The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
The Porter Wagoner Show #285 featuring special guest Bill Carlisle.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #285 featuring special guest Bill Carlisle. Spot opens with Carlisle playing guitar and singing "Dirty Old Man," then camera pulls out to reveal black Nudie suit-wearing Porter, who names guests and regulars and invites us to tune in. Fade out over art card with colorful illustration of Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Opening of Porter Wagoner show #285. 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 "Tennessee Saturday Night" accompanied by Wagonmasters Buck Trent, Don Warden, Mack Magaha, George McCormick, Jack Little and Speck Rhodes, all but Speck in matching red Nudie suits. Colorful shots of audience applauding. MS Buck's twangy guitar solo.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Porter welcomes audience and introduces Bill Carlisle in a very somber manner. Though Carlisle's typically somewhat of a nutball, the song he plays next, "A Man Named Jones," is a very serious affair indeed. Backed by The Wagonmasters, Carlisle recites the maudlin war number about an aging WWII vet who attempts to get the army to recruit him instead of his wet-behind-the-ears boy.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Electric banjo twangin' Buck Trent leads The Wagonmasters in the instrumental "Louisiana Man."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Porter introduces the pretty little lady Dolly Parton, who plays guitar and sings "Just The Way I Am" (from her "Fairest Of Them All" LP) backed by The Wagonmasters. Porter starts to fondle Dolly's hair, but Dolly stops him saying "It might fall off."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Accompanied by The Wagonmasters, Porter plays guitar and sings a jaunty version of Bob Wills' "Faded Love."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
"You know, I guess every program has a highlight," Porter says in his introduction of gap-toothed cornpone comedian Speck Rhodes, and you just know where he's leading. As Porter introduces the "lowlight" of the program, Speck (wearing as always his checkered suit and bowler hat) makes a call on one of those old-fashioned wind-up crank telephones and calls Sadie, his fictional girlfriend and telephone operator. Speck tells a bunch of corny old-fashioned jokes about marriage and psychologists. Shots of audience yukking it up.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Now it's time for the week's sacred number, one featured in all Porter's personal appearances, and which he calls "the most beautiful ever written." Backed by The Wagonmasters, Dolly sings "How Great Thou Art."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 285
Porter puts in a plug for the Country Music Hall of Fame, saying it's a "must-see" (along with the Opry) on your next trip to Nashville. Porter reintroduces "Jumpin" Bill Carlisle, taking a leap into the air in the process. Backed by The Wagonmasters, Bill lays guitar, jumps around, and sings his incredibly sexist novelty song "Dirty Old Man." Afterwards Porter wraps up the show, waving goodbye as The Wagonmasters play the instrumental show outro, Don Howser signs off, and credits roll as Mack dances and fiddles us off the air.