What is it? Thanks for the Memories: The Bob Hope Specials, 14 specials on six discs from Time Life
How much? $59.95
When? Now
So what's special? Hope was a legendary comedian and from 1950 to 1996, he filmed more than 100 comedy specials for NBC. Only a relative few are collected here, but they give a good idea of what Hope's specials were like: old-style variety shows packed with stars (some who had staying power and some who didn't), cornball jokes, songs and sketch comedy.
Among those included:
• Joys (A Comedy Whodunit): This special from 1976 had a guest list almost as long as a phone book. Vincent Price introduces a story in which celebrities including Milton Berle, Scatman Crothers, Don Knotts, Dean Martin, Don Adams and Phyllis Diller are invited to a party at Hope's house, where a masked "human shark" kills the guests one by one.
• A Bob Hope Comedy Special: The Christmas special from 1965 includes Bing Crosby trying to kick Hope out of his Palm Springs house, escaped con Jack Benny running into Santa Claus (Hope) and egomaniacal stars Hope and Janet Leigh vying for political office.
• The Hilarious Unrehearsed Antics of the Stars: A collection of bloopers over the years.
• Highlights of a Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television: This collection of sketches (or parts of sketches, really) aired in 1975. Hope and Ingrid Bergman as sniping stars on Oscar night and Hope as a president-elect looking for a bride are highlights.
How is it? It depends. If you are familiar with comedians and stars from the 1960s through the 1990s, you'll probably find it entertaining. It's fun to see the older faces and "newer" faces mingling, ribbing each other and generally having a good time. That said, many of the jokes are very dated and specific to the time and people involved. And Hope's brand of comedy might not tickle people used to today's stand-up comics.
New this week: American Horror Story, Season 5; Banshee, Season 4; Dexter, complete series; Dinotopia, complete collection; It, gift set; Knight Rider, complete series; The Librarians, movie collection; Miami Vice, complete series; Penny Dreadful, season 3; Perry Mason, complete series; Preacher, season 1; Prey, Seasons 1-2; Sliders, complete series; Vikings, Season 4, Part 1; Winter, season 1.
Next week: Adventure Time, Season 6; Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, mini-series; Bitten, complete series; Degrassi Junior High, complete series; Good Witch, Season 2; Hannibal, complete series; Kolchak: The Night Stalker, complete series; Mike & Molly, Season 6 and complete series; The Musketeers, season 3; Nurse Jackie, Seasons 1-2; Portlandia, Season 6; The Royals, Seasons 1-2; Scott & Bailey, Season 5; Weeds, Seasons 1-2.
Style on 10/02/2016