COKE TIME with EDDIE FISHER FLORENCE HENDERSON

[Juliaflo]

When 'Fanny' was released as a movie, all of the musical numbers were eliminated, and the score was merely used for background purposes. (The same applies to 'Irma LaDouce').

Happy New Year.

[gf1001]

WOW what a VOICE Prisioner of love outstanding A VOICE like no other Fabulous. thanks for sharing.

[1946Beth]

I have this video of Eddie singing Papa Loves Mambo, the mistake he made was very minimal in the days of live TV. mcgovnor was right about Eddie's voice and delivery. He was the best singer ever, but overlooked due to his personal life. I have met him many times at his shows and he was very nice. I even got to know him a little back in the 80's at his shows.

[kgarmaker123]

Wow. fabulous singing the way they used to do ! Not all this screaming that passes for screaming these days.

[mcgovnor1]

In live situations, things happen, regardless of rehearsal time. In fact, there are often trouble spots that will remain trouble spots regardless of hours of rehearsal.

Often, the extra time usually sets the stage for a train wreck.

[djoutrage18]

lol what a mess, poor guy, loved cindy oh cindy as a kid, but how can you forget the lyrics?

[av8tor17b]

Good Bye Eddie. You will be missed! 

[CarlDuke]

Eddie did a lot for Florence Henderson. His recording of the song Fanny helped turned a borderline play of the same name into a going concern and his recording of Wish You Were Here turned a failing play, again of the same name, into a hit. These were Florence's firs two Broadway shows. Today Florence has a daily show on the cable network Retirement Living. A real survivor. I wish she could have shared her secret with Eddie, who was the best singer ever.

[kirkrules66]

Wow! Mrs. Brady looked Like a teenager back then.

[echovarde]

2009.... where are the good music makers of this era who will be remembered 55 years from now.... this program, even with its 1950's look, far out classes anything that I can see on TV today. Incredible... great... and thanks to the YouTube people for making it possible for us. Have you downloaded Google Chrome?

[dungareedoll1]

Thanks Mcgovnort1, I agree about this video. I have this Coke Time video among many others.

I think the little mistakes when he is singing are part of his charm, and wow, was he ever charming! With a great voice and delivery, perfect pitch voice. You don't hear many with a voice as clear and sweet as Eddie, at least in his early years.

[mcgovnor1]

As a musician who worked with Fisher many times later on, I've got to say, any putz can point out the disaster on the "Papa Loves Mambo" bridge. Check out the dozen other Coke Time LIVE TV broadcasts where Eddie sings as close to flawlessly as anyone, anyone in the business. Range, pitch, sound and delivery as good as anyone, and in his own way, one of the very best. And although he made many mistakes, he is a mensch. Check your own score card sometime..

[rockyPants4000]

@mcgovnor1 Yeah... but in this case it's obviously not a "mistake", but rather a lack of rehearsal and familiarity with the song. That's inexcusable for a star on a $1M contract in the fifties. He obviously put his time and energy into something else that week, it wasn't a difficult number. Such is life.

[CarlDuke]

@mcgovnor1 Thanks for your perspective and I certainly envy you your hours working with Eddie. He was the best singer I've ever heard, period. Interestingly your comments from two years ago echo the sentiments expressed by his family at his passing, especially your calling him a mensch. Glad you chose to share your thoughts.

[IDLERACER]

It's interesting how they make the most out of the limitations of black and white cinematography, by having all those loud polka dots, stripes and checks in that opening mambo number.

[jsb1750]

"Papa Loves Mambo" was a hit song for Perry Como. Listen to how Fisher totally screws up the bridge. Priceless.

[patriciaoday]

I love the music from that musical Fanny. I wonder why no one ever revives that story? It's so much more modern than let's say the story of Oklahoma, which is more dated.

[BernardProfitendieu]

it's being revived this year at City Center as part of the Encores! series ... can't wait!

[freestuffffff]

Wow, Mrs. Brady at 20. She sure improved with age!!

[edybeast]

She was the only reason I watched "The Brady Bunch."

[siamdesperado]

What aa jerk eddie Fisher turned out to be...

[fromthesidelines]

At the time, 'retro', Eddie was just getting to know Debbie Reynolds, and married her in 1955....

[retrofuturex]

One of Liz Taylor's countless husbands.

[fromthesidelines]

"COKE TIME" was on two nights a week- Wednesdays and Fridays- at 7:30pm(et) on NBC, just before John Cameron Swayze's "CAMEL NEWS CARAVAN" from 1953 through 1956, when Coca-Cola pulled out of Fisher's program, due to a dispute with its bottlers over distribution of a larger bottle. This is a November 5, 1954 telecast, where Florence Henderson, then a musical comedy performer (who had just opened in the Broadway musical "Fanny" the previous evening), is Eddie's guest star.