This musical/variety special honors the career of theatrical composer Jerome Kern (1885-1945).
Singer Patrice Munsel opens the program with "Yesterdays," and host Bob Cummings visits Kern's "memory space," where he chats with frequent Kern collaborator and librettist/lyricist Otto Harbach. Harbach briefly describes the history of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," written for "Roberta" (1933). Keely Smith performs the song, followed by "Why Do I Love You?" from "Show Boat" (1927), joined by singer Louis Prima. Cummings chats with announcer Hugh Downs about Kern's personality, noting that he kept a bust of composer Richard Wagner on his piano. Howard Keel sings "All the Things You Are," accompanied by dancers Bambi Linn and Kelly Brown.
Bob Cummings introduces the famous "alter-ego dance" scene via a film clip from "Cover Girl" (1944) in with Gene Kelly, smarting over an argument with love interest Rita Hayworth, converses and dances with his own reflection. Cummings explains that Kern helped invent a new form of "musical comedy" with 1905's "The Earl and the Girl." He joins Carol Channing for "How'd You Like to Spoon with Me?" Smith and Prima sing "The Bull-Frog Patrol," and Channing, playing a late-night maid in a historical museum, performs "Cleopatterer" from "Leave It to Jane" (1917).
Patrice Munsel and Howard Keel sing the title song from "Till the Clouds Roll By" (1946) and are joined by the other performers for "Look for the Silver Lining."
Bob Cummings reads positive notices for the 1931 musical "The Cat and the Fiddle," and Brown and Linn perform the "Poor Pierrot" ballet from the show. Cummings recites "The Last Time I Saw Paris," the poem written by Oscar Hammerstein and set to music by Kern, which then went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song from "Lady Be Good" (1941) and was again featured in the 1954 film also titled "The Last Time I Saw Paris." Munsel sings "All Through the Day," and vaudeville performer John W. Bubbles sings "Bojangles of Harlem" from "Swing Time" (1936).
Keely Smith performs "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" from "Show Boat." When Prima stops by Linn's rehearsal, he decides that "I Won't Dance," though is quickly convinced otherwise. Keel sings "Ol' Man River" and Lisa Kern sings "Bill," both from "Show Boat." Munsel and Keel sing "The Song is You" from "Music in the Air" (1932), and the program closes with an all-cast reprise of "Look for the Silver Lining."
Announcer is Hugh Downs.