The Beatles 78 rpm in India debunking!

There have been thousands, maybe millions, of articles written about the Beatles. Yet one of the most fascinating (to me) aspects of their discography has been given limited, and flawed, coverage.

By the early 1960s, the 78 rpm record had been replaced by the 45... except in a few technologically primitive countries. Legend has it that the scarcity of electricity, and the large number of existing acoustic, wind-up phonographs, made it feasible to continue 78 production in the Philippines, Argentina, Colombia and India, where the 10" disks stayed in print longer than anywhere else. The nation still had residual ties to Great Britain, so when EMI decided it no longer needed its 78 presses, they were sent to the company's factory in Dum Dum, India.

For years, the "best" information online was this site (from 1996!) and this Japanese site (last updated in 2014). My interest was renewed during a 2022 trip to India, which came just a few months after Parlogram produced an excellent overview of the Beatles' first two Indian 78s.

Below is the commonly accepted list of Beatle 78s, followed by notes from my research:

*Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You (Parlophone R 4949)

*Please, Please Me/Ask Me Why (R 4983)

The group's first two UK 45s were duly issued on 78 in India, as outlined by Parlogram, on red labels. Catalog numbers are the same as their British counterparts, except no "45" prefix.

*From Me To You/Thank You Girl (R 5015)

For reasons we might never know, India didn't issue the group's third UK 45 on 78. A black label Indian 45 does exist. A user on the 45cat site (vinyldave), who seems quite knowledgeable on the Indian 78s, posted in 2022 that he'd never seen a copy of this on 78, despite seeing numerous copies of earlier and later Indian 78s. He did find two "From Me To You” 78 releases in the Philippines: 61017 and 8883-1.

*I Saw Her Standing There/Hold Me Tight (Parlophone DPE159)

*Long Tall Sally/I Call Your Name (DPE164)

The next two 78s are odd couplings: DPE159 takes a song from each of the group's first two UK LPs. DPE164 takes two songs from the "Long Tall Sally" EP. The DPE prefix seems to be reserved for couplings which had no UK counterpart.

At this point, UK 45s were regularly released in India on red label 78 and black label 45, alongside some couplings from the U.S. and Europe:

*She Loves You/I'll Get You (R 5055)

*I Want to Hold Your Hand/This Boy (R 5084)

*Can't Buy Me Love/You Can't Do That (R 5114)

*Hard Day's Night/Things We Said Today (R 5160)

*If I Fell/And I Love Her (DPE167)

*I Am Happy Just to Dance With You/I Should Have Known Better (DPE168)

*I Feel Fine/She's a Woman (R5200)

*Tell Me Why/I'll Cry Instead (DPE172)

*Eight Days a Week/I'm a Loser (DPE178)

*Rock and Roll Music/No Reply (DPE179)

*I'll Follow the Sun/Words of Love (DPE180)

*Ticket to Ride/Yes It Is (R 5265)

*Help!/I'm Down (R 5305)

*Dizzy Miss Lizzy/The Night Before (DPE183)

*Yesterday/Act Naturally (DPE184)

The next single released in India, on 45, was:

*Tell Me What You See/You Like Me Too Much (45-DPE185)

This appears to have been skipped on 78. However, the fact that a "45-" prefix was specifically used gives some hope that a “78-” prefix disk is out there.

The black label 45 and red label 78 issues continued in India for the following:

*Norwegian Wood/Drive My Car (DPE186)

*We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper (R 5389)

*Michelle/You Won't See Me (DPE187)

Indian 78 releases seem to have ended in late 1965/early 1966. The following releases are commonly on lists of Indian 78s… yet none of them seem to actually exist:

*Nowhere Man/Girl (DPE188)

*Paperback Writer/Rain (R 5452)

Black label Indian 45s exist, but no visual evidence of 78s. Two knowledgeable 45cat.com users (liskeard78s and vinyldave) do not feel these disks exist on 78.

*Good Day Sunshine/Here, There and Everywhere (DPE189)

The black label Indian 45 of these songs has been confirmed... but as DPE190. Catalog number DPE189, in India, is actually assigned to a black label 45 by Johnny Mathis (The Shadow of Your Smile/Moment To Moment).

*Hey Jude/Revolution (DPE190)

As noted above, DPE190 is a completely different Beatles release… from two years earlier. The only evidence of these songs on an Indian disk is DP.570. Note that it’s DP, not DPE, and is a black label 45 as opposed to having an Apple label (likely due EMI not yet securing the Apple copyright in India).

*Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da/While My Guitar Gently Weeps (DPE192)

An Apple label 45 in India. Strangely, this reverts to the DPE19_ sequence, which seems to be almost exclusively for the Beatles, and related content, starting with #178. Other disks in that sequence which haven't been mentioned yet:

#193: Beatles: I’m Looking Through You/What Goes On (unconfirmed in any format, and a strange choice for 1969)

#191: Mary Hopkin: Those Were the Days (Apple)

#182: unknown

#181: actually a Manfred Mann single (Oh No, Not My Baby/What Am I Doing Wrong?)

Back to “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da,” the only evidence of this on 78 is a very fake looking image of a white-label promo, posted almost 20 years ago on eBay. Similarly fake evidence has been seen online for the "Hey Jude" 78.

Laugh In 1977... with Robin Williams

What can one say about the 1977 revival of “Laugh In”?

Everything.

There’s little information online about this one-season wonder, which was actually a series of six monthly "specials." Producer George Schlatter is finally releasing them on YouTube. It’s the first time these episodes have been widely available since a 1979 rerun (after Robin Williams became a megastar).

It’s easy to spot several key differences between this version and the original, 1968-73 series. Dan Rowan and Dick Martin were not invited to host in ’77 (which led to their successful lawsuit), nor was announcer Gary Owens. Their unifying presence is sorely missed. Previous head writer Paul Keyes has been replaced by Digby Wolfe, a writer on the original series. He also created the notorious “Turn On” for Schlatter. In the new series, his British sensibilities give much of the show an odd, almost cutesy edge, in my opinion. Strange, since comedy genius Merrill Markoe is listed as one of the writers.

With better material, the cast might have succeeded. They’re certainly talented and many had successful careers: Ben Powers (later of “Good Times”), Wayland Flowers and Madame, Bill Rafferty (of Schlatter’s “Real People”), stand-ups Lenny Schultz and Ed Bluestone, legendary artist/writer Sergio Aragonés, and of course, Robin Williams.

Williams is actually little seen in the first episode, but his screen time rapidly increased after that (though still in far too many straight, supporting roles). There’s actually a lot more time for Lenny Schultz, and his portions of the show might be the best known since he included them on his personal sizzle reel. For years, that was the only “Laugh In” ’77 content available online (though I recall briefly seeing part of episode three posted, as well as a network promo for the 1979 rerun). The “Happy Days” episode which provided Williams' big break (“My Favorite Orkan”) aired just 20 days after “Laugh In” ended its run.

The 1977 show retained the “looks at the news” segment, the closing joke wall and even the cocktail party (now with disco music). However, it relied on far too many Anita Bryant and Billy Carter jokes. The hippie artist vibe of the '60s has been replaced by theater kid energy, and the writing was still too on-the-nose at times. There was also a great deal of repetition. How many times do we need to hear Barry Goldwater stiffly intoning “I can dig it"? Or Cindy Williams’ mega-hilarious “these people are nuts”? It’s easy to see why the show didn’t catch on... and scheduling might also have been a factor.

Episode 1, hosted by Bette Davis, aired at 8 p.m. on Labor Day -- September 5 – of 1977 against “CBS Galaxy,” a fall preview/variety show hosted by Dick Van Dyke. At the same time, ABC burned off the second of two pilots for the John Byner caper comedy, “McNamara's Band” (the first had aired May 11). Apparently low priority for all three networks.

When “Laugh In” episode 2 bowed on October 10, it competed with two shows destined for quick cancellation: “Logan's Run” on CBS and ABC’s hour-long sitcom “The San Pedro Beach Bums” from Mr. Comedy himself, Aaron Spelling. The host was Bea Arthur, then in her final season of playing “Maude.” She was actually nominated for two Emmys that year: one for "Maude" and one for this episode (Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music), losing the former to Jean Stapleton and the latter to Gilda Radner on SNL.

For episode 3, the show shifted to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2. The lead-in of “Grizzly Adams” was likely meaningless, as “Laugh In” was now up against the top-rated “Charlie's Angels” on ABC. CBS was showing the 1975 Charles Bronson western “Breakheart Pass.” Frank Sinatra hosted this show, and George Schlatter can briefly be seen near the end, coaching the Chairman.

Episode 4 aired Dec. 20, a Tuesday, against two major hits: “Three’s Company” on ABC and “MASH” on CBS. At 9:30 p.m., ABC offered “Fish” and CBS started the TV movie “Tell Me My Name,” but the damage that night was already done.

