brother was the chief executive of CBS. Later I saw Doodles on the Groucho Marx show, he admitted he “needed a job.” He was the one who did the sound effects of Beetlebaum. (Aka “Beetle bomb”) When I was a child, all us grandchildren would go to her house on Sundays and laugh hysterically at “Love in Bloom”, Beetlbomb, and other standards of the day as interpreted by Spike Jones’ extremely talented musicians. Virginia Simpson Whedon

[@surferpam1]

Sigourney's father was Sylvester "Pat" Weaver who was president of NBC (not CBS) from 1953-1955. Pat was the older brother of Winstead Sheffield "Doodles" Weaver who had an extensive acting and voice resume but killed himself in 1983 over failing health.

[@john-brady]

Thank you for sharing that memory

[@Patricia-gg2pl]

My fa m

[@JPGotrokkits]

Whedon, you say?

[@charlesburroughs3537]

I met Sigourney Weaver "up close and personal" at an Explorers Club Annual Dinner years ago at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC. Such a beautiful woman.

[@CurseCreep]

What you have to admire is that Spike, being the creative mastermind behind it all, always looked as if he was the most bored or irritated person in the room when he performed. His deadpan adds a whole new dimension of humour to the madness of the routine, because you´re aware he is the center of it all

[@baffledbybullshit-]

For people that don't know the headless banjo players were found in arkansas.

[@humbertosandoval55]

hahaha... funny is kind of being the spectator of your own LSD trip, it do be like that...

[@eshiffer]

As a bandleader/arranger I watch all these clips for inspiration. They are the reason I never laugh onstage.

[@keithblaney9064]

Like George and Gracie, he was the straight man...

[@jeffreyhughes7107]

My exact thought. Irritated being key… or just going through the motions.

[@dustindoud1568]

I love how Jim Backus showed up and sounded very "Mr. Magoo" in his routine. What a great voice!

[@johnbockelie3899]

Ooh..Magoo, you done it again!'

[@Moluccan56]

I LOVED that!

[@demolitionsexpert]

Thursten Howell!

[@martabachynsky8545]

@@demolitionsexpert the Third.

[@TheLarryBrown]

He's good. He has a lot of charm, is loveable, and we all know and love him from Gilligan's island, but he's one of those guys that did a whole career in a single character.

[@fun4ray2]

I don't know why but I remember this I was 5 yrs old but a lot of Spike Jones I'm 70 yrs now. This brings back memorizes of me and my family and neighbors (we had the tv) Thank You for sharing this!!!!!

[@herondelatorre4023]

Billy Stokes : Then you are from my parent's generation "The Baby Boomers " who were the first young generation to grow up watching television. Remarkable.

[@CrampedGrampy]

I'm 85 and so grateful to continue listen Spike Jones and company all my years.

[@FlippinDingDong]

The bug sprayer ensemble at 6:07 has to be one of the most impressive things I've seen them do. I always thought they were "faking it" and there was an organ or something being played off-screen, but you can clearly see (and hear) Spike hit a wrong note at the very beginning, and he quickly switches the sprayers around to correct it. The coordination among ALL of them to accurately play Tchaikovsky on a bunch of bug sprayers blows my mind lol.

[@jeanbeard178]

Quick, the Flit!

[@demef758]

That's what most people fail to understand: to play songs like this, in the middle of the self-created insanity, you had to be one helluva good musician to do it! Not a slouch in the bunch!

[@Moostache_]

Wasn't expecting to see you here

[@blakkat4126]

I’ve heard of these guys but never realized how good they really were until watching their videos. Great musicians.

[@ghostsignal]

Ditto. Great musicians and insane energy.

[@laurahall3094]

I played clarinet in high school to get out of gym class, 3 years. I didn't realize until today what it was supposed to sound like.

[@tomshea8382]

It would never have worked if they were just a bunch of second-rate players.

