Pioneers of Television (2008–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Variety - full transcript

MOM LIKED YOU BEST!

WHAT YOU SEE
IS WHAT YOU GET.

I'M WEARING A LIVE RACCOON.
THAT TAKES GUTS!

GEE, IT'S NICE
TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.

LET ME HAVE
THAT MICROPHONE RIGHT HERE.

DO IT RIGHT NOW?
I CAN...

OOH.

♪ THEY CALL HER
HARD-HEARTED HANNAH ♪

THIS PROGRAM

BY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO YOUR PBS STATION

FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.



Narrator: FROM THE MOMENT
TELEVISION FIRST

ILLUMINATED OUR LIVING ROOMS,

THEY ATTRACTED VIEWERS

LIKE BUGS TO THE LIGHT.

HOW ABOUT SAYING
"GOOD NIGHT"

GIVE THEM A BIG,
YOU KNOW, BIG WAVE?

I CAN'T WAVE.
WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?

OH, THAT'S...

PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN
FLUSH THE TOILET.

I MEAN, THEY STAYED
GLUED TO THE SET

EVERY PERFORMER WANTED
TO BE ON "THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW."

I MEAN, THAT WAS
THE PLACE TO BE.

Narrator: THEY BECAME
TELEVISION'S FAVORITE STARS.

THWTTT!
OH, SORRY, ROY.



♪ THERE WAS HANNAH
POURING WATER ♪

♪ ON A DROWNING MAN ♪

IT WAS JUST A GREAT PLACE
TO BE ON MONDAY.

WE COULDN'T WAIT
TO GET THERE.

AND WE HAD SO MANY ADVENTURES
DURING THE WEEK.

Narrator: THEY SET THE STANDARD
FOR SKETCH COMEDY,

SONG, AND DANCE.

GET TO THE POINT.

POINT?
THE POINT IS SIMPLE!

TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH
TELEVISION HAS CHANGED,

THAT'S THE POINT.

IT CAN MAKE YOU CRY.

IT CAN MAKE YOU LAUGH.

IT CAN MAKE YOU
FEEL EXUBERANT.

IT CAN MAKE YOU THINK.

UH, WAITER?

WE DID ALL DIFFERENT KINDS
OF SKETCHES,

AND WE DID ALL DIFFERENT
KINDS OF MUSICAL NUMBERS.

Narrator: THEY PUSHED
THE BOUNDARIES OF SATIRE

♪ CBS WOULD LIKE
TO GIVE US NOTICE ♪

♪ AND SOME OF YOU
DON'T LIKE THE THINGS WE SAY ♪

♪ BUT WE'RE
STILL HERE ♪

I HAD NO IDEA WE WERE
SAYING ANYTHING IMPORTANT

UNTIL THEY SAID,
"YOU'VE GOT TO STOP."

Narrator: THEY CHANGED
THE TIMING OF TELEVISION

AND INFLUENCED THE PACE
OF MODERN LIFE.

VERY INTERESTING.

THEY WOULD SAY TO ME,
"SLOW IT DOWN."

I'D SAY, "NO,
PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND IT."

AND THEY SAID,
"BUT THEY'LL MISS THE JOKES."

AND I SAID, "WELL, SO WHAT?

"THERE'S ANOTHER ONE
COMING ALONG

Narrator: THEY CREATED
A NEW ART FORM

CALLED THE TELEVISION
VARIETY SHOW.

THEY ARE THE PIONEERS
OF TELEVISION.

THE PERSON WHO LEFT

THE BIGGEST MARK
ON TELEVISION VARIETY

HAD ABSOLUTELY
NO VISIBLE TALENT.

BUT BEHIND THE SCENES
WAS ANOTHER STORY ENTIRELY.

HIS NAME
WAS ED SULLIVAN...

PERHAPS THE MOST IMPROBABLE STAR
IN TELEVISION HISTORY.

HE CAME OUT HERE
SOME YEARS BACK,

AND THERE'S A WHOLE
FLUX, FANS,

FLUX OF EASTERN ATHLETES
TO THE COAST,

AND I'D LIKE YOU
TO MEET HIM.

HE WAS ONE OF THE STRANGEST
PERSONALITIES

THAT YOU COULD IMAGINE
IN THE HISTORY OF THE BUSINESS.

BECAUSE HE HAD NO BUSINESS
BEING ON THE AIR AT ALL.

YOU DON'T SING.

YOU CAN'T DANCE,
YOU DON'T TELL JOKES.

YOU MERELY
INTRODUCE ACTS.

UH-HUH.

AND YOU'VE BEEN
DOING THIS

FOR 19 YEARS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

MM-HMM.

WELL, ED,
IF I MAY BE SO BOLD...

AND I DON'T LIKE
TO ASK THIS...

BUT ACTUALLY
HOW MUCH DO YOU MAKE?

I MEAN, HOW MUCH
DO YOU...

HOW MUCH MONEY
DO YOU GET

FOR THIS PARTICULAR JOB?

JACK, I'D SAY
APPROXIMATELY $800 MILLION.

800 THOUSAND.

I RAISED IT, BUT I'M
GOING TO CUT IT DOWN.

HE'S READING IT,
AND HE GOT IT WRONG.

Narrator: SULLIVAN KNEW
HE WAS AWFUL ON CAMERA.

BUT HE WOULDN'T GIVE UP
THE LIMELIGHT.

MORE THAN ANYTHING,
HE WANTED FAME.

AND TO BE FAMOUS,
HE NEEDED TO STAY

WHERE THE PUBLIC
COULD SEE HIM.

WE WOULD ALL KIND OF LAUGH
ABOUT ED,

BECAUSE HALF THE TIME,
HE COULDN'T REMEMBER YOUR NAME,

OR HE COULDN'T REMEMBER
SOMEONE'S LAST NAME,

OR...

BUT I THINK THE AUDIENCE

LOVED THAT, THE FACT
THAT HE WAS HIMSELF.

Narrator: DESPITE
HIS ODD STAGE PRESENCE,

SULLIVAN DID HAVE

A UNIQUE TALENT
FOR BOOKING ACTS,

THANKS TO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
AS A BROADWAY COLUMNIST.

HIS SKILLFUL MIX

OF HIGHBROW, LOWBROW,
AND NEWSWORTHY

REMAINS UNMATCHED.

♪ AND IF YOU'RE
WITH A GAL ♪

♪ SHE'D BETTER BE
YOUR SISTER ♪

♪ YOU'LL WISH SHE WAS,
♪ 'CAUALL RIGHT ♪IN'T ♪

Narrator: A TYPICAL HOUR
MIGHT INCLUDE

A WASHBOARD BAND,

A VENTRILOQUIST ACT...

YOU WANT TO TALK TO HIM?

Narrator: AND AN EXCERPT
FROM SHAKESPEARE'S "KING LEAR."

THE SHOWS WERE MASTERPIECES
FOR THE MASSES.

YOU DO ME WRONG

TO TAKE ME
OUT OF THE GRAVE.

HE HAD A PECULIAR...
MIGHT CALL IT A GENIUS,

BECAUSE IT WAS A RADAR
KIND OF THING.