Episode 5 on Feb. 1, 1978 was back to Wednesday at 9 p.m…. until President Carter planned an address at that time. Following the address, “Laugh In” once again faced “Charlie’s Angels” as well as the Joanne Woodward TV movie, “See How She Runs” on CBS.

A week later, episode 6 faced the same competition: “Charlie’s Angels” and a CBS TV movie (“Ruby and Oswald”). This episode has been listed as both a rerun and a “best of” compilation. It's actually a new episode with a lot of material that must have been saved from the previous tapings. This episode was nominated for an Emmy for tape editing.

Thus ended new “Laugh In” content until the show’s 1993 reunion special. None of the 1977 cast was featured in the reunion, and some had even passed away or left Hollywood. (It's unfortunate, because Ben Powers and Ed Bluestone are the undiscovered gems of this show, for me).

Michael Sklar died in 1984 after a career working in visual and jewelry art, on stage and in two (pre-“Laugh In”) Andy Warhol films.

June Gable has had a long career on Broadway and television, with recurring roles on “Friends” and “Dream On.”

Kim Braden, daughter of British/Canadian actors Bernard Braden and Barbara Kelly, popped up in the “Star Trek” universe during her television career in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Antoinette Atell (billed as “Toad” on “Laugh In”) is an acting coach who now goes by Toni.

Nancy Bleiweiss has followed a similar career path in Palm Springs.

Jim Giovanni, who came to the show with friend Robin Williams, passed away in 2016 after decades as a touring stand-up based in his native San Francisco.

British actress Claire Faulconbridge had a long running role on the UK series, “Crossroads.”

As for the guest stars, the table is below compiled from imdb:

Some of these guests are among NBC’s few stars of the time: James Garner, Rich Little, Robert Conrad. Others seem to be trying to expand into television from another arena: Tina Turner and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were successful; Seals & Crofts soon broke up. Ralph Nader, by the way, looks like his segments were shot for the original series… perhaps it’s the video quality. Or his infamous suit. He looks more youthful than he did hosting SNL that same year. Jack L. Harrell is listed as a guest, which is surprising: he functions more as a castmember/announcer. He previously played small roles and was the announcer for “Sonny & Cher”!

Episode 6 is not listed above, as IMDB credits all of the stars above except: Nader, Harrell, Conrad, Roddy Macdowall, Shirley Maclaine, Susan Ford, Bella Abzug and Henry Winkler (whose appearance in ep. 1 was literally a few seconds, hugging Bette Davis). Gore Vidal is only credited for episode 6, in segments which were shot in his office and are actually pretty engaging.

Sony WM-D6C recording Walkman reviews

It’s rare to find reviews of Walkmans (Walkmen) from back in the day, but I found TWO in Stereophile Magazine, of the Sony WM-D6 and then the D6C.

The first was of the D6 in Vol. 7 No. 6, which puts it at autumn, 1984, just as the D6C was coming out. The author, George W. Graves, listed it as the WDM-6! He was new at reviewing, actually, as the editors described him as “a reader who submitted this article just on speculation, and we printed it! His musical tastes range from occasional jazz to large scale symphonic and operatic works, and he works as a marketing engineer for a semiconductor manufacturer. Other readers who feel inspired to write up products that haven't already been reviewed by Stereophile should feel free to submit articles—but don't be too disappointed if we turn them down!”

One would think that, with all their enthusiastic promotion of digital audio, Sony might have forgotten about analog audio. Not so. For over a year now, Sony has had available a Model WDM-6, known as the Professional Walkman—a deluxe version of their original Walkman, which includes stereo recording capability. Not only is this the only Walkman-type cassette recorder that has high enough quality to satisfy audiophiles, it also has accessories available to make it into an amazingly good portable recording system. The $350 WDM-6 is just a little larger than a paperback copy of Gone With The Wind. The machine may be powered from an optional AC adaptor, from four AA cells, or from an optional rechargeable nicad pack sold by Sony. The nicads can be charged inside the unit while it is operating from its AC adaptor, and a fully charged pack will run the unit for two hours continuously. That makes it a good idea to carry a couple of spare fully charged packs if you're doing any serious recording. The unit has a crystal-stabilized servo-controlled capstan drive and Dolby B noise reduction, high-quality microphone inputs, and it will record on metal tape as well as conventional tape formulations. But it is the accessory microphone which makes this tiny recording system so unusual.

