The Best Of Broadway Musicals - Original Cast Performances From The Ed Sullivan Show infuses the mix of a documentary sprinkled with rare performances from the past by classic Broadway stars such as Ethel Merman, Julie Andrews, Peal Bailey and Richard Kiley that was featured on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Narrated by John Raitt, the DVD features exclusive footage of Richard Rodgers conducting the orchestra for the 1955 performance of "Oklahoma!" from the musical of the same title and behind-the-scenes interviews with the songwriters Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner.

Other footages worth seeing is Celeste Holm hamming it up for the camera in the song "I Cain't Say No" from the musical "Oklahoma!"; Carol Channing's diamond-studded dress causing all sorts of distractingly weird effects to her 1959 black-and-white footage of "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" as well as the crazed frenzy among the previously subdued and seated audience when she starts throwing what appears to be diamonds to the crowd. Julie Andrews and Richard Burton provides a gingerly nifty dance routine in the 1961 "What Do The Simple Folk Do?" from "Camelot" and even in black and white, the 1958 sequence of "Tonight" from "West Side Story" sung by Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert looks amazing.

Disappointingly, the DVD runs for only 56 minutes but the DVD includes a special features section that includes background information on the musicals presented such as creative credits, synopses, original cast lists, song lists, Broadway (including revivals) and film production dates. The documentary and performances will not act as the best introduction to musical theater and is probably best enjoyed by aficionados of musicals. Scott Savol from this season's American Idol would also have learnt a thing or two if he had caught Richard Kiley's stirring 1966 rendition of "The Impossible Dream" from "The Man Of La Mancha" before his performance of the same song during the Week 12 theme of "Classic Musicals".

Featured Performances

1.ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (1966)
"There's No Business Like Show Business" - Ethel Merman

2.OKLAHOMA (1955)
"Oklahoma" - John Raitt, Celeste Holm, Florence Henderson & Barbara Cook
"I Cain't Say No" - Celeste Holm

3.FLOWER DRUM SONG (1958)
"I Enjoy Being a Girl" - Pat Suzuki

4.GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES (1959)
"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" - Carol Channing

5.MY FAIR LADY (1961)
"Wouldn't It Be Loverly" - Julie Andrews

5.WEST SIDE STORY (1961)
"Tonight" - Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert

6.CAMELOT (1961)
"What Do the Simple Folk Do" - Julie Andrews and Richard Burton

7.THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT, THE SMELL OF THE CROWD (1965)
"Who Can I Turn To" - Anthony Newley

8.MAN OF LA MANCHA (1966)
"The Impossible Dream" - Richard Kiley

9.SWEET CHARITY (1966)
"I'm A Brass Band" - Gwen Verdon

10.HELLO, DOLLY (1967)
"Before the Parade Passes By" - Pearl Bailey

 Reviewed on 23 April 2005