Boom, Boom, Boom

Reviews think that Fred Gwynne's tenor voice must have been dubbed,but Gwynne did some singing on stage,so it is quite possible it is his voice. Gwynne was one smart cookie-fine art painter,cartoonist and creator of a bunch of interesting children's books,aimed at small fry,but an adventure to grownups. .A WWII Navy vet and Harvard grad.

When I saw this as an 11 year old I truly collapsed watching Jan Murray's descent into madness. The genius of this show, unappreciated at the time, was the skilled construction of plots made from simple premises turning into unexpected wild conclusions. The actors and writers were veterans of vaudeville and burlesque. The tried and true comedy elements of repetition, inside jokes and stock characters are refined sharply in each episode. This is one of the best episodes of a classic sitcom.

By the way, Fred Gwynne does a little singing in other episodes, and he was a bass baritone. So his tenor voice here was a dubbed performance of someone else.

As the boys from the 53rd Precinct try to win a barbershop quartet singing contest, naturally the rest of the world refuses to co-operate.

Muldoon is the lead tenor -- and either Fred Gwynne has a magnificent voice, or he is an excellent lip-syncher! -- and must be protected ... and naturally the rest of the world refuses to co-operate.

Jan Murray guest stars as the nerves-of-steel TV star Jan Murray who is one of the judges of the contest ... and naturally the rest of the world refuses to co-operate.

To someone who is trying to see the entire series, via YouTube, this might be the best entry. Yes, it's a bit over the top, since it is TV, but it's seldom silly and it's often dead-mark-right-on.

Shot on location in New York, the series is a fascinating look at the era ("... Khrushchev's due at Idyllwild ..."), and a real delight for anyone who appreciates the type of humor Nat Hiken was so good at. And I do.