The ECM-929LT is a single-point stereo microphone about the size of a lady's pearl-handled automatic pistol, which is unusual enough in itself. But what makes this unique is that instead of being the usual -Y stereo microphone (using crossed cardioids or figure-8s), this is a true M-S microphone! M-S is an abbreviation for the German minel-seite, which means middle-side. An M-S mike consists of two pickup elements: a cardioid element (unidirectional, heart-shaped pattern) facing forward, and a figure-8 bidirectional element with its lobes facing to opposite sides. Neither element by itself is capable of yielding a proper stereo output, but when the signals are combined in a special way, they do. In fact, by adjusting the way the signals are combined, they can be made to produce an infinite variety of pickup patterns ranging from mono unidirectional (forward only) through every stereo angle to mono omnidirectional (all-around). The combining, or matrixing, can be done with transformers or with active devices and resistor networks. In the ECM-929LT, transformers are used and a switch on the mike itself selects transformer taps to provide unidirectional mono, 90° stereo angling, or 120° stereo angling.

The choice of three modes (rather than more) is inspired by economy, since each mode requires a different combination of taps from the transformer windings, and more taps would raise the cost.

If a greater variety is desired, Sony offers another accessory, the cigarette-pack-sized MRU-60 ($65), which uses resistors and solid-state circuitry, and connects between the microphone and the recorder to provide infinitely variable adjustment of the pickup pattern. It works beautifully, and in some instances its ability to control the size of the stereo "stage" is invaluable. But you do give up something in exchange. It adds some hiss, while the transformer matrixing does not. And the three patterns provided by the basic mike are adequate for most recordings. The same resistive matrixing is used in a smaller and more expensive Sony M-S mike, the ECM-939LT ($115), but it too is noisier than the larger, transformer-equipped one, so I do not recommend it. 

With such an unobtrusive and portable recording system as this, there is a temptation to sneak it into live concerts and "cop a performance." This is not really a good idea. Not only is it unethical, illegal, and likely to get you in trouble, it won't even get you a very good recording. Hand-holding a microphone causes scrabbling noises, it can make one's arm painfully tired after a while, and the recording perspective from an audience seat is usually too distant for a good recording.

Getting permission to record a concert isn't impossible, particularly if the participants are amateurs, at which time you can think about proper placement of the mike. I won't get into the subject of microphone placement here because it could take up a whole book, but with the mike controller on the ECM-929 you can widen or narrow the pickup field after you've set up the microphone.

The first principle of recording is Put The Mike On A Stand. This is easy to do with the 929 because it has both a standard mike-stand fitting and one for a photo tripod. I use a Vivitar collapsible camera tripod, which measures a mere 12 inches in length when folded and extends to about 48 inches when set up. My tripod, recorder, microphone, headphones, extra battery packs, and several cassettes all fit easily into an inexpensive brief case fitted with a foam lining. As the mike has only a 6-foot cable, you will need an extension for it in order to do musical recording. The microphone's output plug is a miniature phone plug, like those used on headphones for Walkman-type units, so I investigated the possibility of using a Walkman headphone extension cable for the microphone. Its cable turned out to be shielded, which made it ideal for the purpose. Most such extensions are suitably shielded but some are not; check by unscrewing the plug cover at one end before buying. (If the cover isn't removable, don't buy it; consider another brand instead.) The mike's output impedance is low enough to allow the use of up to 100 feet of cable, but since the output is not balanced, hum may be a problem with runs of more than 50 feet.

So, what kind of tapes can you expect from this diminutive system? Well, it has always been difficult for me to assess the sound of a tape recorder, perhaps because a live recording is so close to the source (as opposed to a disc recording, which is several generations removed) that my perceptions are a mixture of what I hear and what I remember of the actual event. All I can say is that the Walkman Professional is capable of sound rivaling that from most nonprofessional reel-to-reel recorders. The M-S recording technique has long been acknowledged as one of the most accurate ways of recording stereo, and the Sony M-S system for the Walkman can deliver uncannily accurate stereo imaging. The reproduced soundstage stretches laterally to beyond the sides of the speakers, and each instrument is placed in its own space. Front-to-back depth is excellent, and rendered with rocklike solidity. The mike sounds very smooth, and even though it is rated 3 dB down at 70 Hz, its low end sounds very good. In fact, my only complaint about the 929 mike has nothing to do with its sound: Instead of using a penlight cell or the ubiquitous 9-volt transistor-radio battery, it uses one of the expensive and hard-to-find silver-oxide button batteries. (Just try and find one of those on a Sunday afternoon!) In short, this is a recording system for which few apologies must be made. The fact that it is so portable, and costs under $500 for a complete recording system capable of sound that would have cost several thousand just ten years ago, makes it all the more remarkable. Pretty good for a device that I bought simply to enjoy flutter-free music on airliners.