HE KNEW WHAT THE AUDIENCE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND HEAR.

Narrator: EVEN THE ORDER
AND HE BOF THE ACTSO THEM.

WAS AN ART FORM
UNDER SULLIVAN.

ON SOME NIGHTS, HE WOULD CHANGE
THE LINEUP

DURING THE BROADCAST,

TO MAXIMIZE
THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE.

HE KNEW HOW TO GET
THOSE ACTS ON.

HE KNEW HOW TO CHARM
THOSE PEOPLE.

Narrator: BEHIND THE SCENES,
SULLIVAN WAS A MASTER PUPPETEER,

REWRITING PUNCH LINES,
ADJUSTING COSTUMES,

EDITING SKETCHES.

FOR THE LADIES,
IF YOUR GOWN

WAS CUT
JUST A LITTLE TOO LOW...

I DID IT MANY TIMES WHERE THEY
ADDED THE LACE, YOU KNOW?

SO HE'D SAY,
"CUT FOUR MINUTES."

WE CAN'T CUT FOUR MINUTES!
IT'S A SKETCH!

YOU KNOW?
SO WE'D HURRY EVERYTHING.

WE NEVER CAME OFF WELL
ON "THE SULLIVAN SHOW."

YOU KNOW, IT'S EASIER
IF YOU TAKE OUT

SIX MINUTES AT THE TOP
OR SIX MINUTES AT THE BACK.

BIT WHEN YOU TAKE OUT
SIX MINUTES IN THE MIDDLE,

AND THE GUY IS DOWN
TO TWO OR THREE MINUTES,

YEAH, THAT'S TOUGH,
THAT'S REALLY TOUGH.

AND THAT HAPPENED A LOT.

TERRIFIED, AND ALL I REMEMBER,

I FOLLOWED TRAINED CAMELS.
AND ALL I REMEMBER WAS,

THERE WAS A BLUE SPOT
ON THE STAGE.

AND THIS STAGE MANAGER,

WHEN IT CAME MY TURN,
AFTER THE CAMELS WERE DONE,

HE SAID...

AND I GO OUT
ON THAT STAGE,

AND I DO THE FOOTBALL MONOLOGUE,

TO NO LAUGHS.

NONE.

Narrator: SULLIVAN WAS
ESPECIALLY CONCERNED

ABOUT PROMOTING GOOD TASTE.

EVEN HIS FAVORITE ACTS,
LIKE STILLER AND MEARA,

WERE NOT IMMUNE
TO ED'S WATCHFUL EYE.

ONCE, WHEN THE DUO
REHEARSED A SKETCH

ABOUT A MAID WHO CLEANED
THE ASTRONAUTS' BATHROOM,

SULLIVAN TOOK DECISIVE ACTION.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO
THAT SKETCH TONIGHT."

I SAYS, "WHAT'S WRONG,
MR. SULLIVAN?"

HE SAYS, "WELL, IT'S,
IT'S NOT UP TO YOUR STANDARDS."

I SAID, "WHAT'S WRONG
WITH IT?"

AND HE USED THE WORD
THAT HAS TO DO WITH EXCREMENT.

AND I LOOKED AT HIM,
AND I SAID TO MYSELF,

"WELL, GEE WHIZ, IF I BACK OFF,

IT'S ADMITTING THAT HE'S RIGHT
AND I'M WRONG."

Narrator: STILLER DIDN'T DARE
DEFY SULLIVAN.

IN TRUTH, EVERYONE
IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

WAS BEHOLDEN TO ED.

EVEN THE ROLLING STONES

CHANGED THEIR LYRICS

TO PLEASE HIM.

AND IF SULLIVAN
WANTED PERFORMERS

TO AUDITION AT 8:00 A.M.
AT HIS APARTMENT,

THEY DID IT.

ED COMES IN,
IN A DRESSING ROBE,

BAREFOOT, SLIPPERS,

WITH HIS DOG,

A BLACK POODLE.

AND WHILE I'M DOING MY,

WHAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY FUNNY,

THE DOG IS NIBBLING
ON MY TOES.

I'M GOING NUTS,
I CAN'T CONCENTRATE.

AND OF COURSE ED...
IT'S HIS FIRST CUP OF COFFEE...

HE'S COUGHING AND GROANING,
AND...

IT WAS A DISASTER.

WELL, HE PROBABLY
LIKED MY LOOKS.

AND REMEMBER, THAT WAS
MY OLD FACE.

MOLDED POPULAR TASTE
WOR REFLECTED IT

IS STILL OPEN FOR DEBATE.

A SIXTH SENSE
BUT FOR ENTERTAINMENT, IFT,

THAT KEPT HIM ON THE AIR
FOR NEARLY A QUARTER-CENTURY.

ED SULLIVAN'S CHIEF RIVAL
IN THE EARLY YEARS

WAS THE MAN WHO ESSENTIALLY
INVENTED TELEVISION VARIETY...

MILTON BERLE.

PREMIERING JUST 12 DAYS
AHEAD OF SULLIVAN IN 1948,

BERLE TOOK A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT APPROACH...

WILD, ENERGETIC, AND READY TO
JUMP INTO ANY ACT AT ANY TIME.

SO WHEN ELVIS CAME ON HIS SHOW,

BERLE GRABBED A GUITAR.

I WAS THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES,

I WORKED WITH ALL THE ACTS,
I DID ALL THE SHTICKS.

WE DID SLAPSTICK,
VISUAL COMEDY.

Narrator: BERLE HAD COME OF AGE
IN VAUDEVILLE

AND PERFECTED HIS ACT
IN NIGHTCLUBS.

SO THE INTENSE PRESSURE
OF LIVE TELEVISION

DIDN'T FAZE HIM.

HE COULD HANDLE ANYTHING.

OH, NO.

PLEASE,
WILL YOU PLEASE?

I LOST MY HEAD.

YOU'VE GOT
I'LL TELL YOU...

DON'T AD-LIB, KID.
I WANT TO JUST...

Berle: I WAS SCHOOLED
IN IT.

WE DID EVERYTHING LIVE
IN VAUDEVILLE.

THTHE AUDIENCEING
SAT IN FRONT OF YOU.

THEY EITHER LAUGHED
OR APPLAUDED

OR HISSED YOU OFF THE STAGE,

AND BEING USED TO AUDIENCES
OF THAT KIND,

I WAS NOT SCARED.

Narrator: BERLE'S OVER-THE-TOP
ANTICS WERE PERFECT

AT TIMES, HIS AUDIENCE
REACHED A 95 SHARE...

A NUMBER UNEQUALLED
EVEN BY MODERN-DAY SUPER BOWLS.

HIS NICKNAME, "MR. TELEVISION,"
WAS WELL DESERVED.

I REMEMBER WATCHING
MILTON BERLE ON THE OUTSIDE

OF A HARDWARE STORE
IN THE WINTER.

THE GUY WHO SOLD TELEVISION
LEFT IT ON

SO PEOPLE FROM THE VILLAGE
COULD COME DOWN,

STAND OUT THERE,
AND WATCH IT.

Narrator: FOR A TIME,
MILTON BERLE

WAS THE MOST POPULAR PERFORMER
IN THE COUNTRY.