[@keithm1138]

No they knew how good they were. Many musicians back then wanted to be in spikes band simply for the craziness they were able to do

[@olderthanyoucali8512]

Just another of the Vaudeville acts that made it to the Radio, then the movies, then T V.

[@animemanganet]

I grew up listening to Spike and other musicians of that era. It's great to SEE how awesome they were instead of just hearing. Thank you for the videos!

[@colink4823]

Incredible musicianship! These guys were beyond professional

[@cathydoyle8804]

Agree with your comment 😊

[@Bomono65]

They packed an hour of entertainment into 10 minutes

[@cathydoyle8804]

Your so right! All that talented energy! Great stuff 🎉

[@jimmyjennings4089]

Dude that liked to knock himself silly was the first break dancer.

[@glibbis]

The talent of these performers is trull amazing.

[@brill068]

I'm not sure what all the comments were about, but all I see and hear is a wonder classical orchestra that was far underrated. Spike was the best.

[@patricksaylor614]

I discovered Spike Jones through his "Nutcracker Suite" when I was five or six years old. My high school orchestra teacher was a huge fan. RIP Larry Maupin.

[@tonalityludwigvon5748]

Wow ... the sheer amount of energy and training for the dancing girl to perform ... love that the most

[@mcc142000]

Her name was Ruth Foster.

[@chriskroll4166]

If Frank Zappa and the mothers came out in 1949 this is how they would sound. These guys are most incredible musicians without a doubt. 🙏

[@jackempson3044]

Frank says he was a big fan of Jones and was influenced a lot by Jones. They were doing comedy in with great musicians. The music quality wasn't clowning around.

[@chriskroll4166]

@@jackempson3044 yeah I believe he was. He probably also like people like professor Tom lehrer or Stan freberg or Shel Silverstein. And also guitar slim. 😁

[@Surfingaliens65]

The music score is pure genius. It is one thing to write it but to keep it that tight? Take the writing and rehearsals there couldn't be many days left in a year to prep a full show.

[@bblegacy]

And they wrote and prepped and rehearsed and performed a new show on TV every week. And being LIVE! there wasn't any pre-recording or dubbing. They did it and the chips fell where they fell.

[@TheWizardofRandR]

They all were Brilliant Musicians ,actors and Comedians ,all wrapped up into the Mad Cap mind of Spike Jones ! His movies were hilarious and glad there so much of his insanity & genius on YT !

[@spikejj]

Wizard, thanks for the kind words. Spike Jones, Jr.

[@TheWizardofRandR]

Your most graciously welcome !

[@farshimelt]

@@spikejj I played drums for you, when you rehearsed a band , in the canyon, (don't remember the name) doing your dad's music, in the early 70's (I think). I had a great time, thanks.

[@zachsplep]

Isn't it nice to know that these old broadcast signals from the Fifties are winging their way through outer space as ambassadors of Earth culture?! "They" probably will love Spike Jones! :)

[@revfred2620]

Yeah, wait until they meet the real deal and see how we screwed things up.

[@patrickpurdue2739]

What the world needs now is more zany, crazy wonderful stuff like this. It always puts a big smile on my face. 😊

[@davidk3729]

Well said (written). It’s called ‘entertainment’. Not much of it about nowadays.

[@SeekingHisWill]

😊

[@cathydoyle8804]

The world is so serious and has no time for making people laugh! Smile! And spread a little happiness 😊

[@juliagrauel2951]

​@cathydoyle8804 ppl fir some reason don't get humor like this anymore! I tried telling an old Reagan joke and ppl were like,.....huuunnnhhh,,,??? First they were 'offended, ' that is was Reagan telling the joke, & 2nd, they didn't get it. Omgosh. Gee u have to THINK?? and who the hell CARES of it was Reagan?! He's DEAD! 🙄

[@ginjaababe]

I think a bit of my mind just melted from the pure awesomeness of all this talent.

[@drfranklippenheimer8743]

That gentleman's dance routine is simply amazing.

[@brianbyrne8163]

His lovely blonde proved what shape muscles can achieve.