This is from the September 1987 issue (Vol. 10 No. 6), from a piece about tape decks by Alvin Gold. (Incidentally, George Graves II, as he was now known, was still around and reviewed the NAD 6300 in this issue).

Excerpt about the Sony:

…I cannot resist telling you that one of the best-sounding of the lot outside the predictable top Nakamichis is a little delectation from Sony called the WM-D6C, also known as the Walkman Professional. I had actually tried this deck once before, but hadn't really come to grips with it. Now, I discover, this slightly outsize and almost geriatric battery-powered recording Dolby B/C portable is on a par, measurement-wise, with almost any mains-driven machinery, including some at very much higher prices, and that sonically it just about betters them all. It sounds sweet, lucid, clear, and altogether easy on the ear, works as to the manner born with Type IV metal tapes, and doesn't even cost all that much. It urinates (in the best possible taste, of course) all over any of the current CD Discpeople on all counts up to and including practicality on the move, and excluding background hiss—though Discpeople often sound noisy too.

The other rather shocking realization at the end of the project was to discover how poor most of the decks sounded when Dolby was used, especially Dolby-C. Some decks managed to incorporate Dolby processing without the sound becoming grossly flattened and synthetic, but most didn't, which points to low-grade chips and/or low-grade installations. To add insult to injury, Dolby has been responsible historically, through no fault of its own, for almost total stagnation in the development of cassette-deck technology over the past decade or more. On the one hand, all the old, and now largely discredited, measurement guys were feeding the makers with the "fact" that hi-fi meant 60dB signal/noise; on the other there is Dolby offering 10dB on a chip (20dB with Dolby-C, which predictably sounds worse), and as most machines are already good for 50dB, they didn't need to try any more.

The Chevy Chase Show

Fox gave Chevy Chase his own talk show to debut in the fall of 1993 - the same time David Letterman jumped from 12:30am on NBC to 11:30pm CBS. If you're reading this, you already know it was a monumental flop. The only entertaining portion was the inventive opening sequence. Judge for yourself, while the links are still active:

1) 9/7/1993-Chase presents comedy and talk fare; guests Goldie Hawn, Whoopi Goldberg

2) 9/8/1993-Jason Priestley; the Enchanters

3) 9/9/1993-Harry Anderson; Martin Short

4) 9/10/1993-Kathleen Turner; Robert Townsend; Charlie Kazan, "Wiener Guy"

5) 9/13/1993-Tom Selleck; musician/comedian Rudy Coby

6) 9/14/1993-Stephen Stills; Time Matheson; Scott Flansburg, "the human calculator"

7) 9/15/1993-Dennis Hopper; Anita Morris

8) 9/16/1993-Jennie Garth ("Beverly Hills, 90210"); Garrett Morris; 12-year-old pianist Sergio Salvatore

9) 9/17/1993-Corbin Bernsen; Al Franken; singer Oleta Adams; "Henry the lizard-lover"

10) 9/20/1993-Geraldo Rivera; singer Deborah Allen; finger fitness

11) 9/21/1993-Rita Rudner; Engelbert Humperdinck; tennis match with Billie Jean King and Chris Evert

12) 9/22/1993-Sinbad; Roy Toft & Pancho the Singing Parrot

13) 9/23/1993-Robert De Niro; model Gabrielle Reese; actor/writer Chazz Palmintieri; 87-year-old musician Doc Cheatham

14) 9/24/1993-Kenny Loggins; actor Dean Cain; Tom Squier, "road-kill gourmet"; 11-year-old pilot Victoria Van Meter

15) 9/27/1993-Ron Silver; Jimmy Connors; chef Kazuaki Uehara

16) 9/28/1993-Comedian George Wallace; actor Jonathan Frakes; stockbroker/mentalist Mark Stone

17) 9/29/1993-Sam Elliott; actress Pamela Anderson; Jackie Bibby, "cobra kisser"

18) 9/30/1993-Jamie Lee Curtis; Mark Nevin, "insect chef"

19) 10/1/1993-Musician/poet Henry Rollins; "Tuvan boy wonder"; Kim Alexis; former hockey player Ron Duguay

20) 10/4/1993-Dan Aykroyd; actress Lauren Tom; Susan Montgomery Williams, "bubble gum champ"

21) 10/5/1993-Dave Thomas; basketball player AC Green; "potato chip faces"

22) 10/6/1993-Queen Latifah; actor Doug E Doug; Bill Nye, "science guy"