THEN, ALMOST OVERNIGHT,

AMERICA GREW TIRED
OF HIM.

BERLE'S RAPID DECLINE
WAS STRIKING,

WITH ANOTHER OLD-SCHOOL
ESPECIALLCOMEDIAN, NTRASTED

WHO MANAGED TO STAY
IN PRIME TIME FOR DECADES...

RED SKELTON.

AS I WALKED IN, THERE WERE
A LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE,

AND SOMEONE YELLED,
"RED SKELTON'S IN THE CROWD!"

AND THEY ALL TURNED AROUND
AND LOOKED AT ME.

I WAS SORRY
GEE, I RASSED.

Narrator:
RED SKELTON UNDERSTOOD

THE UNIQUE DEMANDS
OF TELEVISION COMEDY,

PERHAPS BETTER THAN ANY
OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES.

HE REALIZED THE NEED
FOR A LARGE STABLE OF CHARACTERS

TO ENSURE HIS SHOW STAYED FRESH,
DIFFERENT EVERY WEEK.

10 MILLION, 20 MILLION,

40 MILLION, 100 MILLION PEOPLE

WOULD SEE YOU A NIGHT.

THAT ACT,
YOU CAN'T DO IT AGAIN.

SO NO ONE I DID.ED FOR IT.

Narrator:
I PSKELTON'S COLLECTIONON.

OF VISUAL CHARACTERS INCLUDED

CLEM KADIDDLEHOPPER,
CAULIFLOWER McPUGG,

AND HUGE HITS ON RADIO, ER.

THEY WERE EVEN FUNNIER
ON TELEVISION.

Skelton: SAN FERNANDO RED,
I LOVED HIM IN POLITICAL TIMES.

YOU KNOW, TIME TO VOTE.

OR HE SAYS, "NOW, THIS IS
GOING TO BE A CLEAN CAMPAIGN.

"I'M NOT GOING TO THROW MUD
AT MY OPPONENT,

"BECAUSE HE'S A FINE MAN.

"AND HIS WIFE IS
A MIGHTY FINE WOMAN.

"WHAT HE SEES IN THAT DAME
HE'S RUNNING AROUND WITH,

I'LL NEVER KNOW."

YOU KNOW?

NOT GOING TO THROW MUD.

HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU.

I TOLD THOSE BOYS
WE NEEDED LINES HERE,

BUT THEY SAYS THIS
WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.

Narrator: SKELTON WAS ALSO
AMONG THE FIRST PERFORMERS

TO UNDERSTAND ANOTHER

FUNDAMENTAL RULE
OF TELEVISION SUCCESS...

IFTHEY'LL KEEP WATCHING, U,

EVEN IF THE MATERIAL
IS MEDIOCRE.

I AIN'T SEEN YOU
FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS,

DEADEYE,
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

I'M PRETTY HOKEY,

BUT EVEN I AIN'T
GOING TO TELL THAT JOKE.

AW, COME ON, DEADEYE,
I AIN'T SEEN YOU

FOR SIX MONTHS,
WHAT'VE YOU BEEN DOING?

HERE IT COMES,
FOLKS.

ALL RIGHT, I AIN'T SEEN YOU
FOR SIX MONTHS, DEADEYE,

WHAT YOU BEEN DOING?

SIX MONTHS.

Narrator: SKELTON'S LIKABILITY
WAS THE KEY

TO MORE THAN 20 YEARS
OF VARIETY SHOW SUCCESS.

IT WAS A LESSON KEENLY
UNDERSTOOD

BY ANOTHER VARIETY HOST
WHO WOULD BECOME

THE MOST POPULAR MAN
IN AMERICA...

AN ENTERTAINER
WITH LITTLE OBVIOUS TALENT.

YOU KNOW, I HAD
A JOKE LAST NIGHT

I WAS GOING TO DO,

Narrator: ARTHUR GODFREY
WAS A REGULAR GUY.

AT LEAST, THAT'S THE IMAGE
HE NURTURED FOR DECADES

TO BUILD A MASSIVE AUDIENCE
ON RADIO.

YOU COULD WALK DOWN A STREET

IN A MIDWESTERN TOWN
THAT I LIVED IN

IN THE SUMMER, WHEN THE DOORS
WERE OPEN...

AND NO ONE HAD
AIR CONDITIONING...

AND YOU WOULDN'T MISS
A WORD

OF "THE ARTHUR GODFREY SHOW,"

AS YOU WENT FROM ONE HOUSE'S
RADIO TO THE NEXT.

STAGGERING AUDIENCE.

THAT'S A LOVELY DRESS
YOU HAVE.

Narrator: ARTHUR GODFREY'S
LAID-BACK APPROACH TO RADIO

SEEMED DESTINED TO FAIL

WHEN HE MOVED
TO THE SMALL SCREEN.

HE DIDN'T EVEN TAKE OFF
HIS RADIO HEADPHONES AT FIRST.

BUT GODFREY'S WARM, FOLKSY STYLE

STRUCK A CHORD
WITH TV AUDIENCES,

JUST AS IT HAD IN RADIO.

AND HE ARRIVES TWO MINUTES
BEFORE THE RED LIGHT COMES ON.

COMES IN AND SITS DOWN,
AND...

YOU KNOW, THEY START
HIS THEME SONG.

AND HE HAS MADE
NO PREPARATION AT ALL,

WE'LL MEET THE FIRST ONE,
WHO IS NAMED

SANFORD BAUMSTEIN,
IS THAT RIGHT?

SANFORD BAUMSTEIN?

IT'S HOMEMADE,
AND THEREFORE IT HAS...

Narrator: AS A COMMERCIAL
PITCHMAN,

GODFREY'S INFLUENCE
WAS PROFOUND.

HE REFUSED TO READ
THE HARD-SELL COPY OF THE ERA

AND INSTEAD, AD-LIBBED
COMMERCIALS

IN HIS NEIGHBORLY STYLE.

SURE, I KNOW, WHEN YOU GO
IN THE GROCERY STORE,

THERE ARE ALL THOSE CANS
THAT ARE SO EASY TO PICK UP.

YOU HAVE TO GO WAY ON DOWN

TILL YOU FIND
THE LIPTON ENVELOPES.

Narrator: HE EVEN POKED FUN
AT HIS SPONSORS.

BUT THAT MADE HIM
ALL THE MORE BELIEVABLE.

I WILL THEREFORE
TAKE A TASTE.

OOH, LOOK, LOOK,

SEE ALL THE NOODLES
IN THERE?

CHICKEN? CHICKEN?

THE NATION'S
MOST EFFECTIVE SALESMAN...

A SKILL THAT MADE
ARTHUR GODFREY VERY RICH.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS,
ABSO...

Announcer: ARTHUR GODFREY
AND HIS FRIENDS!

Narrator:
BY THE EARLY 1950s,

GODFREY HAD TWO
TV VARIETY SHOWS,

BOTH TOP-TEN HITS.

EXPOSURE ON HIS SHOW
COULD MAKE A CAREER.

Boone: I WENT OVER
AND AUDITIONED

FOR "THE ARTHUR GODFREY SHOW."

