I was just a young pup, when the This Is Tom Jones show hit television in 1969, but I do recall having an aunt who was seriously crushing on Tom Jones, while my mother absolutely adored Engelbert Humperdinck. The two singers were 
often battling it out at the top of the music charts. Time Life has put together three DVDs that encompass eight different episodes featuring the Welsh singer who became a heartthrob for many women, and a challenge for American censors.
Time Life has done a wonderful job of repackaging and presenting music and television moments, however I am not sure that I was prepared to relive some of what unfolded before me in this DVD collection. The years had eroded my memory, of how great a voice the Welsh singer possessed, and although, I am sure that as a child I never cared, just how cute the man was. There were however, other memories that I wish had remained embellished by my imagination, rather than being relived, those primarily being the fashions of the day. Ladies, take pride in your hair today, even if you are having a bad hair day, because the hairstyles of yesteryear leave something to be desired. Guys, those frilly pirate shirts worn by many of the guests and regulars on the show, have their place, and it is in the Pirates of Penzance, not covering our bodies.
Set in a variety show format of the late sixties and early seventies, the show always featured comedy routines, such as the campy humor of the Ace Trucking Company (consisting of George Memmoli, Michael Mislove, Bill Saluga, Patti Deutsch, and Fred Willard) and some great skits by The Committee (whose alumni include, Howard Hesseman of WKRP In Cincinnati fame and the Bob Newhart Show’s Peter Bonerz). British actor Peter Sellers makes a guest appearance and demonstrates his brilliant and witty humor.
There is no mistaking, that each of the This Is Tom Jones shows' primary objectives was to put the spotlight on the Welshman and his music. One however, never gets the impression that the producers were concerned about Jones being upstaged, evidenced by a memorable guest list that included, the Moody Blues, The Who, the lovely Mary Hopkin singing her # 1 hit (UK, # 2 in the U.S.) “Those Were The Days,” Burt Bacharach and Leslie Uggams. There is a spectacular R&B duet that Jones performs with Janis Joplin, as they sing “Raise Your Hand,” on the December 4th, 1969 episode. On other episodes, Jones sings duet medleys with Little Richard, and with Stevie Wonder. I cannot claim to ever being a fan of Little Richard, but there is on the second DVD some excellent footage of his nimble fingers as they fly across the piano keys.
In the Time Life collection, Jones introduces each of these episodes with commentary and behind the scenes trivia such as how Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who, lost his balance and almost fell off the riser, only saving himself, by gripping his kick drum with his feet. In today’s world of taped television episodes that may not seem all that significant, but if I understood Jones’ comments correctly, although the show was recorded it was shot before a live audience. Jones talks about Joplin refusing to perform on a set that included plastic raindrops, and how ABC had to scrap the set. He also talks about the differences that existed in television censorship between Britain and America, and how that impacted what the viewers were able to see in each country. Jones walks you through how to use the controls on your DVD remote control to alternate between what the British audiences could view, and what Americans saw on their televisions.
The picture quality is good, and the audio tracks are fabulous. If taking a step back in time and reliving special moments is something that you enjoy doing, or if you were not yet born when the This Is Tom Jones show aired between 1969 -71, but you enjoy delving into music and television history you may want to look into acquiring this DVD collection.
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Reviewed December 2007
