Night of 100 Stars II (1985) - Star of the month... Juliet Prowse

'Night of 100 Stars II' was a 1985 TV variety special which featured approx. 300 stars under the one theatre in a range of songs and sequences.

Many of my favourite stars featured in this special including Lucille Ball, Ginger Rogers, Olivia de Havilland, Lana Turner, Juliet Prowse, Van Johnson, Janet Leigh, Bernadette Peters, Raquel Welch, Lynda Carter, Leslie Uggams, Petula Clark, Ann-Margret, Anne Baxter, Marisa Berenson, Yul Brynner, Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Marge Champion, Dyan Cannon, Carol Channing, Joan Collins, Lena Horne, Rock Hudson, James Earl Jones, James Stewart, Danny Kaye, Linda Lavin, Donald O'Connor, Laurence Olivier, Sidney Poitier, Jane Powell, Vincent Price, Esther Williams & the Muppets.

I wasn't able to find footage to the entire 3 hour TV special, but was able to find a lot of it on YouTube. Highlights I was able to find are outlined below, with each of the stars featured, as well as the number assigned to them in parenthesis.

Opening: New York medley
* "This is a Star" - The Rockettes (#2) with a young Drew Barrymore (#3)
* "New York, New York (Instrumental)" - Leonard Bernstein (#4)
* "Arthur's Theme" - Peter Allen (#5)
* "Manhattan" - Ashford & Simpson (#6)
* "Every Street's a Boulevard (In Old New York)" - Placido Domingo (#8) (with Marisa Berenson (#9), Maureen Stapleton (#7), Deborah Raffin (#10))
* "This is my Home Town" - Robert Klein (#11)
* "New York, New York" - Lucie Arnaz (#12)
* "42nd Street" - Jerry Orbach (#13)
* "Take the 'A' Train" - Leslie Uggams (#14)
* "42nd Street (Reprise" - Robert Klein, Lucie Arnaz, Jerry Orbach & Leslie Uggams
* "Uptown" - Melba Moore (#15)
* "Downtown" - Petula Clark (#16)
* "How About You"- Carol Channing (#17) & Big Bird (#18)
* "Autumn in New York" - Dinah Shore (#19)
* "On Broadway" - Patti LaBelle (#20)
* "New York City Rhythm" - Jennifer Holliday (#21)
* "The Jet Song" - Joe Nameth (#22)

* "New York City Rhythm (Reprise)" - Jennifer Holliday, Patti LaBelle, Peter Allen & Joe Nameth

* "Theme from New York, New York" - Kermit the Frog (#24) with The Muppets (#23) (Fozzie Bear, The Count, Grover, Tully Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert, Ernie, Janice, Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Dr. Teeth, Scooter, Rowlf, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Swedish Chef, Gonzo, Uncle Travellin' Matt, Statler, Waldorf & Barkley)

* "New York State of Mind" - Ensemble

TV Stars in "TV is a Circus"
TV legend Lucille Ball (#25) delivers an introduction on television, followed by our three celebrity ring masters Hal Linden (#26), Michelle Lee (#27), Nancy Dussault (#28) singing "TV is a Circus", and introducing: Nell Carter (#29), Tony Danza (#30), Harry Anderson (#31), Gary Coleman (#32), Soleil Moon Frye (#33), James Noble (#34), Inga Swenson (#35), Dick Clark (#36), Charlotte Rae (#37), Michael J. Fox (#38), Meredith Baxter Birney (#39), Scott Baio (#40), Tempestt Bledsoe (#41), Lisa Bonet (#42), Keshia Knight Pulliam (#43), Malcolm-Jamal Warner (#44), Gavin MacLeod (#45), Marla Gibbs (#46), Bob Newhart (#47), Emmanuel Lewis (#48), Tyne Daly (#49), Heather Thomas (#50), Doug Barr (#51), Pierce Brosnan (#52), Stephanie Zimbalist (#53), Jameson Parker (#54), David Hasselhoff (#55), Lee Horsley (#56), Kate Jackson (#57), Daniel Hugh-Kelly (#58), William Shatner (#59), Rex Smith (#60), Perry King (#61), Pernell Roberts (#62), William Daniels (#63), Jack Palance (#64), Tony Franciosa (#65), Rene Enriquez (#66), Bruce Weitz (#67), Joe Spano (#68), Betty Thomas (#69), Jennifer O'Neill (#70), Linda Gray (#71), Lorenzo Lamas (#72), John Forsythe, Linda Evans (#73), Joan Collins (#74), Diahann Carroll (#75), Julie Harris (#76), Lisa Hartman (#77), Joan Van Ark (#78), Donna Mills (#79), Anne Baxter (#80),


