The Continental (TV)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Continental is a 1952-53 CBS television series that starred Renzo Cesana in the title role.

The series used a subjective camera, and Cesana spoke directly to women in the viewing audience.

[edit] References in Pop Culture

  • Despite the fact that the show was short-lived, "The Continental" has been mocked and referenced in many other forms of media in the years following its cancellation:
    • Issue #14 of MAD magazine has a parody called "The Countynental".
    • The 1954 Pepe Le Pew cartoon The Cat's Bah has a beginning that is similar to how The Continental is shown (with a female interviewer who is never shown but whose presence is implied).
    • Comedian Red Skelton has performed a parody of "The Continental" called "The Transcontinental"
    • Comedian Jerry Lewis performed a parody of "The Continental" while also doing an impersonation of Marlon Brando
    • The 1956 Popeye cartoon Parlez Vous Woo has Bluto pretending to be "The International", the suave television personality (in the manner of "The Continental") who Olive Oyl prefers to stay home to watch rather than go out on a date with Popeye.
    • Probably the most famous reference to this short lived show can be seen in the recurring Saturday Night Live sketch, also called The Continental, with actor/frequent host Christopher Walken as the title character.
    • An indirect cross-cultural takeoff on "The Continental" is the recurring column at The Onion by "Smoove B," though this could also be taken as a spoof of Barry White, Al Green and any number of smooth-soul, baby-let's-stay-together artists of the 1970s.

[edit] Rhino Records

Recordings by Renzo Cesana appear as unnamed tracks at the end of several CDs in the Capitol Records Ultra-Lounge series, always unmentioned in the liner notes. Among them are "Violets For Your Furs" and "Walk The Lonesome Night."