The Morey Amsterdam Show

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donnie
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The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by donnie »

I recently watched this one from one of the posters I subscribe to. I was only vaguely aware that he had had a show of his own. The format of it is rather odd, but suits Morey's comic talents very well. Apparently he had had a successful nightclub act, and they just basically transferred this to TV, complete with on-stage audience.

Another thing of interest: this is from the old Dumont network, which went under a few years later in competition against ABC, NBC, and CBS. Dumont had its on line of TV receivers. I love that TV in the ad at the beginning of the show. :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1MmAnpDSfQ&lc=z23qutwbwuzefboqz04t1aokgzv3jubcpsw55xrdxfaprk0h00410

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donnie
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by donnie »

Another episode, this one with some good singing, but most of the comedy is pretty lame. But check out the cool Dumont commercial at 16:30. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpXS637631Q&feature=em-uploademail

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Kitty
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by Kitty »

I finally got a chance to watch the first video you posted. That was very cool! I, also was only vaguely aware that he had a show. It's pretty interesting that this was on the Dumont Network. I've heard of that network, but don't think I've seen anything that played on it before now.
I love the TV ad, too! I see similar things on Beat the Clock because they advertised Sylvania tv sets. They're really interesting.
Regarding the actual show, I think Morey is slightly annoying, because I don't find him funny. I love the format, though! I wish there were other things in this style. It seems like he just got an array of his talented friends and called them on stage to do something. It reminds me of a party! His friends are talented, I love the punny jokes, especially the lady's performance. She was very funny! The man who sings was very dreamy. His voice is really nice. I think I could have been one of those that fainted at his feet. 😂 I had never heard that song before, and am pleased that it didn't end in loud gusto like some songs of the era. What was that, a tango type song?
I had to watch this in 2 parts because I was interrupted... I believe there was a dancing segment. That was beautiful (if I'm remembering it from the right show!!)

I'll be watching the second one soon. Thanks for sharing!
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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donnie
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by donnie »

I’m glad you watched it. :) Thanks for your thoughts on it. I think Morey was much better on the Van Dyke Show, but I did like some of his humor here. I also thought Art Carney was much better on The Honeymooners.

Yes, doesn’t Vic Damone have wonderful voice? I don’t know if what he’s doing is technically a tango or not—I guess I’d think of it more as a ballad, but it’s certainly beautiful.

The second episode I didn’t think was as good, especially the long and rather dumb western skit. I did like the woman singer and the Dumont commercial in the middle with the barbershop quartet. The rest is skippable, IMO.

Em has posted a couple more I haven’t seen yet. I’ll check them out. Early TV just fascinates me. :)

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Kitty
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by Kitty »

I watched that second episode, and I actually ended up really enjoying it by the end. My full review on the episode is to come tonight, when I have more time to comment. 🙂
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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donnie
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by donnie »

Kitty wrote:
Thu Jul 05, 2018 1:33 pm
I watched that second episode, and I actually ended up really enjoying it by the end. My full review on the episode is to come tonight, when I have more time to comment. 🙂
:D Looking forward to reading it! I still need to watch the third one.

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Kitty
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by Kitty »

Watching that second episode, I sort of wondered if Amsterdam wasn't drunk. He sure was acting kind of strange, and there were some weirdly delivered jokes in my opinion.
That being said, I thought his impression of Maurice Chevalier was pretty spot on. At first, I thought the running bit where they correct each other on the words they're using was pretty lame. By the end I got to expect it, and the joke ended up working. I liked the man and woman dancing. It kind of told a story. Quite cute.
I thought the jokes during the Western skit were delivered so horribly. I think they were having way more fun than the audience was! You'd think people would have been tired of fat jokes already by that time! 😂 I guess the guy didn't care.... he DID agree to play the part.
The joke where they reach for the girl instead of for the sky would have gotten them in deep water today! It's sure a good thing they did that in their time and not ours! 😂
Did you notice in that DuMont commercial the kids look miserable before they know that the camera is on them? The boy lets his face fall toward the end, too. I really liked this commercial. Isn't it a crying shame how many commercials are left and forgotten from memory because the commercial was integrated into the program? To me, these are the very best of commercials, because they are often done live without any chance of retakes.
I like the way the lady sings to the empty chair.... but it's kind of a weird song.
I liked this episode overall. I think it's because they were obviously having so much fun especially toward the end. Live shows are the greatest.