The Red Shoes
Dick Van Dyke delivers an introduction and sings a song before we get the biggest star studded chorus of line of dancers the world has ever seen...
* Gregory Hines (#88), Hinton Battle (#89), Lee Roy Reams (#90), Victor Griffin (#91) & Gregg Burge (#92)
* Georgia Engel (#93) & Elaine Joyce (#94), Beth Howland (#95), Bonnie Franklin (#96), Marge Champion (#97), Nanette Fabray (#98), Christopher Walken (#99)
* Cynthia Gregory (#100) & Alexander Godunov (#101)
* Sandy Duncan (#102), Don Correia (#103), Jane Powell (#104) &Van Johnson (#105)
* Alfonso Ribeiro (#106)
* Gwen Verdon (#107), Charles 'Honi' Coles (#108), Juliet Prowse (#109), Maurice Hines (#110), Chita Riveira (#111), Donny Osmond (#112), Debbie Allen (#113), Donald O'Connor (#114) &  Ginger Rogers (#115)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g5jqV1w-j0

The Fearless Females of the Silent Screen
Bernadette Peters (#157) introduces the great silent screen legends:
* Billie Dove (#158)
* Laura LaPlante (#159)
* Leatrice Joy (#160)
* Lillian Gish (#161)


Salute to the Great Stars of Film
Bernadette Peters presents the following Great Stars of Film...
* Dustin Hoffman (#162)
* Lana Turner (#163)
* Robert Preston (#164)
* Sidney Poitier (#165)
* Olivia de Havilland (#166)
* Robert de Niro (#167)
* Danny Kaye (#168)
* Laurence Olivier (#169)

Fashion Show
An all-star 1980s fashion show with an introduction by Joan Collins and featuring on the runway... Shari Belafonte-Harper (#170), Gregory Harrison (#171), Ali MacGraw (#172), Tony Roberts (#173), Florence Henderson (#174), Treat Williams (#175), Valerie Bertinelli (#176), Lynn Swann (#177), Alan Flusser (#178), Cathy Lee Crosby (#179), Georg Stanford Brown (#180), Heather Locklear (#181), David Birney (#182), Lee Wright (#183), Brooke Shields (#184), Michael Ives (#185), Morgan Fairchild (#186), Teri Garr (#187), Dyan Cannon (#188), Ellen Burstyn (#189), Cristina Ferrare (#190), Colleen DewHurst (#191), Morgan Brittany (#192), Susan Lucci (#193), Jill St. John (#194), Cynthia Sikes (#195), Mary McFadden (#196), Janet Leigh (#197), Jacqueline Bisset (#198), Jaclyn Smith (#199), Deidre Hall (#200), Jane Seymour (#201), Caroline Herrera (#202), Joan Van Ark, Gloria Loring (#203), Donna Mills, Lisa Hartman, Lynda Carter (#204), Jacqueline de Ribes (#205), Diahann Carroll, Linda Evans, Claudia Cardinale (#206), Priscilla Presley (#207), Linda Grey, Raquel Welch (#208), Angie Dickinson (#209), Laura Branigan (#210), Michaele Vollbracht (#211), Tracy Mills (#212), Fabrice (#213), Geoffrey Beene (#214), Carole Little (#215), Halston (#216), Fernando Sanchez (#217), Bob Mackie (#218), Albert Capraro (#219), Oleg Cassini (#220), The Emanuels (#221), Ann-Margret (#222)

Show-Business at War (1943) - Star of the month... Frank Sinatra

'Show-Business at War' (March of Time, Volume 9, Number 10) is a 1943 short film newsreel chronicling the many ways in which the American entertainment industry was assisting during World War II. 

