Is that the "zallRight" guy? Little mouse??? I don't think my mom and dad missed a single Ed Sullivan Show (pre rerun days if I remember...one shot and gone forever....)

Wasn't that "Jothe Jimeneth?" Otherwise known as Jose Jimenez. He used to appear at all the fundraising telethons for a local rehab center in my area.

Jose Jimenez was Bill Dana.

Remember The Red Skelton show and Klem Kadiddle hopper, I never missed his shows.

Leonard Bernstiens children's show, and Victor Borge - can't beat this duo.

I didn't really like the guy who had his own show, wore flamboyant costumes and even the piano was decorated, his name escapes me - for some reason I didn't like the way he played the piano.

Liberace!!

I liked his show because he played the piano beautifully (I thought at that time...what did I know?), and he often played something classical, perhaps some Chopin. You NEVER got anything of that stature on TV (the vast wasteland at that time and even more so now. Can't believe the trash on TV now. )

He was one of a kind, no doubt about it. And I'm sure you heard his quip about "laughing all way to the bank."

Kathleen

Loves,
Hey, you have to give Liberace his due. He did play beautifully - especially in the old tv show days. And at one point in his career he pursued a traditional concert career (very briefly and w/mixed reviews). Unfortunately, we remember him primarily in his later 'flamboyant' days with the feathers, cars, diamond pianos, garrish costumes and tasteless playing. Under all of that though, their was (or had been) a well trained and talented musician. As you said, he was laughing all the way to the bank.

Loves,
Regarding the vast wasteland, I couldn't agree more. TV used to have Rubinstein, Victor Borge, Oscar Lavant, Liberace, etc., etc.. I used to love to watch the pianists hands. When PBS came into being we finally had access to concert and other pianists on TV again. Now though, even PBS has become so 'popularized' that it no longer fulfills it's original mandate to offer programming that would not be offered commercially.

Scott:
Television isn't any different from much of what life is all about today. MONEY!

It's the bottom line for almost everything.

T.V. has to appeal to the masses, who unfortunately have not been or refuse to be exposed and/or educated to the finer things in life. Good music is just one of the first things to fall by the wayside, usually preceded by good manners.

Of course, I remember the trauma the "older" generation experienced when we, as teens. "rocked around the clock" to the sounds of Billy Halley and the Comets. I was a BIG Frank Sinatra fan, myself. And I am forever grateful to him for the wealth of beautiful and timeless songs he sang. I know the words and melodies to hundreds of great and timeless standards, thanks to him. But as decadent as our music may have sounded to our parents, the lyrics of too many of today's songs are just sick and frightening.

Naturally, there is still good music out there and many, many thousands of young people play and enjoy the classics. I wish more of them could realize just what they were missing.

I've always been a believer in the swinging pendulum. It can only go just so far then must start on its journey back. I hope I'm around to see it making its return trip.

Kathleen

The "zallRight" guy was Senior Wences.

Mel

Danny thanks,

I liked Senor Wences and Toppo Gigio.

My favorite was Garfield Goose. It might have been a local show.

Oh, and Soupy Sales. Remember him? He was a little nuts. He did a bit once when someone knocked on the door, he opened it and it was Frank Sinatra, and he threw a pie in his face. I couldn't believe it. FRANK SINATRA WITH A PIE IN HIS FACE!!

He also had some huge invisible creature (White Fang) that he would look up to talk to. Really stupid stuff, but funny (more to adults I think.)

Kathleen