The Danny Kaye Show Reviews

“Stick Around, Kaye Can Do Better”
The News-Dispatch – Sep. 26, 1963
By: Rick Du Brow

The best comments relating to Danny are in yellow text

           HOLLYWOOD (UPI) – Danny Kaye, the noted Los Angeles Dodger fan, opened his own season on CBS-TV Wednesday night, and like his baseball confreres he was all form and no punch.
            It’s a funny thing though. When Jerry Lewis’ new ABC-TV series laid an egg last Saturday, I resented it because he seemed to think he was doing everybody a favor just by being there. But when Kaye’s one-hour premiere turned out mediocre in its first weekly effort, it was hard to get annoyed because how can anyone get angry at Danny Kaye?
            I guess that’s what CBS is counting on in the long run, why it shelled out all that money. It’s no secret what the prospect of a weekly grind does to performers but it was really awesome in a way and depressing too to see how the boob tube can level even the greatest entertainers who sign for a full season.
            Kaye has such immense personal style and showmanship that at times he made the hour seem better than it was, but the fact is that it was a very routine variety outing, with little music or comedy of distinction. Kaye seemed to realize this, and he radiated the confidence of a man who doesn’t see the sense of hurrying things because he’s sized up the competition and know’s there’s not much to worry about. Maybe he should be rooting for the New York Yankees, at that.
            What was good was that he appeared to be feeling out the television medium for the long run, like a boxer in the first round who plans to go the full 15. What was bad, very bad, was the absence of the comedy writer who knows him the best and brilliantly, his wife, Sylvia Fine.
            On hand for the hour was a young woman singer called Lovelady Powell, who had an interesting face to go with her name, but I’m afraid not much else. The showstoppers were two young fellows named Joe and Eddie, who sang an exciting syncopated song. Kaye’s best moments were at the end when he recalled his recent Russian trip in personal concert style, telling stories, singing a little, displaying his flair for the sound of foreign languages. That is the real Danny Kaye, the great one, and for my dough that’s all he needs to do for an hour.

“What Of Judy, Jerry And Danny?”
An Inside-the-Trade Look At New Variety Headliners
The Pittsburgh Press – Oct. 21, 1963
By: Rick Du Brow

Comments relating to Danny are in yellow text

           HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 21 (UPI) – How are the season’s three big variety headliners, Danny Kaye, Judy Garland and Jerry Lewis, doing with their new weekly shows? . . . Here’s how they look to the television trade from a commercial viewpoint . . . Not one of them has scored what Madison Avenue considers a really impressive rating . . . but the Kaye entry, despite the usual leveling quality of weekly shows, is regarded as being on solid footing, while Lewis and Miss Garland are in series that can be described as being in a state of nervous flux . . . the breakdown:
            KAYE: It is hard to find anyone who does not think his CBS-TV show will be a sure-fire audience getter . . . but most important, from the view of television people, is his ability to give the impression that everything is organized and in firm control, despite ups and downs.
            GARLAND: Her CBS-TV show may make it—it is reported set for at least 32 weeks—but nothing apparently is coming easy. First the original producer was replaced . . . and three writers left . . . then the original first five shows were put off for a while, and new ones were hurriedly taped . . . then comedy regular Jerry Van Dyke exited though he’ll be on the screen for a while . . . now it’s reported there’ll be another massive shakeup if the series goes beyond 13 weeks.
            Ironically, Miss Garland’s simple, brilliant abilities with an audience seem to have become secondary to upper-echelon fussing over exactly what to do with her . . . her programs, if not superlative, have at least been acceptable, and even Kaye had quite a bad show his last time out, but the difference is that the Garland hour seems plagued internally by indecision and lack of direction.
            LEWIS: His two-hour ABC-TV show has improved somewhat since its premiere, mainly because it could not conceivably have gotten worse . . . and some ABC people seem optimistic about the future . . . Lewis’ idea of tastefulness is probably his worst enemy, and there are those who will have no truck with his program no matter what he does.

