Tony Orlando and Dawn: The Ultimate Collection

The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show premiered on CBS in July 1974, in the wake of the group's huge radio hit, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon." Initially a four-week, summer replacement series, the program was so successful that it continued, in various formats, on the network until 1977 (where it ended as The Rainbow Hour). This boxed set includes 12 choice episodes from the musical-variety series that saw Orlando and his backup singers, Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent, stretch—to varying degrees of success—into comedy and self-deprecating bits between tunes. Highlights of this collection include guest star Roosevelt Grier (in the series premiere) playing a doctor in a sketch set to Ringo Starr's hit song, "Oh, My My"; Orlando doing a Shaft homage and being quickly put in his place by the feisty Hopkins and Vincent; a very sporting Jackie Gleason in a hokey but winning duet with Orlando, in which the Great One tries to teach the upstart how to impersonate him; a nice medley of Neil Sedaka hits starring Sedaka and the show's hosts; a classic few minutes of Phyllis Diller knocking fictional husband "Fang"; and a dandy episode starring two kings of early television comedy, Milton Berle and Sid Caesar, along with Rat Pack prince Joey Bishop. Still, this was light entertainment then, and it remains decidedly light entertainment today. DVD extras include a "Juke Box" option to isolate song performances (with additional songs), as well as a segment with Orlando on The Tonight Show, and a TO&D spoof on The Carol Burnett Show. Optional. (T. Keogh)