AND JUST LIKE "AMERICAN IDOL"
TODAY, YOU JUST SING A CAPPELLA.

SO I SANG SOMETHING,
I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.

AND THEY SEEMED TO BE
FAVORABLY IMPRESSED.

CAN YOU COME BACK
THIN ABOUT THREE WEEKS?"...

I SAID, "NO, I CAN'T.

"I'M EXPECTING A CHILD, AND NO,

THEY SAID, "NO?
OKAY, WE'LL PUT YOU ON TONIGHT."

AND I WENT ON THE AT NIGHT
AND WON!

Narrator: GODFREY'S SUCCESS
SEEMED UNSTOPPABLE

UNTIL HE MADE
ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES

IN TELEVISION HISTORY.

JULIUS HAS A RECORD OUT.

Narrator: AS ONE
OF ARTHUR GODFREY'S

REGULAR SINGERS, JULIUS LaROSA

HAD BECOME
A NATIONAL SENSATION.

HIS FAN MAIL OUTNUMBERED
EVEN GODFREY'S.

WHEN THE TWO HAD
A DISAGREEMENT,

GODFREY FIRED LaROSA...

ON THE AIR.

AND YOU COULD SEE
BY THE LOOK ON LaROSA'S FACE,

IT WAS A TOTAL SURPRISE TO HIM.

AND I THINK THE FACADE BROKE,

AND PEOPLE GOT A GLIMPSE
OF ANOTHER ARTHUR GODFREY.

Narrator: PRESS COVERAGE
OF THE INCIDENT

PAINTED GODFREY AS CALLOUS
AND EGOTISTICAL.

ALMOST OVERNIGHT, PUBLIC OPINION
TURNED AGAINST HIM.

GODFREY BECAME
THE BUTT OF JOKES,

THE POSTER BOY
FOR PHONY CELEBRITIES.

HIS CAREER NEVER RECOVERED.

EVEN WITHOUT THE CONTROVERSY,
THE ERA

OF THE TRADITIONAL VARIETY EMCEE
WAS COMING TO A CLOSE.

A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HOST
WAS GAINING POPULARITY...

THE SINGER.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THANK YOU...

Narrator: PERHAPS THE MOST
REMARKABLE EXAMPLE

WAS PERRY COMO,
WHO TOOK ON

TWO OF THE BIGGEST SUPERSTARS
IN TV HISTORY

AND WON, BOTH TIMES.

OUR SHOW TONIGHT HAS
SORT OF A LATIN FLAVOR.

YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN.

Narrator:
SINGER PERRY COMO

PERFORMED ON TELEVISION
AS FAR BACK AS 1948.

HIS RELAXED STYLE
AND FRIENDLY PERSONALITY

MADE HIM DIFFICULT
TO DISLIKE.

IN 1955, NBC SLATED COMO

OPPOSITE SUPERSTAR
JACKIE GLEASON ON CBS.

IN ONE OF THE MORE AMAZING
UPSETS IN TV HISTORY,

COMO TROUNCED GLEASON'S
NEW SHOW, "THE HONEYMOONERS."

AFTER ONE SEASON, GLEASON
CANCELLED THE SERIES.

OOH!

Narrator: SIX YEARS LATER,
PERRY COMO WOULD AGAIN

BE SCHEDULED AGAINST
A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT...

"THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW."

COMO DID SO WELL,
"VAN DYKE" WAS NEARLY CANCELLED.

PERRY COMO WASN'T ALONE.

THERE WERE DOZENS
OF SINGER HOSTS,

MATTER OF FACT,
TONIGHT WAS
INCLUDING FRANK SINATRA...

THE FIRST TIME I GOT
A POLICE ESCORT.

HE GAVE ME TWO MOTORCYCLES,

AND I HAD TO RUN
IN BETWEEN 'EM, WOW!

Narrator: DINAH SHORE...

AND ONE OF TV'S LONGEST-RUNNING
VARIETY HOSTS EVER,

ANDY WILLIAMS.

♪ SILENT NIGHT ♪

♪ HOLY NIGHT ♪

♪ ALL IS CALM ♪

♪ ALL IS BRIGHT ♪

Narrator: ON THE SURFACE,
ANDY WILLIAMS SEEMED

LIKE THE MOST LAID-BACK PERSON
ON TELEVISION.

BUT HIS RELAXED LOOK CAME ONLY

AFTER PRACTICE...
HOURS AND HOURS

TO PERFECT EVERY LINE,
EVERY MOVE.

Williams: MY THING WAS
TO REHEARSE LIKE CRAZY,

YOU KNOW, FIVE DAYS A WEEK,
SIX DAYS A WEEK.

IT WASN'T, WE DIDN'T JUST
REHEARSE FOR, YOU KNOW,

A FEW HOURS AND GO UP
AND SING A BUNCH OF SONGS.

WE REALLY KNEW THESE THINGS.

AND SOME OF THEM
WERE VERY COMPLICATED.

Narrator:
WILLIAMS' WORK ETHIC

ENSURED 15 YEARS
OF VARIETY SHOW SUCCESS.

BUT HE WAS WILLING
TO SKIP REHEARSALS

WHENEVER JONATHAN WINTERS
GUESTED ON THE SHOW.

THEN IT WAS ALL AD LIB.

♪ I'M AS JUMPY
AS A PUPPET ♪

♪ ON A STRING ♪

♪ I'D SAY ♪

♪ THAT I HAD
SPRING FEVER ♪

♪ BUT I KNOW ♪

♪ IT ISN'T SPRING ♪

♪ AND VAGUELY DISCONTENTED ♪

♪ LIKE A NIGHTINGALE ♪

♪ WITHOUT A SONG
TO SING ♪

WITH JONATHAN,
WE GOT TO THE POINT

WHERE WE NEVER
REHEARSED WITH HIM.

I MEAN, THERE WAS
AN OUTLINE

OF WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE
A TABLE OF HATS.

AND HE WOULD JUST GO
AND PICK UP A HAT,

AND HE'D BECOME A DIFFERENT
CHARACTER WITH EACH HAT.

LET'S, LET'S PLAY SWORDS.

WELL, ANDY, IT'S AWFUL NICE
TO BE ON YOUR SHOW HERE.

I JUST, UH, DROVE ONE

OF THE LONGER BALLS
DOWN THE COURSE.

HAD A LITTLE BIT
OF THE GRAPE THERE.

♪ MOON RIVER ♪

♪ FLASHING DOWN
THE STREAM ♪

WELL, I GUESS
WE WON'T PRINT THAT ONE.

THE REASON
A LOT OF THESE GUYS...

ANDY AND DEAN
AND STEVE AND JACK...

HAD CHOSEN ME WAS

A VERY DANGEROUS THING,
BUT THANK GOD...

THEY WOULD SAY, IF THEY WERE
HERE TODAY TO SAY IT,

I WOULD BET ON THIS...

"ONE THING ABOUT WINTERS,
YOU NEVER KNEW

WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY OR DO."

DID YOU EVER UNDRESS
IN FRONT OF A DOG?

I DON'T KNOW... PEOPLE...
YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY...

A BIRD SOMEHOW DOESN'T COUNT,
RIGHT?

