Turkey Lurkey Time - Stereo - 1969 Tony Awards - Promises, Promises

First time ever in stereo! Music and lyrics by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, book by Neil Simon, choreography by Michael Bennett. The surprisingly professional secretaries are Julane Stites, Baayork Lee and Donna McKechnie.
The number, in 1960s disco-style, was a showstopper. According to Neil Simon, "we were having some problems at the end of the first act ... the number Bennett came up with didn't just solve the problem, it was a sensation." Some of the dancers later claimed they had needed regular trips to the chiropractor, so severe was the strain of Bennett's relentless head-bopping choreography.
I replaced the TV audio with the OCR.

[@gracekeddy]

what I truly love about this choreography is that it's exactly what you think you look like in your head when you're drunk at an office party

[@spacepunk2001]

That is a truly brilliant observation. You know he did an earlier version that was a disaster because it really was actually what an office party dance would have looked like. He saw his mistake and corrected it into genius.

[@judyn8227]

😁😁😁 Love it! I luckily was never wasted enough to think I could actually dance like Donna Mc Kechnie🦃

[@KT-sq2ml]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@joemorris6684]

I don’t know what those women were paid but it wasn’t enough.

[@calciumchloride710]

Hahaha. Donna McKechnie talked about how the floor was like ice for this performance and they were basically holding on for dear life. For as much as she loved this choreographer, she was glad she no longer has to dance this number at that tempo, haha. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5LGm2lvbbWUnqs

[@lifeworksndhenterprisesllc6597]

Calcium Chloride that's absolutely axing that's kind of smart. you don't have to do zip.(#@!?)

[@donaldstansfield4799]

Beyond fantastic!!!

[@dfghdfghuytiu8207]

@@calciumchloride710 also with Baayork Lee and Margo Sappington

[@rn6710]

Does anyone know if there were actually singing or if they were lip-synching?

[@goldengear22]

*spine has left the chat*

[@djmixnmagic]

Seriously! Just watching this made my neck hurt

[@marleee.2174]

I honestly thought Glee made this song up and was like “what the heck kind of song is this?” but it’s from the 70s so it makes sense

[@boinx1234]

@Srithor The number is universally praised because Michael Bennett took a stupid song and created a legendary dance number out of it - that's the whole point. No one likes the obviously poor song.

[@superhetoric]

@@boinx1234 i get your point but i like this song, albeit it's prob just because it's an earworm

[@vestovutachi3811]

Glee.... lol. Thought a few might say Camp.

[@cheapasanta]

@@boinx1234 But we LURVE the song!! I was putting up me tree today and couldn’t get this earworm out 😜

[@liduck52]

Like the lyrics, love the music.

[@tlw1950]

I can’t imagine performing this number 8 times a week without having to see a chiropractor!

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

They did go to the chiropracter, frequently!

[@brodydicks4174]

I can't imagine performing this once ever even if I got to see a chiropractor

[@lazarelazaro52]

The most difficult one in the Tony history.

[@valeriebellomo3573]

Young..thats why...lol

[@colleenkratz3717]

@@brodydicks4174 hahaha thank you for Dat der÷

[@arongomez5101]

Although this performance will forever be iconic and amazing! I just wanna mention Bayoork Lee’s (girl in the green) presence in this performance. I feel like they would never put a POC in this number so early in this time and just seeing her here, representing and being amazing is absolutely fabulous.

[@ladybunny7088]

But if you see her there, and the black girl, and they're both in front of other dancers, why do assume there were no POCs there at that time?

[@AndyJoBabyDoll]

@@ladybunny7088 are you high again bunny? Maybe he has never seen videos from 1969 or from this era and, considering how this country treats POC in 2022, it might be hard to imagine a POC being so prominent in a show. Sounds like a positive comment from someone who is looking back and trying to learn. Isn’t your thing always that the young people don’t appreciate or know anything about our past? Well, this guy is listening and learning.