“Glynis, Danny Kaye In Funny Hour”
The Pittsburgh Press – Dec. 4, 1963

           The Danny Kaye Show continues to dispense cheer in a very entertaining hour. Glynis Johns and Danny have a fine pair of skits. In one they are office workers sticking to their desks during a Christmas party. In the other, called the “Cooper Copper Keeper Kipper Caper,” Danny is an unassuming Englishman who misses his commuter train and catches the Espionage Express, a fun train. Glynis is a cigar-smoking spy. There are some good sight gags. Jo Stafford and The Big Three provide musical highlights.

“Danny Kaye in a Top-Notch Offering”
St. Joseph News-Press – Mar. 25, 1964

Fair warning: You may split your sides laughing at this one, twice as funny as anything Danny Kaye has done thus far. Two sketches are gems, one set in Italy with Danny as an old tailor who can’t read and Howard Morris as the mailman who’ll read his letter for him—at a price.

“Danny Kaye Repeats His Best (A Great Show)”
St. Petersburg Times – May 20, 1964

BEST BET – THE DANNY KAYE SHOW, which turned out to be one of the most winning hours in the season, repeats its opener and it’s a dandy. The comedian’s premiere guests include Jackie Cooper and Lovelady Powell, who join him in sketches involving a frightened airplane passenger; a bandleader, who has to double as a Latin American entertainer, and a musical baseball game. Songs include “Consider Yourself,” “Children, Go Where I Send You” and “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.” A solid hour. 10-11 p.m., Ch. 13.

“Kaye Hosts Liberace, Vikki Carr”
Schenectady Gazette – Jan. 7, 1967

           Singer Vikki Carr, Liberace and child actress Victoria Meyerink visit “The Danny Kaye Show” Wednesday, Jan. 11 (10-11) in color on CBS.
            In the opening comedy sketch, Harvey Korman interviews Mr. Ebenezer Boggs, proprietor of a home for the aged. Danny Kaye appears as Mr. Boggs.
            Vikki Carr sings “Some of These Days,” “After You’re Gone” and “Goodbye.”
            Liberace joins Kaye in a sketch concerning the adventures of secret agent James Blonde (Kaye). Liberace is Mr. 88, the man from P.I.A.N.O., an organization dedicated to evil. Blonde seeks to find out how Mr. 88 plans to blow up the world. Harvey Korman plays Blonde’s chief.
            Later in the show Kaye portrays the old Italian tailor Giovanni, who has come to America to live with his son and daughter-in-law, played by Harvey Korman and Joyce Van Patten. Harold Gould also appears in the sketch.
            Kaye is joined by Miss Carr and Liberace for a song-dance sequence titled “Style.”
            Victoria Meyerink, child actress, chats with Kaye and he sings a song to her titled “Vickie.”

 

“Wednesday: Kaye Laughs While George Burns”
St. Petersburg Times – Mar. 1, 1967

           BEST BET – THE DANNY KAYE SHOW comes up with one of its funniest offerings in a long time, thanks to a great comic rapport between Danny and guest George Burns. The beginning of the show is fine, with George trying to teach Danny (as shy “Jevome”) how to be a top banana. But it’s the second part, almost all Kaye and Burns that is hysterical. George tells Danny stories about vaudeville which break up Danny. Then they do a singing bit with Burns singing some of the world’s best unknown songs, with Danny getting in a few licks. Mireille Mathieu, an 18-year-old “little Edith Piaf” from France, sings three songs. In one Danny gives a line-for-line translation of her lyrics which would have broken up a singer who understood English. (See: The Danny Kaye Show 1967 or Color Version)

 

“TV Scout Previews”
St. Petersburg Times – Mar. 8, 1967

           Best Bet—Danny Kaye’s favorite character is Giovanni Natale, the Italian tailor he first introduced on television in 1964. To prove his feeling The Danny Kaye Show is a full-hour, five-act musical built around Giovanni and a scheme by Mrs. Simpson to lead him to the altar. Danny helps establish the characters by using flashbacks of an earlier show. If not the best, it is easily one of the better TV shows he has ever done. The music, songs, dances and acting all blend with a smoothness typical of a Kaye production, particularly the night club sequence and most of all, the Italian wedding at the show’s conclusion. Danny departs from his usual format at the show’s ending to introduce Amzie Strickland and Harold Gould, who play Mrs. Simpson and Marco, Giovanni’s closest friend.

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