Info:
This 90-minute color television special "starring the Aquarian Age", is the result of two years worth of planning and writing by disc jockey Murray Kaufman, better known as Murray The K. The show is filmed in various locations throughout New York City, and features a number of performers including Jim & Jean, Aretha Franklin, Spanky And Our Gang, Jake Holmes, The Association, Richie Havens, Otis Redding, and the Magnificent Men with cameo appearances by Ed Sullivan, Marty Allen, football player Joe Namath, and N.Y.C Mayor John V. Lindsay. The special is first broadcast on September 22nd, 1967 by WPIX-TV on Channel 11 in New York, and was filmed and recorded over multiple dates.
The Doors make multiple appearances in the special, and the first is a 'live' performance of People Are Strange, shot at 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza amongst the circular concrete planters outside the building. Although the band members do not play their instruments in the footage, Jim Morrison lip syncs to the audience over a pre-recorded live vocal. Footage shot at the same location of the 'strangers' wearing pantyhose on their heads are mixed in throughout this segment.
The second appearance in the special is an action scene with the band standing alongside Nassau St. out front of the Chase Manhattan Plaza during a secret agent-type scenario featuring Jackie The K and the K Girls, where Jackie's accomplice tears a necklace from Jim Morrison's neck and they drive off. The heist scene begins at the Federal Hall National Memorial where Jackie The K quickly flees after a robbery and confrontation with ninjas. The Doors music is not heard during this segment, instead, a crime-jazz track known as The Killer by Lalo Schifrin is heard, and Stevie Wonder's Fingertips Pt. 2.
The Doors reappear later in the special during a segment filmed in Battery Park while the band takes off in a foot race towards Jackie The K at Castle Clinton, in pursuit of the stolen necklace. Shortly after this introductory action scene, the album version of Light My Fire is played for the viewer while The Doors continue their quest to retrieve the necklace. Photographer Bob Adelman is present on this date, snapping a number of black and white photos of the band at Castle Clinton.
This special is rebroadcast on multipe dates following the original airing on September 22nd, and is later distributed to television stations across the U.S. in 1968 and 1969 by the Trans-Lux Corp. In 1976, IBC Distributing releases "Murray The K LIVE As It Happened" on vinyl and 8-track, featuring The Doors performance of People Are Strange.
Tracklist:
People Are Strange > Action Scene #1 > Action Scene #2 > Light My Fire
Photographers:
Bob Adelman
Broadcasts:
09/22/1967 - WPIX (Channel 11) - New York, NY (Premiere)
10/03/1967 - WPIX (Channel 11) - New York, NY
10/09/1967 - WPIX (Channel 11) - New York, NY
11/04/1967 - WPIX (Channel 11) - New York, NY
TV LISTING:
PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHT:
OUTTAKES:
Approx. 35 minutes of outtake footage from this special are known to collectors, with 15 minutes of The Doors and Murray as they run through multiple takes of People Are Strange and other scenes. A high-pitched hum accompanies the sound on this footage, and may be irrepairable as the video tape itself is said to have been heavily deteriorated prior to a digital transfer. The whereabouts and current condition of the original production tapes are unknown.
Tracklist:
People Are Strange Take #1 > Directing The People > People Are Strange Take #2 > People Are Strange Take #3 >
Jim Threatens John > People Are Strange Take #4 > Directing 'The Doors' Scene 14B
TECHNICAL NOTES:
"The original 2" quad tapes were deteriorating rapidly when the transfer to 3/4" videotape was made. The 3/4"
tape was shedding oxide pretty badly as well, so a clean digital transfer was made using a specially
prepared machine that had an air nozzle mounted near the rotating playback head to keep it clear of
debris long enough to get a clean transfer."
FILM LOCATIONS:
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1 Chase Manhattan Plaza - New York  |
|
1 Chase Manhattan Plaza - New York |
|
Federal Hall National Memorial - 26 Wall St. - New York |
|
Nassau St. at 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza - New York |
|
Battery Park - New York |
|
Castle Clinton - Battery Park - New York |
PHOTOGRAPH:
The Doors At Castle Clinton © Bob Adelman
TV GUIDE HIGHLIGHT & PRINT AD:
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PREMIERE AD:
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ARTICLE:
Newspaper: The RecordAuthor: Unknown
Publish Date: September 7th - 1967
Copyright © The Record
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PICTURE AD:
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REVIEW:
Newspaper: New York Daily NewsAuthor: Unknown
Publish Date: September 23rd - 1967
Copyright © New York Daily News
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1967 PRINT AD:
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1968 PRINT AD #1:
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1968 PRINT AD #2:
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1968 PRINT AD #3:
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MURRAY THE K LIVE AS IT HAPPENED VINYL & 8-TRACK:
