The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
The Porter Wagoner Show #218 featuring special guest Grandpa Jones.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #218 featuring special guest Grandpa Jones. Spot opens with shot of Grandpa playing banjo and singing "Fix Me A Pallet," then camera pans over to Wagoner at mic, who announces Grandpa Jones as his guest and names all the show's regulars. Fade out over art card with colorful illustration of Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Opening of Porter Wagoner show #218. Standard pre-recorded opening begins with CU of Porter s shiny red boots walking down hallway, which cuts to rear view of Wagoner s garish green Nudie suit festooned with rhinestone wagon wheels and cacti. Montage of smiling Porter happily walking through WSM-TV studio as stage hands and technicians prep show. Don Howser s voice over reads: "Direct from Nashville Tennessee, here s The Porter Wagoner Show!" Quick shots of regulars as Howser announces them: "Starring Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Mel Tillis, Speck Rhodes, Don Howser, The Wagonmasters, and today s special guest star." Momentary pause in VO (presumably left for Howser to read the guest star s name on air), then prerecorded segment ends with Howser s "and now, here s Porter." Cut to live portion as Porter, in powder blue Nudie suit, plays guitar and sings "Shady Grove" backed by Wagonmasters Buck Trent, Don Warden, Mack Magaha, George McCormick, and Speck Rhodes (all except Speck wearing matching red western outfits).
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Porter introduces "the old stutterin' lad" Mel Tillis. Backed by The Wagonmasters and accompanied on harmony vocals by George McCormick, Tillis plays guitar and sings his 1958 almost-hit, "Finally." CU Don's steel guitar.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Backed by The Wagonmasters, Mack Magaha fiddles us out of the commercial break, soloing on a quick instrumental breakdown.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Porter introduces "the beautiful little lady" Dolly Parton, saying that they just came back from a Texas tour where the audiences went "WOOOWWWW--OOWWW!" Backed by The Wagonmasters, Dolly plays guitar and sings "Your Ole Handy Man." A second into the song, Porter pops into frame and tells Dolly to "Go get 'em!" Great looking shot with Dolly in powder blue coat with fur collar on the "Wagon House" porch, behind which is a dark red backdrop.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Porter introduces "one of the greatest entertainers that I've ever watched work," Grandpa Jones, who plays guitar and sings "I'll Just Keep Living Along" accompanied by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Backed by The Wagonmasters, Porter plays guitar and sings the brilliant title track from his most recent album, "The Carroll County Accident." This is probably the first televised performance of the Southern gothic story-in-song.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Porter introduces "another chapter in the innerestin' life of Speck and Sadie." Gap-toothed comedian Speck Rhodes, wearing his trademark black and yellow checkered suit and red bowler hat, calls his fictional girlfriend Sadie on an old-fashioned wall-mounted crank style telephone. A bunch of corny old-fashioned hayseed jokes ensue. Cutaway of Dolly Parton and unidentified woman (possibly Mack Magaha's wife Shirley) laughing at Speck's routine. Another cutaway of unidentified man/woman/young girl watching routine. After a particularly painful joke, there's a shot of Mack doubling over with laughter; he must be getting paid awfully well.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
Porter introduces a number written by Wayne Rainey, then plays guitar and sings the week's inspirational song, "Gathering In The Sky," accompanied by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
We return from commercial to find Porter and Grandpa Jones apparently overcome with a fit of the giggles. In reference to something off screen Jones says "If he just quivers, the jig will be up," and we cut to a shot of Don Howser holding a cue card so covered in text, it might as well have the Gettysburg Address written on it. Then accompanied by The Wagonmasters, Jones reads from the cue card as he plays his latest Monument records single, his version of Tex Williams' trademark 1947 taking blues "Smoke Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 218
At the end of the number Porter returns and plugs his new LP "The Carroll County Accident," pointing out that Jones wrote two of the songs on the album and saying he hopes it sells 4 million copies. Then Porter wraps up the show, waving goodbye as The Wagonmasters play the instrumental show outro, Don Howser signs off, the credits roll, and Mack fiddles and dances us off the air.