Watch the film:

From the publication of the "Show Business at War" edition of Variety newspaper, to the many stars dedicating their time to raise money on war bonds, to the volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen. I found it interesting to see Hollywood cameraman up-skilling army officers in how to use film cameras  to enable them to film their combats.

Hollywood studios had an important role to play during the war, by not only  providing entertainment to those risking their lives, but to also produce propaganda films to discredit the enemy.

The newsreel features the following personalities:

• Al Jolson (actor, who entertained troops)
• Alfred Hitchcock (director)
• Alfred Lunt (stage actor, who cooked for soldiers)
• Anatole Litvak (director)
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (ballet company, who entertained troops)
• Bette Davis (actress)
• Bing Crosby (singer)
• Bob Hope (actor)
• Carole Lombarde (actress, who was tragically killed in a plane crash returning from a war bond rally)
• Clark Gable (actor, who enlisted)
• Daryl Zanuck (film producer)
• Deanna Durbin (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Dorothy Lamour (actress)
• Edgar Bergen (ventriloquist, who entertained troops with his doll Charlie McCarthy)
• Errol Flynn (actor)
• Ethel Barrymore (actress)
• Frank Sinatra (actor)
• Fred MacMurray (actor)
• Gertrude Lawrence (actress)
• Ginger Rogers (actress)
• Glenn Ford (actor)
• Hal B. Wallis (producer)
• Hedy Lamarr (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Irene Dunne (actress)
• Irving Berlin (composer, who wrote the songs in the wartime musical 'This is the Army', which featured an all-soldier cast)
• Jack Benny (radio comedian, who entertained troops)
• Jack L. Warner (head of Warner Bros.)
• James Cagney (actor)
• Joe E. Brown (comedian, who entertained troops)
• John Ford (film director, who headed the film producing unit of the Office of Strategic Services)
• John Garfield (actor, who co-founded the Hollywood Canteen)
• Kay Francis (actress)
• Lana Turner (actress)
• Linda Darnell (actress)
• Loretta Young (actress)
• Louis Armstrong (entertainer, who entertained troops)
• Marlene Dietrich (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Michael Curtiz (director)
• Mickey Rooney (actor)
• Myrna Loy (actress)
• Olivia de Havilland (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Orson Welles (actor/director)
• Rita Hayworth (actress)
• Robert Benchley (comedian, who volunteered at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Tyrone Power (actor, who enlisted)
• Walt Disney (who provided Disney studio resources to aid the production of instructional films for the armed forces)
• W.C. Fields (actor)

The musical highlight in the film is Al Jolson singing his signature tune "Mammy".

50 Years of MGM - Star of the month... Elizabeth Taylor

'That's Entertainment: 50 Years of MGM' is a television special from 1974, coinciding with the premiere of the feature film 'That's Entertainment' (1974).

Hosted by George Hamilton, the special features footage from the 'That's Entertainment' premiere as well as interviews and appearances from many of MGM finest stars including:

• June Allyson
• Adele Astaire
• Fred Astaire
• George Burns
• Marge Champion
• Cyd Charisse
• Jackie Cooper
• Dan Dailey Jr
• Vic Damone
• Sammy David Jr.
• Tom Drake
• Jimmy Durante
• Buddy Ebsen
• Nanette Fabray
• Glenn Ford
• Eva Gabor
• Zsa Zsa Gabor
• Ava Garnder
• Jack Haley
• Charlton Heston
• Howard Keel
• Gene Kelly
• Phyllis Kirk
• Janet Leigh
• Myrna Loy
• Shirley MacLaine
• Marjorie Main
• Tony Martin
• Roddy McDowell
• Liza Minnelli
• Dennis Morgan
• The Nicholas Bros.
• Merle Oberon
• Margaret O'Brien
• Virginia O'Brien
• Donald O'Connor
• Donna Reed
• Debbie Reynolds
• Ginger Rogers
• Ann Rutherford
• Alexis Smith
• Craig Stevens
• James Stewart
• Gloria Swanson
• Russ Tamblyn
• Elizabeth Taylor
• Audrey Totter
• Johnny Weissmuller
• Keenan Wynn
• and the Great Great Grandson of Lassie

50 Years of MGM - Star of the month... Gene Kelly

'That's Entertainment: 50 Years of MGM' is a television special from 1974, coinciding with the premiere of the feature film 'That's Entertainment' (1974).

