Diana 1971 - Full Version

[jobeterob]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqnQyMkRSVU

The TV Special on YouTube.

[kenneth]

How did you find this??? Better watch it quickly before it's gone! The opening is hilarious!

[gordy_hunk]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention - I was too young in 1971 to see this [[I assume it was shown on UK TV). Although I've had the soundtrack for years, being able to view it makes so much sense of the dialogue now.

[Methuselah2]

Thanks very much for posting this, Jobeterob. Much appreciated. Hadn't seen it in one complete piece since it first aired, so this was very nice to see now. Unavoidable to watch it at this point without thinking of all that has happened in the lives of those who appeared in it.

The show itself was a strange mix for me with this viewing. Diana certainly showed lots of talent, particularly as Chaplin, Harpo, Fields, and as Bill's girlfriend Alberta. But the rest of the comedy routines didn't come off very well--some very strange pacing did them in.

But most surprising to me were Ross' music numbers. I hadn't remembered that there was so much lipsynching in this special--which seems very strange for a 'special'. I started to think that, perhaps, the live renditions were replaced by recorded versions for the YouTube posting but, finally, that didn't seem to me to be the case: Too many slow fades at the end of some of the songs. And the Paul Riser arranger credit at the end of the show said 'recording' to me, as his name did on the actual records.

Of course it's always fascinating to look at Diana. And I enjoyed how she looked in the white gown and also briefly in the black one. But all that orange-pink-fuchsia color palette used for three other gowns seemed surprisingly repetitive. The style of those three gowns also seemed very wrong for her--too heavy or too much material or too Tina--while the white gown was exactly right and showed Bob Mackie in top form. [[Perhaps the white gown is what Diana is wearing in the back cover photo of her SURRENDER album.)

And when she bowed at the end of some of her numbers! How stylized can you get?! Yikes! But surprising to see here--a real Ross artifact--worth watching just for those.

[Methuselah2]

That great white gown designed by Bob Mackie:

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111010052737/thesupremes/images/thumb/2/21/DianaRoss1971moon.jpg/480px-DianaRoss1971moon.jpg

[midnight johnny]

Rob....thanks so much for posting this treasure in it's completeness!

[Jimi LaLumia]

thanks for this..loving it

[supremester]

Those oranges and reds, at the time, were cool colors to use from the hippie /eastern influence - the Remember Me dress also with it's corset was a reflection of the counter culture look. These were my two faves at the time - not so much now, lol. I wish this would have aired in January as Remember Me needed a boost badly. I'm surprised they didn't replace it with Reach out I'll Be There for it's April 18th air date as it needed even more boosting.


Thanks very much for posting this, Jobeterob. Much appreciated. Hadn't seen it in one complete piece since it first aired, so this was very nice to see now. Unavoidable to watch it at this point without thinking of all that has happened in the lives of those who appeared in it.

The show itself was a strange mix for me with this viewing. Diana certainly showed lots of talent, particularly as Chaplin, Harpo, Fields, and as Bill's girlfriend Alberta. But the rest of the comedy routines didn't come off very well--some very strange pacing did them in.

But most surprising to me were Ross' music numbers. I hadn't remembered that there was so much lipsynching in this special--which seems very strange for a 'special'. I started to think that, perhaps, the live renditions were replaced by recorded versions for the YouTube posting but, finally, that didn't seem to me to be the case: Too many slow fades at the end of some of the songs. And the Paul Riser arranger credit at the end of the show said 'recording' to me, as his name did on the actual records.

Of course it's always fascinating to look at Diana. And I enjoyed how she looked in the white gown and also briefly in the black one. But all that orange-pink-fuchsia color palette used for three other gowns seemed surprisingly repetitive. The style of those three gowns also seemed very wrong for her--too heavy or too much material or too Tina--while the white gown was exactly right and showed Bob Mackie in top form. [[Perhaps the white gown is what Diana is wearing in the back cover photo of her SURRENDER album.)

And when she bowed at the end of some of her numbers! How stylized can you get?! Yikes! But surprising to see here--a real Ross artifact--worth watching just for those.

[theboyfromxtown]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention - I was too young in 1971 to see this [[I assume it was shown on UK TV). Although I've had the soundtrack for years, being able to view it makes so much sense of the dialogue now.

Yes, it was shown on British TV. No TCB, No GIT but we did get this.

[jobeterob]

Somebody mentioned how things change ~ Danny Thomas gone, Michael Jackson gone too soon, Bill Cosby discredited. And at 71, Ross is still on a world tour.

[RobertZ]

Somebody mentioned how things change ~ Danny Thomas gone, Michael Jackson gone too soon, Bill Cosby discredited. And at 71, Ross is still on a world tour.
Yes, all facts. And this special was just perfect in its place and time for Ms. Ross. I remember its premier, and what a buzz it caused! I think the multi-part opening, including the running start "Don't ...", which was used as the opening number for the "Let's See If Diana Ross Can Make It On Her Own Tour". Apparently ... she can! Thanks so much for posting [[and weren't the J5 sublime?)

[johnbell]

Thank you very much jobeterob...I Never tough that i would have see this special again, wow it's 44 years sinc e that , I was a teenager, lol.

[thanxal]

What a wonderful thing to watch. I have to admit that I was waiting for Mary and Cindy to come in during the first number and then realized, no.

And I love the original commercials. It comes with whitewall tires!!!

[waldo]

lol how sweet was Rockwell @ 5:42

[marv2]

lol how sweet was Rockwell @ 5:42

I was about to comment on that; whether anyone noticed a young Kennedy "Rockwell" Gordy in the audience. LOL

[Bokiluis]

I believed it aired on April 17th 1971! It was my final year at Riordan HS. We had an excellent audio/video department. I convinced my drama teacher to let us air it in one of the rehearsal rooms. It was sooo exciting. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was played in its entirety on FM radio. Never expected to hear it sandwiched between Zeppelin's "Ramble On" and then Jeck Beck's "Becokloa", radio was so much freer than. And when the ratings came in hear Top 10! Diana had another notch in her cap. Great memories!

[jobeterob]

This show was in the Top 10?

[Glenpwood]

For such a family oriented show why was this burned off in a 10 PM slot on a Sunday Night? All the younger fans would've likely been sent to bed by their parents...