American Horror Story busted out The Name Game from left field
This goes way back to the TV show The Paper Chase. About law students dealing with the infamous curmudgeon Professor Kingsfield. Lanie Kazan was an older woman who was also a law student and at some point, I can’t remember the exact circumstances, maybe it was a student talent show or something? She sang “You’re Gonna Hear from Me” and knocked it out of the park. I get goosebumps just remembering it. It was very cool.
I always laughed at Sam and Coach’s approach to GED prep:
“Albania
Albania
You border on the
Adriatic”
Sam: “I studied myself hoarse for that test.”
Yes, you’re correct. I remember that episode (well, I’ve got the series on DVD; my memory isn’t that good to remember from the first run of the show).
It was the annual student talent show, and Kazan’s character originally signed up to help out backstage. The student who was to sing the song came down with laryngitis at the last minute, but the show must go on. Kazan had attended every rehearsal, and knew all the songs, so even though she was reluctant, she was encouraged to try it.
Well, she did. And you’re right; she knocked it out of the park. I was hoping that the show would use her singing talent at some point, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Thank you so much for posting that! I am thrilled that somebody else remembers that spectacular episode.
I don’t remember that episode but I loved The Paper Chase. It was awesome, though none of my actual college professors could live up to Professor Kingsfield.
If it helps, it would have been in either the last season, or the second-last one. Kazan has been admitted to law school, leading to a lot of “Are you here to visit your son or daughter?” moments. But she manages, and was a regular that season. The talent show was just an episode in that season.
I had a Professor Kingsfield, when I went to law school. I guess every law school has at least one.
Another one from Doctor Who
Colombo had an episode where musical comedy figured into the plot.
Janet Leigh plays a faded star who wants to get back into musicals but is being discouraged by her manager. The murder device involves a copy of a film in which her character starred, “Walking My Baby Back Home”, which it turns out was an actual musical comedy movie released in 1953, starring…Janet Leigh (it also featured Donald O’Connor and Buddy Hackett).
The theme song appears prominently in the Colombo episode.
The two that immediately popped to mind were
Lanie Kazan was in an episode of Columbo as well, playing a washed-up star who was terrified of making a comeback. She was apparently “close to” the story’s murderess, who’d whacked her boss/lover to nail a posh post at her TV network.
“Forgotten Lady” with Janet Leigh and John Payne is probably my favorite episode of the series, not least because it’s one of the few in which the perp gets off Scot-free.
Fun Fact: While living in Russia, I once switched channels immediately after watching “Forgotten Lady” only to stumble onto John Payne opposite Sonja Henie in 1941’s Sun Valley Serenade.
There was a lot of music on WKRP in Cincinnati, but it was all recorded.
However, one piece of music that wasn’t, occurred when Hoyt Axton, playing Jennifer’s childhood boyfriend, unexpectedly showed up to get reacquainted with her; and possibly, get her to make good on the promise she made as a child to get married to him. He sat in the lobby and sang “Della and the Dealer” to Johnny, whom Jennifer had conscripted to be her grown-up husband.
“You got the knife, I got the gun, c’mon boy, we’re gonna have a little fun …”
“Cousin Roy” Clark on The Beverly Hillbillies, where he (along with other stars like Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs) was an occasional visitor:
Anthrax once paid a visit to Kelly and Bud Bundy. I think I have it cued up to the start of the music, but if I messed up, you can skip to 3:40. Or just watch the whole thing:
@Spoons This is the episode:
“It’s Only a Show”
Season 3, Ep. 10, Episode aired Aug 20, 1985
From a viewer review:
At times, it seems that the revue is going to fall apart, but once it gets going, there are legal laughs aplenty. … Lanie Kazan fills in for an ailing Soloway, singing “You’re Gonna Hear From Me” and bringing down the house.
Interestingly, Lainie Kazan appeared as the character Rose Samuels in 17 episodes of The Paper Chase.
Funny. This is the song I remember Anthrax performing on MWC.
Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb
Close enough. But maybe the third worst- worst- Spocks brain, 2nd space hippies. That one had moments, but still…
There’s the Drew Carey Show audition sequence.
I believe that was later in the same episode. I just searched for “Anthrax on Married with Children” and went with the first clip I found.
“Spock’s Brain” is no gem, but it at least has a story that sort of makes sense and we can laugh at. I’d rank it above episodes like “Plato’s Stepchildren,” “The Empath,” and “Is There In Truth No Beauty?” that either have none at all or are just excruciatingly boring.