The Very Best of David Susskind

An insider’s look at 25 years of David Susskind Open End & The David Susskind Show, in 2 parts. Part one has David Susskind and his wife Joyce, reminiscing and playing clips from past shows. David, remembers the very first show, premiere of the movie “The World of Suzi Wong,” which, in his estimation, was a “disaster.”

Discussed is the oldest surviving kinescope, a December 1958 broadcast with Ben Gazzara, Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Lawrence Harvey, Julie Stein and Patricia Neal (a 90-second clip of th
at show is heard). Outrageous clips with Mel Brooks, Harry S. Truman, a mafia killer, and furious feminisists that includes Germaine Greer

Susskind fondly remembers (and shows clips from) the “How To Be A Jewish Son” broadcast with Mel Brooks, Harry Truman’s appearance in 1961 (where he endorses term limits), and Nikita Khrushchev’s appearance in 1960. Other shows are remembered related to topics about nuns, prostitution, a mafia hitman, the Viet Nam War and five swinging hair dressers.

Part two is a panel grouping with with Norman Mailer, Anthony Quinn, Maureen Stapleton and Truman Capote.