The Bette Midler Show

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The Bette Midler Show
The Bette Midler Show HBO Video Cover.jpg
Embassy Cover from RCA SelectaVision CED disc
Written by
Directed byTom Trbovich
Starring Bette Midler
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerAaron Russo
Running time134 minutes
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseJune 19, 1976 (1976-06-19)

The Bette Midler Show is an HBO television special of one of Bette Midler's tours entitled "The Depression Tour," shot at the Cleveland Music Hall during February 1976 and also issued on Midler's album Live at Last .

Contents

The show features many of Bette's popular songs, such as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", "Friends", "In The Mood", "Hello In There", and "Lullaby of Broadway" As well as dazzling the audience with her spontaneous wit with her 'Wonderful Sophie Tucker Jokes' and her special 'The Vicki Eydie Show'.

The original HBO broadcast ran 134 minutes, including material from both of her Cleveland performances and a 5-minute intermission. When it was released on VHS, Betamax and CED Videodisc in 1984 by Embassy Home Video, it was severely shortened to 84-minutes. [1] Performances of "Birds," "Shiver Me Timbers," the entire "Story of Nanette," a Harlettes-only musical number and countless jokes were removed.

The special has never officially been issued on DVD, but bootlegs are rampant and clips from both versions have surfaced on YouTube.

Cast and Personnel

Cast

Harlettes

Musicians

Personnel

Acts

Act I

  1. Friends/Oh My My
  2. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman
  3. Birds (HBO Version)
  4. Comic Relief
  5. In the Mood
  6. Hurry on Down
  7. Shiver me Timbers (HBO Version)
  8. The Vicki Eydie Show: Around the World, Istanbul, Fiesta in Rio, South Sea's scene, I'm Wishing/One Song, A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,
  9. Lullaby of Broadway
  10. Intermission: You're Moving Out Today

Act II

  1. Roll Me Through The Rushes (The Harlettes) (HBO Version)
  2. Delta Dawn
  3. Long John Blues
  4. Those Wonderful Sophie Tucker Jokes
  5. The Story of Nanette: Nanette, Alabama Song, Drinking Again, Mr. Rockefeller, Ready to Begin Again, Do You Wanna Dance? (HBO Version)
  6. Fried Eggs
  7. Hello in there
  8. Finale: Up the Ladder to the Roof, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Friends

For further info see Live at Last (Bette Midler album)

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References