The Carol Burnett Show

This was definitely the finest variety show of the 1970's. The thing that made it great besides the cast were the various recurring sketches that were very expertly created. Sketches like Tudball and Wiggins, the Old Folks, As the Stomach Turns, the kid sister and, of course, Eunice, which was the inspiration for the series "Mama's Family", helped to make this variety hour a classic. Besides "Mama and Eunice" any one of these shows could have become a series on its own. The only thing that caused the show to go downhill though was when Harvey Korman left. He was probably the best player among the supporting cast and when he left the show declined from there. Still, Saturday nights for me would always climax with this classic show.

The Carol Burnett Show, a.k.a. Carol Burnett and Friends, is my favorite show in TV history, without question. It made me laugh endlessly with its sketch comedy. For me, the best comedy revolves around lines that often seem ad libbed; the spontanaety often results in some of the best humor around. What also made this show special was Tim Conway's deliberate ad libbing of lines and actions to try to make the other actors bust up laughing. A classic example of this is when Conway, playing a NAZI officer in one sketch, tries to interrogate a POW (Lyle Waggoner) with an Adolf Hitler Puppet doll.

Whether its Tim Conway as Uncle Waldo, Carol Burnett as "Missus Uh-Wiggins" or "Eunice", Jim Nabors as Yung Fool, or Vicki Lawrence as Mama Harper, this show's absolutely priceless.

i can not understand why this show is not in reruns. I'm writing a letter to TV Land, to ask why they have never aired this on their network. What makes this show so good, is the chemistry between the perfect cast. A variety show like Saturday Night Live is greatly dependent on the chemistry among its cast members. When one of them leaves, it upsets the balance among the rest. This show was lucky enough to have most of its cast stay for the duration of the run, and therefore, it is the best.

The Carol Burnett Show was one of the most fabulous shows ever on TV, and certainly the best of its type, the variety show, which is gone now. Carol, her delightful ensemble cast of Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, and her many guest stars always delivered a great show.

What stands out for me is her film takeoffs, and on this board, I'm sure that's what stands out for most of us. I had the misfortune of seeing "Mildred Fierce" before I saw the real "Mildred Pierce." So I laughed all the way through Mildred Pierce. Torchy Song and her marvelous Joan Crawford - when I saw Mommie Dearest, all I could think of was Carol Burnett. Sunset Boulevard - when I saw the movie after seeing her takeoff, she was all I could think of.

But there was one movie takeoff that beat them all - Gone with the Wind. An absolute classic. If Carol Burnett had in her entire career only walked down those stairs wearing the rods still in the drapes and said, "Thank you. I saw it in the window and I just couldn't resist it," it would have been enough to make her a superstar. The skit was so brilliant that I can still remember watching it at home when friends came by to pick me up. They started watching it and laughing, too. When a commercial break came, one of my friends said, "Okay, let's go." Everyone moaned that they wanted to see the rest of it. My friend objected, saying, "It's going to be hours - they haven't burned Atlanta yet." The skit was so complete, he was sure he was watching a takeoff of the entire film.

I don't know why there isn't a place on television now for this kind of show, but I can hazard one guess. Burnett did takeoffs on the film The Heiress, Til We Meet Again, Mildred Pierce, Torch Song, Sunset Boulevard - if she was on TV today, no one would laugh because they wouldn't know what she was doing. I'm sure most people have never seen most of those films - certainly not enough to keep her on the air. It's an amazing thing to think about how the world has changed. I'm glad I was in the world before it did.

OMG!! Grew up watching this show as a little kid with the whole family and we all laughed till we cried! Too Bad families are too busy on their phones to even acknowledge each other these days. :( I still remember Carol playing Scarlett and the Curtain Rod! Ha ahahahahahahhahaa Bob Mackie's idea I think she said. He made her some beautiful gowns just like he did for Cher back then.

Carol, Vicki, Harvey and Tim were the FAB 4 on this show and since it was LIVE, Tim was always trying to Crack Harvey up and succeeding at it to the delight of all the viewers. They all did so many different, hilarious characters and Eunice and Mama, were so loved they gave Vicki the comedy series Mama's Family that was also a treasure chest of fun and great hilarious insults from that crabby old Woman!

LOL God, I wish I had a Time Machine! :o What a Wonderful show and I'm so glad I got to be a kid back then, seems to stressful and narcissistic, sad and lonely to be a kid in 2021. :( Go watch re-runs of this show, it will drive away the Blues! ;D.