Tag Archives: TV specials

Musical Monday: The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957)

Posted on by
Reply

It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

pied piper5This week’s musical:
The Pied Piper of Hamlin (1957) – Musical #723

Studio:
NBC

Director:
Bretaigne Windust

Starring:
Van Johnson, Claude Rains, Lori Nelson, Jim Backus, Kay Starr, Brian Corcoran, Doodles Weaver, Stanley Adams, Rene Kroper

Plot:
The people of Hamelin are working to build a clock tower for a visit from the king. Because of this, they are driven by the mayor (Rains) to work constantly, with play and schooling outlawed. When the town is invaded by rats, a magical Pied Piper (Johnson) is called to play a special tune to rid the town of the rodents — the pure of heart won’t be able to hear his tune. After the piper frees the town of rodents, the mayor refuses to pay the piper, who says they will rue the day. Townsman Truson (also Johnson) begs the town to pay the piper before it’s too late and he fulfills his threat.

Continue reading →

Christmas Musical Monday: The Alcoa Hour presents The Stingiest Man in Town (1956)

Posted on by

It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
The Alcoa Hour presents The Stingiest Man in Town (1956) – Musical #577

Basil Rathbone as Scrooge and Johnny Desmond as nephew Fred

Studio:
NBC

Director:
Daniel Petrie

Starring:
Basil Rathbone, Vic Damone, Johnny Desmond, the Four Lads, Patrice Munsel, John McGiver, John McGovern, Martyn Green, Alice Frost, Dennis Kohler, Bryan Herbert, Keith Herrington, Ian Martin, Robert Weede, Robert Wright, Keith Herrington

Plot:
A musical retelling of Charles Dickens’ novel, “A Christmas Carol.” Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Rathbone) is warned by the ghost of his friend Marley (Weede) that he needs to change his ways or he will end up chained to his sins. On Christmas Eve night, Scrooge is visited by ghosts to show him his past, present and future life to convince him to change.

Continue reading →