Great Performances

-Next, on "Great Performances"... Light the candles.

It's time to celebrate the 100th birthday of the legendary, incomparable composer Henry Mancini.

-How do you properly commemorate the marvelous talent of a man who created so much wonderful music.

-One of the greatest gift America's ever given to the arts.

-Well, first you throw a star-studded tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl honoring Mancini's remarkable life in music.

- The days of wine and roses And you -And then, you fill a recording studio with more renowned musicians to perform beloved Mancini classics.

And don't forget highlights from Mancini's iconic film scores.

"Henry Mancini 100 at the Hollywood Bowl" is next.

- Moon river - And me Major funding for "Great Performances" is provided by... ...and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

-Welcome to "Henry Mancini 100 at the Hollywood Bowl"... [ Tapping ] [ Song ends ] [ Clapping ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ "Pink Panther Theme" plays ] -How can an idiot be a policeman?

Answer me that!

-It's very simple.

All he has to do is enlist.

-Shut up!

[ Laughter ] [ Cheers and applause ] -I was known as the Pavlova of the parallels.

Ah, yes.

Yes, it's all coming back now.

[ Chuckles ] Ah, yes, I remember... [ Screams ] [ Crashing ] [ Body thuds ] [ Groans ] [ Cheers and applause ] Well... [ Polka music plays ] Does your dog bite?

-No.

-Oh.

Nice doggy.

[ Chuckles ] [ Dog barks, snarls ] I thought you said your dog did not bite.

-That is not my dog.

[ Laughter and applause ] -Please welcome Dave Koz.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Good evening, good evening.

I'm Jeff Goldblum.

Welcome to "Great Performances" and this very special 100th-anniversary birthday celebration of the life and work of one of America's most highly respected and beloved composers, Henry Mancini.

How do you properly commemorate the marvelous talent of a man who created so much wonderful music and contributed so much to American popular culture?

It seems to me that the perfect way to start is right here at the iconic Hollywood Bowl, Henry's so-called home court, with a cast of superstar guest artists performing his timeless hit songs and unforgettable film scores still adored by audiences worldwide.

During the show, we will immerse ourselves in Henry's storied career through movie and television clips, an exclusive peak into the Mancini family archives, and firsthand stories told by artists who had the privilege of collaborating with Henry.

Let's start this awesome odyssey through the decades of his cinematic magic as the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and our special guests pay "oh-mazh" or "ah-mij" [homage] to Maestro Mancini's legendary musical legacy.

[ Cheers and applause ] -While singing "Days of Wine and Roses" from the 1962 film of the same name, same name, which was another of the collaborations between Henry Mancini and Director Blake Edwards, is an artist that I worked with here a few years ago and just fell in love with her.

She is an actress and a singer.

You probably remember her from "The Color Purple" on Broadway.

She is a remarkable individual.

Her name is Cynthia Erivo.

[ Cheers and applause ] Here she comes.

[ Applause continues ] - The days Of wine and roses Laugh and run away Like the child at play Through the meadowland [ Cheers and applause ] Toward a closing door A door marked "nevermore" That wasn't there before The lonely night Discloses just A passing breeze Filled with memories Of the golden smile That introduced me to The days of wine and roses And you Just a passing breeze Filled with memories Of the golden smile That introduced me to The days of wine and roses And you-oo-oo [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continues ] -To help us celebrate Henry Mancini's centennial birthday, an unprecedented and extraordinary group of special guest artists including Michael Bubl, John Williams, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Lizzo, Gustavo Dudamel, with the Los Angeles Phil Harmonic, and many more gathered to record Henry's most beloved songs.

We're gonna take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this historic recording, which took the "Mancini 100th" production team from the famed Eastwood scoring stage at Warner Bros. Studios, in Hollywood, to the celebrated Power Station Studios in New York City, and finally across the Atlantic to the most famous recording studio of all time, the Beatles' legendary Abbey Road.

Here is producer Gregg Field to tell you all about it.

