The Frank Sinatra Show – Welcome Home Elvis

 

Picture: C-     Sound: C     Extras: B     Episode: B

 

 

In what turned out to be a strong hour of TV, the Timex-sponsored Frank Sinatra Show did a 1960 installment focusing on Elvis Presley’s return from military duty.  The show has Sinatra pretending to give Elvis back the years he lost serving through a “time machine” without any electronic ganglia.  The songs run as follows, with all songs by Sinatra unless otherwise noted:

 

It’s Very Nice

Witchcraft

Come On Bess (Sammy Davis, Jr. solo)

Gone With The Wind

Shall We Dance (Davis Jr. & Peter Lawford)

Fame & Fortune/Stuck On You (Presley solo)

Love Me Tender/Witchcraft (Sinatra & Presley)

Love Makes You Feel So Young (Frank & Nancy Sinatra)

 

There are also some musical numbers and a few Timex ads with their longtime spokesman John Cameron Swayze, who was their on-camera guy for decades.  We are finally in a generation (after all this time) where people do not know who he is.  That’s how long it took for his presence to begin fading.  Doing less fading is a favorite is long-time Sinatra collaborator Nelson Riddle, who (with his orchestra) brings additional class and musicality to the special that brings it up to a higher level.

 

The full frame image on the main program is in faded shape, which is something when you consider it looks like it originated from a kinescope to begin with.  Except for the fading, the image is consistent, but the fading’s effect on the image is undeniable.  The bonus Elvis program has slightly better video, but is still average.  It is something to see how young Nancy was at 20!  The Dolby Digital 2.0 is Mono all the way on both programs, but fares better than the video in both.  The extras include a 45-minutes-long look at Elvis that is old and was edited on old analog videotape, but is not bad for its age with good content.  Also impressive is the extensive section that covers information on all the starts from the special.  It offers the following choices:

 

Frank Sinatra:  Albums; Singles; Filmography; Wives & Lovers; The New York Deli; Memorabilia; Biography; Website.

Elvis Presley:  Discography; Biography; Pricilla; Lisa Marie; Vernon Presley; Gladys Presley; Colonel Tom Parker; Memorabilia; Filmography; Website.

Nancy Sinatra: Discography; Nancy & Elvis; Filmography; Website.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: Biography; Discography; Filmography; Website.

 

Bios on Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford, as well as a section of other titles from the Quantum Leap label, many of which look very good.  Overall, despite some tech troubles, The Frank Sinatra Show – Welcome Home Elvis is a great show on a DVD with some surprising extras fans and those serious about a DVD music library will want to get.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo