The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
The Porter Wagoner Show #299 featuring special guest Carl Smith.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #299 featuring special guest Carl Smith. Spot opens with Porter in the audience with "Some of the people who come to see our show." Camera pulls out to reveal Speck Rhodes in the row behind him "with all the pretty girls." Fade out over art card with colorful illustration of Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Opening of Porter Wagoner show #299. 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, 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, wearing dazzling, rhinestone-studded black Nudie suit, plays guitar and sings "Take Me Back To Tulsa" accompanied by Dolly Parton and Wagonmasters Buck Trent, Don Warden, Mack Magaha, George McCormick, Jack Little and Speck Rhodes, all but Speck in matching red Nudie suits. MCU Mack's shenanigans which make Porter completely lose his place in the song.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Porter welcomes audience and introduces Carl Smith, who plays guitar and sings "Pull My String and Wind Me Up" backed by his own three-piece band The Tunesmiths. Carl wears a checkered shirt that inspires a few chuckles at Speck's expense, and Smith steps off stage to Mack Magaha fiddling the outro music for Speck's routines.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Mack Magaha plays us out of the commercial, sawing away on the "Kaw-Liga"-esque instrumental fiddle number "Cheyenne."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Porter introduces pretty little Dolly Parton who plays guitar and sings the pretty little song "Just the Way I Am," backed by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Backed by The Wagonmasters, Porter plays guitar and sings the chestnut "Bride's Bouquet" from his 1966 LP "The Thin Man From West Plains."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
"In the world's mighty gallery of telephone operators, you won't find this cat's name," says Porter in reference to gap-toothed hayseed comedian Speck Rhodes. Playing as always a lady-killer despite his missing teeth, checkered suit, and bowler hat, Speck places a call on an old fashioned crank phone and chats with fictional girlfriend Sadie, the telephone operator. Speck tells some corny jokes based on psychological delusions and old men chasing girls. Shots of folks laughing.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Wearing an almost op-art glowing green striped suit, Don Howser introduces Porter and Dolly, who sing a duet on the week's scared song "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man," backed by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Porter reintroduces Carl Smith and The Tunesmiths, who perform Carl's latest single "Bonaparte's Retreat." Nice close-ups of Johnny Sibert's influential, awe-inspiring steel guitar.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
In a lucky break for fans of cornpone comedy, there's just enough time left to bring Speck back on to sing his novelty song about winter underwear, "When It's Long Handle Time In Tennessee."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 299
Porter wraps up the show, waving goodbye as The Wagonmasters play the instrumental outro, Don Howser signs off, and the whole cast (including Carl Smith, who hijacks Speck's bowler and bass) cavorts as credits roll.