-You know, to celebrate Henry's 100th birthday, we knew we had to start with an album.

And the first song that we chose was "Peter Gunn."

You know... Da da, da da, da da Right?

Everybody knows that song.

What people don't know is that, in 1957, John Williams was Henry Mancini's session piano player.

He was in his 20s.

So, Monica, Henry's daughter, my wife, picked up the phone and called John and said, "Do you want to come back in and reprise your piano part?"

And he said, "Absolutely."

So, we then reached out to Quincy Jones, who was, you know, as close a member of the Mancini family as anyone.

He said he would love to conduct.

I called Herbie Hancock and said, "Would you like to be the other piano player, maybe play some keys?"

He absolutely said yes.

And then we decided to really fire things up to put Arturo Sandoval, the fabulous trumpet player, in the band.

And when we finally got to the studio and all of those four musicians were together, it was historic.

Between them, there are 97 Grammy Awards.

[ "Peter Gunn" plays ] [ Song ends ] [ Applause ] -Yeah!

[ Cheers and applause ] -Please welcome back Dave Koz.

[ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] -I didn't think I'd get the part.

I had no agent, nothing.

I was -- a friend called a mutual friend, said that they'd run into Blake at Hugh Hefner's house, and he said he was looking for this girl and I should go in.

I went in, Tony Adams was there, Lynn Stalmaster was there, and I came home with the part.

It was -- [ Chuckles ] And I had no experience.

So I'm thinking, "I like this business.

This is fun.

This is easy."

So there's a scene where -- where Dudley plays, "It's Easy To Say" in the big open bar, palapa bar in Mexico.

And we were getting ready to do the scene.

Dudley, I knew he was a piano player.

He sat down to practice the song.

Didn't take 30 seconds.

It's silent on the set.

Just slowly, everybody stopped what they were doing, they were so drawn to the music, his playing of this incredible theme song.

And whenever I think of that scene and that song and her, I get chills.

I mean, we'd find each other just holding each other sometimes at the corner of a set watching all this go on.

And it was -- and then, with the success of the film, it was so life-changing for both of us.

I was a lucky girl in the right place at the right time, and I was lucky that I got to work with really the most talented people.

And when I got the part, right after that, I got invited to Blake and Julie's home for dinner, and I got to sit next to Henry Mancini.

I was so shy, so out of my element, and he's so handsome, so elegant, and I definitely knew who he was.

You know, growing up, my song was "Baby Elephant Walk," and then, as an adult, my Mancini song is "Moon River."

After dinner, we all went into another room with a piano, and he played the theme song for us.

And I remember standing there next -- You know, I had a drink in my hand, next to a piano, thinking, What in my life brought me to this moment?"

listening to -- to the song.

It was incredible.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] -"Whistling Away The Dark" is a beautiful, beautiful song.

-Very sweet piece.

-Yeah.

-We were resident in Switzerland, and Henry would call long distance and say, "Got a minute?"

on the phone.

And now, just there would be a lot of rattling and microphones, you know, being hit -- "Can you hear me?"

And then he would play the theme that he was going to write.

And I would just about hear every note -- not every note, but enough to know what my line should be.

And they were -- it was always a magical moment when Henry played me one of the great ballads.

- Often, I think This sad, old world Is whistling in the dark Just like a child, who, late from school Walks bravely home through the park To keep their spirits soaring And keep the night at bay Neither quite knowing which way they are going They sing the shadows away Often I think my poor, old heart Has given up for good And then I see a brand-new face I glimpse some new neighborhood So walk me back home, my darling Tell me dreams really come true Whistling Whistling Here in the dark with you So walk me back home, my darling Tell me dreams really come true Whistling Whistling Here in the dark With you [ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] I have such wonderful memories of singing Henry's beautiful "Whistling Away The Dark."

That was the first time that I worked with Hank.

Our families became very close and many happy years and movies later, he wrote gorgeous music for our film "Victor Victoria," in which I was joined by James Garner, Lesley Ann Warren, and Robert Preston.

