Laverne was so believable as a shy and ordinary audience member, I was really surprised as I realized she was a professional comedian and singer. The talent level on this show was amazing!
I'm 53 and I was with my Dad in about 1978/79 at a record and book clearance and he picked up a vynal copy of the best of spike Jones and his city slickers. I still give it a spin every now and then. I love it
Dad was born in '40 and loves spike as a kid. He has or did have a few albums and introduced him to me in the early 70's I thought he was great as a kid. I love the TV shows though. This just have been something in the 40's
The funny thing about Spike is, I was introduced to the "murders the classics" stuff before I knew most of the originals with more than a passing glance (also by my dad). So to this day I have moments where I hear "flight of the bumblebee" performed and hear the sneeze and laughter in my head, and have troubles getting through some bars of Bizet without internally going !AND THE MIDDDDLE ONEEE IS YEEEEEELLLLOOOOWWW!
These guys knew how to have fun and create a hell of a mess on stage. Much more modern and creative than the garbage we get these days 😜 Tex Avery world coming alive. Brilliant
What memories.My mother took me to see his show and I can remember some of the bits like it was yesterday. I met some of the players .I still have the autographs and program.Thakns for the great videos.
As kids in the 50's we lived in a two story bldg above my grandparents. Some nights we would "gather around" my grandparents TV (my parents couldn't afford one in those days") and watch this and many other great comedy shows of that era. Spike Jones was my favorite!! Man watching this brings back such great memories of that time. Now I watch Spike and his City Slickers on UA-cam on my TV with my grandkids, and we laugh our asses off. I'm building great memories for them with hopes that they can watch Spike Jones with their grandkids in whatever medium will be available at that time. Maybe they will be watching it on their trip to Mars? Or maybe on Mars!! I HOPE SO!!
Contrary to an earlier posting, this is not Spike Jones's wife. This is LaVerne Pearson, whose game show appearance brought her a brief career as a singer and comedian in the US and Australia. A lovely singer, much of her comedy seems to have hinged on her weight.
I just saw this and besides laughing a lot, I want to say that I just assumed LaVerne Pearson was a trained operatic soprano. She obviously has had voice training! She's great!
I will have to research her. A very good voice reminds me of Dorothy Kirsten and Eileen Farrell and so many others who sang properly back in those days. Unlike the Renee Flemings and Juan Diego Flores of the world now.
Why something like Spike and the Slickers aren't on TV shows just how down our culture has fallen. Thanks to everyone who posts content like this, we need the laughs
Try imagining an act today where the band leader fires off a couple of shots on a revolver for comedic effect! Cop stops Jones for speeding. "What's that revolver for?" "That? Oh, I'm a bandleader. It's part of the act." "Okay, have a good day, sir!"
From the late 50s to late 90s sometimes the swiss singer/musican Hazy Osterwald appeared in german TV. When performing the song ,Kriminaltango' one band member always fired a blank shot.
Bloody brilliant - pity we dont have that sort of entertainment any more, insted of the garbage we are brainwashed with this modern crap day in and day out.
6:08 - no count off. Spike just raises his hands as part of the act and the entire ensemble comes right in with him when he strikes the first note, right on the beat and super tight! Great ensemble!
I have been watching these Spike Jones videos because I’d never heard of him until I watched the Last Waltz film by The Band. Up on Cripple Creek has a line about Spike Jones. After watching a few I can see why I didn’t know about him, kind if the same joke over and over with different song and people. Glad he had such a following, but it’s not my cup of tea. Still don’t know why they say “can’t take the way he sings”, I can’t find a video where he sings at all.
That line in the Band's song is referring to the Spike Jones parody of the Ink Spot's song, 'You Always Hurt the One You Love.' There's a singer and a narrator, who has a southern accent - if you listen to it you'll understand. And no, Spike didn't sing, the idea that Spike was doing both voices is what makes it funny.