[@s6th795]

Can we talk for a moment about how impressive that cowbell ensemble was? The hand-eye coordination and dexterity required is INSANE!

[@joeday4293]

*Handbell. And yes.

[@ricardofranciszayas]

That band had a superhuman sense of time. To be able to play accurate 16th notes is not easy. But having each individual 16th note assigned to separate players, played with such accuracy, is other worldly. Every one of those players were genius musicians and comedic performers. I challenge any Symphony orchestra to do that.

[@andrewbarrett1537]

@@ricardofranciszayas Exactly. I mean, they probably could, but this is indeed a near-symphonic or near-studio level of musicianship.

[@bazzakrak]

I am guessing@@joeday4293 you are thinking about the bells they play at around 6:40 those are cowbells, they just have a handle om them so they easy can pick them up

[@redcalx9568]

sure

[@schwei56]

The incomparable vocal stylings of trumpeter George Rock at 6:20, ladies and gents…

[@TiqueO6]

Yes at first I thought that was Mel Blank ha ha Might wanna back up to 6:18 or so

[@RootlessNZ]

Wonderful, thanks for posting. I loved Spike when I was a kid and still do now I'm 76. A unique talent.

[@johnnypk1963]

This is brilliant I love it. I’ve known of Spike Jones but I’ve never seen his show until today.

[@LadyAstyrael]

This is the very definition of a well-oiled machine...my goodness, what incredible talent, I wish this was still a thing! My mouth was open the entire time. I just couldn't believe it.

[@DickWhittington1000]

Now that's entertainment! Spike's band was filled with guys who could really play their instruments well, but boy could they make a comical mess of the music when it was called for.

[@commodoresixfour7478]

Just Like Grandpa Jones and Stringbean.

[@johnnyjames7139]

DickWhittington1000 and that is really difficult to do.

[@robertmatch6550]

I was raised as a toddler on Spike Jones and as a young adult on P D Q Bach.

[@carhelmers5614]

Wow....I grew up listening to my grandfathers 78 Spike Jones records. Thanx 4 the memories. Love the bug sprayers ! 😂

[@jpsned]

I first heard Spike Jones and his City Slickers when I was quite young--maybe 5 or 6--from some 78s my parents had. I listened to them over and over so I was able to memorize their routines. ❤

[@errolfellows409]

Comedic genius! First heard Spike Jones on radio in the very late 50s/early 50s. I'm South African - we didn't have TV until 1975!!

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

You didn't miss much. I understand that all yhr bad qualities about people wound up there, too...like wife beating

[@onemercilessming1342]

Spike Jones and Weird Al Yankovic--I've always loved listening to them both.

[@herondelatorre4023]

One MercilessMing : Weird Al Yankovic was probably the "Spike Jones " of his heyday time during 1980's .

[@rickmanley767]

Frank Zappa was the Spike Jones of my generation.

[@onemercilessming1342]

@@herondelatorre4023 Well, I'm old enough to have enjoyed their performances within my lifetime.

[@herondelatorre4023]

@One MercilessMing Well as for myself. I'm only old enough to have remembered Mr. Yankovic. By the time I was born Mr. Jones had already passed on 6 yrs earlier. However, I wish I could have seen him when he was still alive. But, fortunately I can enjoy his remarkable talent on KZbin videos.

[@mrmusickhimself]

All in ONE take. Spike Jones was amazingly talented, as was his orchestra. He can even chew gum at the same time, that's incredible focus. And yet if they premiered on America's Got Talent, they'd lose to someone singing Adele covers.

[@kevingee4294]

thatonedrewguy who's adell?

[@MarkInLA]

VERY WELL PUT !! Ain't that be the truth (except if you're asking Mario Giuliani ) !!

[@judythompson5253]

oh I just got it. These are the first Muppets, in plaid.

[@ignorecorporatenews]

God do I hate Adele

[@rogerbertran559]

FREAK UP !!

