Jerry Lee, S Allen, Kinescope.

6 Jun

FROM Jay

A couple of things I noticed when searching You Tube are some rare recordings turning up that must be audio tapes that were smuggled out of Sun Studios in the fifties of Jerry Lee Lewis alone at the piano with no other band members. If you search with the word ‘rare’ you will find them.

Also I have a couple of clips you can check out. First one type in “Jerry Lee Lewis 3rd Steve Allen Show 1957” This is interesting as before he introduces Lewis he launches into a Live Commercial for Coldene Stick Chest Rub, very funny to see a Kinescope of what was a Live Saturday Night TV Show in 57 on the NBC Network. Lewis looks so young.

It is my understanding that Allen paid out of his own pocket or his production company for the Kinescopes to be made and his family have retained the rights to them ever since. Kinescope is the process of Filming Off-Screen from a Grade 1 Monitor a TV Show in order to preserve it.

Remember the VTR was not invented until 1958 and none were sold until 1959. They were very expensive to own and operate, so these shows were Live and Film was the only way to archive anything. Here in the UK the BBC called Kinescopes “Tele-Recordings” Kine being the word that preceded Cine.

There are also Items 1st and 2nd Steve Allen shows 1957 with Jerry Lee if you are interested, again with commercials and one of them has a commercial for Greyhound Coaches.

The second item is: Jerry Lee Lewis Documentary: with Myra in Britain. This one is about his treatment of by the UK Press when it was discovered his wife was his second cousin and aged 13. She don’t look 13 but is certainly very attractive.

The video clips of his early performances that I searched tonight prove to me beyond doubt that the guy was just a natural TALENT from day one, no doubt about it; it’s just that sleepy Britain just was not ready for him, that’s all.

-Jay

One Response to “Jerry Lee, S Allen, Kinescope.”

  1. Vincent June 6, 2010 at 4:44 pm #

    The funny thing is, that marriage lasted for DECADES. I SAW Jerry and Myra perform at Wembley in ’72. Myra warmed up the audience (she was a BABE!) while Jerry Lee was making his way to Wembley from the Black Raven – a Teds’ pub near Liverpool Street station – although why any self-respecting Ted would be in a PUB (even a Rock ‘N’ Roll one) when Jerry, Chuck, and Bill Haley (with Rudy and the boys) were in Town performing, is beyond me!

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