HA HA HA.
OR A CAT.

BUT A DOG... THEY REALLY STARE.

BECAME ANDY WILLIAMS'
JSECRET WEAPON, S

BOOSTING RATINGS
WITH EVERY APPEARANCE.

VARIETY SHOW HOST PAT BOONE

HAD A SIMILAR ACE IN THE HOLE...

DICK VAN DYKE.

AS I SAY,
I'VE ADMIRED DICK

FOR QUITE A WHILE,
BECAUSE TO MY WAY OF THINKING,

HE HAS A FRESH,
NEW APPROACH TO COMEDY.

I THINK ABOUT
ALL I REALLY DO, THOUGH,

IS JUST KIND OF
AVOID SLAPSTICK.

OH, IS THAT IT?

YEAH, I THINK
LIKE MORE SUBTLE HUMOR.

THEY'RE TIRED OF PEOPLE
THROWING PIES

AND MAKING FOOLISH MISTAKES
OF SOME KIND.

OH, I SEE.

YOU REMEMBER,
FOR INSTANCE,

DOROTHY PARKER
OR OSCAR WILDE,

PEOPLE LIKE THAT,
AND GEORGE BERNARD SHAW?

PAT, YOU'D BE SURPRISED

HOW MANY PEOPLE ADMIRE
THAT TYPE OF HUMOR.

REALLY!

PEOPLE LAUGH
JUST AT THE ANTICIPATION

OF THAT KIND OF HUMOR.

DON'T YOU THINK
THAT PEOPLE ENJOY

THAT SORT OF THING, PAT?

SURE, SURE.

WELL, THAT'S
THE WAY I FEEL,

AND I REST MY CASE ON THAT.

OOP!

Narrator: VARIETY HOSTS
LIKE PAT BOONE

WERE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR
THE BEST POSSIBLE GUEST STARS,

MANY OF WHOM WERE
AFRICAN AMERICAN.

AND WHEN BOONE
BOOKED HARRY BELAFONTE,

HIS SPONSOR SAID, "NO."

I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?

HE'S THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINER
IN THE WORLD."

"YEAH, BUT HE'S, UH...
YOU KNOW, HE'S, UH...

"HE'S SORT OF
POLITICALLY ACTIVE,

AND A LOT OF THE FOLKS
DOWN SOUTH..."

AND I SAID, "YOU'RE TELLING ME
I'VE GOT TO GO BACK

TO HARRY BELAFONTE
AND SAY, 'NO THANKS'?"

I SAID, "WELL, THEN,
I'M SORRY, GUYS,

"IT'S NOT 'THE PAT BOONE SHOW.'

AND YOU'LL HAVE TO GET
SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE MY PLACE."

Narrator: IT'S A STORY
THAT WAS REPEATED OVER AND OVER.

THE SPONSORS AND AD AGENCIES
WORRIED

THAT WHITE VIEWERS IN THE SOUTH
WOULDN'T WATCH

AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS.

♪♪ BUT HE SEEMED ♪♪

♪ SWEET GOLDEN AS A CROWN ♪

Narrator: POWERFUL VARIETY HOSTS
LIKE ED SULLIVAN AND STEVE ALLEN

CHAMPIONED
AFRICAN AMERICAN ENTERTAINERS.

THEY GOT THEIR WAY,
BECAUSE THEY HAD CLOUT.

BUT WHEN IT CAME TO HOSTING
A VARIETY SHOW,

CORPORATE AMERICA
COULDN'T BE PERSUADED.

♪ WHY, OH, WHY ♪

♪ OH, WHY, OH, WHY,
OH, WHY ♪

Narrator: NAT KING COLE
DID GET

HIS OWN VARIETY SHOW ON NBC.

BUT NO SPONSOR COULD BE FOUND.

IN AN UNUSUAL MOVE,
NBC THEN PAID

ALL PRODUCTION COSTS ITSELF,

TO GIVE COLE
A POSITIVE START.

HE DID FIND
AN AUDIENCE,

BUT NO SPONSOR HAD
THE COURAGE TO STEP FORWARD.

AND "THE NAT KING COLE SHOW"
WAS CANCELLED.

♪ FINE CALYPSO WOMAN ♪

♪ SHE COOKED
ME SHRIMP AND RICE ♪

Narrator: NEARLY ALL
THE EARLIEST VARIETY SHOWS

HAD FOLLOWED A FAMILIAR FORM...

TELL A FEW JOKES,
ADD A DANCE NUMBER OR TWO,

SING A FEW SONGS.

♪ BROKE MY HEART IN TWO ♪

♪ YOU HELD MY DREAMS ♪

♪ LIKE WORTHLESS GRAINS
OF SAND ♪

BUT IN 1950, A NEW APPROACH
TO VARIETY

TOOK CENTER STAGE,

UNLIKE ANYTHING
THAT HAD COME BEFORE.

HE'S TRYING
TO SAY SOMETHING!

WHAT IS IT, LOUIS?

ONE LAST REQUEST, PLEASE.

A KISS.

ALL RIGHT.

NOT FROM YOU!

HE'S IN HIS TOREADOR OUTFIT,
AND HE'S DYING,

AND HE'S BEEN GORED,
AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.

SO CARL SAYS, "DO YOU WANT
ANYTHING BEFORE..."

UH... I WOULD LIKE
AN AMERICAN CHEESE SANDWICH.

AN AMERICAN CHEESE SANDWICH.

AMERICAN CHEESE SANDWICH,
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GET IT.

NAH, I HAD CHEESE
FOR LUNCH.

MAKE IT ROAST BEEF.

I'LL CANCEL
THE AMERICAN,

I'LL GET ROAST BEEF...

NO, NO, NO,
I'LL HAVE THE AMERICAN CHEESE.

MAKE IT TWO AMERICAN
CHEESE SANDWICHES.

AND DON'T PUT MUSTARD
ON MINE, BECAUSE...

ONE WITHOUT MUSTARD.

GET ME A ROAST BEEF.

WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE!

LET'S HAVE AN ASSORTMENT
OF COLD CUTS, THAT'S ALL.

AND DRINK SOME SODAS.

AND FINALLY, SID DIES,

AND THEY'RE STILL ORDERING.

Narrator: IT WAS CALLED
"YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS."

AND IT EMPHASIZED
SKETCH COMEDY.

NINETY MINUTES,
EVERY WEEK.

THE SERIES STARRED
SID CAESAR

WITH SIDEKICKS HOWARD MORRIS
AND CARL REINER.

WRITERS INCLUDED NEIL SIMON,

LARRY GELBART,
AND MEL BROOKS.

WOW, IT WAS JUST...

THIS GUY DID IT ALL.

YOU KNOW, HE PLAYED
THOSE THINGS

WITH IMOGENE AND CARL AND HOWIE,

AND NOBODY COULD TOUCH HIM.

HE WAS JUST BRILLIANT,
EVERYTHING HE DID.

Narrator:
CAESAR AND COCA

DID UP TO 10 SKETCHES
PER EPISODE,

ALL LIVE.

INCREDIBLY, THE DUO
DIDN'T USE CUE CARDS.

INSTEAD,
THEY MEMORIZED EVERYTHING.

