In 1978 I had just purchased my first VCR and one of the shows I recorded, and which I still have & watch to this day, was this great compilation of the "Comedy of the Movies' Greatest Era" as the show was subtitled.
Walter Mathau is droll and a good choice as host for this type of production.The clips include the funniest of the early talking comedies mostly from the Paramount Pictures vault (Universal as well). The Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, Mae West, Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello all appear. Preston Sturges and Ernst Lubitsch's contributions are also explored.
This was television's answer to the type of film that had been a hit in theaters a few years earlier with the release of "That's Entertainment." I seem to doubt that this program will ever air again - but maybe TCM will get a hold of it and certainly would be worth you time to tune in.
Walter Mathau is droll and a good choice as host for this type of production.The clips include the funniest of the early talking comedies mostly from the Paramount Pictures vault (Universal as well). The Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, Mae West, Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello all appear. Preston Sturges and Ernst Lubitsch's contributions are also explored.
This was television's answer to the type of film that had been a hit in theaters a few years earlier with the release of "That's Entertainment." I seem to doubt that this program will ever air again - but maybe TCM will get a hold of it and certainly would be worth you time to tune in.
