Carol Channing & Pearl Bailey On Broadway

Rating:
Summary: Hello, Carol!
Review: A great idea! What happened??? Actually, the writing is very weak and it seems that the two stars did not have very much rehearsal time, which is very evident. The classic moments involve Ms. Channing doing her incredible impressions. Dietrich is priceless! If for nothing else, I am happy that I purchased the DVD to have these moments for a keepsake. As for the rest of it....too much confusion, too much of a "Let's try a relaxed atmosphere!!!" That sort of setup only worked for people like Ms. Garland, Mr. Sinatra, Mr. Martin.

Rating:
Summary: Dolly 1 and 2 at their best
Review: a unique document on two leading ladies in entertainment, Miss bailey as jazzy as always, and Miss Channing a great comedienne, espaecially in the impersenations of marlene Dietrich, Carmen Miranda and a hilarious Cecilia Cisson.
loevely duets from various shows and of course their own interpretation of Hello Dolly.
Almost forty years old, but it did not loose its strength
a must have for every "entertainment " person!!
two thumbs up

Rating:
Summary: Worth Owning...
Review: Carol Channing seems prepared, but Pearl Bailey does not. Pearl tries to improvise, but it doesn't appear as if she is in control of her performance most of the time. Pearl's lack of preparation defintely took away from her performance - but ya gotta love her anyway. Carol is very interesting to watch, so funny and at the top of her game. You can see why she is a Broadway legend. The production is overall weak and that appears to have hurt the strength of the performances somewhat. Nevertheless, you can't get stuff like this anywhere else. It's worth every knickel. Buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I have been waiting for this for such along time! Pearl Bailey and Carol Channing may not be singing together in their duets, but to have this on DVD is such a treasure! These two women give an all out performance which showcases why we love them so much, their PERSONALITY! It's only a shame that not much of these women are talked about lately. We can only hope that Porgy and Bess will be released on DVD and that Thoroughly Modern Millie will have a long run when it opens in London! Having said that, this performance is filled with glitz and glamour of a time long ago. These are truly funny ladys!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: I sat home on the couch smiling & applauding throughout the whole show. The way Pearl Bailey sings "Little green apples" is breathtaking, and Carol is just a Doll! This is magnificent...a Must Have....BUY IT!

Rating:
Summary: Carol, Yes. Pearl, No.
Review: I'm sure it sounded like a great idea. Carol and Pearl at the peaks of their respective careers. And Carol is definitely a delight. Today she's become the unfortunate butt of jokes, but here you can see why she was a star. Tremendous stage presence and impeccable timing. Pearl, on the other hand, is very hard to watch. She obviously doesn't want to be there, and holds her co-star and the audience in obvious contempt. You can, however, see glimpses of why she, too, was a star. She has an innate tendency to play around with the material, but here it doesn't work, and she comes off snide and dismissive. But diehard Channing fans will probably want to own this.

Rating:
Summary: Mismatched performers
Review: Pearl Bailey has a throwaway style that doesn't match at all well with Carol Channing's broad techniques. The show seems under-rehearsed, and the performers occasionally get in each other's ways. Bottom line: It seems kind of amateurish.

Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment
Review: Take a look at Mary Martin and Noel Coward in Together with Music (I have an old video of that); listen to Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (seemingly unavailable on video); then watch this. Seemingly barely rehearsed, this is a bad TV special thrown together hastily to promote the two greatest Dollies while they were performing in the role. Yes, these are two great stars. Yes, that occasionally comes through here, particularly when they are working alone. Yes, there ought to be a full video version of both of the Broadway productions of "Dolly", so we could see them really shine: acting, singing and dancing. Still, there was no need to release this video. The fan of either or both these performers would do better to acquire videos of films they have appeared in or to scour compilation tapes from TV variety shows like Ed Sullivan to find those that contain the best of Channing and Bailey. This is decidedly not that.

Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment
Review: Take a look at Mary Martin and Noel Coward in Together with Music (I have an old video of that); listen to Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (seemingly unavailable on video); then watch this. Seemingly barely rehearsed, this is a bad TV special thrown together hastily to promote the two greatest Dollies while they were performing in the role. Yes, these are two great stars. Yes, that occasionally comes through here, particularly when they are working alone. Yes, there ought to be a full video version of both of the Broadway productions of "Dolly", so we could see them really shine: acting, singing and dancing. Still, there was no need to release this video. The fan of either or both these performers would do better to acquire videos of films they have appeared in or to scour compilation tapes from TV variety shows like Ed Sullivan to find those that contain the best of Channing and Bailey. This is decidedly not that.

Rating:
Summary: Two "Greats"
Review: This television special works very well. The diversity of its two stars creates a special chemistry. Carol Channing has a rehearsed, Broadway Star appeal, while Pearl Bailey seems very relaxed, as if she's making it up on the spot.

The show is low-concept, which works wonderfully: Put these two entertainers on a Broadway stage in front of an adoring audience ... Have them sing a couple duets ... Let each one have a solo spot ... then bring them back together at the end for a duet of "Hello Dolly".

When I watched this DVD, I was most amazed that I'd never see Pearl Bailey perform before - although I knew her "name" and reputation as an entertainer. And, although Carol Channing is imitated ad nauseum for her funny voice and deer-in-the-headlight-eyes, she is actually a very entertaining performer. I laughed hysterically at her characterization of a silent screen star with a whistling "S". And her version of "If I Were A Rich Man" is very good.

There is also an under-rehearsed, making-it-up-as-we-go-along quality to the special. Pearl Bailey seems like she likes to work without a net and even tries to through Carol Channing with her unscripted asides. All of this lends an authentic show business feeling to the show - as if Carol and Pearl said "Let's put on a show!"

CAROL CHANNING AND PEARL BAILEY ON BROADWAY is an old-fashioned, entertaining television show, guaranteed to entertain. They don't make entertainers like that any more!