I have a VHS videotape, "The Best Of Spike Jones Volume 1" (Paramount Home Video 12538) that contains TV clips from 1952-1957. I don't know how many were issued in the series, or whether they made it to DVD yet, but it contains versions of "Poet & Peasant", William Tell", a "Hits" medley and a version of "I'm In The Mood For Love" done up as a Liberace parody with the midget Billy Barty on a toy piano and the whipped cream, foam or whatever flying freely.

As far as choreographing the mayhem, this was the era of live TV and you not only see what split second precision went into it all, but the ability of Spike and the Slickers to improvise when a prop like a rubber razzer breaks down in performance or flying food randomly strikes in unexpected places. Those who just thought that the records were marvellous studio concoctions, have seen nothing until they've seen the routines duplicated live. Wonderous stuff! Find all that you can, and please post any further links found. (Thanks, Dave!)


It's a mark of something or another that of all the LPs entered in the Getaway Silent Auction last year, it was a Spike Jones 3 record set that touched off a bidding war. Forget all the Folkie stuff!

(And for Kendall, who lost out-Your tapes of the same material will be gotten to you at this year's Getaway. I haven't forgotten!).