Anyone remember an announcement by Spike Jones somewhere in the 1950s on tv that he was abandoning the funny stuff and switching to just straight up Dixieland Jazz?
People did not want to listen to him being serious 😂 so he switched back to his more outrageous music shenanigans. And thank goodness he did! No one can doubt his musical savvy, nor play it as he did. It takes a real skilled musician to perform these skits here.
+Eliezer Pennywhistler Hi - Band leaders and their musicians in his day dressed for the most part in tux's and were very reserved. Spike chewed gum, shot off guns, and he and his band wore loud, checked suits. More ways of not being PC. Hope that helps.
Also before my time. But my dad had a couple of 78 rpm records with 'Spike Jones and His Cis City Slickers' in his collection, and that's how I came to know about these guys. (I remember, that one of those records also contained a song by: 'Spike Jones and His Country Cousins') Having now watched some of these very funny videos of the band here on UA-cam, I must admit that I rather prefer just listening to the recordings they made. To me, all that goofing around on the stage takes too much focus away from Spike Jones' clever musical arrangements.
![What's My Line? - Spike Jones; Steve Allen [panel] (Jul 4, 1954)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/l5xIjcXJia4/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm a misanthropic metalhead, and yet I'm somehow incredibly entertained by this. Whomever has kept this stuff archived all these deserves an award.
If you were my age, you would remember him on TV. Always sight gags and lots of laughs
@@MrRudyc Back when you could acknowledge that fat people were comical.
Laverne was so believable as a shy and ordinary audience member, I was really surprised as I realized she was a professional comedian and singer. The talent level on this show was amazing!
Amazing soprano voice! Spike always used the very best musicians and singers. A parody perfectionist.
I'm 53 and I was with my Dad in about 1978/79 at a record and book clearance and he picked up a vynal copy of the best of spike Jones and his city slickers. I still give it a spin every now and then. I love it
Dad was born in '40 and loves spike as a kid. He has or did have a few albums and introduced him to me in the early 70's I thought he was great as a kid. I love the TV shows though. This just have been something in the 40's
The funny thing about Spike is, I was introduced to the "murders the classics" stuff before I knew most of the originals with more than a passing glance (also by my dad). So to this day I have moments where I hear "flight of the bumblebee" performed and hear the sneeze and laughter in my head, and have troubles getting through some bars of Bizet without internally going !AND THE MIDDDDLE ONEEE IS YEEEEEELLLLOOOOWWW!
Best 10 minutes 17 seconds in show-business. Thank you.
There will never be another Spike Jones and his band. Never!
I wish there was something like this around now! Fantastic musicians!
He only hired the best of the best sidemen (and sometimes women). Each of them had his own band.
These guys knew how to have fun and create a hell of a mess on stage. Much more modern and creative than the garbage we get these days 😜 Tex Avery world coming alive. Brilliant
Spike Jones was one of the all-time great mad men.😎
In one of his shows he was conducting the band with a pistol instead of a baton. No performers to day would do that.😮
They'd send David Hogg to preach against guns.
What memories.My mother took me to see his show and I can remember some of the bits like it was yesterday. I met some of the players .I still have the autographs and program.Thakns for the great videos.
yea. Prescience memories. a.k.a.,,,=you suck. tell it to your parole officer.
Just slightly before my time, but way ahead of where we are now!!
As kids in the 50's we lived in a two story bldg above my grandparents. Some nights we would "gather around" my grandparents TV (my parents couldn't afford one in those days") and watch this and many other great comedy shows of that era. Spike Jones was my favorite!! Man watching this brings back such great memories of that time.
Now I watch Spike and his City Slickers on UA-cam on my TV with my grandkids, and we laugh our asses off.
I'm building great memories for them with hopes that they can watch Spike Jones with their grandkids in whatever medium will be available at that time.
Maybe they will be watching it on their trip to Mars? Or maybe on Mars!!
I HOPE SO!!
Clever brilliant sometimes astonishing but always funny!! The original Spike.
