Elvis On The Milton Berle Show Tops List of 100 Influential Shows
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In a new article, Adweek explores the 100 most influential TV shows and how they changed pop culture. At the top of the list is "The Milton Berle Show" followed by "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Adweek used a photo of Elvis with Milton Berle to illustrate how these variety shows impacted modern media.
Check out the full list in: http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3ice42330131d9ea115e7a4bcd07a9a100
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The quality varies because the video is made up of multiple clips. I have tried to edit in the best quality video where possible. I have synced in a new audio track, it is much better than whats on the original video. The hiss and crackle sound has been reduced quite significantly throughout the majority of the video except the end.
This performance has been included on many Elvis Dvds, However its presentation on a few is quite poor. The worst I have seen is from the film "This Is Elvis". The performance is cut short, truncated, interrupted by Johnny Harra [Elvis impersonator], extra "ows and ahs" from the audience are added. Also the bottom half of his legs are cut off, so we don't get to see properly his now famous leg shuffle [2:04m]. Whats the point of including footage in a documentary if it isn't presented in its true and raw form?.
Also sometimes like on the TV special "Elvis: Greatest Hits - Centre Stage" the first verse is edited out and begins at [0:39 m] and again the performance is interrupted this time by George Klein.
Some ask what was the controversy all about?
Well, this performance was pretty run of the mill until Elvis slows the song down [1:39m] and makes a suggestive motion with the microphone stand & then walks with a sort of drunken stance then turns towards the audience & thrusts his body to them. At the time this was deemed too sexually suggestive for a family show.
About the show:
NBC-TV "The Milton Berle Show" - Comedy/Variety Show
8.00 to 9.00pm , June 5th 1956
filmed at NBC Studios,Burbank CA
Guests:
Elvis Presley - the new singing sensation
Debra Paget (actress)
Arnold Stang (comedian)
Irish McCalla (actress)
Les Baxter and Orchestra - with his No.1 hit 'The Poor People of Paris'
Barry Gordon (child star)
notes:
- the original broadcast was in colour!!
- Elvis' first television performance of Hound Dog which he was yet to record until July 2nd 1956 a day after his appearance on the Steve Allen show.
-In my opinion his performance here of Hound Dog was the most important milestone of his career, because it made him a star. The day after this show aired his name started to headline the front pages of newspapers across the nation and even though most of the publicity was negative, the offers kept coming in and he soon at only 21 years of age was a millionaire and the King of Rock n Roll.
Source; Youtube - EPE / EpGold