[@the_leonking]

Ms. Lee slayyyyyys, I think you’ll enjoy this one too kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYvYkp-KoNh5bqM

[@ktj78]

After Donna Mckechnie left the production, the actress playing Miss Polanski (Margo Sappington) took over the Miss De La Hoya role, and Barbara Alston (the Black dancer seen in this video on the desk to the right) took over the role of Miss Polanski (purple) for the Ed Sullivan Show performance kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYvYkp-KoNh5bqM

[@onnapnewo]

@@ktj78 The dancer in purple who eventually took over Donna McKechnie’s part is actually Julane Stites, who had taken over the part from Margo Sappington before this performance on the Tony Awards.

[@hiphopunike14]

As far as choreography goes, that is the bomb... the energy is through the roof. They put on a clinic.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

It's the music, that's where the power is coming from. That sort of disco dance is high energy to begin with.

[@valkillion6869]

@@nonenoneonenonenone Late 1960s Baby!

[@WickedCritta]

they had to GO to a clinic after this geez louise

[@AnnieSisk]

@@WickedCritta This is literally true! That head bob side to side move at the end made more than a few seek chiropractic support.

[@colleenkratz3717]

@@WickedCritta I love all things especially feeding time at the ZOO

[@goodyougetastar]

Donna McKechnie really has one of the loosest bodies on Broadway history. Absolutely mesmerizing and unmatched movement

[@elene.verley]

The woman in red moves so fast, like she has no bones. So hypnotizing

[@skeepee]

This is completely unhinged. Love it

[@tadimaggio]

The real miracle about this number is that the composer, lyricist, choreographer, and dancers were able to make an office Christmas party -- something which in real life has all the fun and vivacity of root canal, and which has, not infrequently, led to people getting fired -- into something joyous and exciting. That's not musical theater -- that's alchemy.

[@EwanChung]

Hoo boy! I have seen a highly tawdry and INappropriate karaoke rendition of a Janet Jackson song at a company holiday party...

[@stewland1]

Awesome, memorable performance. Choreography by Micheal Bennet. A genius who died of HIV at the young age of 46

[@lifeworksndhenterprisesllc6597]

Rich stewland I'm givng my heart to the children with aids complicated diseases including in our land in Africa. praise God for you contribution.

[@Blaisefiyah]

Rich stewland AIDS*

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

@@Steve20127 Shirt-lifter??? How stupid.

[@solarprogeny6736]

@@Blaisefiyah aids is hiv......

[@innervisions1828]

@@solarprogeny6736 Nope. Not the same thing. HIV is a virus that may cause an infection. AIDS is a condition. Contracting HIV can lead to the development of AIDS

[@sregors]

Donna's head flicks give me life

[@Lord_Tachanka05]

Same

[@billcook4768]

Can we give a shout out to the trumpet? Dude is tearing it up.

[@grouchosays]

I was lucky to see the original Broadway cast performance of this show. When they did this song, I almost jumped off my seat. The band was incredibly loud and the girls were singing so jubilantly. Bacharach and David at their best.

[@richiejohnson]

I remember it like it was yesterday. A treasured memory

[@richardwhite3924]

I had worked with Bayork Lee in the musical "Henry Sweet Henry in 1967. We were both in the chorus. Sadly, I was in the Army at the time of the 1969 Tony Awards and wasn't able to be there that night.

[@1marilynable]

The girl in the green dress! HOLY SHIT 😮 she's not just fast but the sharpest one on stage. Every limb has a start and stop position. It's truly astonishing. I used to dance for years but never saw someone that capable at this SPEED!!!!

[@jeffkoons001]

Baayork Lee! She's amazing

[@lamisk5479]

I like to watch this over and over and focus on a different dancer each time. Donna McK is so entrancing it’s hard take your eyes off of her but every dancer on stage is fabulous. The men in those suits look so wonderful kicking in unison.

[@RachelJayn]

i’ll never stop watching this. michael bennett had hands down one of the best choreographies of all time

[@GpD79]

They NEED to remaster this into HD!!

[@boinx1234]

Can't happen. It was shot on low quality videotape. But a new transfer would look better.

[@GpD79]

@@boinx1234 Sometimes the original footage is in pristine condition somewhere locked in a vault. They've remastered a lot of stuff. This is just such a gem, I can only hope!