[@RTCarterful]

Wow, truly mind blowing. Never seen anything like this. The best of music, dance, theater, just everything. So well done and the energy, forget it. What an ensemble of amazing characters everyone showcased in some way. Spike Jones forever.

[@Paladin1873]

A high energy effort indeed. Spike eventually gave up spoofing popular music after rock-and-roll hit the scene. He said he couldn't satirize such music because it satirized itself. He may have been right.

[@stevenlight5006]

Perhaps ,a dancing girl never goes out of style.

[@adamriggs2698]

How old are you?

[@Paladin1873]

@@adamriggs2698 I'm 67, but I grew up listening to my parents' Big Band music.

[@herondelatorre4023]

@@Paladin1873 So you are from my parent's generation The Baby Boomers and your parents are from my grandparent's generation called " THE GREATEST GENERATION " who were the first young generation to hear big band & Spike Jones music during the 1940's decade.

[@Paladin1873]

@@herondelatorre4023 Yep, I even have a collection of Spike's music on CD.

[@perromanchado]

Hilarious and excecuted with phenomenal musicianship. This is like a Vaudeville equivalent of Frank Zappa.

[@davidwesley2525]

Spike Jones is the Original Weird Al Yankovic . 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@knightflyte]

Awesomely good fun... I remember back in the late 70s driving around with friends and listening to Spike Jones Greatest Hits. We knew all the words and tunes. Ahhhhh good times.

[@oneworld9071]

We might have mixed fairly well, cruising and singing Zappa songs from Uncle Meat, 200 Motels, Chunga's Revenge, and Waka Jawaka...... and some of Pink Floyd's "UmmaGumma" LP, and Genesis' "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" :) Anywhere near the region of Baltimore, Maryland? :) Zappa's hometown, of course :)

[@synthonaplinth5980]

That handbell duo was freaking INSANE!

[@ChristopherSibert]

I feel like this is probably what it was like to see a real big-city Vaudeville show.

[@gabbyhyman1246]

Thanks for this! As a kid I had a whole Spike collection on 78 rpm vinyl. Wish I still had it.😢

[@braziliantvhd2768]

Damn, that old guy is limber

[@KeithE4]

If you're talking about the guy who hit himself in the face, that was Peter James, aka Bobby Pinkus, who was about 45 at the time. 45 was not that old, even in the 1950s, but he was a pretty big guy who could move very well. He was one of two former Ted Healy stooges (along with Mousie Garner, later in the '50s) who were in Jones' band. His co-stooges, along with Healy, in the 1927-29 Broadway show "A Night in Spain" were Sam "Moody" Braun and Shemp Howard. He was with Healy when they first met Larry Fine in Chicago. Larry replaced Shemp for a time (there were over 20 stooges between 1922 and Healy's death in 1937). Moe Howard had left the act for a few years to start a family, and didn't return until later in 1928. Shemp also returned at about the same time.

[@spyderbaby5180]

Oh yeah, old...probably in his 30's.

[@cassiusdio6048]

@@KeithE4 ya 45 ain't that old i agree but limber and crazy as hell, what a nut, he was amazing. gonna look for him now when I watch stooges shows, 🙀 amazing.

[@Dimebag_Darrell]

If you watch carefully, Bobby Pinkus performs a 'breakdance' move decades before that style of 'dancing' even existed.

[@galeparker1067]

@@Dimebag_Darrell Yes, I noticed that!!! ✌️🥰🇨🇦

[@borb57JC]

Around 5:40 look at the birth of a breakdancing move. These performers got some fresh moves way ahead of their time

[@WildBillCox13]

I think it comes from Vaudeville, where you rose or fell on your ability to improvise.

[@donmcw5678]

My comment before reading yours. Good eye brother.

[@Robin.2226]

The guy looks like Paul Merson who used to play for Arsenal football club!

[@michaelfoxbrass]

Curly - The Three Stooges - break dance moves! Coffee Grinder - nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!