Hosted by George Hamilton, the special features footage from the 'That's Entertainment' premiere as well as interviews and appearances from many of MGM finest stars including:

• June Allyson
• Adele Astaire
• Fred Astaire
• George Burns
• Marge Champion
• Cyd Charisse
• Jackie Cooper
• Dan Dailey Jr
• Vic Damone
• Sammy David Jr.
• Tom Drake
• Jimmy Durante
• Buddy Ebsen
• Nanette Fabray
• Glenn Ford
• Eva Gabor
• Zsa Zsa Gabor
• Ava Garnder
• Jack Haley
• Charlton Heston
• Howard Keel
• Gene Kelly
• Phyllis Kirk
• Janet Leigh
• Myrna Loy
• Shirley MacLaine
• Marjorie Main
• Tony Martin
• Roddy McDowell
• Liza Minnelli
• Dennis Morgan
• The Nicholas Bros.
• Merle Oberon
• Margaret O'Brien
• Virginia O'Brien
• Donald O'Connor
• Donna Reed
• Debbie Reynolds
• Ginger Rogers
• Ann Rutherford
• Alexis Smith
• Craig Stevens
• James Stewart
• Gloria Swanson
• Russ Tamblyn
• Elizabeth Taylor
• Audrey Totter
• Johnny Weissmuller
• Keenan Wynn
• and the Great Great Grandson of Lassie

Show-Business at War (1943) - Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

'Show-Business at War' (March of Time, Volume 9, Number 10) is a 1943 short film newsreel chronicling the many ways in which the American entertainment industry was assisting during World War II. 


Watch the film:

From the publication of the "Show Business at War" edition of Variety newspaper, to the many stars dedicating their time to raise money on war bonds, to the volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen. I found it interesting to see Hollywood cameraman up-skilling army officers in how to use film cameras  to enable them to film their combats.


Hollywood studios had an important role to play during the war, by not only  providing entertainment to those risking their lives, but to also produce propaganda films to discredit the enemy.


The newsreel features the following personalities:

• Al Jolson (actor, who entertained troops)
• Alfred Hitchcock (director)
• Alfred Lunt (stage actor, who cooked for soldiers)
• Anatole Litvak (director)
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (ballet company, who entertained troops)
• Bette Davis (actress)
• Bing Crosby (singer)
• Bob Hope (actor)
• Carole Lombarde (actress, who was tragically killed in a plane crash returning from a war bond rally)
• Clark Gable (actor, who enlisted)
• Daryl Zanuck (film producer)
• Deanna Durbin (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Dorothy Lamour (actress)
• Edgar Bergen (ventriloquist, who entertained troops with his doll Charlie McCarthy)
• Errol Flynn (actor)
• Ethel Barrymore (actress)
• Frank Sinatra (actor)
• Fred MacMurray (actor)
• Gertrude Lawrence (actress)
• Ginger Rogers (actress)
• Glenn Ford (actor)
• Hal B. Wallis (producer)
• Hedy Lamarr (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Irene Dunne (actress)
• Irving Berlin (composer, who wrote the songs in the wartime musical 'This is the Army', which featured an all-soldier cast)
• Jack Benny (radio comedian, who entertained troops)
• Jack L. Warner (head of Warner Bros.)
• James Cagney (actor)
• Joe E. Brown (comedian, who entertained troops)
• John Ford (film director, who headed the film producing unit of the Office of Strategic Services)
• John Garfield (actor, who co-founded the Hollywood Canteen)
• Kay Francis (actress)
• Lana Turner (actress)
• Linda Darnell (actress)
• Loretta Young (actress)
• Louis Armstrong (entertainer, who entertained troops)
• Marlene Dietrich (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Michael Curtiz (director)
• Mickey Rooney (actor)
• Myrna Loy (actress)
• Olivia de Havilland (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Orson Welles (actor/director)
• Rita Hayworth (actress)
• Robert Benchley (comedian, who volunteered at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Tyrone Power (actor, who enlisted)
• Walt Disney (who provided Disney studio resources to aid the production of instructional films for the armed forces)
• W.C. Fields (actor)

The musical highlight in the film is Al Jolson singing his signature tune "Mammy".

