Mercedes Ellington

Broomfield's behind-the-scenes document of the making of a musical becomes a ceremonious unmaking-of as egos, budgets and general calamity conspire to ruin the best efforts of all involved in the New York rehearsals for an extravagant, glitzy production.

Maurice Hines, a charming, gay African-American entertainer navigates the complications of show business while grieving the loss of his more famous, often estranged younger brother, tap dance legend Gregory Hines.

Based on the semi-hit Broadway musical of 1968 starring Joel Grey, this TV version has been re-fashioned in significant ways. The premise here is that a small group of modern-day performers have gotten together in a rehearsal studio to celebrate George M. Cohan's life and work. Joel Grey and Bernadette Peters (also from the original cast) and the other cast members are apparently playing themselves, with Austin Pendleton serving as a stage manager/director.

From the elaborate Broadway revival of the 1932 Eva Le Gallienne/Florida Friebus production comes a whimsical retelling of the Lewis Carroll classic.

The prodigiously talented Gleason became a TV icon after he joined CBS from DuMont, where his work on `Calvalcade of Stars' had established many of his trademark characters, including Reginald Van Gleason III, the Poor Soul and Ralph Kramden, featured here, along with Art Carney, in `Honeymooners' sketches. The Emmy-winning mix also featured guest stars, musical comedy, the glitzy June Taylor Dancers and Frank Fontaine's Crazy Guggenheim character.