23) 10/7/1993-Humorist Joe Queenan; actress Lauren Tom

24) 10/8/1993-Michael Damian; Valerie Bertinelli; Taylor Dayne

25) 10/9/1993-Burt Reynolds; musician Dan Fogelberg; comedian Pam Stone

26) 10/12/1993-Lauren Holly; David Fuhrer, "backward talker"; singer Maria McKee

27) 10/13/1993-Band Canadian Brass; Elizabeth Tashjian, nut-museum lady

28) 10/14/1993-Martin Sheen; magician/comedian Rudy Coby; actress Alexandra Paul

29) 10/15/1993-Jim Varney; Jean Stephens, Mary Weems, butterfly-collecting twins

On top of these guests, Janis Ian (musical guest on the very first SNL) was slated for week 3, A. Martinez for week 6, and Elizabeth Ashley and Don Rickles for the unproduced week 7.

The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour

Spring, 1982: NBC’s primetime schedule is in flux. The network had been faltering since the mid-1970s, with things rapidly devolving from 1978 until June 1981, when Fred Silverman was president. Going up against very successful shows on CBS and ABC – shows which he had put on the air during his tenures there – compounded the misery. By mid-1981, they had just six shows in the top 30: “Little House on the Prairie” (#10), “Real People” (#12), “Diff’rent Strokes” (#17), “Facts of Life” (#26), “CHiPs” (#24) and a Monday night movie (#29). That number would shrink to four by the same time next year.

By then, MTM Productions founder Grant Tinker had taken over. He was left with a faltering schedule, the aftermath of the 1981 writer’s strike, and a handful of commitments which would finally bow at midseason, for the spring of 1982: “Teachers Only” and “Cassie & Co.” (part of the network’s commitment to purchase series from Johnny Carson’s company), “One of the Boys” (with Mickey Rooney), “Jokebook” (Hanna-Barbera), the ambitious “Chicago Story” (from Eric Bercovici, producer of “Shogun”) and “Fame.”

All of these appear to be deals that Fred Silverman made on his way out the door. Always a fan of variety and the ABC show “Soap” (which he greenlit) he also put “The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour” on the air in the spring of 1982.

Largely forgotten today, there are just three clips online, all from the first episode, linked below. The somewhat conventional visual look was offset by a pretty hip slate of guest stars. An episode guide follows.

Episode 1: January 30, 1982

The Pointer Sisters, John Candy as Orson Welles, Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis as Bob Hope and Woody Allen, “The Punk Honeymooners” sketch. This episode possibly includes Joe Flaherty as Bing Crosby.

Episode 2: February 6, 1982

Robert Urich, Morgan Fairchild. Includes a spoof of early-morning talk shows, a one-man stage show, “The Alexander Haig Story,” and a parody of “Young Man with a Horn” (“Young Man with a Mouth.”) The Manhattan Transfer performs “Trickle Trickle” and “Spies in the Night.”

Episode 3: February 13, 1982

Robert Conrad, Nell Carter. Sketches include a sex change for Reggie Jackson (Nell Carter), a screen test for Robert Conrad directed by Fernando Lamas (Crystal), and a medley of Lou Carter songs including “What's a Matter with Me?” and “If I Had a Nose Full of Nickles.”

Episode 4: February 20, 1982

Mel Tillis, Lynn Redgrave. Sketches include Fernando Lamas (Crystal) interviewing Tillis, a doctor's X-ray machine suddenly becomes a video game, and Uncle Julius (Billy) is upset with his bridge partner (Michael McManus). Tillis sings “It's Gonna Be One of Them Days.”

Episode 5: February 27, 1982

Rob Reiner, Smokey Robinson, Shelley Duvall. Includes a carload of irritated vacationers who get on each other’s nerves, TV wrestling parody, and Uncle Julius (Billy) is mugged. Billy compares baseball player's names and how they each effect their image. Smokey Robinson sings “Tell Me Tomorrow.”

Crystal would sign off with his raspy jazzbo character's "Can you dig it? I knew that you could" each week. Looking over the guide, there are also signs of what he would do on SNL as a castmember during season 10 (1984-85), following several appearances on the show during season 9.    

The show struggled on Saturday nights at 10 p.m., up against a movie on CBS and the #30 show, “Fantasy Island” on ABC. When NBC announced its 1982-83 season, all the midseason shows were gone except “Fame.” In their place was a slate of new shows: “Cheers,” “Family Ties,” “St. Elsewhere,” “Taxi” (imported from ABC), “Knight Rider,” “Remington Steele," "Silver Spoons," "Mama's Family" and midseason shows including “The A-Team" and "Buffalo Bill." 

