Product Details

• Actors: Spike Jones, Helen Grayco, Eddy Arnold, Howdy Doody
• Directors: na
• Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Infinity Entertainment/Hepcat
• DVD Release Date: November 24, 2009
• Run Time: 260 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002Q5O6SE
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,417 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Dubbed the 'Master of Musical Mayhem' by Rolling Stone, comedic bandleader Spike Jones and the City Slickers were hugely popular in the 40's, 50's and 60's, known for wacky skits and zany renditions of the day s most popular songs. An accomplished musician, Spike was a true innovator whose comedic madness was lightyears ahead of his time directly influencing such iconoclasts as Frank Zappa, Ernie Kovacs, 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Stan Freberg and George Carlin. From 1954-61, Spike came into living rooms across the nation with The Spike Jones Show (NBC & CBS). His special brand of music featured hilarious arrangements punctuated by sneezes, hiccups, snores, belches, gunshots, explosions, whistles, bird calls, cowbells, foghorns ... and anything else laying around at the time!Now experience this classic television on DVD for the first time digitally remastered and featuring Spike s biggest hits (over 60 melodies!) and most hilarious bits in a special-edition, three-disc collector s set, produced and edited under the personal supervision of Spike Jones, Jr. Features show regulars vocalist Helen Grayco (Mrs. Jones) and the City Slickers: Freddie Morgan Doodles Weaver, George Rock, Sir Fredrick Gas and Billy Barty. Also such stars of the day as Eddy Arnold, Zasu Pitts and Howdy Doody. Bonus Material: Two never-before-aired pilots, marking the band s television debut.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funniest Music Ever Created, December 8, 2009

By	Milton Gray (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This DVD set is a widely encompassing overview of the unique music and visual comedy of Spike Jones. Spike was an accomplished musician with a great sense of humor who created music that is not only genuinely funny in its wildly upbeat tempos and clever lyrics, but which also SOUNDED funny by his use of his expertly tuned collection of cowbells and other inventive gadgetry, too varied to describe in words. These embellishments gave his music, along with "normal" musical instruments, such a unique aural effect.

Spike hired a select group of accomplished musicians who were also great comedians, whom he called The City Slickers, and they and Spike performed inventive visual comedy with their zany music in live performances around the country. With the advent of early television, they were enormously popular for years with their own national weekly broadcasts.

Spike Jones had a true passion and genius for his creative work, and it is unlikely that he and his band will ever be equalled. It is indeed fortunate that his performances on television were recorded and are available today on DVD. Don't miss this inspired work.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Endlessly entertaining, December 4, 2009

By	Dan Plankton (Somerville, MA) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)

Amazon Verified Purchase

The talent -- comedic and musical -- on display in these DVDs is simply astonishing. Watching these DVDs I'm constantly going back and forth between cracking up at the humor -- some of it surprisingly audacious for the 1950s [at least from my perspective] -- and sitting with jaw dropped in awe at the musical inventiveness of Spike and his band. The high-energy treatments given to familiar melodies like Farandole and Sabre Dance (from the classical realm) and period pop tunes like Indian Love Call and Holiday for Strings (maybe the band's best song, performed here in a couple of treatments) are a blast of fun even if you don't know the "standard" arrangments. I was born 10 years after these programs were broadcast, so this is no nostalgia trip for me.

To be honest, this is a pretty bare-bones release that merely duplicates some VHS cassettes released in the 1980s, with a bonus disc of two pilot shows. And the material could easily fit on two DVDs. A printed listing of content (like song titles) would have been nice too. Also, there are lot of "ghost" type images and other minor visual issues -- I don't have the technical know-how to know if that could have been fixed. But flaws and all, this is a five-star release simply for the huge entertainment value. Sound quality is fine, considering the vintage -- for example, you can hear the nuances in the incredible banjo playing on Holiday for Strings.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of Spike Jones, December 29, 2009

By	Robert L. Nolin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

A one of a kind Guy. It's difficult to take a great band and bandleader with awesome music capabilities and screw it up and make it still sound good. This was my Dad's favorite of all time. There will never be another Spike Jones. He surely is missed. Thanks to modern technology these dvd's will remain forever.