The DuPont Show of the Week

This program presents a look at American humor, from slapstick to satire, from Ben Franklin to Jack Benny and what makes people laugh. It features scenes from movie comedies and television programs, performances by famous comedians, and sketches with George Burns. Shown are: Phil Silvers, Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, Eddie Cantor, Burns and Allen, Ben Turpin, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Keystone Kops, Rudy Vallee, Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, Marx Brothers, Jack Paar.

In this tribute to Harold Arlen, singers perform many of his popular tunes. Arlen appears in a brief introductory segment. In the second half of the show, Bing Crosby recounts highlights of Arlen's career. At the end, Arlen plays and sings some of his music. Highlights: ""Any Place I Hang My Hat"" ........ Arlen, Strauss ""Get Happy"" ...................... Chorus ""Come Rain or Come Shine"" ........ Lee ""Paper Moon"" ..................... Sommers ""Got the World on a String"" ...... Lee ""Black Magic"" .................... Damone ""Got A Right to Sing the Blues ... Baker ""Two Ladies"" ..................... Lee ""House of Flowers"", ""Jamaica"" .... Dancers ""One For My Baby"" ................ Damone ""Down With Love"" ................. Sommers ""Ill Wind"", ""Stormy Weather"" ..... Baker ""Man That Got Away"" .............. Lee ""Blues in the Night"" ............. Dancers, Chorus ""Happy With The Blues"", ""Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe"", ""Accentuate the Positive"", ""Over the Rain

This episode presents an exploration of the life of Ernest Hemingway from his boyhood, through his years as a journalist and novelist, until his death. Major literary and artistic personalities of the 20th century are seen. Footage documents the turbulent times in which he lived and took active part including World Wars I and II and the Spanish Civil War.

This episode presents a tribute to the USO on its 20th anniversary and to those of the entertainment world who have given their time and performed for the American armed forces at bases at home and abroad, in peace and war. In 1942 the late Al Jolson led the first USO unit overseas to entertain the troops. Films of that trip and many others that followed are highlights of this hour-long tribute and a number of USO headliners are on hand to talk about their experiences. Dick Powell comments on films taken aboard the carrier Intrepid, where the audience is listening to a crooner named Dick Powell. Marily Monroe narrates clips of her tour of Korea, Jack Benny remarks on his rendition of ""Love in Bloom"", Merle Oberon, Debbie Reynolds, Danny Thomas, Joe E. Brown and Danny Kaye talk about trips during World War II and the Korean War. Frances Langford recalls her stint with the Bob Hope troupe, Bob himself is on hand to view himself in such activities as a duet with Bing Crosby of ""Mairzy Doa

This episode presents an historically authentic drama of secret intelligence in Nazi Germany during World War II. The story is about a Nazi plot to win the war by flooding the free world with counterfeit English and American money. Major Ludwig Gesner conceives the idea and gains the approval of Hitler and Himmler. He selects seven prisoners of war to carry out his plan. They are promised their freedom once they have finished, but they think they will be killed so they delay the project as long as they can. By the time they have finally prepared the counterfeit money, the Americans have liberated their camp.

This episode presents a documentary combining sociology with humor, telling the story and history of the automobile. The program depicts America's love affair with the car. It traces the development of the automobile from its pioneer days through the era of the ""tin Lizzie"" to 1961's traffic and shows how the car has affected the social life, customs, entertainment, and daily labors of the country. Archival footage is included.

This episode is a musical variety show telling the story of Florenz Ziegfeld and his Ziegfeld Follies and includes portrayals of some of the famous stars of that show, such as Anna Held, Mademoiselle Dazie and her Salome Dancers, Nora Bayes, and the Dolly Sisters. Joan Crawford hosts the show and the performers recreate scenes and numbers from the Ziegfeld Follies. **There are film clips of Follies performers, such as Dolores, Paulette Goddard, Justine Johnson, Marion Davies, and Billie Dove.

This episode presents a documentary exploring the golden age of popular music. The program recreates some of the hit musical numbers of the the thirties and includes original recordings and archival footage. The program explores Broadway musicals, the growth of the radio audience, the advent of the film musical, the jukebox craze, and the coming of swing and the big bands and includes the songs of Gershwin, Berlin, Kern, Porter, Arlen, Ellington, Schwartz, Rodgers, and others. Performers: Count Basie, John Bubbles, Blossom Dearie, Bill Hayes, Dorothy Loudon.

