Customer Reviews

Stingiest Man in Town (1956 Original TV Cast) [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED]

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have had the LP of this wonderful show since it was first aired back in the 50s. This is the BEST musical version of Christmas Carol. The cast for this show was wonderful. Partice Munsel is fantastic as Belle, Scrooge's almost wife. Her duets with Vic Damone "Golden Dreams" and "It Might Have Been" are truely memorable. There is one song that shouldbe a Christmas staple, "Birthday Party for the King". Another is "Yes, There is a Santa Claus".The idea of using the Four Lads as caroleers who bracket parts of the story was inspired. Their "Stingiest Man In Town" is just great. The whole cast is simply perfect.

There are many extra tracks on this CD that only add to making it terrific.The Four Lads calypso "Mary's Boy Child" is exciting and will make you want to start dancing.

If you have seen the cartoon version using the same songs, it just can not give an idea of how wonderful this original version is. This is a CD that can be played all year, not just during Christman.

This is big news, especially for fans of Disney Legend Tutti Camarata and the classic Rankin/Bass TV shows. And it has BONUS TRACKS! This is a Columbia cast album from 1956, based on the CBS ALCOA HOUR live-action musical TV special starring Basil Rathbone as Scrooge. Camarata conducted the magnificent score by Janice Torre and Fred Spielman ("Paper Roses").

THE STINGIEST MAN IN TOWN was remade as an animated ABC special by Rankin/Bass in 1978 starring Walter Matthau as Scrooge, with the same songs. There was no soundtrack album, though a promotional LP that tied in with the 1978 show was released by the "Alcoa Singers."

Some of the 1956 arrangements on the Columbia album always sounded very Rankin/Bass to me, with the sweeping violins (that sound like Rudolph taking off). It turns out, as Tutti himself recalled, that longtime R/B arranger/conductor Maury Laws may have worked with Camarata on the arrangements, by coincidence! Anyway, it's really worth a listen I had given up hope that it would ever make it to CD. What a great gift!

I grew up with this music during the holiday's. It is a wonderful combination of inspired actors and songs. Basil Rathbone is a terrific Scrooge (who knew he could sing!?) and The Four Lads as good as any Greek chorus. For many years I'd wander into used record stores just to see if there was a copy of this album only to have record players go the way of the dodo. I do have the album and a record player but they are both well beyond their prime. This is a treat to find available on CD. The animated video does not do the music or story justice. If only a copy of the original 1956 TV special could be found; that would be wonderful!

In 1956 when The Stingiest Man in Town was broadcast on The Alcoa Hour, my parents loved it so much they bought the record. For my entire childhood this music was loved by all the members of our family. It was our unique Christmas tradition. When my brothers and I were old enough to marry the key question was, who gets The Stingiest Man in Town? When casettes became popular copies were made for all of us - scratches and skips included. We honestly thought we were the only people in the world who knew and loved this wonderful music. In the mid-70's when a cartoon version was made we were pleased that the music was being appreciated by a new generation - but were very disappointed in the quality of the production. Every year I have googled the title just in case - but I was pretty sure our scratchy copy was all we would be able to pass on to our children - who all love it as much as we do. What a shock and a joy to find this wonderful recording this year! The joy on the faces of my mother, brothers, and children when they opened their copies was the best part of this Christmas season. Do yourselves and your families a favor and introduce them to these wonderful songs that do such a wonderful job of reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas.

This is probably the best music I have ever heard and I find it incomprehensible that the world hasn't heard it. As a child, my father brought this tv movie home and we watched it on a sheet in our livingroom.Please, if anyone can tell me how to buy a copy of the movie, I would surely appreciate it. When you hear Johnny Desmond sing "The Birthday Party of the King" tears will come to your eyes. The cast is superb an I can't think of a better way to introduce children to this version of A Christmas carol.

I never saw this on TV -- I was born a year after it debuted. But the album has been in my house since I was a baby. I grew up singing along with the record and can imagine every scene! I'm thrilled that it's finally been released on CD (especially since the record is too worn out to be played). The best tunes and the best acting on a Christmas special ever! The Rankin-Bass version ruined the songs, and the acting wasn't much either. Basil Rathbone and the rest of the cast of this version reign supreme!

I have waited for the re-release of the original soundtrack to this terrific production for years! It was a staple in our household in the 50's and we eagerly looked forward to the re-run of it on the Alcoa Hour TV show for, I think, three years. My three sisters and I fought over the ownership of the family owned album for years! I finally scored a copy of the album from a British web site. The original is very hard to find! Now, at last, the CD! My sisters and children will all receive a copy of this most excellent Christmas classic (the best musical version ever!) under the tree this year. No, better still, it will arrive just after Thanksgiving so that it can be a part of this year's Christmas tradition once again. Hooray!

Stingiest Man in Town (1956 Original TV Cast) My parents bought the record of this endearing TV musical when I was a little child, and it became a family tradition. My father taped it when we all grew up and left home, and sent each one of us a copy. It became a tradition with our children, and now we're passing it on to their children. The songs are lyrical, the singing superb, and it is very entertaining. I would love to see a DVD of the original musical, as I never saw it when it first came out. Surely, someone has a copy out there?

I was the original producer along with Dave Savage and was responsible for casting this great musical on the Alcoa Hour. The show was live on NBC,Dec 1955 and many people including myself did not know the Basil Rathbone had a problem with remembering lines. There was a moment when he was talking to Johnny Desmond playing his newphew and his mind went blank, Desmond fed him his line and we prayed that there would be no more incidents. Happily for all, eveything went smoothly afterwards.
The Columbia Records recording of the duet by Vic Damone and Patrice Munsel were done at 2 different studios, first in LA and then in NY, a magnificent job by one artist singing over the sound track to have it sound so seamless. Tutti Camarata did an amazing job of conducting both the TV show and the Columbia recording.
My only regret that back in 1955 we were not able to video tape the show and according to NBC they can not find a copy either.

I remember listening to this when I was growing up. I wore out my parents copy of this. I really enjoyed all the songs but my two favorite are Birthday party for the King and Yes there is a Santa Claus. Two very beautiful songs. Basil Rathbone as Scrooge was awesome. Vic Damone singing is just great.