Product Details

• Actors: Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Larry Gelbart
• Producers: Peter Jaysen, Rich Tackenberg, Scott Zakarin
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Creative Light
• VHS Release Date: June 20, 2000
• Run Time: 76 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004TJU5
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,929 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

One of the greatest comedians of early television, Sid Caesar hasn't had his work shown in perennial reruns, so it's especially gratifying to see a collection of his classic sketches released on video, with Caesar himself introducing the material. Besides being a truly gifted comic, Caesar benefited from having some brilliant supporting players, including Carl Reiner, Imogene Coca, and Nanette Fabray. Some of his illustrious writers, including Neil Simon, Woody Allen, and Mel Brooks, appear in interviews setting up the sketches. The sketches themselves include some all-time classics such as Caesar and company playing the figurines populating a medieval town clock (a brilliant bit partly written by Neil Simon and his brother, Danny, who reminisce after the sketch). And of course there are some of Caesar's brilliant parodies of foreign films, in which he and Carl Reiner took the bizarre art of dialect doubletalk to new levels. Caesar bristled with a manic energy, and his brilliant portrayals of characters ranging from a loudmouth suburban husband to a 1950s teen idol are all the more amazing when one considers that all this dazzling work was done without a net, with no second chances, on live TV. --Robert J. McNamara

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is Live Television at It's Absolute Best., August 22, 2001

By 

Terry Knapp (Santa Rosa, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sid Caesar Collection - The Magic of Live TV [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Watching this collection is a revelation. This is "live" television from nearly fifty years ago and it is still falling-down funny. The word "genius" is overused but it certainly applies to the men and women who created these classics of sketch comedy: Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Mel Tolkin, Neal and Danny Simon, Woody Allen, Imogene Coca, Nanette Fabray, Howard Morris, and, especially, Sid Caesar. The great thing about this collection is that, unlike other compilations which feature only excerpts, all of the sketches here are presented in their entirety. All of the classics are here: "The Clock," "This is Your Story," the "From Here to Eternity" spoof and many others. If you really feel like having a good time, this is the place to be!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Sketch Comedy from Caesar's "Your Show of Shows"!, August 16, 2001

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sid Caesar Collection - The Magic of Live TV (DVD)

Sid Caesar was the most talented comic performer of the live television era with his classic "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour." Caesar also had the greatest ensemble cast of all time with the late Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and others. Add to that a writing staff that included, at various times, Reiner, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Neil Simon and Larry Gelbart. The volumes in this DVD collection include some of the best comedy sketches from both shows, digitally remastered from the original kinescopes. Caesar picked the sketches personally and interviews with the cast members and writers are used as introductions. Sketches included on this first volume, "The Magic of Live TV," includes "The Commuters in '7 Dwarfs Bet,'" "The Professor in 'Board Rooms of hollywood,'" "The Five Dollar Date," "Sid Plays Sax with Benny Goodman," "The Clock," "A Fella Needs a Girl," "The Haircuts--'So Rare' and 'Flippin','" and my favorite, "This Is Your Story." Thank goodness these priceless shows have been preserved. They deserve to be as well known as episodes of "I Love Lucy" and "The Honeymooners."

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sid Caesar Collection - The Magic of Live TV, March 8, 2007

By 

Gerald Arnst "AT&T Retiree" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sid Caesar Collection - The Magic of Live TV (DVD)

Can't review because of non-delivery. It is now Mar. 8 and I it ordered on Jan. 30.

Looked forward to getting it but it is not to be.