I read recently, Spike's wife is in her nineties and still living out in Cal. Imagine the stories she could tell.
Contrary to an earlier posting, this is not Spike Jones's wife. This is LaVerne Pearson, whose game show appearance brought her a brief career as a singer and comedian in the US and Australia. A lovely singer, much of her comedy seems to have hinged on her weight.
+Eoin F The 50s in a nutshell.
So, like a talented, funny version of rebel wilson?
Brings back memories of when I was just a kid. Always watch Spike Jones..... and the Milton Berle Show, etc.
Spike's double-take had me laughing uncontrollably.
LaVerne Pearson is my mom's 2nd cousin. Thank you for posting this!!
My tummy sure don't wiggle like that, but dang she makes me laugh!
I was wondering who she was. I've never seen her before.
She can really sing!
I just saw this and besides laughing a lot, I want to say that I just assumed LaVerne Pearson was a trained operatic soprano. She obviously has had voice training! She's great!
I will have to research her. A very good voice reminds me of Dorothy Kirsten and Eileen Farrell and so many others who sang properly back in those days. Unlike the Renee Flemings and Juan Diego Flores of the world now.
Spike inspired my love of classical music, I would roll on the floor laughing.
Chicago used to have entertainment - now is has lots of bodies and politicians that would make Huey Long blush.
Thank you, Spike Jr.!!
Why something like Spike and the Slickers aren't on TV shows just how down our culture has fallen. Thanks to everyone who posts content like this, we need the laughs
Maybe that slapstick crap gets old really quick. The manic zany circus atmosphere is really tiresome. And those suits. My eyes hurt.
Gottta love that belt buckle.
Try imagining an act today where the band leader fires off a couple of shots on a revolver for comedic effect!
Cop stops Jones for speeding. "What's that revolver for?" "That? Oh, I'm a bandleader. It's part of the act." "Okay, have a good day, sir!"
From the late 50s to late 90s sometimes the swiss singer/musican Hazy Osterwald appeared in german TV. When performing the song ,Kriminaltango' one band member always fired a blank shot.
Just for information, he mostly used blanks in it!
50years before my time but so glad these are a treasure!
She had the band in stitches, for sure.
If you see it here, you can have it!
Absolutely brilliant comedic crazy music satire and oodles of talent.
They were tops.
Fantastic Spike Jones and the gang are great.
Fantastic. Consummate professionals!
Spike Jones at his best.
Bloody brilliant - pity we dont have that sort of entertainment any more, insted of the garbage we are brainwashed with this modern crap day in and day out.
Vaudeville is dead. Music back then was just like today, some great, some so so, and some total garbage.
Well, no need to wonder anymore why he was Frank Zappa's earliest influence.
...and Weird Al's!
...and Peter Schickele's!
1:13 Spike’s double-take gave the gag away but was such a “spontaneous reaction” to Laverne’s body language. 😆. Definitely a ratings booster!
Wonder what ever happened to his guest…..she has a outstanding voice!!
Damn, does anybody notice what a great voice she's got?
love the old ones
6:08 - no count off. Spike just raises his hands as part of the act and the entire ensemble comes right in with him when he strikes the first note, right on the beat and super tight! Great ensemble!
I sure hope us humans are judged by these talents . Who would ever not want to not be friends with us.
Thank you.
Good old times!
A lovely little arpegio it is too 🎵
That is so cool!
This one of my husband’s favorite Spike Jones songs
Spike is a genius and so funny
NOW THATS ENTERTAINMENT NOT LIKE THE CRAP OF TO DAY R I P SPIKE J , T Y
That 's too much....... I pissed my pants!!
Just loads of fun!
FUNNY STUFF
That’s a heck of a laugh Mrs Pearson lol
Did you ever try Hydromatic? OMG !
BOY DID THEY WORK HARD FOR THERE MONEY LOVE SPIKE AND HIS GANG
OMG this had mnearly pissing myself it was so funny
9:26!!!!! I laughed my ass off!