[@boinx1234]

@@GpD79 The original exists, for sure - all Tony broadcasts do. But it can never be converted to HD.

[@GpD79]

@@boinx1234 I'll take it! :-D

[@lester10023]

LEGENDARY! HAIL DONNA, BAAYORK, JULANE! HAIL MICHAEL! HAIL BURT AND HAL! THRILLING!

[@creativemindplay]

New York, 1969. What a time and place to be alive

[@Caesar13ism]

I just recently recovered from covid and THIS is what got me through it. An absolute obsession. I can see why it's achieved legendary cult status. SO grateful it was captured. Genius, exhausting, magnificent choreography. I so wish I could tell that diva, DIVA, McKechnie that she got me through covid. Thank you Donna.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

they had a mimeograph department! if the party got boring, you sneak away and smell the freshly mimeoed sheets - people of a certain age will know exactly what I'm talking about!!

[@marydougans8211]

When the horns take over in the break I just lose it. How do you not wanna jump up and start dancing around the living room???

[@meljam51]

I do! 😅

[@popado1121]

I come back every year and watch this video. These girls whip christmas into shape!

[@lazarelazaro52]

The best Broadway number ever!

[@richiejohnson]

I think I could make an argument for that

[@Gobi512]

I smile every time I watch it!

[@Teelirious]

Bayoooooork. So much fire in so little space.

[@colleenkratz3717]

Hello kitchen

[@colleenkratz3717]

Hell's Kitchen original 5

[@NCinNYC]

I am CRAZY for this number with Baayork Lee, Margo Sappington and Donna McKechnie dancing it. That blew the roof off of the place. How would like to have been at the invited dress and see that? Michael Bennett outdid himself on that number. Someone below said (so perfectly) that it's what you think you look like in your head when you're drunk at an office party--but these three goddesses ARE that good in this number! Baayork is adorable and a ball of energy. Margo is so charismatic and charming that you want to eat her with a spoon (plus her hair at the end of the number!). And Donna McKechnie is the most brilliant Broadway dancer I've ever seen dance in my life. I can hardly take my eyes off of her when she dances. I don't know why that is, but seems to complete every move she's given and completes it with such style and flair. Plus always looked like a woman dancing--even when she was a young woman, and never a girl. And Michael Bennett's building a number with solos, trios, full company. He and Bob Avian surely knew how to craft a number to thrill an audience. I LOVE when the full company crosses center stage towards the end of the number. So grateful this is out in the world for others to see.

[@stephentemperley5640]

What a smart observation about McKechnie! I just saw this for the first time since I saw the number broadcast live at a Tony party in '69. Didn't see the show. But I did see her in Company a year or two later. And then, of course, in A Chorus Line.

[@TheIntuitiveWizard]

It’s 2021 and this performance holds! Incredible!

[@andygranick]

Also watching in 2021.

[@Iggystar71]

@@andygranick Me too…my jaw is on the floor.

[@furiousflamingoandco]

It's the first day of 2023 and the choreography is still ICONIC!

[@justlikeitsounds]

How did that not get a standing ovation! It would be amazing to see this clip digitally restored but not sure if that's possible.

[@richiejohnson]

I Kr. It was just polite applause

[@markschildberg1667]

This kind of dance and music was new to Broadway in 1969. The audience was raised on Rodgers & Hammerstein and wasn’t ready to receive or appreciate new ideas in the theater yet.

[@BernardProfitendieu]

@@markschildberg1667 nonsense. it's just that a standing ovation wasn't given every five minutes like it is today. Today it means absolutely nothing. p.s. Rodgers and Hammerstein productions were revolutionary in their day, including the choreography

[@jodavi5763]

MOST ICONIC DANCE SEQUENCE OF ALL TIME

[@colleenkratz3717]

You must be a King because I'm feeling you 100

[@johnk3242-y8j]

Kudos to the backstage wig master(s) for this show... every woman with long hair in this number is wearing a fall (at the time falls were a very popular type of long, flowing hair piece) They must have pinned the heck out of those pieces in order for them to not fly off to the right or left during those insane heads snaps.

