Frank Loesser

This special focuses on a group of men who have fallen in love with their life-size dolls, called "Real Dolls." For these men, their $10,000 lifelike, built-to-order creations have replaced human women. For some people, finding a partner in life can be difficult. For these men, it's almost impossible. Some years ago, a small factory in California began making an alternative partner. Each one is tailored made to suit every taste. There are now 3000 real dolls across the world providing some of those with love and companionship that real women cannot.

After the death of his wife, wealthy businessman Philip Emmenthal and his son Storey open their own private harem in their family residence in Geneva (they get the idea while watching Federico Fellini's 8½ and after Storey is "given" a woman, Simato (Inoh), to waive her pachinko debts). They sign one-year contracts with eight (and a half) women to this effect. The women each have a gimmick (one is a nun, another a kabuki performer, etc.). Philip soon becomes dominated by his favourite of the concubines, Palmira, who has no interest in Storey as a lover, despite what their contract might stipulate. Philip dies, the concubines' contracts expire, and Storey is left alone with Giulietta (the titular "½", played by Fujiwara) and of course the money and the houses.

A behind-the-scenes look at the cast-album recording session of the 1992 Tony-winning Broadway revival of the Frank Loesser musical. Originally broadcast as part of the PBS series "Great Performances" (season 21, episode 4).

Gambler Nathan Detroit has few options for the location of his big craps game. Needing $1,000 to pay a garage owner to host the game, Nathan bets Sky Masterson that Sky cannot get virtuous Sarah Brown out on a date. Despite some resistance, Sky negotiates a date with her in exchange for bringing people into her mission. Meanwhile, Nathan's longtime fiancée, Adelaide, wants him to go legit and marry her.

Gambler Nathan Detroit has few options for the location of his big craps game. Needing $1,000 to pay a garage owner to host the game, Nathan bets Sky Masterson that Sky cannot get virtuous Sarah Brown out on a date. Despite some resistance, Sky negotiates a date with her in exchange for bringing people into her mission. Meanwhile, Nathan's longtime fiancée, Adelaide, wants him to go legit and marry her.

A small-town shoemaker with a knack for spinning yarns, Hans encounters happiness and heartbreak on his road to becoming a full-fledged writer.

Musical version of the comedy by Brandon Thomas. As part of a simple enough ruse, a Cambridge student poses as his aunt but his scheme goes wrong, first when someone falls for the aunt, and then when the real aunt turns up.

A Broadway director rescues a starlet from mobsters who blame her for a shooting.

A Broadway director rescues a starlet from mobsters who blame her for a shooting.

A Broadway director rescues a starlet from mobsters who blame her for a shooting.

A Broadway director rescues a starlet from mobsters who blame her for a shooting.

Band leader Johnny Draper auditions his band, the Dixie Pixies, at the Eagle Aircraft Co., hoping to be hired to play for the workers in the plant. However, personnel manager E. V. Hartley can only offer them regular jobs, and when Johnny inspires the Dixie Pixies to work in the plant, lead singer and dancer Donna D'Arcy leaves the band for a singing job at the Club Martel in downtown Los Angeles.

Sadistic killer-for-hire Philip Raven becomes enraged when his latest job is paid off in marked bills. Vowing to track down his double-crossing boss, nightclub executive Gates, Raven sits beside Gates' lovely new employee, Ellen, on a train out of town. Although Ellen is engaged to marry the police lieutenant who's hunting down Raven, she decides to try and set the misguided hit man straight as he hides from the cops and plots his revenge.

When a tough western town needs taming, the mild-mannered son of a hard-nosed sheriff gets the job.

Producer Bob Temple, who's brought an American show to London, loves his star Diana, but she won't take him seriously as a lover. To show her, he picks up stranger Lady Arlington, whose financier husband neglects her. On a weekend at the Arlington country house, Bob is used by both Lady A. and her friend to make their husbands jealous; this works all too well, and Bob is in danger from both husbands.

An Edgar A. Guest Poetic Gem featuring vocalist Al Shayne. This film features the original song Back Seat Drivers by Loesser & Herscher.

An Edgar A. Guest Poetic Gem. It features the original song Take Me Home to the Mountain by Loesser & Herscher.

Based on the Edgar A. Guest poem of the same name, this is photographic ode to the American South, featuring representative scenery. Mendelsohn's "Spring Song" is the musical theme throughout, and Al Shayne sings an original song based on Guest's poem.

An Edgar A. Guest Poetic Gem featuring vocals by Al Shayne.

An Edgar A. Guest Poetic Gem. Al Shayne sings the Loesser & Hersher song Don't Grow Any Older.

An Edgar A. Guest Poetic Gem featuring the song Down the Lane to Yesterday with a vocal by Al Shayne.

A poetic Gem from Edgar A. Guest. This film features Al Shayne singing A Real True Pal by Frank Loesser and Lou Herscher.

Another entry in the Edgar A. Guest's Poetic Gems Series.