RKO Varieties Triple Feature (DVD), Warner Archives, Comedy

RKO mined its library for this popular series of pastiches, weaving together numbers from musicals and comedy short subjects with new framing sequences. Jack Paar and Hans Conried anchored “Variety Time” (1948), which offers shorts from Leon Errol and Edgar Kennedy, and performances from Frankie Carle, Pat Rooney, others. Gil Lamb hosted “Make Mine Laughs” (1949), comprised of the Errol short “Beware of Redheads,” footage featuring Frances Langford, Anne Shirley, and Dennis Day, and contributions from Freddie Fisher, Robert Lamouret, others. Paar returned for “Footlight Varieties” (1951), featuring new performances from Liberace, Red Buttons, The Sportmen Quartet, and others; vintage footage included the Errol short “He Forgot to Remember.” 184 min. total.