Stand aside the goon show!! Here come SPike👴
she's good!
She sounds a LOT like whoever sang the part of Carmen in Spike's 'Carmen Murdered'.
No, the female vocalist on "Carmen..." was Eileen Gallagher.
FWIW the song actually starts at about 7:40
Actually it starts at 6:10.
Happy days when all you needed to be was funny, before the laughter police arrived to police our entertainment.
Un peu de détente haha
Her name actually was LaVerne Pearson
That was Helen Grayco, aka Mrs. Spike Jones, who sang "Glow Worm" both on the record and here on TV. And it's still a hoot to see it again.
The lady in the video is Helen Grayco? Don't think so, nothing like.
This is not Helen Grayco. See later comments.
I have been watching these Spike Jones videos because I’d never heard of him until I watched the Last Waltz film by The Band. Up on Cripple Creek has a line about Spike Jones. After watching a few I can see why I didn’t know about him, kind if the same joke over and over with different song and people. Glad he had such a following, but it’s not my cup of tea. Still don’t know why they say “can’t take the way he sings”, I can’t find a video where he sings at all.
That line in the Band's song is referring to the Spike Jones parody of the Ink Spot's song, 'You Always Hurt the One You Love.' There's a singer and a narrator, who has a southern accent - if you listen to it you'll understand. And no, Spike didn't sing, the idea that Spike was doing both voices is what makes it funny.
It's funny, but so many of the jokes are about LaVerne Pearson's weight, and she's such a lovely woman.
Is the drummer with the bubble Candy Candido?
No, this is Joe Siracusa.
Did mrs. Pesrson know what was going on ? and The baseball bat was that part of the act ?
Yes, she was a cast member. This was all rehearsed.
Anyone remember an announcement by Spike Jones somewhere in the 1950s on tv that he was abandoning the funny stuff and switching to just straight up Dixieland Jazz?
People did not want to listen to him being serious 😂 so he switched back to his more outrageous music shenanigans.
And thank goodness he did! No one can doubt his musical savvy, nor play it as he did. It takes a real skilled musician to perform these skits here.
Hehehe)
Spike Jones looks and talks like Dr Oz !
Tom Loughlin Jr. : You mean You Dr. Oz
looks like Spike Jones Don’t you?!
Don't insult the great Spike Jones!
Kate Smith??!!
Look for her on Bing, she is a singer and also has been on the Colgate Comedy Hour in 1950
I wish I could do that with my fat! I know it's because of her vocal training but still 😂 I think I'd feel better about myself.
... and not a swear word to be heard.
👍😂
What's with his gum chewing?
+Eliezer Pennywhistler probably because he was a heavy smoker, he died of emphysema at 53.
+Eliezer Pennywhistler Hi - Band leaders and their musicians in his day dressed for the most part in tux's and were very reserved. Spike chewed gum, shot off guns, and he and his band wore loud, checked suits. More ways of not being PC. Hope that helps.
Anti-PC Movement!
It’s his thing……
Oh, what is this? A big band performance or a circus act? XD
yes
Both. :-)
This was prime time TV in 1951.
SIMPLY ENTERTAINMENT WHICH WE TO DAY HAVE LOST. NOW WE HAVE SMUT
yes.
Also before my time. But my dad had a couple of 78 rpm records with 'Spike Jones and His Cis City Slickers' in his collection, and that's how I came to know about these guys. (I remember, that one of those records also contained a song by: 'Spike Jones and His Country Cousins')
Having now watched some of these very funny videos of the band here on UA-cam, I must admit that I rather prefer just listening to the recordings they made. To me, all that goofing around on the stage takes too much focus away from Spike Jones' clever musical arrangements.
> 'Spike Jones and His Cis City Slickers'
not so cis here: ua-cam.com/video/Tum4XL9x_Ns/v-deo.html
Well, file this one under 'Not Today.' Political Correctness would not permit it.