SO WHEN THE SHOW WENT
ON THE AIR,

THEY COULD FULLY
INHABIT THE CHARACTERS.

WITH YOU
AND YOUR SWELLED HEAD.

I'M THROUGH!
YOU CAN TAKE THIS BACK.

I'M GOING TO...
I'M GOING TO...

I'M GOING TO...
I'M...

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU
ONE MORE CHANCE.

YOU SEE, EVERY COMEDIC
SITUATION,

HAS TO HAVE SOME ELEMENT
OF TRUTH THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO WITH IT.

IT CHANGED TELEVISION COMEDY
FOREVER.

IT'S STILL THE GREATEST ONE
EVER, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

BUT THAT WAS LIVE!

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW
HOW THEY DID IT.

IT... THAT WOULD DRIVE ME CRAZY,

AN HOUR AND A HALF,
AND IT WAS ALWAYS PERFECT.

IN THE BACK
OF YOUR NECK HERE.
YES?

IF I TOUCHED THAT NERVE,

YOU'D BE
PARTIALLY PARALYZED

ON THIS SIDE,
TEMPORARILYIS THAT TRUE, DOCTOR?

SURE... SEE,
RIGHT OVER HERE.

RIGHT THERE?

WHAT HAPPENED,
DOCTOR?

DOCTOR?

YEAH, YOU SEE,
THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.

Narrator: "YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS"
HAD A SECRET OBSERVER...

A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WOULD SNEAK IN
EACH WEEK TO WATCH REHEARSALS

FROM THE SHADOWS.

HER NAME WAS CAROL BURNETT.

YOUNG CAROL BURNETT
LOVED TO PERFORM.

BUT SHE WAS DESPERATELY POOR.

HER PROSPECTS SEEMED DIM...

WHEN AN ANONYMOUS BENEFACTOR
HANDED HER $1,000.

AND CAROL BURNETT
WAS ON HER WAY.

BY 1959, SHE WAS STARRING
ON BROADWAY

SOON, BURNETT WAS A REGULAR
ON GARRY MOORE'S VARIETY SHOW.

CAROL BURNETT... I THINK SHE IS

THE FUNNIEST COMIC

AND THE GREATEST PHYSICAL COMIC.

SHE HAD A NATURAL GREAT
CONTRALTO VOICE,

AND THE FACE AND THE BODY

AND THE... EVERYTHING
FOR COMEDY.

I MEAN, WE ALL KNEW SOMETHING
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH CAROL.

AND OF COURSE SHE HAS
THIS GREAT SINGING VOICE.

SHE HAS A GREAT VOICE.

AND SHE'S A FABULOUS MUSICIAN.

♪ SHE'S A GAL WHO LOVES
TO SEE MEN SUFFER ♪

Narrator:
IN THE MID-1960s,

CAROL GUESTED
ON LUCILLE BALL'S SHOW.

LUCY WAS SO IMPRESSED,

SHE OFFERED CAROL
HER OWN SITCOM.

♪ THERE WAS HANNAH
♪ POURING WATER ♪ ♪

♪ ON A DROWNING MAN ♪

BURNETT TURNED DOWN
THE SITCOM OFFER,

BECAUSE SHE WANTED
TO DO A VARIETY SHOW.

IN 1967,
SHE GOT HER CHANCE.

Jim Nabors: I WAS ALWAYS
HER FIRST GUEST

EVERY YEAR
FOR HER WHOLE RUN.

SHE WAS... ALWAYS SAID
I WAS HER LUCKY CHARM.

SHE HARDLY NEEDED
A LUCKY CHARM.

SHE WAS WONDERFUL.

Narrator:
CAROL SURROUNDED HERSELF

WITH A TALENTED ENSEMBLE...

AND A HIGH SCHOOL GIRL
TIMNAMED VICKI LAWRENCE.N,

BUT EVERYBODY SAID THAT I LOOKED
LIKE CAROL BURNETT.

SO I WROTE HER
A FAN LETTER,

TOLD HER I WOULD LOVE
TO MEET HER SOMEDAY,

AND ENCLOSED MY LITTLE ARTICLE,

WITH A PICTURE,

AND MAILED IT OFF TO HER,

AND SOMEHOW IT MADE ITS WAY
TO HER HUSBAND,

WHO WAS THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
OF THE SHOW.

AND THE HEAD WRITER OF THE SHOW
CALLED ME

AND SAID, "WOULD YOU
COME DOWN TO CBS?"

AND THEY WANTED TO TALK TO ME
ABOUT THIS LITTLE PROJECT

THEY WERE PUTTING TOGETHER
CALLED "THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW."

AND WOULD I BE INTERESTED
IN AUDITIONING?

Narrator:
"THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW"

WAS SHOT LIVE,
WITHOUT STOPPING,

TO ENSURE A SPONTANEOUS FEEL.

TIM CONWAY SAW THIS
AS A CHANCE

TO CRACK UP HIS CASTMATES
AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

I KNEW WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY,

BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

AND I WOULD PUT IN MY LINES
AS ONE THING.

WHEN WE DID THE SHOW, I DID
SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT...

WHICH KIND OF, I IMAGINE,
THREW THEM FROM TIME TO TIME.

NOT SO MUCH CAROL.
VERY TOUGH TO BREAK HER UP.

BUT HARVEY,
BEING A POOR PERFORMER,

WAS VERY EASY TO DESTROY.

TIM WOULD DO TERRIBLE THINGS.

HE WOULD COME... WE'D REHEARSE,

AND HE'D ALWAYS
SAVE SOMETHING...

THAT HE WOULDN'T SHOW YOU
EITHER IN REHEARSAL.RDROBE

AND THEN HE WOULD THROW IT IN
WHEN THEY WERE ACTUALLY,

THE CAMERAS WERE ROLLING.

AND IT WOULD PUT HARVEY AWAY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT
THOSE WERE STAGED BREAKUPS.

HARVEY JUST HAD SUCH A WEAK SPOT
FOR TIM'S HUMOR

THAT IT WAS...
IT WAS A BASKETCASE!

HE JUST COULDN'T STRAIGHTEN UP.

I SAW THESE
SIAMESE ELEPHANTS.

THEY WAS ADJOINED
AT THE END OF THEIR TRUNKS,

LIKE THAT.

AND THIS TRAINER WOULD
MAKE 'EM STAND UP

ON THEIR BACK FEET,
LIKE THAT,

AND THEY HAD THEIR TRUNKS
STRETCHED LIKE THAT.

THEN THIS LITTLE
MONKEY WOULD COME OUT...

AND WALK OUT THERE,
AND DANCE THE MERENGUE

RIGHT OUT IN THE MIDDLE.

I KIND OF FELT SORRY
FOR THEM.

THEY COULDN'T GO,
LIKE THE OTHER ELEPHANTS,

WHEN THEY GO...

ALL THEY COULD DO
IS JUST BLOW AND GO,

"NORKEY."

Narrator: ONE KEY
TO BURNETT'S LONG SUCCESS

WAS HER WILLINGNESS
TO SHARE THE LAUGHS

WITH HER COSTARS.

WE WERE ALL PARTICIPANTS.

