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Milton Berle – Salute To Broadway. 471014. (retro309).
Saluting the opening of the New York theater season with a salute to Broadway. Announced by Mr Gallop, Milton Berle comes out with the snappy one liners. He talks about flops that he has been in. The humiliation of small audiences, being snubbed, and general lack of respect. Milton gets teased about his time with the Ziegfield Follies.
The salute begins in earnest by honoring the backers of the theaters. A brief drama is presented where a young Milton gets funding for his early projects that consistently flopped. Milton shares some golden memories of his vaudeville days with Cynthia.
After poking a little fun at Ray Noble, Milton takes questions from the floor. Wacky audience members include a man claiming to have an elephant for a father, a man named Cynthia, a man with a question about his dress, and a housewife whose husband is stuck in the past with vaudeville and burlesque shows. Next, Otis Finster, Shakespearean acting coach, offers advice for the budding actors.
Dick Varney sings, You Do.
The chatter about the theater continues with another drama. This time Milt and his family take a trip to Broadway where Milton sees the stars, but they don’t seem to recognize him. Milt is stuck in the ticket line behind a man who is indecisive. While in line the show starts, and soon is going into intermission. With all the mix ups, will he ever get in the show? Somehow I doubt it, although he comes close.
Bonus Tracks:
BBC. 1944 Interview with Maj. Glenn Miller.
Glenn Miller. 1944. Kalamazoo.
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