Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett

The Carol Burnett Show (1967 - 1978)
by Isaac Harigle

For some reason, there's a consensus amongst comics and the general public that women aren't as funny as men.

I've never understood that. Looking back through recorded comedy history some of the most memorable comedians were actually comediennes. Gracie Allen, Lucille Ball, Martha Raye, Phyllis Diller, Cloris Leachman, Gilda Radner, Madeline Kahn, and even now, there's Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Jane Krakowski. However, as far as getting female comics over in mainstream America, perhaps no one show or person did more than Carol Burnett and her long running variety show, "The Carol Burnett Show." Running from 1967 - 1978 on CBS, it was the both last great primetime variety / sketch show and a breakthrough for female performers. Its format was a standard variety-show, but the writing and focus on women was something new.

Before Carol's show, you'd be hard pressed to look back and find a case of a show hosted, run by and starring a woman without a male co-star in the lead. George and Gracie, Ricky and Lucy, Ralph and Alice...the list goes on. Women could be the "star name" on the show, but they couldn't be THE star. But watching any episode of "The Carol Burnett Show," there was no doubt that Carol was THE star. A gifted performer who could sing, dance and be funny with the best of them, Carol was a savvy writer who knew how best to utilize the talents that she and her co-stars had. Witness this classic send-up of "Snow White" co-starring Ruth Buzzi.

Or this bit, with Ms. Hoochie Coochie herself, Charo.

And of course, the epic "Went With the Wind," co-starring Dinah Shore.

Part 1

Part 2

If I'm making the show sound soaked in estrogen, I don't mean to. Carol's primary cast featured two of my personal favorite male comics in Harvey Korman and Tim Conway. Harvey and Tim (especially Tim) often went out of their way to make the other cast members get the giggles and break character. With only two passes at each sketch before the show aired, there were a number of moments of improvisation and crack-ups that made their way to the airwaves. Here's a couple of examples.

Conway's Elephant Story

Conway vs. Wheelchair

The Cast discuss the crack-ups (w/ a clip)

The show also launched the career of a very young Vicki Lawrence, who'd go on to greater fame as Mama in "Mama's Family" (a skit originated on TCBS as "The Family"). And reading through the guest stars list is a who's who of comedians, singers and actors from Vaudeville through to the 70's; Martha Raye, Robin Williams, Lynn Redgrave, Sonny & Cher, Phyllis Diller, Lesley Ann Warren, Barbara Eden, Don Adams, Soupy Sales, Red Buttons...you get the point.

But this was Carol's show. While Carol played second fiddle in a lot of skits ("Tudball and Wiggins," "The Family," etc.) she was always a perfectly cast foil to whomever her co-star was. She was the chewy nougat center to a chocolate-covered confection that so happened to be layered with a bunch of nuts.

 

Comments

tjt2513's picture
by tjt2513 - Dec 23 2009 - 3:39pm

well done isaac!

hairypolack's picture
by hairypolack - Dec 24 2009 - 10:51pm

Great article- right on all counts....

jonabdel's picture
by jonabdel - Feb 18 2010 - 10:18pm

Hahaha....there are some funny videos. I have never saw this show but after informing from here I am interested to watch it.

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