Joan Rivers BBC2 CAN WE TALK

We all know Joan Rivers had a flop talk show in 1986... Fox's "Late Show," which she hosted from Oct. 9 of that year until May 15, 1987 (ending the same week as "Hill Street Blues" btw). But earlier in the year she had a DIFFERENT flop talk show... "Can We Talk?" on BBC2. I came across this curio while looking for a clip of Kenneth Williams, from the "Carry On" films. Turns out he was the guest on episode 3 (of six) in the show's only season (British seasons being really short). On imdb, someone who must have watched the entire run had this to say:

"It was the kind of tacky, tasteless rubbish for which American television was once notorious ( and which we in the U.K. now seem to have adopted as the norm for chat shows ). Guests included the late Christopher Reeve, Kenneth Williams, Samantha Fox ( whom she asked if she was a virgin ), Kermit the frog ( yes, really ) and Bernard Manning, the latter famously humiliating co-host Peter Cook with: "You used to be very funny once, Peter.". Rivers' interviewing technique was atrocious, most of the questions concerned sex, and as a result the show looked tired after just one edition. Cook's contribution to the show was negligible, it was painful to watch this comedy genius reduced to playing second fiddle to the ghastly Rivers. Fortunately, the show did not get a second season."

Sounds a lot like her American show, actually, which didn't seem that bad from the clips I've seen. The two shows even look similar, visually. No sign of her late husband Edgar in the credits, but UK comedy legend Barry Cryer is listed as a script associate on imdb.

The episodes are listed as March 10, 17, 24, 31 and April 7 and 14, 1986. This was during a long break in between her guest-hosting stints on "The Tonight Show." In fact, after the BBC2 show ended, she would host just one more week for Johnny before they had a falling out over her move to Fox.

The only info I can find on specific episodes is that #3 included Kenneth Williams, Dudley Moore, Phil Collins, and Samantha Fox. The rest of the guest list on imdb is pretty epic: Christopher Reeve, Cher, Kermit, Joan Collins, Jacqueline Bisset, Rupert Everett, Susan George, Tracey Ullman, George Hamilton, Twiggy, Barry Manilow, Marvin Hamlisch, Bob Monkhouse, Depeche Mode, Ray Parker Jr., Michael Barrymore, Su Pollard, Cynthia Payne, Bernard Manning, Feargal Sharkey, Russell Grant and Arcadia (a Duran Duran offshoot). Dr. Ruth and Dame Edna are listed as appearing in two episodes, while Nancy Reagan is listed as an uncredited phone cameo. Almost all of these guests were famous in America, too, and I have to think this was Joan's way of showing NBC she could headline a show?

The two clips I found are Dudley Moore and then Kenneth Williams.

For more on Joan's talk shows, check out her 1969 series "That Show."

Chicago's Greatest Hits - vinyl or CD?

Chicago has released numerous hits compilations since their last big hit (1989’s “What Kind of Man Would I Be?”)… but none of those compilations are available on vinyl. For that, you’d have to reach back to their 70s/80s heyday, and you still might not get a complete picture of the group.

{NOTE: I am converting all roman numerals to digits, for clarity.}

The Christmas, 1975 release “Chicago 9” sampled material from their 1969 debut through 1974’s “Chicago 7” (except #3). They would continue to hit the Top 40 through 1978, with the first two singles off of “Hot Streets” (aka Chicago 12). After that, though, “Chicago 13” (1979) and 14 (1980), despite containing some fine music, didn’t generate any hits. Columbia Records rounded out their contract with 1981’s “Greatest Hits Vol. II” (now considered Chicago 15), which covered the material from 8-12, plus a few earlier tracks.

The group jumped to Warner Bros. the next year, where albums 16, 17, 18, and 19 came out at two-year intervals and generated another batch of hits. Christmas 1989’s “Greatest Hits 1982-89” (Chicago 20), collected 12 of those.

That would leave 17 charting singles unaccounted for – five of which hit the Top 40.

While Chicago was signed to Warner Bros., their old label made a habit of releasing occasional compilations of old material. To their credit (or perhaps due to legalities), Columbia did not try to title them with roman numerals and disrupt the group’s sequence of studio albums. 1983’s “If You Leave Me Now” overlaps with Chicago 9 and 15 and grabs one charting single (#32 “Another Rainy Day in New York City”) and one which didn’t chart (“Song For You,” their last Columbia single). But 1985’s “Take Me Back to Chicago” is much better: seven charting singles and two album tracks (though the title track was on Chicago 15).