SHE ACCEPTED EVERY CONTRIBUTION
OF A LINE OR A THOUGHT

OR A THING OR...
FROM EVERYBODY!

AND I REMEMBER HARVEY SAYING,
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA."

BECAUSE MOST STARS
ARE VERY SELFISH.

THEY'LL HAVE THINGS REWRITTEN

TO WHERE THEY
GET THE JOKE LINES.

AND THEY WILL NOT BE
SUPPORTIVE OF YOU.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS

THAT I LEARNED FROM CAROL
IS THAT YOU ARE AS GOOD

AS THE PEOPLE THAT
SURROUND YOU.

I WAS SITTING
WITH LUCY ONE NIGHT,

AND SHE... WE WERE WATCHING
CAROL DO A SKETCH.

AND LUCY WAS ONE OF THE GUESTS.

AND LUCY WAS WATCHING HER,
AND LUCY WAS VERY MUCH ANALYST.

AND SHE SAID, "THE KID'S
THE BEST THERE IS."

WELL, I SAYS, "YOU DO
PRETTY GOOD YOURSELF."

SHE SAYS, "NO, I'M DIFFERENT.
I'M DIFFERENT."

AND, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS TALKING
ABOUT HER COMEDY TO ME,

BUT SHE DID SAY THAT SHE THOUGHT
CAROL WAS

THE BEST SKETCH ACTRESS THAT HAD
EVER COME DOWN THE PIKE.

OR EVER WOULD.

Narrator:
"THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW"

WASN'T THE ONLY LANDMARK VARIETY
SERIES TO PREMIERE IN 1967.

IT WAS ALSO THE YEAR

THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS
WOULD DEBUT.

MOM LIKED YOU BEST!

YOU LOWER YOUR VOICE.

MOM LIKED YOU BEST.

Narrator: "THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS
COMEDY HOUR"

WOULD SOON BECOME
THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAM

ON TELEVISION.

TOM AND DICK SMOTHERS
WERE NO STRANGERS TO TV.

THEY HAD BEEN APPEARING

ON SHOWS LIKE "JACK PAAR"
SINCE 1961

WITH A POPULAR FUSION
OF FOLK MUSIC

AND JOKES ABOUT SIBLING RIVALRY.

AND HE NEVER LET ME
PLAY AT ANY GAMES...
WE DID TOO.

YOU NEVER... YOU NEVER
WE DIDLET ME PLAY IN ANY GAMES.

NEVER?
NOT EVEN ONCE?

NEVER.

NOT EVEN ONCE?

NOT EVEN ONCE.
ONCE.

ARE YOU SURE?

YOU'RE RIGHT,

MAYBE ONCE.

YEAH, AND WHAT
DID YOU PLAY?

YOU PLAYED
HIDE-AND-GO-SEEK, RIGHT?

BUT I WAS "IT."

YEAH, BUT TO BE "IT,"

TO BE "IT"
IN HIDE-AND-GO-SEEK

IS A POSITION OF HONOR

I LOOKED FOR YOU GUYS
FOR FOUR MONTHS.

THERE'S NO DOUBT WHO THESE
PERSONALITIES ARE ON STAGE,

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO FAKE THEM.

WE JUST KIND OF EXAGGERATE THEM
A LITTLE BIT.

Narrator: EXPECTING
AN INNOCUOUS VARIETY HOUR,

CBS GAVE THE SMOTHERS A SLOT

OPPOSITE POWERHOUSE "BONANZA."

THE NETWORK'S HOPE WAS
THAT THE BOYS

WOULD CAPTURE SOME
OF THE YOUTH AUDIENCE.

BUT CBS GOT MUCH MORE
THAN IT BARGAINED FOR.

WHEN WE STARTED THAT SHOW,
WE HAD NO POINT OF VIEW.

EXCEPT, WE'D LIKE
TO BE RELEVANT.

AND THAT WAS IT,
AND HAVE CONTROL.

Narrator: TOMMY SMOTHERS
PLAYED DUMB IN THE ACT.

BUT OFFSTAGE,
HE OVERSAW EVERYTHING.

WHILE HE WANTED THE SHOW
TO BE ENTERTAINING,

HE FELT COMPELLED
TO COMMENT ON THE TIMES.

WELL, IT'S JUST
THAT YOU CAN TELL

WHO'S RUNNING
THE COUNTRY

BY HOW MUCH CLOTHES
PEOPLE WEAR.

YEAH, YOU CAN TELLO'S RUNNING
BY HOW MUCH CLOTHES COUNTRY?

THE PEOPLE WEAR
BY WHO'S RUNNING...

NOW, WHAT DO YOU MEAN,
LIKE,

SOME PEOPLE CAN AFFORD
MORE CLOTHES ON,

AND OTHER PEOPLE
LESS CLOTHES ON?

SEE, SOME PEOPLE...
THE ORDINARY PEOPLE

ARE THE LESS-ONS, SEE?

UH-HUH?
THEY'RE THE LESS-ONS.

WELL, WHO'S
RUNNING THE COUNTRY?

THE MORE-ONS.

AND THE CHICAGO RIOTS
AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION,

THE ASSASSINATIONS
OF BOBBY KENNEDY

ALL THIS HAPPENED
WHILE WE HAD A TELEVISION SHOW.

Narrator:
SOON, THE BROTHERS

BEGAN RATCHETING UP
THE POLITICAL COMMENTARY,

WITH THE HELP OF A STAFF
THAT INCLUDED STEVE MARTIN,

MASON WILLIAMS,
ROB REINER,

AND PAT PAULSEN.

WE NOW PRESENT ANOTHER

IN OUR CONTINUING SERIES
OF EDITORIALS.

THE SUBJECT...
ARE OUR DRAFT LAWS UNFAIR?

WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS
AGAINST THE DRAFT?

WE HEAR IT IS UNFAIR, IMMORAL,

DISCOURAGES YOUNG MEN
FROM STUDYING,

RUINS THEIR CAREERS
AND THEIR LIVES.

PICKY, PICKY, PICKY.

IT WAS ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
AND THINKING.

SO THAT REFLECTED
IN OUR SHOW.

AND THEN WE JUST STARTED GOING.

AND WHEN THEY SAY,
"DON'T DO IT,"

YOU PRESS, YOU PUSH BACK
AND PRESS.

Narrator:
BY THE END OF 1967,

THE BROTHERS HAD KNOCKED
"BONANZA" OUT OF ITS TOP SPOT.

BUT THEIR NETWORK
WASN'T HAPPY.

AND NEITHER
WAS PRESIDENT JOHNSON,

A PERSONAL FRIEND
OF CBS PRESIDENT BILL PALEY.

IN 1969, DESPITE GOOD RATINGS,

THE SMOTHERS
WERE SUMMARILY CANCELLED.

IT WAS VERY... IT WAS VERY
EMOTIONAL TO BE FIRED.

WHEN YOU KNEW YOU HADN'T
DONE ANYTHING WRONG

EXCEPT EXERCISE FREEDOM
OF EXPRESSION.

Narrator: IN RETROSPECT,
TOMMY SMOTHERS ADMITS

HE LOVED THE GAMESMANSHIP
WITH CBS EXECUTIVES.

