The Milton Berle Show

- Season 8

(1955)

Uncle Miltie's guests include swimmer/actress Esther Williams and Westerns star John Wayne. Williams and Berle do a satire of the movie "Summertime."

The regular variety format is replaced this week by an original comedy written by Gore Vidal. It tells the story of a shady bookie and his wife who are forced from Chicago by Cement Jackson. They hit the road, change their names, and settle in a Southwestern state. Eventually, Berle gets himself elected governor and is succeeded in office by his wife. All is well until Jackson tracks the two down and opens up an office next to the governor's mansion

Milton's guests in this color telecast include Kay Thompson, singer Gogi Grant, and The Will Mastin Trio (starring Sammy Davis, Jr.). With Mary Beth Hughes and Casey Adams. Berle plays a dense janitor who swallows a miniature bomb devised by scientists. Grant performs "Suddenly There's a Valley". Milton and Kay do a take-off on the recent Noel Coward/Mary Martin TV special Together with Music. Davis performs "That Old Black Magic" and joins Miltie for the finale where they impersonate great show biz teams. Jerry Lewis makes a cameo to pitch for his MD fund

Comedian Jan Murray fills in for Berle, who fell ill during rehearsals. Guests include Gale Storm, accordionist Dick Contino, Vic Damone, and Ben Blue. Jan's monologues include jokes about his move to the suburbs. Gale sings "I Hear You Knockin'" and Vic does "Autumn Leaves." Blue does a pantomime as a man in a park making friends with a young woman. Shown is a black-and-white dramatic sketch from the 9/29/1953 episode of "The Buick-Berle Show" featuring Frank Sinatra and Tallulah Bankhead.

In color from Hollywood, Miltie welcomes Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, singers The Four Lads, dancers The Dunhills, and comedian George Jessel in a holiday show.

In color from Hollywood, Milton's scheduled guests include comedian George Jessel and comic actress Judy Holliday.

From California in color, Milton's scheduled guests include actress Betty Hutton and actor Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Hutton performs "The Tender Trap" in a production number.

From the Copa Room of the Sands Hotel the premiere of "Meet Me in Las Vegas" is celebrated with the stars of the film. Songs and clips from the movie are featured throughout the program.

Milton and the gang perform live from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Broadcast live in color from USS Hancock stationed at San Diego, CA. Milton's guests include Elvis Presley, Esther Williams, Buddy Rich, regular Arnold Stang, and the Harry James Orchestra. Following Berle's monologue, Esther Williams joins him and they sing "Memories Are Made of This" with new lyrics about sailors. Elvis and his band perform "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Blue Suede Shoes." Presley introduces his "twin brother Melvin," a hick dufus played by Berle. The two launch into a reprise of "Blue Suede Shoes" with Berle destroying his guitar and dancing Elvis-style ...

From "Color City in Burbank" Milton Berle hosts this abridged version of Olsen and Johnson's Hellzapoppin'. The cast includes Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson, dancers the Covan Kids and June Johnson.

In color from California, Berle's scheduled guests include actor Mickey Rooney singer Peggy King, with Ruth Gilbert and Arnold Stang. Miltie talks to a psychiatrist because the show is putting him under excessive pressure. The doctor suggests hiring an understudy to lighten the load; enter Mickey Rooney.

In the series' color finale from Hollywood, Milton's guests are actresses Debra Paget and Irish McCalla, child actor Barry Gordon, and Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires. Elvis sings "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" and "Hound Dog" (which he slows down into a bump-and-grind). Irish McCalla joins Berle and Presley in banter about how sexy the singer is. In a record store, Milton gets in the way when screaming women mob Presley and has his suit ripped to shreds.