Playboy After Dark DVD

[JSngry]

http://www.dustygroove.com/videos.htm#426978

DVD -- Playboy After Dark (3DVD set) . . . DVD

Morada Vision, 1959/1960/1969 (3DVD) Condition: New Copy

The long-overdue release of one of the hippest TV shows ever -- the legendary Playboy After Dark, one of the most unusual musical shows ever broadcast! The format for the program was unique -- it took place as a live party at the Playboy Penthouse of Hugh Hefner -- a really mixed affair where artists of all styles, races, and political convictions would hang out together and rap about their work and a variety of topical issues. And sure, the whole thing was a bit staged, but it still managed to come off pretty great -- thanks to a particular talent on Hef's part for mixing together mainstream and underground, right wing and liberal -- all at a late 60s moment when intersecting lifestyles could clash as often as come together! 3DVD package features 4 shows from 1968 and 1969 -- plus 2 more from the earlier Playboy's Penthouse show at the end of the 50s -- a total of 6 episodes in all, filled with conversation and performances by Lenny Bruce, Sammy Davis Jr, Ike & Tina Turner, The Checkmates Ltd, Jerry Lewis, Mort Sahl, Vic Damone, Dick Shawn, Canned Heat, Sonny & Cher, Billy Eckstine, and Joe Cocker!

I figure it's either a total mess, a kitsch classic, or an interesting window into a unique time in American pop culture history. Or all of the above.

Anybody?

[MartyJazz]

Not familiar with this package but one of the private videos I have is a twelve minute segment of that show wherein an obviously uncomfortable and nervous Sarah Vaughan is briefly "welcomed" by host Hefner following which she settles down and sings "Misty", "Broken-Hearted Melody" and "Gone With the Wind". She's backed by Ronnell Bright, Richard Davis and Percy Brice. I wonder if that's included in the 3 DVD set you mention.

[JSngry]

Isn't that her on the cover?

[Jim Alfredson]

I only watch it for the articles, I swear.

[Dan Gould]

There was a pretty cool Playboy After Dark clip of B.B. King put up on youtube a while back.

[Dave James]

Seems to me I read a story once about The Dead appearing on "After Dark" and dosing their host. I gotta think that episode, if it still exits, is someplace on the cutting room floor.

This looks like an interesting package if for no other reason than to watch Hefner go through the motions. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone with that kind of public personna who seemed to be more uncomfortable than Hugh Hefner. Maybe the burden of having to appear cutting edge cool all the time just plum tuckerd him out. Either that did, or it was night after night spent making sure that all the live-in lovlies at the mansion didn't get too bored. A tough job for sure, but someone's gotta do it.

Up over and out.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Dave James

[Chuck Nessa]

A bit off topic but tapes exist of the (first?) Playboy jazz festival in Chicago. 1959 I think. Hawkins in great form and a Rollins trio with Grimes and LaRoca IIRC. It has been a while so memory is foggy.

[jazzbo]

Seems to me I read a story once about The Dead appearing on "After Dark" and dosing their host. I gotta think that episode, if it still exits, is someplace on the cutting room floor.

This looks like an interesting package if for no other reason than to watch Hefner go through the motions. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone with that kind or public personna who seemed to be more uncomfortalbe than Hugh Hefner. Maybe the burden of having to appear cutting edge cool all the time just plum tuckerd him out. Either that did, or it was night after night spent making sure that all the live-in lovlies at the mansion didn't get too bored. A tough job for sure, but someone's gotta do it.

Up over and out.

Dave, quite a bit of that episode with the Dead has been on youtube. . . not sure if it's still there. Quite interesting to watch.

Not sure I notice any dosing going on. On camera, at least. . . .

[Kalo]

I just saw the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm that featured an appearance by Hefner. It reminded me all over again of how awkward and almost dorky he seems on camera. I'd assume he's much the same on this "legendary" show.

I'd be curious, though, to hear from anyone who's actually seen these discs or who remembers the show. Hefner certainly had some heavyweight guests.

[Dan Gould]

A bit off topic but tapes exist of the (first?) Playboy jazz festival in Chicago. 1959 I think. Hawkins in great form and a Rollins trio with Grimes and LaRoca IIRC. It has been a while so memory is foggy.

When I interviewed Eddie Higgins, he spoke of what a thrill it was to be Hawkins' accompanist at the first Playboy jazz festival. Checking the transcript, Eddie mentions that he believes the music has been issued on four different LPs, fwiw. He also tells an amusing story about Hawkins showing up at the very last instant before they were to go on, and never acknowledged Eddie at all. He asked him what he wanted to play, and he grunted at him. He suggested some tunes, he grunted again. Then they went on.