The next compilation, 1991’s “Group Portrait,” did a great job of summarizing the Columbia years – but it left off the underrated (and polarizing) “Street Player,” which didn’t touch the Hot 100 but did reach #91 on the R&B chart in 1979. "Group Portrait" never made it to vinyl and is also non-canonical.

So is the solution just to go with the CD compilations? I don’t think so.

Chicago 23 and 24 were single CDs released in 1997-98, and they leave off a lot of great cuts in favor of some new material (which would hit the Adult Contemporary chart). Chicago 31 (the 40th anniversary hits compilation from 2007) has the same problem. And all the notable cuts from those albums are on 2002’s “Very Best of Chicago” double CD (though even then, they leave out "Street Player," "Gone Long Gone," "Thunder and Lightning" and "Listen").

In 2003, Chicago released “The Box” (#28) followed by 2005’s “Love Songs”; neither one is on vinyl (and the latter is another superfluous rehash).

So, if you must buy vinyl Chicago compilations, stick with 9, 15, 20, and “Take Me Back to Chicago.” This still leaves out four charting Columbia singles (plus one that didn't), four on Warner Bros. (including the generally disowned remake of "25 or 6 to 4"), plus two charting singles released after the 1969-89 golden era (see table below). I would also love to see albums tracks "Where Do We Go from Here," "A Hit by Varèse," "Mississippi Delta City Blues," and "Byblos" included. Maybe they can put out a 60th anniversary boxed set with 9, 15, 20, "Take Me Back" and one extra disc with the material above.

As for new material released after 1989, there's Chicago 21 (1991), 22 (1995, the Big Band album), 30 (2006), 32 (2008, but recorded in 1993), 36 (2014), and 38 (2022... which is Joe Thomas fantasy camp product; look him up). All other releases since 1991 have been compilations, Christmas albums, live albums, or re-recordings.

SINGLES DISCOGRAPHY:

Mar-70: Make Me Smile (#9)

Jun-70: 25 or 6 to 4 (#4)

Oct-70: Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (#7)

Feb-71: Free (#20)

Apr-71: Lowdown (#35)

Jun-71: Beginnings [reissue]/Colour My World (#7)

Sep-71: Questions 67 and 68 [reissue] (#24)/I'm a Man (#49)

Jul-72: Saturday in the Park (#3)

Oct-72: Dialogue (Part I & II) (#24)

Jun-73: Feelin' Stronger Every Day (#10)

Sep-73: Just You 'n' Me (#4)

Feb-74: (I've Been) Searchin' So Long (#9)

Jun-74: Call on Me (#6)

Oct-74: Wishing You Were Here (#11)

Feb-75: Harry Truman (#13)

Apr-75: Old Days (#5)

Aug-75: Brand New Love Affair (Part I and II) (#61)

Jun-76: Another Rainy Day in New York City (#32)

Jul-76: If You Leave Me Now (#1)

Mar-77: You Are on My Mind (#49)

Sep-77: Baby, What a Big Surprise (#4)

Jan-78: Little One (#44)

May-78: Take Me Back to Chicago (#63)

POST-KATH:

Oct-78: Alive Again (#14)

Dec-78: No Tell Lover (#14)

Mar-79: Gone Long Gone (#73)

Aug-79: Must Have Been Crazy (#83)

Oct-79: Street Player (#91 – R&B)*

Jul-80: Thunder and Lightning (#56)

Oct-80: Song for You (n/a)

WARNER BROS. ERA:

May-82: Hard to Say I'm Sorry (#1)

Sep-82: Love Me Tomorrow (#22)

Jan-83: What You're Missing (#81)

Apr-84: Stay the Night (#16)

Jul-84: Hard Habit to Break (#3)

Nov-84: You're the Inspiration (#3)

Feb-85: Along Comes a Woman (#14)

POST-CETERA:

Aug-86: 25 or 6 to 4 [re-recorded] (#48)

Oct-86: Will You Still Love Me? (#3)

Mar-87: If She Would Have Been Faithful... (#17)

Jun-87: Niagara Falls (#91)

May-88: I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love (#3)

Sep-88: Look Away (#1)

Jan-89: You're Not Alone (#10)

Apr-89: We Can Last Forever (#55)

Nov-89: What Kind of Man Would I Be? (#5)

Jul-90: Hearts in Trouble (#75)

Jan-91: Chasin' the Wind (#39)