Gisele MacKenzie: That's Amore - Hit Parade themes

[@fjbutch]

Oh yes,...and if I was offered a chance to go back in time to this wonderful era, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

[@fjbutch]

So nostalgic and just something that takes you away somewhere else for a little while...

[@shelbijack]

I loved Gisele,I'm so happy to have found these Videos of her.My parents brought me to the US in 1956.We never had a TV before so the Hit Parade was special to us .I went to see Gisele in Concert at the Pomona Fair Grounds back in 1961 on a weekend, the following Monday I went to make my Citizenship.Before I signed my final papers the man asked me if I wanted to change my name.I thought he was kidding but he wasn't so I changed my name from Gisela to Gisele. Thank you for the Memories..Gisele

[@MrYellowlabs]

This woman was absolutely gorgeous! GMK was well before my time, so these videos are quite an eye-opener for me. I`ve never heard a lovelier voice, seen a better violinist, or witnessed such captivating charisma. From 1952-57, she combined the beauty of Donna Reed with unlimited musical talent!

[@MrYellowlabs]

Seriously...how did Gisele NOT wind up being the biggest female superstar ever? From the videos...it does appear that her "prime" years were relatively short. By the early 1960`s, the "spark" seemed to have gone out to a noticeable extent. However, in viewing the 1952-57 videos...what an amazing combination of beauty, personality, and talent!!!

[@MrYellowlabs]

Seriously, how did Gisele NOT wind up becoming the biggest female singing star ever? My guess is that her prime years were rather short. By the mid-1960`s, based upon these videos, she no longer really seemed capable of "lighting up the stage". Still, from 1952-1960....what an amazing combination of beauty, charm, personality, and talent she was!

[@ftjax]

I was about 12 when this song was aired..I remember the old Motorola TV set !

[@wholesomesweetness86]

Very cute.. Love the end theme!

[@fromthesidelines]

That was the "Crosley" opening title for the series; the show's "primary sponsor", American Tobacco, featured their famous Raymond Scott jingle "Be Happy, Go Lucky" in their title sequence {at the end, the cast would sometimes sing it in their "So Long" coda}.

[@VideosTimes2]

...and you have absolutely good eyes and ears!

[@takoma5]

Giselle was fantastic, thx

[@VideosTimes2]

...as far as entertainment goes, I'd add that these treasures take one to a MUCH BETTER place!

[@estebangirondo8312]

Gisèle was a wonderful singer--as she demonstrates here. In light of the fact that hardly anyone could not like her, it is hard to understand why the ratings were disabled for this video.

[@fromthesidelines]

Gisele left "YOUR HIT PARADE" after the 1956-'57 season, just before the show was "revamped", with different singers {Tommy Leonetti, Jill Corey, Virginia Gibson and Alan Copeland}. In the fall of '57, Jack Benny co-produced her weekly variety show that lasted one season, due to her being opposite CBS' "HAVE GUN- WILL TRAVEL".

[@VideosTimes2]

I believe the 'primary' sponsors of Hit Parade altered everyother week. Crosley one week, American Tobacco the other; other seasons it was Quick Home Permanents one week, and American Tobacco the other; a few other sponsors were in the mix over the years, but it seems like American Tobacco was always there! Not long before she passed away, Gisele sadly commented that she had sold 'cancer' via that sponsor, but who knew all that in the 1950's?

[@VideosTimes2]

I think it was a matter of timing. Jack Benny urged to leave Hit Parade a couple years before she did. That would have put her solo TV show in the peak of TV singers, rather than 1958 when variety shows were drying up. I think some of it is reflective of her management at the time. I also think Gisele was just too good with perfect pitch and her multi-talents! Her spark was ALWAYS there, you should have seen her in Hello Dolly, Mame, King & I, Molly Brown, Annie Get Your Gun, etc.

[@fromthesidelines]

American Tobacco, even thought they owned the show, decided to cut back to "alternate" sponsorship a few years after they began the TV version of "YHP", "Videos". Crosley was their first "alternate sponsor", then Warner-Hudnut [Richard Hudnut] by 1955...

[@jekiwe]

omg...where do you guys dig up this video on YT????? incredible and entertaining and i'm 64 (as of this weekend)...ty

[@VideosTimes2]

Same here, and my TV set would be tuned to NBC on Saturday nights where I could, once again, enjoy good music with Your Hit Parade, The Gisele MacKenzie Show, The Perry Como Show," etc. I miss those REAL singers/performers...not these screaming smucks who think they can sing!

[@VideosTimes2]

You OBVIOUSLY have very good taste. However, although Gisele mainly played violin with Mr. Benny, she did play the 'fiddle' on her own TV show, and twice with Tennessee Ernie Ford on his TV shows.

[@zildaromano3146]

BELO MUSICAL.

[@MargotDarby]

That's not a Mafia kingpin. That's supposed to be Carmine de Sapio! Gosh, how you kids misread these things.