Lifting Thanksgiving Spirits

In past years on Thanksgiving, I provided you with a dinner menu of sorts using the titles of jazz songs. This year, it appears the Washington Post liked the concept so much they used it themselves across multiple music genres. No worries. Time to switch holiday-themed posts anyway. So I've decided to boost your spirits with a handful of wonderful TV variety-show clips. What they all have in common is their ability to make you smile and laugh:

Here's Once in a Lifetime, a special episode of the Judy Garland Show in 1962 featuring Garland, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin...



Here's An Evening With Nat King Cole taped in London by the BBC in 1963. Absolutely captivating, and what a suit!...



Here's Burt Bacharach on the Andy Williams Show in 1968. Williams always exceeds expectations. He was a remarkable pop singer and always made it look easy...



Here's Petula Clark and Peggy Lee in 1970 on the NBC special, Petula...



Here's Martha Raye, Peter Lawford and Judy Garland in 1964 on the Judy Garland Show singing pop rock hits of the day (Raye runs away with it, hands down)...



And here's Frank Sinatra and Dinah Shore in the late 1950s...