And now to sing one of my favorite songs from "Victor Victoria," "Crazy World," won't you please welcome back the wonderful Cynthia Erivo.

And happy birthday, dearest Hank.

We miss you, and we love you.

- Crazy world, full of crazy contradictions like a child First, you drive me wild And then you win my heart with your wicked art One minute tender Gentle Then temperamental as a summer storm Just when I believe your heart's getting warmer You're cold and you're cruel And I, like a fool Try to cope Try to hang on to hope Crazy world Every day, the same old roller-coaster ride But I've got my pride I won't give in Even though I know I'll never win Oh, how I love this Crazy world [ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] -Probably Henry's most beloved song is "Moon River."

In the last three years alone, Frank Ocean, Morrissey, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck, Michael Bubl, and even Beyonc have recorded it.

And what's really unique about that song, it doesn't feel nostalgic.

It still resonates in a very timeless way.

So we decided to do two versions of it for the record, the first with Michael Bubl and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that we recorded in London at Abbey Road, in the Beatles studio.

[ "Moon River" plays ] - Moon River -...and the second version, which was much more of a challenge, we wanted to get Gustavo Dudamel, arguably the greatest conductor in the world, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the L.A. Master Chorale, and Stevie Wonder to accompany Audrey up on the screen when she's sitting on the fire escape and she's singing it.

Right after we recorded that, Monica Mancini discovered a letter that Audrey had written to Henry when she first heard the score.

It's a beautiful heartfelt letter.

Weeks later, there's a preview of the film for all the Paramount executives, and Audrey's there, and Henry's there and Jenny Mancini and Johnny Mercer, who wrote the lyrics.

So, the film ends, and the president of Paramount stands up and says, "Well, love the movie.

It's too damn long, and that damn song's gotta go."

Henry turned white, and Audrey Hepburn stood up and said, "Over my dead body."

Obviously, it stayed.

[ "Moon River" plays ] - Moon River, wider than a mile I'm crossing you in style, someday Oh, dream maker You heart breaker Wherever you're goin' I'm goin' your way Two drifters off to see the world There's such a lot world to see We're after The same rainbow's end Waitin' 'round the bend My Huckleberry friend Moon River And me [ Instrumental "Moon River" plays ] Dear Henry, I've just seen our picture, "Breakfast at Tiffany's," this time with your score.

A movie without music is a little bit like an airplane without fuel.

However beautifully the job is done, we are still on the ground and in the world of reality.

Your music has lifted us all up and sent us soaring.

Everything we cannot say with words or show with action, you have expressed for us.

You've done this with so much imagination, fun, and beauty.

You are the hippest of cats and most sensitive of composers.

Thank you, dear Hank.

Lots of love, Audrey.

-Ah, "The Thorn Birds."

That was a love story for the ages.

Henry Mancini's exquisite musical score helped us to convey the pain of unrequited love and moments of pure ecstasy that Rachel Ward's Meggie and my character, Father Ralph, experienced, music he composed with a rare sensitivity as only he could.

I wonder if actors and audiences truly appreciate the extent to which movie music enriches the entire experience.

And nobody composed more beautiful music to help us than Henry Mancini.

"The Thorn Birds" is a work I greatly cherish, and I'm proud to say that, of all Henry's film and television scores, the music he composed for "The Thorn Birds" was his personal favorite.

Here is Henry's daughter, the lovely Monica Mancini, to sing "Meggie's Theme."

[ Cheers and applause ] - You know I will follow Anywhere the heart goes, I will go Until I've known all life can be A love can hurt when you go Anywhere the heart goes Don't you know it isn't easy being me?

I hold you inside, where my love never died And you will always live somewhere in me If you want to follow Anywhere the heart goes I will be there when you want me Anyway you want me And good years, bad years Would all fall away If I knew that your heart Would follow my heart someday And good years, bad years Would all fall away If I knew that your heart Would follow my heart Someday [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause continues ] [ "Charade" plays ] [ Song ends ] [ Cheers and applause ] -One of my all-time favorite moments in my entire career was the first time that I ever heard "The Days of Wine and Roses," after Hank and Johnny Mercer had written it.

