Sinatra : Off The Record (1998) VHS

bunny45 · #21 05-08-2010, 01:29 PM

Just dusted off my VHS tape of this show and watched it.

Love it!

I get chills when he records "It Was A Very Good Year".

Which happens to be my all time fave song.

He records it effortlessly!

Amazing.

Bob in Boston · #22 04-01-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob

This video includes portions of a 1965 CBS News documentary hosted by Walter Cronkite, with a new introduction by Dan Rather.

Pursuant to some recent research, I just wanted to throw in additional details not mentioned above:

The original CBS News TV special with Walter Cronkite, "Sinatra: An American Original," aired November 16, 1965.

The edited version on this VHS video, with intro by Dan Rather, was telecast May 21, 1998, on the CBS program 48 Hours. The episode, which aired one week after Sinatra's passing, was titled "Sinatra: Living With the Legend." A short news review review may be found at:

CBS Replays Vintage Sinatra '48 Hours' Airing Cronkite Interview & Profile From '65 - New York Daily News

Quote:

BY DAVID BIANCULLI
THE TV profile Frank Sinatra initially was reluctant to do, and resented for decades after its CBS telecast in 1965, is repeated tonight at 10 as a special installment of "48 Hours." Broadcast for the first time in 33 years, it shows Sinatra at work, at play, at rest, and in moods both contemplative and volatile.

The VHS video, retitled "Sinatra: Off the Record," was released in September 1998. The following article in Billboard (October 24, 1998) discusses the commercial video product:

CBS Video Sees Catalog Value In Frank Sinatra Documentary

Quote:

BY JIM BESSMAN
NEW YORK—CBS Video's just-released "Frank Sinatra: Off The Record" could well become a "perennial title," according to Hosea Belcher, VP of marketing for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

(Unfortunately, it seems the company never followed up on that prediction with a DVD release. However, although the VHS title is long out of print, new copies are easily found at Amazon and elsewhere.)

Bob in Boston

Bob in Boston · #23 04-03-2011, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich K

Interesting fact: the original CBS documentary on which this is based was written by Andy Rooney.

And it was produced by Don Hewitt, who later created "60 Minutes" for CBS News. Here's a photo of FS talking to Hewitt during the "It Was a Very Good Year" recording session, April 22, 1965:

There were many memorable photos (by Reprise photog Ed Thrasher) taken that evening in United Recording Studio A. Here's another which shows the CBS cameraman filming producer Sonny Burke, conductor Gordon Jenkins, and the singer:

Bob in Boston

William · #24 04-04-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob in Boston

The edited version on this VHS video...

However, although the VHS title is long out of print, new copies are easily found at Amazon and elsewhere.)

Bob in Boston

Just ordered a copy. I had seen some of the footage in the American Masters on Sinatra, but didn't realize it had been commercially released. What was edited out of the original for the rebroadcast and commercial VHS release?

Bob in Boston · #25 04-04-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William

What was edited out of the original for the rebroadcast and commercial VHS release?

I'm not sure, William. I missed the 1965 telecast because I was having too much fun as a freshman in college. (Yes: When I was seventeen, it was a very good year!

) I've read elsewhere that some of the interview material was cut for the 1998 version.

Bob in Boston

P.S. Technically, I had just turned 18 the week before this first aired. But I was 17, when FS recorded the song filmed for this show.

William · #26 04-04-2011, 10:53 AM

Thanks, Bob. I missed it, too, but for a different reason.

William · #27 04-11-2011, 08:50 AM

Got this and watched it over the weekend. Really enjoyed it -- especially the recording session footage. I couldn't help wondering who the folks in the studio "audience" were -- other than very lucky people.

I now want to re-view the documentary about the making of "L.A. Is My Lady" to compare the different sessions. One thing I did notice right away -- in the "It Was A Very Good Year" session, FS was in the same room with all the musicians. In the "L.A." sessions, he was in a booth.

evans5150 · #28 09-21-2011, 07:24 AM

Just found a "used - very good" copy of this on Amazon through a seller. Should have it by Friday and VERY excited to watch it!

SinatraIsLove · #29 10-29-2011, 06:51 AM

Ah-ha! So I've found the elusive title to that video clip I watched a while back

I see that Amazon has the VHS for $7.80. Not bad!

I'm curious - why did Mr. Sinatra "resent" the profile "for decades after its CBS telecast"?

Any chance of this ever being available on DVD? There are so many old shows/videos I wish would be released - like the Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra Christmas specials

Bob in Boston · #30 11-06-2011, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich K

Interesting fact: the original CBS documentary on which this is based was written by Andy Rooney.

Andy Rooney discusses the Frank Sinatra Documentary

Source: YouTube

(The late Andy Rooney's full interview is at the Archive of American Television)

[Added:] I notice that the embedded YouTube clip above has been edited somewhat. The unmodified version may be seen starting at the 21-minute mark in Chapter 5 of the full interview, also available here: