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The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Coming out of the commercial break, we seem to have entered Bizarro World. As they've done many time before, The Wagonmasters play us out of the commercial break with an instrumental version of "Wildwood Flower." Only this time, everyone's pretending to be someone else: first Don takes the lead on Buck's Mosrite guitar, imitating Buck's show-offy playing; then the camera pulls back to reveal Speck sawing on Mack's fiddle, George plucking on Speck's bass and walking around it, Buck sliding away on Don's pedal steel while resting on his knees to look shorter, Mack stomping out chords on George's acoustic guitar, and Porter talking on Speck's phone. Afterwards Porter says "That is the new Wagonmasters band, and ain't they fine? We thought it might be funny to just let everybody play something that they hadn't ever played before, and we did, and it sounded pretty bad, boy." The more of these shows you've seen, the funnier this is.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Porter introduces Pretty Miss Norma Jean, who pulls a little switcheroo of her own: she plays guitar and sings one of Porter's signature songs, "I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name," backed by The Wagonmasters. At the last chorus, Porter steps in and sings a duet with Norma Jean.
Nuclear Testing Review
Opening credit, "Nuclear Testing Review." FO/FI TLS/MSs men-- including Los Alamos Director Dr. J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER -- working with "The Gadget" (large round atomic bomb), hoisting it up 100 ft scaffolding tower, preparing for detonation, July, 1945. FO/FI color (!) WLS first atomic bomb explosion (Trinity) in desert, camera tilting with mushroom cloud-- this was filmed by Berlyn Brixner from the North Shelter at a distance of 10,000 yards. Manhattan Project.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Porter asks Norma Jean to introduce Hank Cochran and she jokingly says "Well, I know a lot of things I can say, but I'm trying to think of something good." Porter and Norma Jean introduce the legendary songwriter Cochran, who plays guitar and sings "All of Me Belongs to You," backed by The Wagonmasters. Cochran thanks Porter for having him on his "teleconfusion" show.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Porter introduces gap-toothed comedian Rhodes. Wearing his trademark black & yellow checkered suit with bow tie and white bowler hat, Speck places a call on an old-time wind-up telephone and speaks with his fictional girlfriend, Sadie the operator. Speck tells a bunch of corny old fashioned jokes. Shots of audience laughing, including bespectacled guy in big white cowboy hat guffawing. As part of his routine, Speck plugs the show's fifth souvenir booklet, containing songs and stories and pictures. It can be yours for only fifty cents by mail. Colorful graphic of an envelope addressed to Porter.
Nuclear Testing Review
First Pacific Tests, Operation Crossroads, Able Event, July 1, 1946, Bikini Atoll. TLSs US naval vessels, mostly destroyers, sailing in warm waters. MS bombing crew chatting; CU pilot Maj. WP SWANCUTT; CU bombardier Major HAROLD WOOD. Panning TLS B-29 bomber "Dave's Dream" taxiing on runway. Air to air shots of Dave's Dream in flight. Aerial of target. Over the shoulder MS bombardier Maj. Harold Wood. Air to air shot of B-29 bay doors closing. Aerials of Able atom bomb event, atomic explosion, mushroom cloud. Level LS Able event, taken from Bikini Island, 3 miles from ground zero; great, frightening view of shockwave streaking across ocean, hurtling towards camera, rattling palm trees in FG before shaking cam-- wow. Traveling shots wreckage of USS Pensacola cruiser (used in Able event). Traveling shots wreckage of submarine USS Skate (SS-305).
Nuclear Testing Review
Operation Crossroads, Baker event, July 25, 1946. CUs officer counting down from 10. MSs men looking through binoculars (perhaps from USS McKinley). Aerial of Baker event, second atomic bomb blast in Bikini Atoll, massive explosion & mushroom cloud, ships visible near ground zero. Great level LS Baker event, water column rising. LS water spray engulfing naval ships; highly radioactive "wall of foaming water." LS atomic blast taken from Bikini Island, water column rising & shockwave racing across water, shaking palm trees in FG before shaking cam.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Porter introduces hymn time, then plays guitar and sings "Gathering In The Sky," from his 1964 LP "The Bluegrass Story," accompanied by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Porter returns from commercial break and calls back "clean cut Christian" Warner Mack to sing another duet with George, "Sittin' On A Rock (Cryin' In A Creek)," backed by The Wagonmasters. MS Buck Trent guitar solo.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Porter brings back Hank Cochran, saying "the list of his songs looks like a New York phone directory," and at over 1000 of them recorded, Porter ain't kidding. Backed by The Wagonmasters, Hank plays guitar and sings a great (if all too brief) medley of hits he's written: "I Fall To Pieces," "Make The World Go Away," "Don't Touch Me," and "A Little Bitty Tear."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 110
Porter wraps up the show. As the Wagonmasters play instrumental show outro and Howser signs off, Wagoner waves goodbye as Magaha fiddles and Speck dances a little number around his stand-up bass.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Promo for Porter Wagoner Show #111 with special guests The Hardin Trio and Tex Williams. Spot opens with MS of Hardins singing "Tippy Toeing," then camera pulls out to reveal Tex and Porter, who introduces the guests and invites us to tune in to the program.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Introduction to Porter Wagoner show #111. Program opens with Wagoner and Wagonmasters Mack Magaha, Buck Trent, Speck Rhodes, Don Warden, and George McCormick as well as Norma Jean onscreen singing "Howdy Neighbor Howdy." Over brightly colored title card decorated with drawing of Wagoner, announcer Don Howser introduces Wagoner and The Wagonmasters, show regulars Speck Rhodes and Norma Jean, and "your favorite songs and stars of the Grand Ole Opry!" Howser enters and introduces "a man who's dressed up like a TV test pattern," Porter Wagoner. Wearing one of his trademark garish rhinestone-studded, western-themed Nudie suits, Porter welcomes audience, then plays guitar and sings "You Can't Make A Heel Toe The Mark," from his 1968 album "Green Green Grass Of Home," backed by The Wagonmasters (who wear equally flashy bright blue western outfits). As opposed to show # 107, this time Porter remembers all the lyrics. CU Buck's snazzy banjo playing and Mack's fiddle solo. Porter namechecks Tex Williams during the song.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Porter welcomes the audience, then introduces Tex Williams, who plays guitar and sings "Bottom Of A Mountain" backed by The Wagonmasters. After he finishes, Tex goes into a little rap about how modern recording studios "cheat" (i.e. overdub), which is great for him as it's easier for him to hit the low notes. To demonstrate, and apparently make up for feeling that he didn't quite get the performance right, he has the Wagonmasters play the last chorus again, but softer. Tex sings it again, this time even lower than the first.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Mack and Buck plays us out of a commercial with a hoppin' rendition of the standard "Goodbye Liza Jane," backed by The Wagonmasters. Nice shots of Mack's fiddling and Buck's banjo pickin'.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Porter introduces Pretty Miss Norma Jean, who wears a dress that's somewhat sparklier than usual. Backed by The Wagonmasters, Jean plays guitar and sings the Don Gibson song "Lonesome No. 1" from her 1964 LP "Let's Go All The Way." MS Buck Trent.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Porter returns and asks Norma Jean to help him introduce the next guests, "two really pretty girls and a ugly old boy," The Hardin Trio. Backed by The Wagonmasters, The Hardins harmonize on "Seven Days Of Crying." MS Buck Trent guitar solo.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Porter introduces gap-toothed comedian Rhodes. Wearing his trademark checkered suit with bow tie and white bowler hat, Speck places a call on an old-time wind-up telephone and speaks with his fictional girlfriend, Sadie the operator. Sadie connects Speck to Doc Pullem, and Speck tells a bunch of corny old fashioned jokes. Great shot of stony-faced woman in audience not laughing at 01:16:44. Another one at 01:17:22 of all but one person laughing. At end of bit, Speck clumsily plugs the show's fifth souvenir booklet, containing songs and stories and pictures. It can be yours for only fifty cents by mail. Colorful graphic of an envelope addressed to Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Now it's time to get serious. Accompanied by The Wagonmasters, Porter recites "I Dreamed I Saw America On Her Knees." A somber song for a nation going though turbulent times. The number mentions people saying "God is dead," an apparent reference to the famous April 8, 1966 Time Magazine cover story that asked: "Is God Dead?"
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Tex returns and sings his trademark 1947 taking blues, "Smoke Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)," backed by The Wagonmasters. Tex must have been absolutely sick of the song by now, 20 years later, but he gives it his all.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Arlene, Bob, and Robbie, The Hardin Trio play their 1966 hit single, "Tippy Toeing," backed by The Wagonmasters.
Nuclear Testing Review
Operation Sandstone, 1948, Pacific Proving Ground. Card: "Produced for the Atomic Energy Commission." Map of Eniwetok Atoll. MS Colonel PAUL PREUSS operating communications radio. Blinding flash of atomic bomb explosion. MS three men wearing safety glasses, watching explosion. Strange shot of mushroom cloud, detonation (can't teel if it's an aerial or a ground shot, the explosion behind clouds).
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 111
Porter wraps up the show. As the Wagonmasters play instrumental show outro and Howser signs off, Wagoner waves goodbye as Magaha fiddles and Speck dances a little number around his stand-up bass. Porter puts Speck's hat on Mack while he fiddles, making him look like the leprechaun from the Lucky Charms commercials.
Nuclear Testing Review
Operation Greenhouse, Booster Event, 1951. First test of the principle of "fusion boosting", the use of a thermonuclear fusion reaction to inject neutrons into a fission core to boost efficiency. MSs booster being transported. TLSs booster detonation tower. MS military oficer donning black safety goggles. WLSs thermonuclear explosion, throbbing mass of reddish-orange in an otherwise black sky.