During its nine year run on NBC (1962-1971), "The Andy
Williams Show" was enjoyed by millions of people around the world and won
three Emmys for "Best Variety Series." Here is a compilation, hand-picked by
Andy, of priceless moments from the Golden Age of live television. Take center
stage with Andy as he performs solo and in duet with many of the greatest
entertainers of all-time. Songs (with guests): On a Wonderful Day Like Today,
Do-Re-Mi (Eddie Fisher, Bobby Darin), Give Me the Simple Life (Pearl Bailey),
I'm an Old Cowhand (Sammy Davis Jr.), The Way You Look Tonight, City Medley
(Tony Bennett), In the Arms of Love (Henry Mancini), In a Little Spanish Town
(Bing Crosby), Lida Rose (The Osmonds), Look Down That Lonesome Road (Ella
Fitzgerald), Girl from Ipanema (Antonio Carlos Jobim), Theme from "The
Pawnbroker," Language of Love (Julie Andrews), May Each Day. Now
the king of Branson, Missouri, Andy Williams ruled the TV airwaves in the
early 1960s, and this compendium of musical numbers culled from the show's
archives features some surprisingly astute musical moments. Among others,
Williams performs with Bobby Darin, Pearl Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing
Crosby, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Of course the catch is that to see all of these stars at the peak of their
powers, you have to watch them performing with Williams. This will allow you
to marvel at how it was that an inveterate WASP, who looked like a clean-cut
insurance salesman and sounded like a white-bread Perry Como (if that was
possible), became a huge star in the 1960s. It will also give you a glimpse at
examples of the now long-gone TV variety format of yesteryear, in which an
easy-going host welcomed guest stars weekly to sing pop songs of the day and
do skits (catch Judy Garland teaching Andy how to apply clown makeup in
pantomime). --Marshall Fine