With dry wit, a show business great marks his 100th birthday- 17 years early. Burns, who actually surpassed his 100th birthday in January of 1996 banters with many show business friends.  


Duplicate of 5254.           

The 21st Annual Grammy Awards from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. 

Host: John Denver.            

The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy, performs the following: a Handel concerto, Debussy's "La Mer," Stravinsky's "The Firebird," and others.

Special: Kenny Rogers is the host for the recording industry's 22nd annual Grammy Awards ceremonies, from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Scheduled presenters include Debby Boone, George Benson, George Burns, Johnny Cash, Natalie Cole, Eugene Fodor, Deborah Harry, Isaac Hayes, Quincy Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Kenny Loggins, Melissa Manchester, Barbara Mandrell, Chuck Mangione, Ted Nugent, Peaches and Herb, and Paul Williams.

A night of spectacular stars and entertainment. Tonight, Grammy honors some of the greatest recordings of all time, and the performers who made them legend. Host: Andy Williams.  

Peter Cullen announcer. 
Commercials not recorded. 

This predominately musical hour is rounded out with a tribute to Bing Crosby by daughter Mary and Bob Hope. Other clips of Judy Garland ("Over the Rainbow") and Nat King Cloe ("Unforgettable"). 

HIGHLIGHTS:

"Straighten Up and Fly Right," 
"The Christmas Song"----------------------------------Natalie Cole

"White Christmas"------------------------------------Andy Gibb

"Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage" -------------Peter Allen 

"One O'clock Jump"--------Count Basie and his Orchestra

"Every Day (I Have the Blues)"----------------------Joe Williams

"Oh, What a Beautiful Morning"----------------------John Rait
"Oklahoma"

"I Can't Say No"------------------------------------Celeste Holm

Big Band Medley------------------------------------Andy Gibb

NOTE:

It is interesting that as late as the 1980's very well produced and important television SPEICALS are considered not extant to todays audiences...its original 2" Quad master tapes erased to be used for other programming. By 1981 this practiced had diminished greatly, especially those production broadcasts on CBS Television. But still there are "victims" of such practices as represented by this first and only tribute to THE GRAMMY HALL OF FAME which aired as a special one time presentation on CBS on May 18, 1981.

Archival Television Audio, Inc. has had this broadcasts in its inventory for many years, but never played back until a client requested it. Sadly, the audio tape had its own problem issues and at first it appeared that it could not be salvaged at all. 
This tape was a victim of a condition detailed below. it was in very severe condition with 30% of its oxide layer flake off.  However, by "baking" the tape for 13 hours I, Phil Gries, owner of ATA, was able to at least get a transcription discernable dub of this broadcast. It took a number of passes...stop and go...cleaning the tape recorder heads numerous times.  

The sound rendition of this baked tape has sections that are very good, sections that have issues with drop outs, some occasional drops in audio, occasional echo effects of audio, etc. I was able to also use Q tips with Isopropyl alcohol in addition to 
keep audible tonality  as much as possible, keeping content of  this broadcast as much possible, retaining 98% of this broadcast.

The end result is that one can listen to this "lost" broadcast in its entirety with enjoyment realizing its limitations.

STICKY-SHED  SYNDROME  is a condition created by the deterioration of the binders in a magnetic tape, which hold the ferric oxide magnetizable coating to its plastic carrier, or which hold the thinner back-coating on the outside of the tape. This deterioration renders the tape unusable. Some kinds of binder are known to break down over time, due to the absorption of moisture (hydrolysis).

The symptoms of this breakdown can be immediately obvious even when rewinding the tape: tearing sounds and sluggish behavior. If a tape with sticky-shed syndrome is played, the reels will make screeching or squeaking sounds, and the tape will leave dusty, rusty particles on the guides and heads. In some cases, the symptoms are more subtle, causing intermittent dropouts.

This television audio air check seems to be the only existing broadcast record, in this less than pristine playback condition, of this iconic broadcast, not existing in any known archive museum, CBS archives or in any private collection.                                                                                                                            

Special: An Atlanta concert by Larry, Steve and Rudy Gatlin, who reflect on their Texas roots and show-business start, but mostly just sing and strum their old and new hits.

Special: "I hated to wait until December to get jolly" - so George Burns opts to celebrate Christmas early. He's joined by Bob Hope; Ann-Margret; and five Playboy Playmates, who serenade him with "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind." Also: the gospel-singing Hawkins Family does "He'll Be There When You Need Him."

"The Glen Campbell Show," a pilot for a possible syndicated series, features the country singer and musical guests. Sheena Easton sings "You Could Have Been with Me."

Special: A birthday celebration from 1979 for George (then 83), who talks about vaudeville; banters with Milton Berle, Jimmy Stewart, Helen Reddy, Gregory Peck, Don Rickles and George Jessel; and accepts sarcastic tributes from Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Dean Martin, Steve Martin, and Pat and Debby Boone. (Repeat)