I've always liked Allen and Rossi, and this is a very early television appearance, in Fact, their debut was about a month before, on Gary's other show, I've Got A Secret. After a rambling introduction emphasizing how terrible he is, Gary sings a number where he even manages to mangle the lyrics, but is quickly replaced by Robert Goulet, in his excellent younger voice. Gary then gives Goulet an introduction to boy-crazy Carol, who dips him and covers him with kisses. This is still at a point when she was dressing like an adult, instead of the odd teenage clothes and hair of the mid-60's. Allen & Rossi's routine includes some "Hello Dere" interview one liners with men in the news like Nehru and Pierre Salinger. Then they do some of their punchy prizefighter bit, one they would do many more times, including a 1964 Hollywood Palace episode, though only a few of the gags are repeated. Gary and Durwood do a "Pledge" commercial set in a Moon-travel bureau in the year 2000. A quick skit satirizes "Ben Casey" with Durwood as the lead. Wouldn't Goulet have been better suited? Kirby wouldn't even put on a wig. Marty Allen plays the Dr. Zorba part. In the Wonderful year segment of the show, a number of tunes that weren't necessarily from that year are sung, but I've noticed that happens a lot on Gary's show. Barbara Striesand sings "Happy Days are Here Again" among others. Even then, she had the knack of making every song she sings sound exactly the same. Allen and Rossi do a very funny take on "Sonny Boy", with Marty dressed like little Lord Fauntleroy.
The grand finale is something like Gary would usually do in his Christmas shows, that is, his entire cast, crew, and behind the scenes personnel, including the coffee trolley lady, come out for an on-camera bow. This was his way of celebrating the just won Emmy award for the show.
The grand finale is something like Gary would usually do in his Christmas shows, that is, his entire cast, crew, and behind the scenes personnel, including the coffee trolley lady, come out for an on-camera bow. This was his way of celebrating the just won Emmy award for the show.
