Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration was a concert special held in his honor at Carnegie Hall on May 11, 1988."Irving Berlin, Absent, Is Much the Star of Carnegie Tribute", New York Times, May 12, 1988 It was aired on CBS television two weeks later, on May 27."IRVING BERLIN'S 100th Birthday Celebration", Library of Congress At the 40th annual Emmy Awards later that summer, on August 28, it won two Emmys for outstanding variety, music or comedy program. Berlin himself did not attend, as he had retired from public life."In 1988, Top Artists Celebrated Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday With an Emmy-Winning Special", Billboard, August 27, 2019

The gala concert was sponsored by Carnegie Hall and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), of which Berlin was a founding member. A number of countries also observed Berlin's birthday, including Great Britain, and Viking Press subsequently published an unauthorized biography of Berlin by Laurence Bergreen.As Thousands Cheer: The Life Of Irving Berlin, Amazon books"Happy 100th, Irving Berlin", UPI, May 6, 1988 The show was produced by Don Mischer, who produces the Tony Award telecasts.

Performances Among the dozens of performers were Frank Sinatra, Isaac Stern,Isaac Stern Willie Nelson, Michael Feinstein, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Rosemary Clooney, Billy Eckstine, Marilyn Horne, Jerome Robbins, Tommy Tune, and fellow composer Morton Gould, president of ASCAP. Proceeds from the benefit went to ASCAP and Carnegie Hall."IRVING BERLIN’S 100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION", Thomas Film Classics

Leonard Bernstein performed "My Twelve Tone Melody", a song he wrote in tribute to Berlin.

The hosts included Shirley MacLaine, Walter Cronkite,Walter Cronkite Jerome Robbins, and Morton Gould,Morton Gould with the following list including most of the artists and songs performed during the 90 + minute TV special:"Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration", IMDB"IRVING BERLIN 100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION - DVD", The Film Collectors Society of America

Shirley MacLaine: "Let Me Sing & I'm Happy"Shirley MacLaineShirley MacLaine

Nell Carter and Michael Feinstein: "Everybody Step", "I Love A Piano", "Alexander's Ragtime Band"

Jerry Orbach and Maureen McGovern: "Play A Simple Melody", "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody", "The Song Is Ended", 'Easter Parade'

Willie Nelson: "Blue Skies"Willie Nelson

Madeline Kahn: "You'd Be Surprised"Madeline Kahn

Ray Charles: "How Deep Is The Ocean?", "What'll I Do?"Ray Charles

Joe Williams, Billy Eckstine and Diane Schuur: "Steppin' Out with My Baby", "Marie", "Cheek To Cheek", "Say It With Music"

Bea Arthur, Barry Bostwick and Maryann Plunkett: "It's a Lovely Day Today", "The Hostess With the Mostess", and a medley of songs from the film, Annie Get Your GunBea Arthur

Rosemary Clooney: "Count Your Blessings", "White Christmas"Rosemary Clooney

Tony Bennett: "Shaking the Blues Away"Tony Bennett

Tommy Tune: "Puttin' On the Ritz"

Garrison Keillor: recites "All Alone"

Natalie Cole: "Supper Time"Natalie Cole

Frank Sinatra: "Always", "When I Lost You"Frank Sinatra

The U.S. Army Chorus with the Boys and Girl Scouts: "This Is The Army", "This Is A Great Country"Army chorus

Marilyn Horne: "God Bless America"Marilyn Horne

Finale: Entire cast performing "There's No Business Like Show Business"Finale

See also List of songs written by Irving Berlin

References