New release of Red Skelton episodes on DVD. This is a collection of his last season on television. He was cancelled from CBS in 1970. Then he went back to NBC 1970-1971. His show went back to a 1/2 hour. I am sad to say that it did not do well. There seems to be a bit of rush to comedy. His pace was off. The opening mimes quick. He had quest star segments on the first half of the show and a silent spot at the end. There are now dance numbers. His regular singers are four members of The Burgundy Street Singers. The lead singers are twins in go-go boots. Mostly they sing a brief intoduction to the Silent Spot and the guest star skit. There are times when they had a production number. The set is in 3 discs.
*Disc 1:
Ep 1 - Jerry Lewis in Silent Spot. Lewis pays a tribute to Red. A new character of Ludwig von Humperdoo is introduced. He is a crazy inventor.
Ep 2 - Raymond Burr and Barbara Anderson spoofs the movie "The Desperate Hours" with Freddie.
Ep 3 - Robert Wagner plays son of superhero Colossal Man. (I found a source that this had a special introduction by Jack Benny but the DVD did not include it.)
Ep 4 - Mike Connors is under witness protection by Clem.
Ep 5 - Walter Brennon and Deadeye dress up as women to avoid killers.
Ep 6 - Gene Barry is bothered by census taker Clem.
Ep 7 - Van Johnson ask Freddie to interview secretaries.
Ep 8 - Dan Blocker is a school friend of Appleby.
*Disc 2
Ep 1 - Godfrey Camgridge is a football player with San Fernado Red as his agent.
Ep 2 - Mickey Rooney is looking for spies at Humperdoo's lab.
Ep 3 - San Fernando tries to gets rich Michael Landon's money.
Ep 4 - Deadeye suspects Telly Savalas as a stagecoach hijacker. Special Christmas Silent Spot.
Ep 5 - Junior disturbs Audrey Meadows' Sunday morning.
Ep 6 - Jill St. John tries to get Humperdoo's secrets.
Ep 7 - Chad Everett and Cass Elliot are victims of San Fernando's marriage mill.
Ep 8 - James Drury auctions Clem's farm.
*Disc 3
Ep 1 - Eva Gabor is a rich person that whats to learn about hobos with Freddie and Muggys (Wally Cox).
Ep 2 - Vincent Price is a cook has found the perfect recipes on an island. He his about to be rescued but Clem messes things up.
Ep 3 - Martha Raye is Clara wondering why Appleby is holding a garage sale.
Ep 4 - George Gobel is trying to steal Humperdoo's secret.
Ep 5 - Phyllis Diller is gunning for Deadeye.
Ep 6 - Tony Randall is San Fernando's TV director for a campaign speech.
Ep 7 - Sabastian Cabot spoofs Ironside with Clem.
This is an almost complete collection of the 1970-71 NBC season. What is missing is the Christmas Show and the Jack Benny introduction.
