User Reviews

PENTHOUSE PARTY was a Friday night variety show on ABC that ran for only one season, actress Betty Furness cementing her prominence on the small screen as hostess. Broadcast live from New York, this kinescope survives as a look back on a time when sitcoms had yet to make a dent in prime time, movie talent like Milton Berle finding their niche in front of an audience, Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca just beginning their dominant run on YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS, Ed Sullivan's Sunday night program still known as TALK OF THE TOWN. Betty welcomes the viewing audience inside her front door, introducing Buddy Weed at the piano, Marion Morgan and Don Cherry singing their share of songs. The only well known name is that of John Carradine, struggling to find steady work on the East Coast during a 7 year hiatus from Hollywood, demonstrating his vocal ability as a 'basso profondo' as well as his vast prowess with Shakespeare (he freely admits that he's never performed the Bard in New York). Even Carradine's second wife Sonia Sorel puts in a smiling appearance but is rarely seen and never speaks. He would return for a second PENTHOUSE PARTY, also doing similar shows for Kate Smith and Art Linkletter, numerous talk shows following during the 70s: Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas (this restoration was supervised by Jeff Joseph in 2018).