In this episode, Harpo Marx acts as silent guide and Carol Burnett acts as narrator through toyland. There are also performances by Edie Adams, Milton Berle, Merv Griffin, Eva Gabor, Elsa Maxwell, Audrey Meadows, as well as the Paterson, New Jersey East Side High School Band. Rube Goldberg interviews several children about scientific toys.

This episode presents a special Christmas program of all-time favorites from the repertoire of Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. In Christmas settings, Waring and his 53-member glee club, orchestra, choir, vocal groups, and soloists perform unforgettable songs, including America the beautiful, Stars and stripes forever and Heritage and concluding with 'Twas the night before Christmas, Silent night and Battle hymn.

The show consists of several segments that feature several artists such as Eddie Condon, Bud Freeman, Pee Wee Russell and Jimmy McPartland who were from Chicago and/or contributed to the Chicago style of jazz. Bill Challis acted as consultant and wrote several of the orchestral arrangements. There are two magnificent tributes, one to Bix and one to Louis Armstrong. The Bix tribute has two parts. In one, the soundtrack plays Frankie Trumbauer's seminal 1927 recording of Singin' the Blues while silent footage of Bix and several of Jean Goldkette's sideman is seen on video. The second part has Johny Guarneri playing In a Mist. The Louis tribute also consists of two parts. In the first, we hear Louis' 1927 landmark recording of West End Blues while still photographs and film footage are displayed on the screen. The second consists of a film of Louis Armstrong and his orchestra playing Dippermouth Blues. The people responsible for making the choices of what to include in the show were quit

This episode presents a drama of espionage during World War II. To catch a Dutch spy and mislead the Nazis, an operation for an invasion through Holland is fed to the Germans to throw them off from the actual invasion on the Normandy coast. DiLuca, an American OSS captain, falls in love with Krys, the Dutch spy. Her perfidy almost costs him his life when he learns she is a spy and tries to stop her from revealing what he thinks is true information to the Nazis. He does not succeed and the erroneous invasion plans confuse and divert the Nazis.

This episode consists of the home movies taken by Ken Murray, entertainer and amateur cameraman, of Hollywood celebrities from 1927 to the present. Approximately 75 of Hollywood's top stars are seen. The show is divided loosely into five parts: Hollywwod in the 20's; Hollywood revisited; Playtime in Hollywood; Hollywood goes to war; and Hollywood today. Footage of Tom Mix, Will Rogers, John Barrymore, Jean Harlow, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford.

This episode explores the appeal of the circus and traces its history from the Roman Circus Maximus through P.T. Barnum to today. There is archival footage of famous circus performers, such as Bird Millman and Alfredo Codona, and circus parades.Circus acts are seen performing. Setting and taking down the circus tents are shown as well as the Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus and the Florida State University training center. Performers appearing are The Great Wallendas, La Norma.

This episode presents a dramatization of the trial of the Dutch painter and forger Hans Van Moegeren, who confessed to forging a dozen paintings of Jan Vermeer, one of which he sold to Field Marshall Hermann Goering. After the war, he confessed to the forgeries to establish his innocence of collaboration charges. Convicted in 1947, he died in jail but he delighted the Dutch by fooling the art experts.

This episode presents a documentary that follows two emergency patrol car officers, Walter Chadwick and Eugene Corcoran, from the 14th Precinct in New York City as they answer calls throughout lower Manhattan. Incidents that occur include a race to assist a heart attack victim; a steam leak with 60 people trapped behind a wall of steam; an armed robbery of a Western Union office; and a body floating in the East River being retrieved. Also included are conversations between the two officers as they travel around the city. Their backgrounds, interests and families are discussed.

This episode presents the story of George M. Cohan. The program includes performances of songs by Cohan and scenes from the film Yankee Doodle Dandy, starring Jimmy Cagney as Cohan.

This episode presents a documentary about crime in America from pre-Revolutionary days to the present. The program shows a typical city police headquarters, squad cars, officers on the beat, crime lab, as well as how the state and federal governments use mobile forces and long-range strategy in detecting crime. Rare photos of American criminals, such as John Billington, who was the first felon in America and was hanged for murder, are shown. Archival news footage show crime figures such as Al Capone and John Dillinger.

