Hollywood Varieties (1950)

• 56%
• 1950
• Comedy
• Paul Landres
• Robert Alda
• Ken Trietsch
• Paul Trietsch

Entertainment trade-paper headlines report the resurgence of vaudeville as the new medium of television searches for new talent. At the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, master of ceremonies Robert Alda introduces the following vaudeville performers while being frequently interrupted by several comedians: Whirl, Twirl and a Girl execute a roller-skating act; The Carlyle Dancers perform with singing waiters and end with an interpretation of "Frankie and Johnny;" Hector and His Pals present a dog act; Lois Ray tap dances; Glenn Vernon and Eddie Ryan do a comedy act in which they put on black-face and present a tribute to minstrel shows; Alda performs in a Western sketch with singer Peggy Stewart; Shaw and Lee do a comedy dialogue-and-dance routine; Sandy's seals Kelpi and Sandi balance and toss balls and, for their finale, Kelpi climbs up a ladder with a ball balanced on a stick on his nose; Britt Wood plays "The Old Folks at Home" and "Those Endearing Young Charms" on a harmonica and tap dances. For a brief encore, he plays "Turkey in the Straw" while simultaneously dancing; Alda appears as a judge in a courtroom sketch involving wrist watches, with two scantily clad blondes and a police officer; The 3 Rio Brothers do a sketch in broken English about Mexican bandits, then perform a routine with Alda on the origins of dance steps and finish with acrobatic clowning as Alda sings; The Hoosier Hot Shots perform two numbers, "Darlin', You Can't Love But One" and their version of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean;" the De Pina Troupe do several acrobatic routines. For the finale of the show, the entire cast bows to the audience while performing the song "Hollywood Varieties.