[@roadlimoster]

Not mention the Rapping at 4:40, one of the first Rappers

[@MrJamespeyton]

I remember seeing him on tv when I was about 8 years old. I loved his antics and music. I’m almost 77.

[@herondelatorre4023]

James Peyton : So you are from my parent's generation "The Baby Boomers " who were the first young generation to grow up watching television. Very remarkable life your generation lived.

[@lucywarner7031]

I was just thinking about the same thing. I'm almost 78. It was a crazy 3/4 of a century.

[@geofjones9]

We got our first TV in 1956. My mom was totally against any type of humorous music. We would watch Liberace, that and later Laurence Welk, but that was about it. The big radio-record player was for classical music only. Only saw Spike a couple of times back then, but loved him instantly.

[@binkwillans5138]

My dad had I Went to your Wedding on a 78rpm. My poor heart was praying, to hear the groom saying, I do-hooh, I do hoo-hoo-hoo, I doooooo-hooh-hoo-hoo.....

[@MrJamespeyton]

@@herondelatorre4023 I was born in 1944 so I’m a war baby, not a boomer. Pretty close though.

[@22lyric]

My parents had some of their records in the 50s. Always loved listening. Nice to see them perform!

[@nickystripe3303]

I have listened to Spike Jones recordings for decades but have never seen a video until now. Love the memories.

[@0tt0z]

This was on the recommendation list and I'm not sure why but I watched it and I'm glad I did. These people are very talented and creative. I enjoyed the video.

[@meganstout3380]

2

[@leemacpeek2698]

tell me if I am wrong. Spike Jones is the product of James Cagney and Red Skelton hybrid.

[@garnerjazz58]

These routines are filled with musical references that few in today's audiences would understand. There was an adage that "you don't chew gum in the orchestra" that was widely known of in popular culture. The upturned trombone bell is no doubt a reference to Dizzy Gillespie's trumpet. The giant portrait of Spike behind the band comes from Paul Whiteman, who used a similarly placed caricature of himself with his band. References to "all girl bands", players opening their case and blowing the dust off their instrument (they never practice...), a harpist knitting during a piece (they count a lot of rests and of course the harp isn't utilized in most pieces of symphonic repertoire..). The tuba which expels bubbles (ala Lawrence Welk), and many more. And Spike calmly presiding over all of the bedlam, chewing away on a stick of Beeman's. Among his sidemen for this NBC TV series: George Rock, trumpet; Mickey Katz, clarinet; Tommy Pederson, trombone. Thanks for the laughs, Spike, we love you.

[@thrashpondopons2776]

It's funny how much which just seems irreverent today was actually topical in it's time! (Knew something was up with the gum chewing... thanks for nailing-it-down!) Another was the anti-Soviet barb at the end! This show was done after the start of the Cold War! Stuff he did during WWII praised the Russians as allies! (HEY... Schikelgruber… Why you run so quick??? From the Bolshevik?!?)

[@kennethegleston1314]

garnerjazz58 g

[@geoffdearth8575]

I'm sure I rate as an ignoramus but I have heard of Spike Jones before.

[@MrCuddlyable3]

+Thrashpondo Pons, I know the difference between irreverent and irrelevant, and so should you.

[@jerrychevalier]

Does anyone know of a transmitter that incorporates a macro recording capability of the maneuvers that you were making so that you can replay it in a particular segment at the flip of a switch for the touch of a button that would be very helpful for us robotics this so that when we’re trying to do multiple maneuvers all at the same time we could just flip a switch and you can do these various tasks automatically and therefore doesn’t put such a high demand of skill on the operator

[@dace938]

Levon Helm: Now me and my mate were back at the shack We had Spike Jones on the box She said, "I can't take the way he sings But I love to hear him talk" Now that just gave my heart a throb To the bottom of my feet

[@vironpayne3405]

My last year as a student muscian our college conductor had us play Spike Jones, Aaron Copeland, Shostokovich and some really avantgarde music for our winter concert. Marion Scott was a great band master to be under. He even was very forgiving when the bass and baritone left during graduation for drink thinking Pomp and Circumstance was done.