Monkey Business (1952)

Star Birthday - Charles Coburn & Star of the Month... Marilyn Monroe

Star Birthday - Charles Coburn

Born on 19 June 1877, Charles Coburn began his acting career on Broadway, before transitioning to film. He was often cast in wealthy artiocratic roles, playing the rich snob like no other. Coburn died on 30 August 1961 from a heart attack.

Recommended viewing

• The Devil and Miss Jones (1941)
• The Lady Eve (1941)
• The More The Merrier (1943)
• Heaven Can Wait (1943)
• The Green Years (1946)
• Monkey Business (1952)
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Monkey Business (1952)

'Monkey Business' (1952) is a screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks.

Marilyn Monroe holding one of her primate co-stars

starring Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn and Marilyn Monroe.


Cary Grant stars as Dr. Barnaby Fulton, a chemist determined to formulate the secret to eternal youth for his boss Oliver Oxley (played by Coburn). In a bizarre twist of fate, it is Esther, one of the chimpanzees he is experimenting on who develops the formula. Esther pours the formula into the water cooler in Barnaby's laboratory with hilarious results.

Opening credit sequence

The opening credits feature Cary Grant playing himself attempting to walk out his front door, with director Howard Hawks' voice saying "Not yet Cary". Grant transitions to his character immediately after the opening credits.

Principal Cast

Edwina (Ginger Rogers) under the influence of the formula
 attempts to attack Miss Laurel (Marilyn Monroe), with
husband Barnaby (Cary Grant) forced to intervene

Cary Grant is hilarious in this film - I would consider this to be one of his funniest, along with Arsenic and Old Lace.


Ginger Rogers as Cary's wife Edwina steals the film with her vivacious performance. We are even treated with seeing Ginger kick up her heels on the dance floor, reminiscent of her earlier films with Fred Astaire.   


Marilyn Monroe is charming as Oxley's secretary Miss Lois Laurel. One of her first major roles in a film.


Charles Coburn is typecast as the wealthy Oxley, delivering one of the funniest lines to Monroe: "Find someone to type this".


This is reminiscent to Lucille Ball's incompetence as a secretary in Here's Lucy.

Did you know...

• 'Monkey Business' was the first time Marilyn appeared on-screen with platinum blonde hair

Closing remarks

This is yet another film I have seen a number of times, and it still remains fresh and hilarious regardless of how many times it has been seen.


I recently showed this to my 80 year Italian grandmother, Nonna Flora, and I can't remember seeing her laugh so much.

We're Not Married! (1952)

Star of the Month... Marilyn Monroe

We're Not Married! is the hilarious comedy of five couples who are married by a confused Judge from 24 to 31 December, before his official appointment on 1 January. The error is identified 2 and a half years later, where one of the couples is with child, another is expecting and another is in the middle of a messy divorce.

The film is directed by Edmund Goulding and features a first rate all-star cast including Ginger Rogers, Fred Allen, Marilyn Monroe (in an early appearance), Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eve Arden, David Wayne, Mitzi Gaynor, Louis Calhern, Eddie Bracken, Paul Stewart, James Gleason, Jane Darwell, Victor Moore and Lee Marvin.


The film is funny, however it focuses far too much on the characters played by Ginger Rogers and Fred Allen. The first 30 mins are dedicated primarily to this couple, with the remaining 4 couples getting approx. 10-15 of storyline each. The five episodes are of varying quality, with some funnier and more entertaining than others.


Marilyn stars as a beauty pageant winner, Anabel Jones Norris, and is mainly shown wearing a bathing suite, both marketing her sex appeal, yet exploiting her at the same.


Although Ginger Rogers is one of my favourite stars, I would consider this to be one of her weaker performances, with the highlight performances in this film going to Zsa Zsa Gabor as a vindictive gold digger, and of course Marilyn as a beauty pageant winner.


Although the ending is predictable, the film is still fun to watch. This would have been yet another forgotten B-grade comedy of the early 50s had Marilyn Monroe not featured in the film.