Product Details

• Actors: June Allyson, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, The Andrews Sisters, Fred Astaire, Irving Berlin
• Directors: Andrew J. Kuehn
• Writers: Frederick L. Greene, Joe Gilford, John Ardoin, Mary Cleere Haran, Scott McIsaac
• Producers: Andrew J. Kuehn
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: April 22, 2003
• Run Time: 175 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00008AOWT
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,907 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Great American Songbook" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NR
Release Date: 22-APR-2003
Media Type: DVD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Great!!!, May 24, 2003

By 

Gwendolyn Aughtry (Landover, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great American Songbook (DVD)

This wonderful DVD features songs written by the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Frank Loesser, Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jerome Kern & Dorothy Fields just to name a few composers and lyricists. A big plus is that the entire musical numbers are shown, but not just short clips. If you love great American songs, this DVD is for you. Highly recommended.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Era of Song is collected in a wonderful Program, March 15, 2003

By 

Kimberly S. Loeffler (Binghamton, New York USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Great American Songbook (DVD)

I just saw this wonderful PBS special last night on the "Great Performances" special and I must say that this is one of the best and well documented accounts of the most incredable music from the song writers and the stars who made these songs Unforgettable. This show pays tributes to Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter and countless other composers.
The Musicals of Astaire and Rogers, Rooney and Garland, Bing and Bob, Ethel Merman and many others. I really learned alot and enjoyed this DVD greatly. This show is hosted by Michael Finestein and full of the best pre-war, post-war and Big band music that movie lovers are acustomed too! If you love this era of popular song, Love Judy Garland who is featured 4 times or just enjoy musicals. This is the program to have in your collection. I can't wait to get my copy.

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Doc's about the 40's Musicals, May 2, 2003

By 

Kimberly S. Loeffler (Binghamton, New York USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Great American Songbook (DVD)

The Great American Songbook is one of the best recent Documentaries about the songwriters and the music of America. Short Bio's of Porter, Berlin, Gershwin and a slew of others. The best parts of this program are the clips of stars Like Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman singing "Anything Goes", Ray Bolger, Fred Astaire, Sophie Tucker singing "Some Of These Days" from (Broadway Melody Of 1938) My favorite clips were of Judy Garland performing with Mickey Rooney "I Wish I Were In Love Again" from (Words And Music) "Easter Parade" with Fred Astaire and Singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" to little Margaret O'Brien in (Meet Me In St. Louis) special feature includes Judy's 1942 appearance in the MGM short film "We Must Have Music"
It was only disappointing that Deanna Durbin, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe were not featured as they sang songs from these great songwriters. also featured was Mel Torme, Dinah Shore, Ann Sothern, And the list is endless. Michael Fienstein hosts this 176 minute program. It is truly the best re-telling account of American popular song and the music EVERYONE loves.