Product Details

• Actors: Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr.
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Kultur Video
• VHS Release Date: July 1, 2002
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00006CXIZ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429,642 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Forty-seven complete songs in 100 minutes: at an average of little more than two minutes per tune, the hits come fast and furious in this black-and-white compilation drawn from Nat "King" Cole's 1957 NBC-TV series. That's a good thing, as the buttery-smooth Cole was certainly a distinctive pop vocalist, and the repertoire includes many of his best known numbers: "Unforgettable," "Mona Lisa," "The Christmas Song," and so on. But the best moments here come when he returns to his jazz roots, singing and/or playing (he was a fine pianist) with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, the Mills Brothers, trumpeter Roy Eldridge, pianist Oscar Peterson, saxophonists Stan Getz and the incomparable Coleman Hawkins, bassist Ray Brown, and others. If tunes like "Stompin' at the Savoy," "It's Only a Paper Moon," and "Sweet Lorraine" don't get you swingin', then you better check your pulse-–to see if you still have one, that is. --Sam Graham

From the Back Cover

The best performances from Nat "King" Cole's 19567 NBC television series featuring 47 full-length songs. Digitally remastered, this is the ultimate Nat "King" Cole collection featuring the legendary entertainer's greatest hits. Also includes performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Mercer, the Mills Brothers, and the Oscar Peterson Trio, with Ray Brown on bass, Coleman Hawkins on sax, and Herb Ellis on guitar. Plus, Nat is joined by Jazz at the Philharmonic all-stars Stan Getz, Illinois Jacquet, and Flip Phillips on tenor sax, Jo Jones on drums, and Roy Eldridge on trumpet. The orchestra is conducted by Nelson Riddle. 100 minutes.

Part 1: That Reminds Me, Little Girl, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, Ballerina, Pretend, It's Only a Paper Moon, Sweet Lorraine, I Want to Be Happy, With You on My Mind, Stompin' at the Savoy, But Not for Me, You Are My First Love, Just You Just Me, Raintree County, Dig a Dig a Doo, Where or When, Dancing on the Ceiling, Too Close for Comfort, The Christmas Song, A Blossom Fell, Unforgettable.

Part 2: Somewhere Along the Way, Almost Like Being in Love, It's All in the Game, Anything Goes, Zing Went the Strings of My Heart, So Long My Love, Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful, Red Sails in the Sunset, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Mona Lisa, I'm Sitting on Top of the World, Dream, Save the Bones for Henry Jones, Autumn Leaves, Mama Look a Boo Boo, There Will Never Be Another You, Blueberry Hill, Shine On Harvest Moon, Tenderly, Opus One, When I Fall in Love, These Foolish Things I Do, How High the Moon, Shadow Waltz, I Get a Kick out of You.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A shining treasure from the past, November 7, 2003

By 

Joseph Folino "Satisfied viewer" (Turlock, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nat King Cole - The Incomparable Nat King Cole, Vols. 1 & 2 (DVD)

I have just viewed this DVD for the second time and amazed at the memories it brought back. It truly is a treasure to have and to hold. I will not go into the nostalgia of the selection of songs as ther is not enough space to properly discribe them, The most amazing thing is that it is in stark black and white... there are no elaborate sets... just good plain music played .. and sung the way they were intended to be. Nat King Cole delivers in his own inimitable style the smooth and distinct quality that is striclty his own. You hear and understand each and every word. This DVD may not be for the current generation, but I strongly recommend that they buy it and hold on to it ... for someday when they finally realize what real music is, they will be able to play it and understand why it meant so much to us in our day. ( (we) the older generation) There are cuts in this DVD with Ella Fitzgerald... Johnny Mercer...Oscar Peterson trio and others that are choice pieces worth their wieght in gold. I am buying several additional copies for friends and relatives so that they may share this masterpiece... and if Natalie happens to read this review, I wish to thank her and hope she is aware of the wonderful legacy her father left her. It is understandable why she is the performer artist she is.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great value for Cole fans, December 4, 2004

By 

Nicolas S. Martin (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nat King Cole - The Incomparable Nat King Cole, Vols. 1 & 2 (DVD)

Many music DVDs offer poor value, but not this one. The number of songs is large and the performances are of excellent quality. A tremendous buy for Cole fans.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific DVD, But I Want More, August 2, 2009

By 

Zvi Szafran (Marietta, Georgia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nat King Cole - The Incomparable Nat King Cole, Vols. 1 & 2 (DVD)

The Incomparable Nat King Cole features lots of songs from the 1957 television show. The songs are great, Nat King Cole is superb, and the sound and picture quality are fine, especially considering the time period for the recordings.

The only thing missing is the shows themselves. When will NBC or whomever owns the rights release the complete shows? I'd be first in line to buy them. It would be a fitting tribute to the first black performer starring in his own TV variety show. For you younger viewers out there--Michael Jackson did not break the TV color barrier for black singers--Nat King Cole did, decades earlier!