As a result of a recent mention in Frank’s Recordings (here), I was prompted to obtain this video on the used market. It’s a magnificent show, and I don’t know how I missed it until now. Unfortunately, the VHS tape is out-of-print and remains unreleased on DVD to date. There doesn’t seem to be an existing Frank-On-TV thread (best I could find is here and here), so this is my contribution...


FRANK, LIZA & SAMMY: THE ULTIMATE EVENT!
VHS Video by: Kodak Video Programs
Released in US: July 9, 1989
Catalog No. KV-237V
Total playing time: 1 hour, 44 minutes

Performers: Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli, Sammy Davis, Jr.
Orchestra conducted by: Frank Sinatra, Jr. (Frank), Bill LaVorgna (Liza), Morty Stevens (Sammy)
Recorded: November 30 through December 4, 1988, in Detroit, Michigan, at the Fox Theater
Broadcast: February 10, 1989
Produced & Directed by: George Schlatter, in association with Sinatra and Friends Concert Tour, Inc.
Executive Producer: Eliot Weisman

This video tape presents a compilation concert recorded during the Detroit engagement of the worldwide “Ultimate Event” tour. The presentation was originally simulcast on radio and pay-per-view television. It includes a 15-minute behind-the-scenes introduction (tour announcement press conference, rehearsals, costume fittings, concert preparations, etc.) narrated by Frank, Sammy, and Liza; followed by a nearly 90-minute typical concert program. The following performances are included in order:

Preliminary (intros and rehearsal clips): The Oldest Established (all) / The Candy Man (Sammy) / Soliloquy (Frank) / Luck be A Lady (all)

The show proper…

Sammy: Hello, Detroit / With A Song In My Heart / The Candy Man / What Kind Of Fool Am I? / [Monologue] / Bad [Michael Jackson mimicry] / The Music Of The Night / One [Intro for Liza]

Liza: All That Jazz / Sailor Boys / Ring Them Bells / Quiet Love / Cabaret

Frank: Where Or When / For Once In My Life / Mack The Knife / One For My Baby / My Way / [Intro for Sammy & Liza]

Frank, Liza & Sammy (medley of hits and favorites): Style (all), Witchcraft (Frank & Sammy) / Liza With A ‘Z’ (Liza) / Talk To The Animals (Sammy) / All Or Nothing At All (Frank) / Money Makes The World Go ’Round (Liza) / Once In A Lifetime (Sammy) / I’ve Got You Under My Skin (Frank) / Maybe This Time (Liza) / I Gotta Be Me (Sammy) / All The Way (Frank) / Old Friends (Liza) / The Birth Of The Blues (Sammy) / The Lady Is A Tramp (Frank) / And The World Goes Round (Liza) / There’s A Boat That’s Leaving Soon For New York (Sammy) / New York, New York (all)

Good idea to start a thread for this one, Bob!

Some additional bits of info:

While the individual nights from which the five Sinatra solo selections on the Video come from remain undocumented to date, the trio medley part (Style etc.) comes from the December 1, 1988 performance.

By comparison to the original shows, the Video is edited timewise - all three performers would normally stay for about 40 minutes solo on stage, and FS would usually perform 10-12 songs solo before calling Sammy and Liza back for the final. Also, at this part of the tour, the three of them would in most cases do both medleys (the Guys & Dolls one, as seen in the rehearsal footage, and the Style one) one after the other. Including the intermission (between Liza's and Frank's solo parts), the show would last up to 3 hours.

Three more Sinatra solo vocals coming from this Detroit engagement have been released on audio CD, hence might be considered brothers (or is that sisters? ) of the five here on the VHS:

Strangers In The Night (1.? 4.? 12.88)
Soliloquy (2.12.88)
In The Still Of The Night (3.12.88)

all to be found on "Sinatra 80th Live" (Capitol CD, released in 1995)
http://www.sinatrafamily.com/forum/s...t=Sinatra+80th

Bernhard.

Thanks, Bernhard.

Wouldn't it be grand to have a double DVD set with the equivalent of a complete concert?

[Adam]

Great idea for a new thread Bob!

Im not going to merge the other threads into this one because they would supercede your opening post and make this thread look a little disjointed.

Adam

[Duncan]

I would love this to be released on DVD!

What is it they say about great minds, Duncan? I couldn't agree with you more. This one is long overdue!

[George Lyons]

PBS broadcast this during a pledge drive some years ago; I taped it with all the breaks but it's still a great show in every way.

[Gregory]

I saw that George. I loved it and it should be released on DVD. It's too bad that Dean bowed out of the tour so early. Bob can correct me if I am wrong but Minneapolis was the first tour date that Dean did not appear at.

FS was so funny, he said that the real reason was Dean swallowed a shot glass... but it's understandable why Dean left.

Originally Posted by gregoryr1m

FS was so funny, he said that the real reason was Dean swallowed a shot glass... but it's understandable why Dean left.

I haven't seen the video myself, Greg, so would you care to clarify this for me, please? Thanks.

[Lynn]

Who holds the rights to this? I tried checking the database on the Copyright Office website (http://www.copyright.gov/records/) but couldn't find it listed.

[ARIES3032]

get a hold of this. Let us know where.

[steffen]

would be great, as a multiple DVD set. each performer did a much longer act than was released on video. also the guys and dolls medley was not released.

plus a "best of" from other venues (there must be some clips, as seen during the introduction of the video)

I had it on VHS in England when it first was released. I loved the interviews and the documentary at the beginning as much as I enjoyed the concert.

Ian.

[jimsully]

I also so this on Pbs and have the video of this fine performance from detroit
frank was great as usual but i think the best portion of the show was
Sammy davis Jr and his performance of " music of the night"
a marvelous song which sammy gives a great version
How soon was this taped after Dean dropped out. I had tickets for
the ultimate event for the boston garden show but it was cancelled because of Sammy being diagnosed with throat Cancer- I missed opportunity but this is a fine show

with sammy singing the new song " music of the night" it makes me think of the songs of the period that frank would have sounded great if he had attempted This thought is under a differant thread but
frank singing This is all i ask from the phantom would be a joy

Originally Posted by jimsully

How soon was this taped after Dean dropped out?

Dean left the "Together Again" tour with Frank, Dean and Sammy after the show of March 20, 1988 in Chicago. (He was forced to quit due to a kidney problem which required hospitalization.) That tour began just a week earlier, and it continued through April 9th with just FS and Sam.

This tape comes from "The Ultimate Event" tour with Frank, Sammy, and Liza which began six months later on September 17, 1988. Dean was never a part of this show. The Detroit dates recorded here were from November 30 through December 4, 1988.

[steffen]

does anyone know, which US shows apart from detroit were videotaped?

the backstage scenes show many shots from different arenas (most identifyable by miss minnellis costumes), also included is the complete "luck be a lady" from some arena.