Peggy's PBS special

Is the PBS documentary on Peggy from 1969 available on DVD or VHS? Does anyone know?
Thanks,
Paul

Not on DVD - at times you can find it on EBAY in a VHS format. Sure wish they would put it on DVD. It is a very special presentation. If anyone (Ivan?) knows how we as fans could approach the 'powers that be' and encourage them to make it available, please tell us how.

Becky

I only know of last year's PBS production, which, of course, is on DVD.

Becky, does the 1969 VHS tape have a title? Any more details would be welcome. Thank you.

Bob Wallace.

Hello Bob,

The opening credits are as follows: 'National Educational Television Presents Miss Peggy Lee - Her Artistry and the Story Behind It'.

Some footage from this documentary is used in the 2004 'Fever' DVD. So it is intact. The show (documentary) was aired on the PBS network.

Becky

Is this the program that shows Lee rehearsing a number several times, then finally abandoning it? I can't think of the name of the song.

Hi Robert!

If I remember this correctly the song you are talking about was entitled "I Never Told You," and I believe she was using the tune from "Shadow of Your Smile." This show really demonstrates the exact details Miss Lee put into all her performances which we all benefited from.

Andy

Yes, she was rehearsing a new song written by Johnny Mandel, "I Never Told You." She was going to do an arrangement of "The Shadow of Your Smile" and "I Never Told You." However, she ended up cutting the piece due to the arrangement not being as she wanted it.

I tuned in to the recent PBS special thinking that it was this program that was to be replayed. Is there a reason why they just couldn't have shown or can't show again the earlier special?

Thanks for posting the name of the tune.

All afternoon, I've been trying to think of the conductor. Was it Fiedler? Wasn't there a connection of this show to the Boston Pops?

Oops. I spent some time at this site and discovered:

Evening at Pops
7/74, PBS
Songs included: Love Song / Clouds / Always / Wait Till You See Him / I've Got a Crush on You / When I Found You / The More I See You / I'll Be Seeing You

"'What she has is a good voice, a good ear, good time, good taste, a wonderful way with ballads, and an actress's ability with lyrics.' That's how a New Yorker article summed up the talent of Peggy Lee, who is making her first appearance with the [Boston] Pops. In a half-hour set, she sings numbers old and new and mostly on the torch side." - TV Guide, 7/28/74

Is it possible this show also shows several attempts of a song, also discarded in the end?

I do not believe so... Maybe you have the two mixed up?

Becky

Thanks for all your responces. Can we contact PBS and find out why this concert is not avaliable? When they did the tribute to Peggy on the PBS News Hour they showed clips from the concert. That was the first time I had seen any clips from it, and then the second time being on the "Fever: The Music of Peggy Lee" documentary.

Thanks again,
Paul Peterson

Becky, all I can say is that it wouldn't hurt to write to PBS stations. (I don't mean to email, which by its nature is too ephemeral, but to write by regular mail.) We seem to be a bit late for that, though... The time to do so would have been when they were showing the PBS special, and noticing that people were responding to it with contributions.

I was in NY when the show was televised, first on channel 21 and then on channel 13. It was very apparent that channel 21 got a fairly enthusiastic response to the special (= $$). It also seemed that the in-house people were genuinely impressed with Peggy and the documentary itself.

But, again, writing to PBS or to channels such as 21 still wouldn't hurt. (I'm not one to ever have high expectations, though.)

Of course, we don't know what's the story with the 1969 show. We assume that it is owned by PBS, but who knows...

But we do know that the makers of "Fever: The Music of Peggy Lee" gained access to it, since they liberally (and wisely) used bits from it.

For me, it would be ideal to see a DVD release of that show. I wish that the wonderful people who have the power, access and means would work toward that goal! Wide availability of this better-than-excellent show would substantially contribute to elevating Peggy's rank among the great singers of classic pop and jazz. It's our strongest proof of her high level of artistry and professionalism.

And besides, her documentary performances of "Didn't We" and "Don't Explain" are both hypnotizing.

Ivan

These have been listed long. I don't understand Peggy cutting song that surely would have easily been the top 10. Very upsetting. If anyone can EVER find this recorded, let me know!