Richard Brooks, Anita Colby, Ruby Dee, Jimmy Durante, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hermoine Gingold, Lillian Gish, Philippe Halsman, Edith Head, Alexander King, Vincente Minnelli, Katherine Anne Porter, and Cyril Ritchard discuss what makes a woman beautiful. Pictures various women from the early days of history to the movie stars of the twentieth century and points out why they have been considered beautiful: examines the use of makeup for creating beauty.

This episode presents the story of Alabama, a con man who romances rich widows and leaves them once he has obtained their money. In New Orleans, he meets an attractive widow, Constance, who is selling her business. She is aware of his motive but, finding him attractive, she gives him the money. He ""loses"" the money in investments and pockets the money. She informs the police but she will not press charges if he will marry her. If he does not like being married to her after two years, he will be free to leave. Alabama and Constance have been recalling these events after fifteen happy years of marriage.

This episode presents a docudrama based on the armed robbery of the Brink's Company in Boston on Jan. 17, 1950. This was the largest cash robbery in history, totaling $2,775,395. This program recounts the aftermath of the robbery. Although the leven robbers had taken a pledge to kill any member who broke the rules of secrecy, the brutality, antagonisms and betrayal within the group turned one of its number to the law. The greatest police search for a criminal did not catch the robbers until 1956 and only $60,000 was recovered. Doonan was cheated out of his share and he revealed everything to the FBI.

This episode presents a musical show exploring a century of fads and foibles including dance crazes, musical vogues, sports, fashion, and automobiles in America. Musical selections, commentary, archival footage, and still photos in action help portray the theme.

This episode presents a World War II drama set in 1944 in Monte Cassino, Italy. A rifle squad of eight GI's pinned down by German gunfire are ordered to withdraw from the frontline position they hold by nightfall. One of them, Small, is trapped and must wait until nightfall to join the unit or get the help of his buddies to get out safely before then. Eventually, the embittered combat soldier, Collucci, disobeys orders and sets out to get Small. On the way, he wipes out the enemy machine gun unit. When Collucci finds Small, he is already dead.

This episode presents a documentary which analyzes Hurricane Carla, which struck the Gulf Coast of Texas in the early fall of 1961. The program traces the earliest beginnings of the storm and tracks it until it builds its full fury and hits Galveston on Sept. 10-11, 1961. The show focuses on Galveston, which sustained the heaviest damage. Preparations before the arrival of the hurricane and the devastation afterwards are shown. Repairs and rebuilding are undertaken and normal activities resume.

This episode presents a documentary that provides an hour-by-hour account of the Allied invasion of France on June 6, 1944, recalling the first 24 hours of the beachhead and the harrowing weeks preceding the largest military landing in history. The program includes footage of D-Day not previously seen in the U.S., such as captured German film and reels of the French underground waging guerrilla warfare. With footage of Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery, Charles de Gaulle and Omar Bradley, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

This episode presents a drama of the hysteria that arises when an international movie idol dies at the peak of his career. Billy Allen is brought to his small Midwestern hometown of Charity for a hero's burial. When a Hollywood columnist suggests a memorial fund to his memory, the bitter truth about Billy is divulged. Through the eyes of his widow, his business manager and his brother's widow, a less than glamorous and heroic image of Billy takes form. Billy's widowed sister-in-law proclaims to the mourners that he was the father of her son. Billy's widow asks the mourners to remember him as a fine actor and to allow his family to mourn him alone.

This episode presents the science fiction story of Juan de Nuñez, who is searching for precious minerals in the mountains near his home of Bogotá, Colombia. After an avalanche, he awakes in a hidden valley inhabited by eyeless people. They speak his language but do not understand words such as eyes and see. One of the eyeless people, Marina, pities him and tries to protect him from the others, who are revolted by his eyes and think he is evil. He tries to escape the valley, but the Great Elder rules his eyes must be destroyed so he will not leave their paradise. With Marina's help, Nu~ez escapes and learns the meaning of the valley and its inhabitants.

This episode presents the story of William Hallowell Magee, a TV writer, makes a $5,000 bet with a friend, the owner of the deserted Baldpate Inn in New England, that he can write a TV mystery in 24 hours. Magee arrives at the inn in the dead of winter with, supposedly, the only key. However, mysterious intruders, each with their own key, disturb his concentration. He discovers that there are six other people with keys. There is the theft of $200,000 left in the safe and one of the intruders, Myra, is killed. The whole situation turns out to be a hoax.