The Great Entertainment

The Great Entertainment was an anthology television series presenting classic movies with opening commentary by host Frank Avruch. The show ran for 18 years on Boston's WCVB-TV, channel 5. For much of the series run, it aired on Saturday and Sunday night at 11:30 pm. Avruch, usually wearing a tuxedo, would eat popcorn, introduce the movie of the night, and would reappear several times during the presentation with facts about the film, its star, and its director.

Boston local television had considerable success with movies being shown with local hosts. The Movie Loft can be considered a rival shown with the same format on WSBK-TV channel 38. Ironically, both channel 38's host Dana Hersey and Frank Avruch had a background in playing clowns in children's television. Avruch played Bozo the Clown in the Boston market from 1959-70; Hersey had played Willie Whistle.

In part for his work on The Great Entertainment, Frank Avruch was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2007. Avruch continues his role as a movie host in the Boston area with the Wang Center for the Performing Art's series "Film Classics", and reviews movies on his web site.