Let Me Entertain You - Carol Burnett Sings

Let Me Entertain You features 12 songs by Jule Styne, ranging from the obvious "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Just in Time" to less familiar fare from 1953's Hazel Flagg. Also included is "All I Need Is the Boy" with gender-switched wording by original lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Burnett sounds great accompanied by full orchestras under the direction of Irwin Kostal and Harry Zimmerman, showing off the charm and big voice that helped her become a leading television personality in the late 1960s and 1970s. -David Horiuchi

Columbia released this Carol Burnett album in 1971, right at the height of her popularity, and it reveals that, along with her obvious comedic gifts, she also had a great voice and an ear for good material (in other words, she was and is disgustingly talented). We’ve added three bonus tracks and new liner notes to the original release…if you’re a fan (and who isn’t?), you’re in for a treat!

Based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale The Princess and the Pea, Once Upon a Mattress opened in May 1959 and was a solid success, if not a huge blockbuster. The show was far from revolutionary, but it provided a really fun vehicle for a cast of top stage personalities, including black actress Jane White, who played Queen Aggravain (a part originally written for comedienne Nancy Walker) in whiteface. But of course, Once Upon a Mattress's heart and soul was Carol Burnett, who, in her Broadway debut created the part of Princess Winnifred and delivered two of Mary Rodgers's best songs, the hilarious "Shy" and the spunky "Happily Ever After," which sounds a bit like Jule Styne at his most rhythmic. Burnett's timing and performance remain as sharp as they were 40 years ago. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

The story behind the CD is fascinating - the score was lost for many years after the show closed, and the trunk containing the complete score was found at the Library of Congress just a few years ago. More details are in the notes, written by James Lipton ("Inside the Actors Studio,") who wrote the book and lyrics to the show.

Sherry played briefly on Broadway thirty-seven years ago.

VIDEO

Everything Lucy

Quit Smoking for Free 
Freedom From Smoking® public service announcements featuring Carol Burnett (series of 4 videos)

VIDEO

ANNIE (1982)

director: John Huston

THE FOUR SEASONS (1981)

director: Alan Alda 
cast: Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, Sandy Dennis 
genre: Comedy 
studio: MCA Universal Home Video 
MPAA Rating: PG

THE FRONT PAGE (1974)

PETE 'N' TILLIE (1972)

Pete'n'Tillie (promo Single) - Love's The Only Game In Town  
Carol Burnett (John Williams/Alan & Marilyn Bergman/arr. Peter Matz)

TRUMPET OF THE SWAN (2001)