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The Bootleg Files: The Strollin’ ’20s

BOOTLEG FILES 856: “The Strollin’ 20s” (1966 all-star television special).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO:
None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: There is most likely a rights clearance issue.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE:
Not likely.

Black entertainers have been part of the American television experience since the medium’s beginning, with no less a figure than the legendary Ethel Waters starring in an eponymous special in 1939 when television was still mostly experimental and extremely limited in its reach. Once television became more prominent in American living rooms, Hazel Scott and Billy Daniels briefly had their own programs, while in the mid-1950s NBC’s decision to have Nat King Cole host his own variety show created unexpected controversy when no national sponsor was willing to back the program. Harry Belafonte headlined a 1959 special that was sponsored by Revlon, but he rejected further productions backed by the company when he was ordered not to integrate his song and dance ensemble.
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The Bootleg Files: Olivia Newton-John – Hollywood Nights

BOOTLEG FILES 811: “Olivia Newton-John – Hollywood Nights” (1980 TV special).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: The expense in clearing the music and performance rights.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: There is no great call for this one.

In April 1980, Olivia Newton-John was at a career peak – she ended the 1970s as one of the decade’s most popular recording stars and her first Hollywood movie, the 1978 production of “Grease,” immediately established her as a box office presence. Her star power was so strong that ABC recruited her for a one-hour variety special that would air ahead of its telecast of the Academy Awards ceremony.
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The Bootleg Files: “Parade” Starring Sammy Davis Jr.

BOOTLEG FILES 751: “‘Parade’ Starring Sammy Davis Jr.” (episode of a 1959 Canadian television variety series).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Multiple issues prevent its release in the U.S.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE:
Not likely.

During the 1950s, Sammy Davis Jr. was a ubiquitous presence on American television. Whether working solo or with his father and uncle as the Will Mastin Trio, Davis’ singing, dancing and comedy made him a scene-stealer on nearly every variety program.
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