P. S. I watched this episode a second time for reference while writing this, and I realized that at the end dance scene, the girl doesn't know how to do the move they're all doing. She laughs, "I can't do it! I still don't know how do it!" It's really cute. And I really love how they all say the slogan for DuMont in unison at the very end. I think the end was my favorite part. 🙂
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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donnie
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by donnie »

Thanks for the review! I really enjoy reading your thoughts. :) You notice a lot of details I didn't pick up on, like the expression on the boy's face and the girl being unable to do the dance movement, which is actually quite easy. :) (Though I admit I got up and tried it out to make sure before I typed that. 8-) )

I think the dance sequence at the end was my favorite, also—along with the song to the chair, which was a bit strange. :)

It is interesting how much the advertising was integrated into the actual show back in those days. Not only were the commercials worked into the show by the cast, but a placard or reminder of some sort was often on the set (like on the front of the panel desk in the early What's My Line? shows). And the name of the product often appeared in the title of the show itself. I wonder how or why the transition to generic commercials that weren't associated with a particular show happened.

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Kitty
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by Kitty »

Thank you! I enjoy writing them. I used to think it would be super hard to write a coherent review (how did they remember all the details?) but some shows and movies flow so well it's pretty easy to remember all that happened. I like hearing your thoughts, too. It's why I miss the IMDB message boards. People would come up with things I never even thought of, or ask questions that explained confusing parts of a film.
I've tried that move before, though I haven't in a while. My first fleeting memory of that dance move was this: On the animated show Muppet Babies, their caretaker was a human woman of which you never saw the face, only legs. They had a part where she was dancing toward the end of one episode and she was doing that move. So this is what I think of every time I see someone do the move. :lol:
A pure guess as to when they may have stopped doing those integrated commercials could have been when they stopped doing the shows live. It's a shame. Even Johnny Carson into the 90s would talk about products before the break. Every once in a while even today you will see spots where a late night talk show host will talk about a product.
The sponsor was really important back then. They practically owned the show. Beat the Clock had Sylvania in their theme song, for god's sake! :lol: And on What's My Line they'd even have the advertisers Helene Curtis, Remington, Suave or others on the panel desk as well as the host desk, and don't forget on the chalk board where they signed in! It's "v e r y...i n t e r e s t i n g..."
You trying to tell me you didn't hear that shriek? That was something trying to get out of its premature grave, and I don't want to be here when it does. - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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donnie
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Re: The Morey Amsterdam Show

Post by donnie »

Kitty wrote:
Fri Jul 06, 2018 9:43 am
My first fleeting memory of that dance move was this: On the animated show Muppet Babies, their caretaker was a human woman of which you never saw the face, only legs. They had a part where she was dancing toward the end of one episode and she was doing that move. So this is what I think of every time I see someone do the move. :lol:
:lol: I have in mind that's a dance move that originated in the '20's, but I may be wrong.
Kitty wrote:
Fri Jul 06, 2018 9:43 am
The sponsor was really important back then. They practically owned the show. Beat the Clock had Sylvania in their theme song, for god's sake! :lol: And on What's My Line they'd even have the advertisers Helene Curtis, Remington, Suave or others on the panel desk as well as the host desk, and don't forget on the chalk board where they signed in! It's "v e r y...i n t e r e s t i n g..."
I saw a good interview with Paul Peterson, who played Jeff on the Donna Reed Show, and he was talking about the how the sponsor pulled the strings. He felt that's what made a lot of the old shows so good—the sponsor knew their product was associated with the show closely, and demanded top quality. DRS was sponsored by Campbell Soup, I believe.

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