Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters

'Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters' was the unwieldy title of this pushmi-pullyu American variety series which didn't last very long. I saw three episodes at a screening in London when an American producer was attempting to sell the UK syndication rights.

In 1970 I had never heard of the Lennon Sisters, and I'd thought maybe they were related to John Lennon. They turned out to be a sibling quartet, reasonably attractive but hardly sexy with it. If the term 'clean-cut' can be applied to women, it fits the Lennons perfectly. A serious weakness of this series (at least, in the episodes I viewed) was that no effort was made to differentiate the sisters as four different people with distinct personalities. They might as well have been conjoined quadruplets: if one of them is performing, the other three are right there harmonising. On this series, the Lennons invariably wore either matching frocks or colour-coordinated gowns.

Jimmy Durante, of course, needs no introduction. He had previously starred in his own variety series; the American producer at the London screening explained to us that Durante had wanted to star in another variety programme, but didn't want the work or responsibility of carrying one entirely on his tod. He and the Lennon Sisters both happened to be represented by the same talent agency ... so, hey presto!

Each of those two acts had its own merits and its own appeal, but they didn't blend well. Jimmy's solo segments, and the sisters' numbers without Durante, worked much better than the awkward moments when Jimmy would seat himself at the piano and regale the younger Lennons with his old-time showbiz nostalgia.

I recall one especially painful moment. One of the episodes screened for us featured a guest appearance by an American stand-up comedian who rejoiced in the name Corbett Monica. He came out onstage, glanced at the studio audience, and deadpanned: 'Welcome to "Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters".' He paused for a beat, then went on: 'And they say **I** have a weird name.'

One of these years I'll start laughing at that.

I'm very much a Durante fan, but this was hardly his best work ... and the Lennon Sisters, I've been told, have done much better work elsewhere too. I can readily believe it.

While The lennon sisters were very talented in singing, they lacked the abilitiy to adapt to new trends and music fads of the 1960s. Often singing songs from the early 60s, 50s, and 40s, the Lennon sisters lacked the ability to sing hip new songs or even catchy songs too well not a lot at least, they were able to produce a small handful of great tunes like "Baubles Bangles and Beads", "So nice", "Girl From Ipanema", "LOVE", etc. The rest of the time, the show was filled with jokes and skits that were just not funny to watch. Only the biggest Lennon sister fan could be entertained and enjoy the full show while the rest of the people have to snatch out clips and certain songs that were truly good from the rest of the show. All in all the show could have been a hit had the Lennon sisters try to adapt and sing new and hips songs but still incorporating their harmonic style. But the tragedy of the their father being killed 5 shows into the season could be a major factor in why the show was only aired for 1 season.

One would first have had to grow up watching the Lennon Sisters grow up on National Television every Saturday evening to fully appreciate the majesty of this production. Nostalgic then and now, but complete quality entertainment forever. You will never see the likes of this again.

Is it sweet? Yes. Sentimental? Yes. Sincere? Absolutely. Kathy, Diane, Janet and Peggy embrace every lyric and note with a perfection that can only be found in family four part harmony.

If the viewer wants to laugh, cry, smile, applaud and spend an hour feeling really good then it won't get better than this.

The costumes, hair, makeup, lighting, choreography, arrangements, production is top notch and a joy to watch unfold. The "groovy" set with the time stamped color palette and moves of the late psychedelic 60's is just plain fun. Think Laugh-in with class.

One might note that 6 weeks before the premier of the show their father, Bill Lennon was shot and killed at age 53 by a delusional stalker. The sisters were devastated and in the wake of the murder lasted only one season, and was canceled. But the show must go on and we are fortunate to have just one season of what would surely have brought as much joy as Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie, Carol Burnett combined.