Ernie Kovacs - "Jalousie" (Jealousy) & "Sentimental Journey" / Bathtub Blackouts / End Credits

[From "Kovacs Corner" on YouTube.com] - On this video, two quirky orchestral arrangements by Juan Garcia Esquivel were used as the soundtrack where office furniture and secretarial equipment were kinetically synchronized. It aired June 1961 on the ABC Television Network as part of Ernie's monthly "specials". Esquivel's album, "Infinity in Sound Vol. 2", was the source of these recordings and it appears to have been a favorite of Ernie's. He used the song titled "Cherokee" from the same LP for a September 1961 music video featuring choreographed kitchen utensils, appliances, and a dancing roasted chicken. Also in this video are three "blackouts" featuring Jolene Brand in a bathtub, and a non sequitur laden end credit roll. BTW...I am still trying to find information about the Polish language version of "Mona Lisa" which Ernie layed down as the soundtrack under many of his blackouts. If anyone has any info on the name of the singer, please email me!

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Ernie
• Kovacs
• Classic
• TV
• Bobby
• Lauher
• Jolene
• Brand
• Joe
• Mikolas
• Maggi
• Brown
• Juan
• Garcia
• Esquivel
• Mona
• Lisa
• Poland
• Polish
• Oriental
• Blues
• Rialto
• Ripples
• George
• Gershwin
• bathtub
• blackouts
• office
• equipment
• desk
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• switchboard
• patchboard
• pencil
• sharpener
• file
• cabinet
• water
• cooler

[fromthesidelines]

Ernie had a HUGE record collection; he would often go through his library to look for "unique" musical tracks to match his "set pieces", as seen here. I know for a fact that the one he chose for a pantomime "hospital" sketch (just when you think it's a successful operation...)- the beginning and end of Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite "- was off a disc he got from a mail-order record "society" in 1957...I know, because I found a copy of it years ago, and immediately recognized the track Ernie used.

[rolko52]

@fromthesidelines Dig a little more on my site and you'll see that sketch!

[asawifehasacow]

If you actually consider the amount of time and ingenuity this took to realize it's mind boggling. Not to mention what kind of mind Ernie had to have had to think of it in the first place. One of the Kovacs biographies has his "script" for this included, and it's almost as much fun to read as this is to watch.

[rolko52]

I have yet to read any of his bios. Which one are your referencing? The one from Diana Rico?

[asawifehasacow]

The one with the scenario or whatever it's called for the musical office bit is "The Ernie Kovacs Phile" by David G. Walley. It's "Appendix B". pp.225-231. The copy is have is a paerback ublished by Bolder Books in 1975. The book was originally published in hardcover as "Nothing in Moderation" by Drake publishers. (I'm a librarian, so excuse the detail...)

[rolko52]

Thanks!

[iadorenewyork1]

When I was employed as a secretary, I wish I could've played this and have my stuff "do" all these things when the boss walked in. Ha!

[ferdinandrecords]

muy bien, esquivel!

[barrymore]

Kovacs was light years ahead of anyone else in the business.

[yogafan6500]

Thanks for another memorable video from the late great Ernie Kovacs.