Question on June Taylor Dancers Number(s)

[W.B.]

Namely, was there any edition of The Jackie Gleason Show from the 1950's and/or 1960's (including the 1962-66 American Scene Magazine period) on which the June Taylor Dancers opened the show by kicking their heels to an arrangement (however brassy) of Khachaturyan's "Sabre Dance"? I ask this, because one of Benny Hill's mid-'80's shows had a number where his dance troupe (Hill's Angels) performed to a modernized version of this tune - and they had an overhead shot at one point, with a kaleidoscopic dance pattern reminiscent of Ms. Taylor's troupe (only with half the number of dancers as June had on average). And given Mr. Hill's reputation for stealing other people's material and crediting it as his own, could he have seen a Gleason show with such numbers at one point and remembered it from the recesses of his mind?

[VIDEOWACK]

Originally Posted by W.B.

Namely, was there any edition of The Jackie Gleason Show from the 1950's and/or 1960's (including the 1962-66 American Scene Magazine period) on which the June Taylor Dancers opened the show by kicking their heels to an arrangement (however brassy) of Khachaturyan's "Sabre Dance"? I ask this, because one of Benny Hill's mid-'80's shows had a number where his dance troupe (Hill's Angels) performed to a modernized version of this tune - and they had an overhead shot at one point, with a kaleidoscopic dance pattern reminiscent of Ms. Taylor's troupe (only with half the number of dancers as June had on average). And given Mr. Hill's reputation for stealing other people's material and crediting it as his own, could he have seen a Gleason show with such numbers at one point and remembered it from the recesses of his mind?

I don't know for sure, but I doubt the June Taylor Dancers would open a Gleason show hoofing to "Sabre Dance", it wasn't Gleason's style. Most of the songs they opened the show with (dancing to, I mean) were pop standards and show tunes. I doubt seriously that Jackie would have ok'd such a frenetically paced number like "Sabre Dance" to open his show with. It DOES, however fit the format of Benny Hill's show, lending itself to a more comedic feel, and of course, an odd number to put dancing to in the context as he did. It's a perfect "take-off" piece (which I have seen as well) and was quite amusing.

[W.B.]

Well, it was a thought, but . . . thanks for the tip, anyway. I thought the pace of "Sabre Dance" was somewhat similar to the tempo of the Taylor numbers, myself - if only slightly quicker, as you say.

* EDIT: I also seem to recall that Woody Herman's orchestra did a version of "Sabre Dance" that was released in 1948 on Columbia 38102; that's also why I wonder whether Ms. Taylor's dancers "hoofed" to it on one of the Gleason show openings.