All Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan

All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan (1985)

Frank Sinatra hosts this All-Star Party for Ronald Reagan, who of course was President at the time this was recorded. Not only do you have Sinatra hosting but you've got performances and comments from Charlton Heston, Burt Reynolds, Dean Martin, Leon Ames, Barbara Billingsley, Vin Scully and others.

Variety Clubs hosted these All-Star parties for several years and some very big stars were honored. This one here was the second that I have watched and as you'd expect there's a lot of entertainment value to take from it. The highlights are probably Sinatra singing a Christmas tune as well as Martin playing up his drunk persona and also singing a song. The majority of the running time is devoted to singing performances, although Reynolds is on hand for some nice laughs as well as Heston giving a political message.

This certainly wasn't as entertaining as the tribute to Clint Eastwood but there are so many grand stars who are no longer with us that this is easy to recommend.

Episode: B+

It is easy to not treasure something special until it is gone; such is the case with this special. Not only one of better Presidents (and a marvelous orator), but look around the room at the talent treasures no longer with us: Sinatra, Martin, Steve and Eydie, Monty Hall, Red Skelton, Jimmy Stewart, Burt Reynolds, Alec Trebek, and many more. Who are their modern counterparts? There are none. The "evolution of talent" these people went through no longer exists. If you are 30-plus, watch and be dazzled with memories. If you are under 30 try to appreciate the marvelous talents these people had, and shared with us.