[@tabbi1198]

the hair is a star of this number! When you see when them do it later on the Ed Sullivan show the male ensemble looked like they'd grown their hair out too for 'hairography'!

[@1marilynable]

I'm a professional drag entertainer and although I'm not a dance heavy performer I am a hair lover and I do a lot of 60s vintage hair so I know exactly what you mean by the falls! You are so right about that. I've always been really inspired by valley of the Dolls and the bumps at the crown they had in their hair... Which are beautiful but for support I have to lightly spray adhesive the inner part of the wig to the wig cap covering my real hair. I'll Bobby pin multiple in my nape and behind my ear. I have a feeling they did something similar here in this video .

[@K2gw]

Don’t let the name fool you. I’ve heard this song, but never saw the 1969 Michael Bennett choreography before, lead danced by Donna McKechnie. The energy and execution is brilliant. No wonder Seth Rudetsky considers one of the best Broadway dance sequences ever.

[@tomservo56954]

Bennett originally had them do the number the way a trio of minimally talented, moderately inebriated office workers would...it died the death.

[@jkeister]

I’m officially obsessed with this …

[@susioeandno1else]

That choreo is insane

[@fakerating]

THANK YOU for editing this right leaving it intact in full, and making most of the music with great stereo sound... this clip is the gold standard for Broadway high energy dance numbers.

[@boinx1234]

Thanks!

[@jackbuckley7816]

Wow, truly spectacular, accolades, accolades!! What's wrong with that audience? Absolutely mind-blowing performances, never seen ANYTHING like it before in my life. Has to be one of the all-time greatest numbers in the history of choreography, brilliantly performed. So glad it's preserved here on film!

[@markschildberg1667]

This sort of dance was new to Broadway at the time. Tradition does not usually respond well to new ideas.

[@EwanChung]

The audience is actually quite rapturous in the original video, particularly after the figure-eight pass. The poster stated that the audio was replaced with the stereo original cast recording version.

[@exerciseslewis4463]

Watch all the videos you like of all performers and artists ever, you will not see anything better than that seen here. The apotheosis of choreography combined with song writing talent is exceptional.

[@MrMjp58]

They seemed to know something about entertainment back then that we seemed to have forgotten along the way.

[@richiejohnson]

Keep every note ALW ever wrote and give me this Masterpiece.

[@postystan]

my musical theatre teacher is teaching my class this dance and i'm absolutely obsessed

[@EwanChung]

Watch your necks...

[@Pollo.a.la.crema.]

This got me into musicals, I come back and watch and just am amazed they don’t make them like this anymore

[@LVZVRUS]

I’m 26 and this is everything I’ve been looking for 😹😹

[@jennycreative1]

If that doesn't put you in the Holiday spirit, nothing will!! I love it so much!

[@stephenlamb5220]

This is the bar for every office holiday party

[@ChairSit]

I just keep coming back year after year. This never gets old.

[@ankedubbert294]

Damn! Donna is such a Queen. So much going on here and yet you can't not look at her.

[@richardthunderbay8364]

This video is incredible. One of the most amazing things that I have ever seen.

[@Gobi512]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qISWaYOfj5dgiKM. I think this one is fun as well...Bye bye Birdie

[@Iggystar71]

Turkey Lurkey Time is whenever I feel like watching this video, which has been several times a month since I discovered it almost a year ago, not from Glee, but a WatchMojo list of most difficult Broadway dance numbers. And once I get here I stay for at least five viewings. 👍🏽👍🏽

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Thank you, Burt, you earned your eternal rest with this one!

[@DawnDerow]

I always loved this song.. so fun!

[@laurenw6120]

The talent POPPED OUT. My fav 💕

[@SuperRegency]

I'll never forget this number in the original West End London run With Donna McKechnie. There had been a controversy that the dancers were just lip sinking to a recorded tape in the New York original version. But you'd never know. Here in London, I went down to the orchestra pit as the musicians played the exit music. There were three singers in the pit. I don't know know if they sang the song but it was the first time singers were included in the pit.

[@juanmonge7418]

Do you remember who played the Jerry Ohrbach role?