[@foodiefe2452]

too original. this is real entertainment

[@kevinfriend3504]

Such a great intro! It never fails to crack me up.

[@VoightComp]

Loved Spike Jones and His City Slickers since I first discovered "Beetlebaum" on an old 45 record when I was 6 years old. Between him and Ernie Kovacs, television was so much more creative than now.

[@steveprestegard5151]

6:19: I think we know where Focus got some of its inspiration for "Hocus Pocus."

[@lawrencecody9316]

I have that album..bought back in the 70s..

[@kelleybryant5947]

My dad loved Spike Jones! I loved the song where he says, “and night falls!” Then it sounds like a piano being tipped over.

[@herondelatorre4023]

Kelley Bryant : Was your dad from the " Greatest Generation " . Those who were young people in the 1940's and who lived thru WWII ????

[@mrspivvy]

I can only guess at the sheer amount of rehearsal these routines took! such talent

[@michaelstearnesstearnes1498]

Today we have tv.programs on abandoned storage lockers and house renovations to keep us entertained.

[@nickopeters]

I expected this to be dated and stupid, but instead, it was breathtakingly amazing. Instead, most comedy-variety TV shows that aired throughout my actual lifetime already looked derivative and unimpressive to me--; (sometimes even when I only saw them as a pre-schooler, and they didn't look better to me when I saw them later).

[@jessewolf7649]

And why would you have expected “dated and stupid”?

[@jessewolf7649]

More musical talent in the mid 20th century since Beethoven.

[@nickopeters]

@@jessewolf7649 "Why would you have expected [the content of the video] to have been 'dated and stupid' --?" I already answered that in the rest of what I wrote--; which means that you are trolling here to see if you can goose me into explaining myself twice--; which I obviously won't--.

[@nickopeters]

@@jessewolf7649 "More musical talent in the late twentieth century after Beethoven.". Very conspicuous troll. More "people" in the Western population. Their "musical talent" wiped-out "as-much as-possible--;" converted into a parody of itself and "sold-back" to us--. Again, you truly are, absolutely a troll. Go back under your bridge and stay there--.

[@joepalooka2145]

Brilliant, amazing, genius, fantastic----- hilarious, wonderful ---- there's no amount of superlatives to describe how great Spike Jones and his band of wacky musicians and comedic ensemble really was.

[@geofftefl]

Memories of my childhood come flooding back, before we had TV our family together huddled around the 'wireless', listening to the Spike Jones show,. Outstanding talent combined so well to resemble chaos. Great fun. And all those sound effects! Wonderful times.

[@DennisSullivan-q2r]

You are my older brother. I was born in 50.

[@SeamusMcGillicuddy0]

Sounds like you are from modern-day New Jersey !

[@DennisSullivan-q2r]

@@SeamusMcGillicuddy0 Yes.

[@RealPeterGunn]

I am so thrilled to see this on KZbin, you have no idea. Thank You Spike Jones Estate!!!

[@tommycolton4971]

It's in black and white and those suits are still to bright!!!

[@klingoncowboy4]

Imaging seeing it in 4K Colour

[@domitype]

They were perfectly capable of performing "straight" music - note what they do for the first tap dancer.

[@josephsdale3724]

Indeed, they were all exceptional musicians; and Spike was the greatest of them all!

[@THE-HammerMan]

Not one mention of the enormously talented and "Drop-Dead Gorgeous" tap dancer! Shame on you all! RIP Ruth Foster.

[@JonBlondell]

I've turned on every dancer I know to her!

[@dariowiter3078]

She's gorgeous! Look at them legs, folks! 👀👀👀👀👀 💞💞💞💞💞 😍😍😍😍😍

[@THE-HammerMan]

@@dariowiter3078 Yowzer! Legs all the way to the ground!!! And tap like a champeeeen too!

