Eunice

The "family" skits from THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW morphed into this TV movie, which then became the series MAMA'S FAMILY.

Carol Burnett as Eunice is center stage in four episodes covering events from 1955 to 1978. As the unhappy daughter in a dysfunctional family, Burnett gets to veer from high comedy to pathos as he dreams and aspirations are constantly squashed by her domineering mother (Vicki Lawrence) and her doltish husband (Harvey Korman). She evens plays second fiddle to her more successful siblings (Betty White, Ken Berry).

As her brother goes off to New York and her sister marries a successful businessman, Eunice is stuck is a lousy marriage and has two hellions of sons. Her husband then runs off with another woman, leaving her with the kids and her job in a local dime store. She's also still under the thumb of mama.

Entire cast is good with Burnett and Lawrence as the standouts.

Carol Burnett was at her best in playing Eunice Harper Higgins on her variety show. The Family were always a favorite sketches except in spoofing movies or television. When her variety ended, Eunice never really was finished by Carol Burnett. She had such affection for Eunice. This eighty minute movie is available on the second season of Mama's Family on DVD. Carol returns with Harvey Korman as Ed Higgins. Ken Berry played Phillip (not Vinton) and Betty White as Ellen, her snobby sister. Vicki Lawrence returns as Mama. The movie is like a taped play with the same set starting in 1955 and ending in 1978. Eunice isn't some caricature but played like a human being. Carol played her perfectly. The entire cast was first rate.

Like another poster here, I caught up with this on YouTube and I am very glad I did.

I loved these characters on the Carol Burnett Show. Here they are presented warts and all from the very beginning to the haunting end, and it may be too much for some viewers.

Eunice is the quintessential perfect teleplay.

Not enough can be said about this brilliant cast. Burnett is heart-breaking, Lawrence at times rivals the most fearsome of movie monsters, Korman and Berry have never been better, and the peerless Betty White will chill you to the bone. If you thought Sue Ann Nivens was acidic, wait till you see Betty devour her last scene with vampiric relish.

True, some of the one liners in this you may recall from the classic Family sketches, but this is not a distraction and actually benefits the project, filling in blanks a 20-minute sketch could never achieve.

All of the cast deserved Emmy recognition, but only Lawrence got one (and it is well deserved). It's kind of amazing to me that Burnett was overlooked for this. It is a career-best performance.

Eunice is unique. It definitely is funny, but tha last half hour is often chilling.

Recommended, highly.

When this was shown in 1981 I taped it and watched it over and over again. (Too bad I used BETA tape!) It is such a poignant story of broken dreams. Eunice wanted to do so much, but life got in the way, then she looks back on all her missed opportunities.

It is sad, but could also be inspiring to others who have dreams they want to accomplish in life - to go for them before it's too late.

Sad but sweet little teleplay featuring the "Family" from the Carol Burnett Show. Act 1 tells about Eunice and Ed, Act 2 takes place after Ed has left and Eunice is stuck alone with Momma, and Act 3 deals with Eunice trying to deal with Momma's passing away. Very funny, but also very sad. I have only seen this once, on it's live broadcast in 1981. I hope that it finds it's way to video someday.