[@claymationmedia6961]

Remember talented dancers and choreographers? This is the inspiration I've not seen on stage in a long time...

[@1topcook]

Love this Musical then and now. Saw it many times myself and then with my mom and my sister. I was able to get free tickets from where I was going to school in those days. Saw it with Jerry Orbach and Jill O’Hara. Went back to see it with Tony Roberts . Then went back in 2010 to see Sean Hayes and Christen Chonowith. For some reason this musical is in my heart. Love you all. Thank you Burt and Hal for the wonderful memories.

[@richiejohnson]

I saw it in previews in Boston. One of the highlights of my long life.

[@terrygimmellie4873]

The whole cast amazing. Donna 77 now

[@larespo1]

So great!!!!! So limber and having so much fun! What a show and score!

[@fakerating]

What a combination... great Burt Bacharach song, incredible choreography and incredibly talented dancers... I was lucky to have seen the original Broadway show. And well done editing in the stereo... especially the live parts that were different from the original cast album stereo.

[@boinx1234]

Yeah, I had to mix the live parts back in or it looked strange.

[@David-fu5kb]

This was all about the incredible Donna McKechnie. And the number had nothing to do with the plot, but was designed to energize the audience and encourage them to return from the intermission.

[@paullyPIAA]

So goooooooood 🎉

[@SiLoJayLo]

I like it - at 0:27, the full stereo sound comes in: listen from the begining with headphones. Bacharach seemed to dwell on 3rd & 6th (-minor-) chords - the result is pretty good...............

[@jorgesalazar2340]

I had a big smile in my face the whole time, thank you for your performance :)

[@Ravenpenney]

Would love to see a performance like this now a days

[@meljam51]

I wonder who could do it??

[@pietrob7420]

Magnificent and unsurpassed!

[@neonoires]

Thanksgiving 2024! ❤

[@intothewoods_dave]

Baayork Lee isn’t given enough recognition in this performance. Of course Donna, perfection sublime, and is that Kelly Bishop in the black jacket/skirt, white collared blouse in back of Baayork and Donna at the end?

[@charlesbower8387]

Yes that's Kelly Bishop.

[@lazarelazaro52]

@@charlesbower8387 Kelly "Can I sit on your lap?" Bishop!!!

[@theoperatripleaxel5417]

@@lazarelazaro52 yep, the agressive one....

[@lazarelazaro52]

@@theoperatripleaxel5417 Only... sometimes. Please!

[@billcook4768]

Kelly Bishop- the source of Francis “Baby” Houseman’s dance talent.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Thank God the Christmas Party Committee asked the Idea Committee to come up with an idea for the Christmas Party!

[@Speedo6677]

Sooooo much energy! Every time I watch this, it makes me smile!

[@angelcastellanos4819]

This is just FASCINATING! Brava!

[@kitkatlasagna1618]

Someone explain why we don’t have songs like this in 2020?

[@somersetdc]

Amazing choreography!!

[@classicalbk]

Never get tire of this!

[@bruck6675]

I can’t take my eyes off of baayork

[@wmomente]

Amazing energy !!!! Fab dancing !!

[@alohaisland9999]

Baayork Lee and Donna McKechnie would later play Connie And Cassie in A Chrous Line also Choreographed by Michael Bennett

[@meljam51]

Bayork also choreographed the 2006 CL revival, watch Every Little Step on Amazon video about it.

[@alohaisland9999]

@@meljam51 I totally forgot she did that! So cool!

[@rosieschweebie]

Absolutely Awesome performance!! Wish I could seen it live, but I think I was only 2 years old.😊

[@fab_jon]

let’s have a kiki brought me here.....

[@nikofierce7908]

Fab Jon same lol

[@sassiemlnsma9050]

Me2

[@suryshoonteith915]

Lol from glee?

[@elbailey3849]

Sury yes of course from glee, where else?😂

[@sophiebelle1358]

Fab Jon glee I’m familiar with.

[@gfcllc1436]

At 2:46, they cut from the original TV soundtrack to the album soundtrack, which plays for the duration. You can hear the edit. If you watch the other two versions of this same piece, you can hear that it's different. They probably wanted to insert the trumpet solo at 2:46, which is awesome in this (album) version, not nearly as good in any of the live versions.