We were still shooting the film, and Lee Remick and I were doing a very difficult scene.

So the five of us, Hank and Lee and I and Blake and Johnny Mercer walked out the stage door and through the stage door of the next stage, which was empty, just one single light by an old upright piano and a box for a stool sitting in front of it.

Hank went over, sat down on the box, and started to noodle on the piano, And Hank hit the first chord, and Johnny started to sing The days... [ Voice breaking ] I go every time I think of this.

Anyway, he went through the song... and we were gone.

Totally wiped out.

It was a great, great moment.

Really was.

I knew then that the man had to create -- that they had created something extraordinary in that piece of music and -- and that lyric.

-Henry Mancini received his third Academy Award for "The Days of Wine and Roses," from the film of the same name.

So when we were thinking about how do we put this together for the 100th birthday album, it had to have that French horn element, it had to have the choir element.

So I reached out to Take 6, the incredible vocal group that had worked with Monica Mancini many times.

They've recorded together, they've done concerts together.

And we started putting the arrangement together that would feature French horn and the choir.

But to really create the connective tissue, we needed to bring in Monica Mancini.

This is her favorite composition of her father's.

And it was that third element that, when all three, when you hear them all together, I think we were able to reach the seriousness and gravitas of what that song's all about.

[ "The Days of Wine and Roses" plays ] [ Take 6 vocalizing and harmonizing ] - The days Of wine and roses - Laugh and run away Like a child at play Through the meadowland Toward a closing door A door marked "nevermore" That wasn't there before [ Take 6 vocalizing and harmonizing ] - The lonely night Discloses - Just a passing breeze - Filled with memories - Memories - Of the golden smile That introduced me to The days of wine and roses and you - Through the meadowland toward a closing door A door marked "nevermore" That wasn't there before [ Take 6 vocalizing and harmonizing ] - The lonely night Discloses Just a passing breeze Filled with memories Of the golden smile That introduced me to The days of wine and roses And you -Finally, Bubl/Mancini.

Finally, my name is attached to the Mancini name!

-[ Laughs ] -I have waited so long for that.

Yes!

When the Mancini family calls and asks you to be part of honoring the legacy of a genius, you say, "Thank you so very much.

I would love to be there."

-Please welcome Michael Bubl.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ "It Had Better Be Tonight" plays ] - Meglio stasera, baby Go, go, go Or as we natives say, "Fa subito!"

If you're ever gonna kiss me It had better be tonight While the mandolins are playing And stars are bright Mmm, if you've anything to tell me It had better be tonight Or somebody else may tell me And whisper the words just right Meglio stasera, baby Go, go, go Or as we natives say, "Fa subito!"

Let's go!

If you're ever gonna hold me It had better be tonight Or somebody else may hold me And they'll whisper the words just right Hey!

Whoo!

Meglio stasera, baby Go, go, go Or as we natives say, "Fa subito!"

For this poor Americano Who knows a little of your speech Be a nice Italiana and start to teach Show me how in old Milano How lovers hold each other, oh, so tight But I warn you, sweet paesana, that it had better be tonight Meglio stasera, baby Go, go, go Or as we natives say "Fa subito!"

Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Please welcome back Monica Mancini.

[ Cheers and applause ] -When I was in high school, my dad got a letter from Audrey Hepburn.

The letter said, "Dear Hank, I've just read a script.

I think it's one of the best stories I've ever read, and I think you'd be the perfect person to do the music for this film.

Please say yes."

Well, he did and, along with lyricist, Leslie Bricusse, wrote a beautiful love theme for a film called "Two for the Road."

And it was my dad's favorite composition, and it was also their song.

So this is for them.

