It was not unusual for a star like Tom Jones to be given his own variety show in 1969; they ran rampant on the landscape the way reality shows do today. Like present-day "reality" shows, variety shows were given freely to anyone who'd made a passing dent on the cultural landscape -- and like their modern counterparts, they came and went fast. None of which is a slam at Jones, the Welsh sex symbol with soul, the man with the swiveling hips and the dramatic delivery. But he wasn't much of a host, and this recent unearthing of several episodes from his 1969-1971 ABC series, imported from England, proves that.
About this DVD
- Original air dates: February 7, 1969 -- October 9, 1970; London, England and Hollywood, CA
- Release date: June 26, 2007
- Label: Time-Life
- Catalog number: 19269
- Format: Box set, Color/B&W, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language: English
- Region: All Regions
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
- Number of discs: 3
- Rating: NR
- Runtime: 300 minutes
Pros
- This is prime Tom, let loose on a wide selection of pop, rock, and soul classics.
- The musical guests are, by and large, his equal.
- For neophytes, the time-capsule aspect of the presentation will be good for a few thrills.
Cons
- Some of these episodes are cut nearly in half, although very little Tom performances are removed.
- The picture quality varies wildly.
- No new revelations in the sound, unfortunately.
My review
The producers of this ITV variety series (shown in the States on ABC from 1969-1971) obviously knew Tom Jones wasn't cut out to be a host, merely having him do an abbreviated version of "It's Not Unusual" over each series of opening credits, mumbling a few words, and then letting his guests take over. And good guests they are, including several of the day's most prominent rock, pop, and R&B artists, the cream of comedy, and a funny house troupe known as the Ace Trucking Company (notable mostly for starring a very young Fred Willard). Then, at the end of each show, Tom comes back (after a few intermittent production numbers) and wraps things up on a high note with a "concert" segment -- essentially a medley of popular favorites with the singer surrounded by his legion of frantic female fans. If there was ever any doubt about Jones' ability to control a stage, to own a crowd, and to prove the breadth of his chops, it ends here. Find someone else who can tackle "In the Midnight Hour" and "Danny Boy" in the course of one evening.
