When Worlds Collide
I haven't decided if this falls into the amazing treasure or outerspace bizarre category. Ultimately, it's a little bit of both.
Back in 1974, Julie Andrews and Jackie Gleason teamed up for a TV special. That alone could qualify for the bizarre part, but it's not. Which should should you how bizarre this really is.
In the show, Jackie Gleason did a sketch with his Joe the Bartender character. That's the one where he talked with the unseen 'Mr. Donahee,' waxing thoughtful on all manner of social matters, then Frank Fontaine would come in as 'Crazy Googenheim," and then the sequence would end by Joe singing a verse of the old ballad, "My Gal Sal."
In this sketch though, they added a different character to come in and talk with Joe. That character was -- are you ready -- Julie Andrews playing...Eliza Doolittle!!!
I don't know who on earth came up with the idea. Or how much they'd drunk that morning. Perhaps the idea of an Irish pub got the person thinking of a Cockney character. But eventually, all the people in charge, including the performers, agreed to it. I'm not suggesting it's a bad sketch -- it isn't, it's sort of fun. Just that it's...well, totally bizarre, and coming up with the idea is one of the oddities of life.
But mainly, just the opportunity to have such extended footage of Julie Andrews playing Eliza Doolittle is a amazing treasure, no matter how bizarre the situation.
A wild sort of devil
But straight on the level
Was my gal...Eliza.
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