[@martynspeck]

"Foster danced professionally in the Palm Springs and Branson Follies until the age of 85. "

[@THE-HammerMan]

@@martynspeck Cool! I knew she'd been at Branson in the late 90's I think when I was there, but had no idea she was able to enjoy dancing that long. That's truly wonderful!

[@lindadodson1586]

It takes a lot of talent to create such mayhem

[@digitalbookworm5678]

Jim Backus saying he should have his own show. 😏 Anyone remember Mr. Magoo? 😁

[@evanhammerman616]

And Mr. Howell.

[@jamesloving2357]

I knew him but I could remember his name. Thanks

[@araymond1able]

He was also the gutless father in Rebel Without a Cause. Died 1989 @76.

[@MorgoUK]

Evan Hammerman - was that his character in Gilligan’s Island?

[@digitalbookworm5678]

@@MorgoUK Thurston Howell III 😉

[@eldante01]

I think I saw the beginnings of break dancing in this episode.

[@retrorex]

Yeah, I noticed that too! He WAS break dancing for a while!

[@randallgrant6175]

My thinking exactly

[@hoozerob]

Yes. Probably some of the beginnings of breakdancing .

[@ayokay123]

Break dancing, the moon walk, etc. go back waaay further than Spike Jones, trust me.

[@smokindauberdoo4204]

eldante01 you will find " break dancing " on film from the 40s

[@deniseboldea1624]

In spite of what the critics of the time had to say, Jones and his entourage were legitimate musicians and performers.

[@dariowiter3078]

And extremely talented for what they did with their comedy recordings! 😀😀😀😀😀

[@bloggerccc]

A musician must be very good to play those arrangements. Breaking the rules takes effort when you spent your wholelife learning them.

[@graemehilzinger8519]

We never got Spike Jones on Australian tv. First time i've ever seen him. What phenominal talent. All of them.

[@JonBlondell]

These musicians included some of the top studio players of the era! This stuff was hard!! In fact fact, Spike was a studio player himself! He played on Bing Crosby's White Christmas, and many other hits of the times. I would have Killed to be on this band!!

[@cathydoyle8804]

They all were so talented! I would of loved to have seen them live in person! The beautiful dancing girl lady was great to watch!❤

[@cardinalhamneggs5253]

@@cathydoyle8804That was definitely something. A wonderful bit of calm and relative normalcy in the middle of a sea of zany antics. My personal favorite part, though, was the headless banjo players.

[@mannamedisaak3316]

I love this hhahahah spike Jones is not of his time I want more people like spike Jones in music

[@NylonBuddy]

The Frank Zappa of the 1940's

[@theeasybeats5913]

+NylonBuddy Yea true, I think Frank would have chewed gum on TV

[@JKTube]

+NylonBuddy: He was an influence on Zappa.

[@dankwartdenkhardt5714]

And also the Residents of the 40s. I think they also should be inspired from him

[@SpaceCattttt]

Spot on.

[@wheelinthesky300]

A lot of Weird Al Yankovic as well.

[@luishumbertovega3900]

Incredible talent for music and laughs, love it !!!

[@Alun49]

This is a rare glimpse into the world of pre-TV entertainment. Incredible performance skills.

[@mousiebrown1747]

I grew up on this stuff! Love it!!!

[@emm6064]

I was not aware you could get colors that loud in black&white!

[@hankkingsley2976]

The clarinet thing was really really creative

[@seldonwright4345]

Spike Jones is to music what Rube Goldberg is to machines. Crazy inventive

[@carolnorton2551]

And I thought the '70's polyester leisure suits were bad.....

[@michaelvirgini2388]

If we could just have a show like this again, maybe people would start to remember how valuable humanity and it’s creative, empathetic genius is.

[@andyvan5692]

what?, this 1920's rubbish should never have been digitised in the first place, as the generations who loved it died 90 years ago!!

[@Playsinvain]

You tell ‘em, Brother Michael.

[@michaelvirgini2388]

@@andyvan5692 yes, now go enjoy your Sam Smith videos and kardashian “reality”…that’s the height of culture clearly. 🙄

[@andrewhardy3490]

We're living in a NEW AGE. Anything is possible...😎😁🥰❤️

[@tesmith47]

For White folks 😅😅😅😅😅

[@davidsalomon8426]

An unforgettable Team of Musicians under Spike's command...

[@thomaslauffenberger5795]

Around 6:45: MORE COWBELL!!!! Watching this as opposed to just hearing it shows just how talented these folks were!

[@TheBigMclargehuge]

In 10 minutes more talent than every pop artist today combined.

[@douglasfreeman3229]

Yeah, right!

[@PA-ss5cq]

That's what's called "damning with faint praise"

[@mutualbeard]

Yes, but somewhat wasted.

[@mutualbeard]

And Jim Bachus

[@williamfeilhauer2667]

You have got that right

[@gman7644]

that break dancer at 5:42 , first he kicks himself in the head a few times, lol, then he does a breakdance move where he rolls back over his shoulders, it doesn't look like much but if you play it back, it was such an impressive athletic move, seriously!

[@webinator9715]

“ I can’t take the way he sings but I love to hear him talk”...

[@Lasher500]

That comment deserves more upvotes

[@mikeyerke3920]

I think I know where that comes from. Cripple Creek?

[@Granniopteryx]

Ah, those were the days when TV was so... intellectual.

[@alanwilton6806]

Micheal Mccann You don’t really care for music do ya?

[@pbwbrian53]

Micheal Mccann Nor a musician.

[@MrPisster]

What a great live show they must have put on!

[@nedraleggett9088]

Those costumes were hilarious too. Between the clothes and music and TALENT, I am loving this.

[@peter4Flags]

Wow ! Such talent vibrance that’s entertainment. God Bless them all. Really really good🙏❤️😀

[@Stanley7746]

I liked this in the early 1950s. Great novelty band

[@Name-ps9fx]

Oh my goodness, what an amazing and multitalented show! Where did American talent like this go?

[@brunobiava4833]

It's not gone yet...we Old Folks just have to Inspire the Kids and let them know how Fun it is to just be Silly and being Laughed at isn't always an Insult... ...it often a Complement! ⚓

[@KathyWilliamsDevries]

What was in the water those days? Unbelievable genius

[@oneworld9071]

Before flouridation with PCB's, C-8, Monsanto runoff.....DDT's, and PCP....... :)

[@vernfl291]

Kathy Williams-Devries no political correctness

[@ktel60]

2 parts Hydrogen to one part Oxygen. They just don't make it like that anymore. (Sadness)

[@johnhalley7114]

Before fluoridation, Mandrake! The biggest Communist plot ever perpetrated on the American People!

[@20alphabet]

Nothing, that's why they're like this.

[@chitlika]

Those musicians were as tight as anything you'd ever see in any genre. fantastic timing

[@johnr8820]

chitlika Masters...when you had to be top notch to be a paid musician

[@ronyanai4627]

They better be. The guy waves a gun.

[@musicom67]

All former radio show orchestra / recording studio session players and former Big Band members. You will never find better musicians able to time and play anything in any key whenever, however. AND belt down a few shots during the breaks...Spike Jones was the drummer during 1938-1940 during NBC's Fibber McGee and Molly show in the Billy Mills Orchestra.

[@hankkingsley2976]

@@musicom67 I did this in high school as we did variety shows and stuff on the local level and I was okay but we had one guy that was one of those that could do anything any instrument he went on to be a professional musician I ended up in radio and he wasn't even the guy that can play two parts on Two Trumpets at one time now that skill was amazing

[@Super241946]

Tight as a duck's ass and that's water tight😂

[@Thonolan000]

My dad loved these guys.

[@richardlandis793]

This is great. I had forgotten about Spike. He looks a little like Red Skelton. 😊