[Chuck Nessa]

A bit off topic but tapes exist of the (first?) Playboy jazz festival in Chicago. 1959 I think. Hawkins in great form and a Rollins trio with Grimes and LaRoca IIRC. It has been a while so memory is foggy.

When I interviewed Eddie Higgins, he spoke of what a thrill it was to be Hawkins' accompanist at the first Playboy jazz festival. Checking the transcript, Eddie mentions that he believes the music has been issued on four different LPs, fwiw. He also tells an amusing story about Hawkins showing up at the very last instant before they were to go on, and never acknowledged Eddie at all. He asked him what he wanted to play, and he grunted at him. He suggested some tunes, he grunted again. Then they went on.

IIRC there was one track on a 4 lp Playboy box I had in high school. Maybe that's what he was saying. Don't know of anything else from that gig. I think there was a Chet Baker track from that festival on the set too. Eddie's description of Hawk lines up with lots of other recollections - see Esmond Edward's story in the liners to the "On Broadway" disc.

[Larry Kart]

Four tunes ("All the Things You Are," "Centrepiece," "Body and Soul," and "Just You, Just Me") from Hawkins' Playboy Fest performance (probably the entire set) were issued in 1976 on a Spotlight LP (SPJ137 -- "Blowin' Up a Breeze"). Haven't listened in a while, but my memory is that it's among the best Hawkins from that period -- almost frighteningly intense and creative. Higgins' rhythm section partners were Bob Cranshaw and Walter Perkins.

[Larry Kart]

IIRC, that Playboy After Dark video is worth the price for Lenny Bruce. Not that Lenny is that funny on it, again IIRC (I'm going on late-teenage memories of the original broadcast), but it conveys quite potently the ticking- time-bomb nature of Lenny's presence, the sense (which pretty much was, as they say, no joke) that he might in the next instant say or do ANYTHING. I believe it was the debut show that Lenny was on, and he eagerly zeroes in on and ratchets up Hefner's understandable extreme nervousness.

[Dan Gould]

A bit off topic but tapes exist of the (first?) Playboy jazz festival in Chicago. 1959 I think. Hawkins in great form and a Rollins trio with Grimes and LaRoca IIRC. It has been a while so memory is foggy.

When I interviewed Eddie Higgins, he spoke of what a thrill it was to be Hawkins' accompanist at the first Playboy jazz festival. Checking the transcript, Eddie mentions that he believes the music has been issued on four different LPs, fwiw.

IIRC there was one track on a 4 lp Playboy box I had in high school. Maybe that's what he was saying. Don't know of anything else from that gig. I

Checking the tear sheets that I received, Cadence added the info that the music has appeared on Verve, Spotlight, Shoestring, Playboy, and Bean records. So its actually been out five times.

[Lazaro Vega]

Recall seeing clips of the Brubeck Quartet playing at the Mansion, in black and white, and during "Take Five," as the camera pans across the warm valleys, Desmond quotes that old nursery rhyme, "playmate, come out and play with me, slide down my apple tree...rain barrel....cellar door....and we'll be playmates for ever more." I about died. With his horn rims on. Good luck Paul!

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

what u say chuck nessa: the 1st playboy fest was the Bean Machine and Rollins/grimes/laroca trio and not chuck mangieoinie. whoaaaaaa

[AllenLowe]

slightly off topic, but if you haven't seen it, vis a ve Larry's mention of Lenny Bruce, the Lenny Bruce Performance Film is now available on DVD and it is indispensible - about one hour long, recorded at the Basin Street West about a year, I think, before he died, and he is brilliant. It is the best thing of its kind available, shows what made Bruce so amazing, and it belies reports that in his last years he became, by obsessing about his court cases on stage, a bore and unfunny - he's quite hilarious in it, in a very smart way -

Edited July 27, 2006 by AllenLowe

[BruceH]

I just saw the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm that featured an appearance by Hefner. It reminded me all over again of how awkward and almost dorky he seems on camera. I'd assume he's much the same on this "legendary" show.

I'd be curious, though, to hear from anyone who's actually seen these discs or who remembers the show. Hefner certainly had some heavyweight guests.

Hefner's life story strikes me as the original revenge of the nerd.

[Kalo]

Hefner's life story strikes me as the original revenge of the nerd.

You've got something there, my friend. Perhaps the nerdiest thing about him is the incessant fixation on the busty blonde cheerleader type. After 50 years you'd figure he might have broadened his taste a bit. Maybe that's why he needs Viagra.