The Unknown Jimmy Durante

Though television talk shows were a novelty in the 1950s, entertainer Jimmy Durante took to the fledgling format with good-humored ease. This affectionate documentary includes vintage clips of host Durante riffing with celebrity guests such as Carmen Miranda, Bette Davis, John Wayne and Frank Sinatra. Durante's wife and daughter discuss the unique talents of the beloved, gravelly voiced comedian, who began his career as a vaudeville piano player.