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STANDARD OIL (NEW JERSEY) 75TH ANNIVERSARY (TV)

Summary

This special celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of Standard Oil (New Jersey) extols the "wonders of today and the promise of tomorrow" as interpreted through original songs, dances, and sketches. Hosts Tyrone Power and Brandon De Wilde preside over festivities and institutional promos for Standard Oil. Highlights include: in an opening production number, Kay Thompson sings a rousing birthday tribute, "Jubilee Time"; introduced as the "Man of Today," Jimmy Durante does a comedy routine, sings, and plays the piano; the "Woman of Today," Jane Powell, sings "Day In, Day Out" and an aria; Donald O'Connor and Sid Miller appear in a satirical sketch in which they portray songwriters composing a behemoth musical, "The Musical Monstrosities of 1958"; Duke Ellington and his Orchestra perform excerpts from his and Billy Strayhorn's Shakespearean suite, "Such Sweet Thunder," and a medley of some of his most famous pieces; Brandon De Wilde introduces dancers Wisa D'Orso and Hugh Lambert in a modern electronic ballet created in honor of the International Geophysical Year and set to the beeps and blips of modern technology; Bert Lahr joins Jimmy Durante in a comedy sketch, "Nostalgia," in which they play vaudevillians reminiscing about their early careers and sing "Carolina in the Morning" and "You Got to Keep on Trying"; Marge and Gower Champion dance to "In the Still of the Night" in a story in dance about a girl, a necklace, and a thief; comedian Eddie Mayehoff proffers an editorial about oil; Art Buchwald, Paris correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune, introduces Jane Powell, who sings and dances in a tribute to the "American Woman's Paris Experience"; illustrator/satiric artist Ronald Searle premieres his animated short film "Energetically Yours," about the wonders of energy and the fuels needed for future progress; and Standard Oil president Jack Rathbone predicts the technical progress and human understanding mankind can look forward to in the future. The anniversary special closes with a reprise of "Jubilee Time" featuring the entire cast. Includes commercials and a public service announcement.

(This is a black-and-white copy of a color telecast.)

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: October 13, 1957 Sunday 9:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:29:00
  • COLOR/B&W: B&W
  • CATALOG ID: T78:0263
  • GENRE: Specials
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Dance; Jazz; Music, popular (songs, etc.); Technology
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV, 1957
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - New Jersey Standard Oil oil companies
    • TV - PSA - The United Way charities

CREDITS

  • McCann Erickson, Inc., in association
  • with Showcase Productions … Producer
  • Greg Garrison … Director, Entire production directed by
  • Cyril Ritchard … Director, "Nostalgia" directed by
  • David Hilberman … Director, "Energetically Yours" directed by
  • Julie Light … Direction (Misc.), Associate Director
  • Leslie Stevens … Writer, Chief Writer
  • Kay Thompson … Writer, Contributing Writer
  • Larry Gelbart … Writer, Contributing Writer
  • Sid Miller … Writer, "The Songwriters" written by
  • Mel Diamond … Writer, "The Songwriters" written by
  • Ronald Searle … Writer, "Energetically Yours" created by
  • George Bassman … Music (Misc. credits), Musical Director
  • Buster Davis … Music (Misc. credits), Vocal Director
  • John Butler … Choreographer
  • Aida Broadbent … Choreographer, Jimmy Durante & Girls choreographed by
  • Tyrone Power … Host, Talent, New Jersey Standard Oil commercial
  • De Wilde, Brandon … Host
  • Walter Kinsella … Narrator, For "In the Still of the Night" ballet
  • Don Pardo … Announcer
  • Jane Powell … Performer, Singer
  • Donald O'Connor … Performer, Singer
  • Kay Thompson … Performer, Singer
  • Bert Lahr … Performer
  • Ellington, Edward Kennedy "Duke" … Performer, Instrumentalist, Pianist
  • Jimmy Durante … Performer
  • Eddie Mayehoff … Performer
  • Marge Champion … Performer, Dancer
  • Gower Champion … Performer, Dancer
  • Wisa D'Orso … Performer, Dancer
  • Hugh Lambert … Performer, Dancer
  • Sid Miller … Performer, Singer
  • Ann Hodges … Dancer
  • Jeannie Jones … Dancer
  • Joan Kruger … Dancer
  • Iris Stames … Dancer
  • Gloria Stevens … Dancer
  • Jerry Fries … Dancer
  • Richard Cain … Dancer
  • Ralph Harmer … Dancer
  • Ed Holleman … Dancer
  • St. Amant, Charles … Dancer
  • Ray Dorian … Dancer
  • David Lober … Dancer
  • Jack Purcell … Dancer
  • Anita Darian … Singer
  • Mary Harmon … Singer
  • Ellen McGowan … Singer
  • Annette Warren … Singer
  • Richard Blair … Singer
  • Bob Hartman … Singer
  • Dean Parker … Singer
  • Morris Redding … Singer
  • Carol Hendricks … Singer
  • Suzanne Stahl … Singer
  • Brian Davies … Singer
  • Don Becker … Singer
  • Barney Johnston … Singer
  • Ted Otis … Singer
  • Chuck Goldstein Quartet, The … Singers
  • Art Buchwald
  • Jack Rathbone
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