stfrsc I was amazed by this production when it originally aired on Los Angeles PBS affiliate KCET in 1972, and for years afterward as they would drag it out at fund raising time. Then it disappeared down a black hole! The reason IMO is the portrayal of the unison-speaking gay guys, with perhaps some Perrine nipples mixed in. In this oh so politically correct era we can't have any of that, now can we? Steambath retains its relevance in that it highlights how much less freedom of expression we enjoy today compared to the early 1970s.

FinalChange This is basically a play without audience laugh track (thank the steamroom attendant for that!) on DVD. There is basically only one location in the entire show: the steambath! And to make matters worse, it's a satire! Now this combo would normally be enough to keep me from watching, but since it's starring Bill Bixby, I had to get this! Well, I was really glad I picked this one up! Bill Bixby is sublime in the role of Tandy, a man who walks into the steamroom to find out he's just died and he's trapped here for the rest of eternity! As if that weren't bad enough, he's going to have to share it with a couple of half-naked singing (and dancing!) gay guys, a cantankerous old drunk, and to top it off, an obnoxious Puerto Rican who is the steamroom attendant (José Pérez). Oh! He also turns out to be God! A God who gives outlandish commands to a machine simply to wreck havoc in the world for his pure entertainment! (How's that for satire?!)To lighten things up a bit, in walks the necessary all-purpose blonde bimbo (Valerie Perrine). Tandy's mood perks up a bit. Especially when she takes a shower right in front of everyone!Tandy pleads with the janitor: he just wants his life back! But this God is the classic version of a random and unjust God. (And that's what makes this a fascinating and thought provoking movie!) He just won't hear it! The end monologue, delivered by Bixby, is quite moving, and a climax that is not only impressive, but also splendidly well acted.This is an irreverent and thought provoking DVD that is definitely not for the religious zealot! And for those who might get offended, be forewarned, there IS brief nudity: a couple of butts here (the gay guys') and a couple of breasts there (Perrine's). And no, it's no sleazy, it's just the towels coming off!José Pérez is noteworthy and absolutely perfect for this part! Valerie Perrine is entertaining and also the right choice here. As for Bill Bixby, he delivers his lines with flair, and even though some of them are a bit edgy, he retains a primordial class through and through which softens up the impact of those words and makes his character every bit likable. Not only that, Bixby's inherent charisma unassumingly compels the audience to watch his stellar performance until the very end.This gets my 10/10 vote. We're lucky to have this DVD. It deserves to be seen, if only to make one ponder the meaning of life, the obsolete concept of a religious "God", and for the incredible talent of every actor here, particularly that of Mr. Bill Bixby!

atisch When I happened to tune into KQED in San Francisco in 1972, I was blown away by this truly outstanding program. I've never seen such a successful combination of mystery, comedy and tragedy presented in any medium or in any production. That show alone made me a life-long supporter of PBS television. I was fortunate to have seen it a couple times in the mid 1770's as it was occasionally shown during subscriber drives while I was living in Milwaukee. I have never seen any trace of it since. Believe me, I've tried.

Observer-2 Yes! Steambath was one of those dramas that deserve to be out. I wonder who has the rights to this version and can it be put out on video? Well worth watching. Especially the comment on Cuban cigars in view of Bill Clinton and Monica, heh, heh, heh...grin!;Seriously, it and 'Nourish the Beast,' were some very good early 1970's PBS dramas.