If you're feeling fancy-free Come wander through the world with me And any place we chance to be Will be a rendezvous Two for the road We'll travel down the years Collecting precious memories Selecting souvenirs And living life the way we please In summertime, the sun will shine In winter, we'll drink summer wine And every day that you are mine Will be a lovely day As long as love still wears a smile I know that we'll be two for the road And that's a long, long while As long as love still wears a smile I know that we'll be two for the road And that's a long Long while [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause continues ] -Please welcome Cynthia Erivo.

[ Cheers and applause ] - 'Bout 20 years ago Way down in New Orleans A group of fellows found a new kind of music And they decided to call it Jazz No other sound has what this music has Before they knew it It was whizzin' 'round the world The world was ready for a blue kind of music And now they play it from Steamboat Springs to La Paz [ Finger snapping ] Oh, baby, won't you play me Le Jazz Hot maybe And don't ever let it end I tell you, friend, it's really something to hear I can't stay still when there's that rhythm near me Oh, so, baby, Le Jazz Hot may be What's holding my soul together Don't know whether it's morning or night Only know it's sounding right So come on in and play me, Le Jazz Hot maybe 'Cause I love my jazz hot And now they play it from Steamboat Springs to La Paz When you play me Le Jazz Hot, baby You're holding my soul together Don't know whether it's morning or night Only know it's sounding right So come on in and play me Le Jazz Hot, baby 'Cause I love my jazz hot Le Jazz Hot Le Jazz Hot.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continues ] -"Pink Panther" is clearly Henry Mancini's most famous song.

You can go anywhere in the world or go up to a 10-year-old and sing Bu-dup, bu-dup They all know it.

So our challenge was, "What do we do to make this unique for the 100th birthday record?"

I happen to see a TikTok post of Lizzo reading a Christmas card that she received from probably the most famous flute player in the world, Sir James Galway, who worked with Henry Mancini many times.

And she was really touched by this.

So I knew that she could play the flute.

And I thought, "What if we were to create 'Pink Panther' as a flute duet with Lizzo and Galway?"

So Monica reached out to Galway -- he lives in Switzerland -- and said, "What do you think, a duet with you and Lizzo?"

He said, "I'm in," and he reached out to her.

So we all went to New York.

We put this crazy great band together, and the two of them met for the first time.

And it was very emotional for her because she studied out of his method books in high school.

She wanted to be that flute player.

And here they were, and they're recording the "Pink Panther."

[ "Pink Panther Theme" plays ] [ Laughter and cheering ] -And now perhaps Mr. Mancini's most memorable song from the iconic movie classic "Breakfast at Tiffany's," this unforgettable ballad, which almost ended up on the cutting-room floor.

To present it to us tonight, please welcome Audrey Hepburn's son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, to share his mother's story of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Moon River."

-"Breakfast at Tiffany's" it's the essence, it's the perfume of the film.

You know, the film was originally thought for Marilyn Monroe.

And, of course, when my mother got the part and she ran with it, she elevated it to a different level.

-What an honor to celebrate the legacy of one of the greatest artists, one of the greatest gift America's ever given to the arts.

And I love this family.

And to be really honest with you and more straightforward, this is really personal for me because when I was a little boy, the greatest memories I had were my dad.

He would walk me to hockey games, he'd put me on his shoulders, and he would sing... [ Hums the "Pink Panther Theme" ] [ Cheers and applause ] Shall we?

[ "Moon River" plays ] - Moon River Wider than a mile I'm crossing you in style Someday Oh, dream maker You heart breaker Wherever you're going, I'm going your way Two drifters Off to see the world There's such a lot of world to see We're after The same rainbow's end Waiting 'round the bend My huckleberry friend Moon River And me We're after The same rainbow's end Waiting 'round the bend My huckleberry friend Moon River And me [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continues ] -I am Jeff Goldblum, hoping that you've enjoyed our celebration of Henry Mancini's remarkable life and sublime music as much as we've enjoyed sharing both with you this delightful evening.

Thank you so very, very much.

-I know what you're thinking out there.

You're thinking, "Dude, you forgot one really famous piece that we all know.

No, we didn't.

[ Cheers and applause ]