[@boinx1234]

It wasn't they, it was me. I wanted to hear it in stereo hi fidelity, so I used the CD audio. I think I hid the transition pretty well.

[@gfcllc1436]

@@boinx1234 Did you have to adjust the tempo? It's pretty amazing how the CD tempo lines up so exactly with the TV version. Have you heard the "Opening Night" audio for Turkey Lurkey that's on KZbin? They do it so fast that I can't imagine how the dancers kept up.

[@123boink]

I had to make dozens of edits to maintain synch - the live tempo was much faster than the cast album, which lacked the drum solo and many of the repeats.

[@HeadoftheSeniorClass]

"Tom turkey....He's really home to stay, never one to roam..." Well, that's for sure! Amazing number.

[@codymiller3709]

This musical actually had a chiropractor on staff. It was the first Broadway musical to do so.

[@pregnantwench]

The way they're flinging their heads about, they kinda HAD to.

[@CortexNewsService]

And we can see why.

[@fosbury68]

That move that DMcK does at 2:42 is unbelievable.

[@colleenkratz3717]

You are welcome, Sir!

[@remi-or7sl]

im dancing this in my Broadway class along with chorus line and something from the greatest showman it takes alot out of you

[@jessiedoggie1]

Why couldn't my secretaries done that at our Christmas party?

[@tomservo56954]

They couldn't...in fact, the number wasn't working when Bennett tried to have them perform it the way a trio of marginally talented, somewhat inebriated office workers actually would

[@calciumchloride710]

@@tomservo56954 Yeah, I caught Donna McKechnie's video where she mentioned the Boston opener response to this number so horrible that Michael Bennett came up with this choreography that night in his hotel room, haha. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5LGm2lvbbWUnqs

[@nnd1366]

this is amazing!!! 🤯😍thanks for sharing 🤩

[@Countfoscolikesmice]

the "Im still HEEEEEEEEEEEEEREEEE!" from CAMP adds something to it though.

[@isa-ti6og]

god i love michael bennett

[@wayneablood]

TV Producer Dan Curtis saw Donna McK in this show, became a bit obsessed and offered her a part in DARK SHADOWS. She took it.

[@charliekohl7358]

I have to dance this.... in 2 weeks.... in front of my entire school... I haven’t danced in 4 years.

[@anthonyneal870]

Well...how’d it go?

[@kiwiiwing]

Thia is so late but I have to dance this too. Except in front of 900 people. I haven't been this stressed out about choreography in a long time

[@anthonyneal870]

Kiwi Bennett will you give us updates

[@kiwiiwing]

@@anthonyneal870 I guess I can. The performance is March 2nd so it's still a month away

[@brodydicks4174]

wait yeah tell us how it went

[@lifeworksndhenterprisesllc6597]

thinking about this makes my mouth water,Thanksgiving is everyday. let's eat!

[@meandmybabytaylor-janfranc1747]

WOW!

[@fkd1963]

Bravo!!!

[@frankbowden7349]

Full disclosure; I’m about as gay as a banyan tree full of parrots on Paul Lynde’s Palm Springs lanai, but Donna McKechnie makes me reconsider all my life choices 😆

[@megangrbic161]

You, sir, just made my day. Best comment ever. Happy holidays!

[@zebra2615]

This may be a Christmas song yet it works year round for me.

[@richiejohnson]

She was fabulous. Like a Banyan tree full of parrots lol

[@TheJonCarrollMusic]

Consider me all the way woke and totally turked...as well as lurked

[@StephanieLexis]

Lol, I am so done.

[@Pollo.a.la.crema.]

I cackled

[@intothewoods_dave]

You win.

[@dynamicraspberry2007]

baayork lee rocked that high pony and puffy sleeves before they were cool. icon.

[@rileighpedersen]

happy thanksgiving!

[@Nehmi]

Okay, after seeing this, I really appreciate the version from "Camp".

[@nemobrown2286]

Love ittt

[@milesmartin4958]

Does Donna even HAVE a spine? It's like watching gumby. Incredible!