If you’re a fan of Victor Borge (as I am), you’ll appreciate this 3-DVD set of his short-lived TV series from 1951 (with the great TV clown Art Carney), as well as appearances from Cavalcade of Stars (with Jackie Gleason), The Colgate Comedy Hour (with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello), Highlights from the Hollywood Place (with Raquel Welch and Alice Faye)
Editorial Reviews of The Victor Borge Show Collection (1951) courtesy of Amazon.com
Product Description of The Victor Borge Show Collection (1951)
IF YOU THINK YOU’VE ALREADY SEEN THESE SHOWS – THINK AGAIN!!!
In 1951, Victor Borge – whose seamless blending of comedy and music remains unequaled – was given his own television show – cleverly titled The Victor Borge Show – which was broadcast live on NBC. Unfortunately, the series lasted less than six months before it disappeared, seemingly forever. Recently, a number of original 16mm kinescopes were unearthed, then digitally remastered and transferred to DVD.
Here then is a symphonic smorgas-Borge of 14 ultra-rare episodes that capture Victor at his funniest, sometimes alongside a pre-Honeymooners Art Carney! Make no mistake: These are not the later Victor Borge concert appearances and TV specials that have long been available on tape and disc. These are rare kinescopes of Victor’s 1951 live TV show that have remained largely unseen for more than half a century! It’s Vintage Victor! Behind-the-scenes personnel included director Franklin Schaffner (Planet of the Apes and Patton), and writers Bob Weiskopf (I Love Lucy) and Herb Sargent (Saturday Night Live).
As a bonus, this 3-disc collection also contains rare appearances by Victor Borge on a 1950 Cavalcade of Stars, a 1954 Colgate Comedy Hour, a 1964 Hollywood Palace (featuring Raquel Welch and Alice Faye), and even a commercial with Victor at the wheel of a ’64 Pontiac! An extraordinary collection for fans of “classical” comedy everywhere!
Disc One
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 2/3/51) – In this, the premiere episode, Victor composes a new ballet from bits of classical pieces; hosts a 19th-century Viennese version of Hit Parade; and plays Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto #2. Art Carney appears briefly – as a painting!
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 2/24/51) – Victor’s comic explanation of different instruments turns into a comic duet with mandolinist Dave Apollon; Victor hosts an 18th-century parody of a TV panel show. Art Carney appears as Franz Schubert.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 3/10/51) – Victor is the victim of a martial-arts demonstration; his piano doctor (Art Carney) makes a house call; and his opera backer wants to make sure her money is being well spent.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 3/17/51) – Victor discusses abbreviations; plays a Russian composer trying to work in Stalinist Russia; reads a letter while Dorothy Jarnac mime-dances to the words; and plays Offenbach’s Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffman.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 3/31/51) – Victor is admitted to the hospital for a little R&R and gets anything but; and he’s visited by a rather pushy balloon artist.
(TOTAL FOR DISC ONE: 123 mins.)
Disc Two
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 4/7/51) – Victor reads his fan mail; appears with Art Carney in a sketch about Johann Strauss; tries to get a seat at a crowded drugstore counter; and plays Clair de Lune.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 4/14/51) – Victor auditions musicians for his show; plays Happy Birthday in the style of different classical composers; and plays Chopin’s Polonaise. Sid Raymond (the voice of Baby Huey) appears.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 4/21/51) – Victor gets different results with different batons and explains a comical Mozart opera.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 4/28/51) – Victor plays piano while sharing ideas for modernizing recording sessions; Mildred the Maid’s parents come to visit; Victor reluctantly attends a tea party; and plays Malaguena.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 5/5/51) – Victor shows how different orchestras might play the same piece of classical music; contemplates writing his memoirs; tells what inspired composers to create their most famous pieces; and plays Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor.
(TOTAL FOR DISC TWO: 141 mins.)
Disc Three
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 5/12/51) – Victor reveals what musicians are really thinking while playing; interviews Arthur Treacher to be his valet; Arthur and Victor perform a duet on Ragtime Cowboy Joe; and Victor performs Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto #2.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (1951) – Victor narrates a love story while showing only various pairs of feet; plays Chopin’s C Sharp Minor Waltz; and baby-sits an unruly – but musically gifted – infant.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (1951) – Victor tries to play the piano but noises keep interrupting him; he splices together bits of classical music to make a new ballet.
THE VICTOR BORGE SHOW (Aired 6/30/51) – In the last show of the series, Victor shows how people with different occupations play the piano; interviews an odd assortment of potential summer tenants; welcomes Frankie Thomas (Tom Corbett – Space Cadet) who makes an appearance to plug his show; and plays piano while his set is dismantled – and he is crated for storage!
CAVALCADE OF STARS (Aired 9/16/1950) – Jackie Gleason introduces Victor Borge, who does a comic explanation of how composers got their inspiration.
THE COLGATE COMEDY HOUR (Aired 1/11/53) – Bud Abbott presents Victor Borge, who performs a timely musical-comedy routine at the piano.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HOLLYWOOD PALACE (Aired 11/14/64) – Host Victor Borge delivers a brief monologue; introduces The Swingle Singers who do a Bach piece a cappella; does the bit about cutting together pieces of classical themes to make a new song; banters with Raquel Welch; and plays Alexander’s Ragtime Band while Alice Faye sings.
COMMERCIAL – Victor Borge stars in a commercial hawking the 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix.
(TOTAL FOR DISC THREE: 142 mins.)
(TOTAL FOR THREE-PACK: 405 mins.)