TWEAKING THE PEOPLE IN POWER
AND KIND OF WALKING THE EDGE,

I LOVED IT.

I JUST...

QUESTION POWER,
WHEN YOU SEE

SOMETHING OUT OF WHACK,
QUESTION IT.

I ENJOYED SENDING
ALL THESE MEMOS BACK AND FORTH

TO THE VICE PRESIDENT,
THE PRESIDENT,

AND PROGRAM PRACTICES

AND KIND OF
CRAFTING THE WORDS TO...

IT WAS A LITTLE FUN.
OF COURSE IT WAS FUN.

IT WAS FUN, EVEN THOUGH
IT WAS GETTING SERIOUS.

IT WAS FUN THERE.

Narrator:
THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS

HAD CHALLENGED
THE ESTABLISHMENT

AND REDEFINED WHAT YOU COULD
DO AND SAY ON TELEVISION.

BUT IN THE END, THEIR SHOW
WAS TAKEN AWAY.

IT WAS A LESSON THAT WAS
NOT LOST ON THE PRODUCER

OF VARIETY'S NEXT BIG HIT...

A SHOW CALLED "LAUGH-IN."

THAT 18-YEAR-OLDS
SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO VOTE...

JUST AS SOON AS THEY BECOME 21.

TOMMY HAD A PLATFORM,
AND WE DID NOT...

YOU WERE NEVER AWARE
OF OUR AGENDA.

BECAUSE WE DID JOKES
ON BOTH SIDES.

Narrator: EVERYTHING
ABOUT "LAUGH-IN"

WAS NEW AND DIFFERENT,

STARTING WITH
THE PSYCHEDELIC LOOK.

"OH, THERE'S SOMETHING
TEENAGGOING ON HERE. SAID,

"GIRLS IN BIKINIS,
WITH WORDS PRINTED ON THEM,

"AND WHAT DO THE WORDS SAY,

AND WHERE ARE THEY PRINTED?"
YOU KNOW.

IT WAS REALLY RIGHT
FOR THE TIME,

AND NOW, OF COURSE,
ALL OF TELEVISION

IS THOSE BITES.

BITE, BITE, BITE,
BITE, BITE, BITE, BITE.

THEY DON'T GIVE YOU TIME
TO LOOK AT ANYTHING

OR UNDERSTAND ANYTHING.

IT MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS.

BUT "LAUGH-IN" USED IT
TO ADVANTAGE.

HOPE THIS STATEMENT
AIN'T TOO BOLD,

HERE COMES THE JUDGE,
HERE COMES THE JUDGE!

Narrator: WHAT REALLY
SET THE SHOW APART

WAS TIMING.

QUICK JOKES
AND QUICKER EDITS.

THE SHOW DID HAVE CONFLICTS
WITH THE CENSORS.

BUT OFTEN THE RACY MATERIAL
WAS ON AND OFF

BEFORE ANYONE CAUGHT IT.

NOW, WAIT!

THAT'S LONG ENOUGH!

SEE, WHEN YOU SAW THE SHOW,

YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD BE
INTO THE NEXT JOKE

BEFORE YOU REALLY GOT
THE LAST JOKE.

AND THEY WOULD SAY TO ME,
"SLOW IT DOWN."

I'D SAY,
"NO, PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND IT."

AND THEY'D SAY, "BUT THEY'LL
MISS THE JOKES."

THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING ALONG
IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS."

BUT THE SPEED OF IT

TOOK A LOT OF THE CURSE
OFF OF SOME OF THE THINGS

WE WERE SAYING... YOU KNOW,
IT JUST WENT BY SO FAST.

MR. BENNY, WAIT
FOR YOUR LAUGH NOW.

BUT THERE IS HA HA HA!
NO LAUGH. NOW, THERE YOU GO.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK,

AND KEEP IT MOVING,
KEEP IT MOVING.

Narrator: THE COMEDY TEAM
OF ROWAN AND MARTIN

HAD BEEN BOUNCING AROUND
FOR YEARS

BEFORE THEY WERE TAPPED
TO HOST.

THE CAST ALSO STARTED OUT
AS UNKNOWNS.

BUT WITHIN WEEKS,
THEY WERE STARS...

INCLUDING RUTH BUZZI,

LILY TOMLIN,

GOLDIE HAWN.

ARTE JOHNSON HAD BEEN
SELLING CLOTHES

AT CARROLL'S IN BEVERLY HILLS.

AND GARY OWENS WAS AN ANNOUNCER.

AND THEY WERE ALL JUST
WORKING PEOPLE, PROFESSIONALS,

BUT NOT KNOWN AT ALL.

AND WE JUST ASSEMBLED THEM.

Narrator:
"LAUGH-IN" WAS TV'S

HIGHEST-RATED SHOW
IN 1968 AND '69.

BUT IN 1970,
IT WOULD BE SURPASSED

BY ANOTHER GROUNDBREAKING
VARIETY SHOW...

WHEN THE DOOR FINALLY OPENED

FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR.

FLIP WILSON GREW UP

IN A SERIES OF DIFFICULT
FOSTER HOMES.

BUT IT NEVER DAMPENED
HIS INFECTIOUS SENSE OF HUMOR.

YOU COULD NOT DISLIKE
FLIP WILSON.

THERE WAS A WARMTH ABOUT HIM.

AND I DON'T CARE WHO YOU WERE.

THE GUY YOU SEE ON TELEVISION
WAS BASICALLY FLIP.

I MEAN, HE JUST,
HE LOVED COMEDY.

WON'T YOU WELCOME, PLEASE,
MISS GERALDINE JONES!

Narrator: WILSON'S CHARACTERS
STILL RESONATE,

INCLUDING HIS SIGNATURE,
GERALDINE.

WATCH WHAT YOU
KISS, HONEY!

WON'T YOU MAKE YOURSELF
COMFORTABLE, GERALDINE?
I'LL DO THAT!

Narrator: GERALDINE WAS
AN INSTANT SENSATION.

WOULD YOU CARE
FOR A CIGARETTE?

I DON'T SMOKE,
AND I DON'T DO WINDOWS.

Narrator: IT SEEMED EVERYONE
IN AMERICA

WAS RECITING

HER CATCHPHRASES.

WHAT YOU SEE
IS WHAT YOU GET.

Narrator: WILSON'S CHARACTERS
WERE FUNNY,

BUT THEY WEREN'T
ONE-DIMENSIONAL.

EACH HAD A BACK STORY
AND A MORAL CENTER

THAT MADE THEM REAL
TO AUDIENCES.

YEAH, HE WAS BRILLIANT,
THE WAY HE CREATED CHARACTERS,

AND THE CHARACTERS HAD LIVES.

WE KNEW ABOUT GERALDINE'S
BOYFRIEND

AND HOW JEALOUS HE WAS,

AND THOSE THINGS BROUGHT
THAT CHARACTER TO LIFE.

YOU MUST NOT HAVE HEARD
ABOUT KILLER.

KILLER?

WHO'S KILLER?

WHO'S KILLER?

HONEY,
HE MARCHED DOWN

THE FOOTBALL FIELD
OF MY HEART.

AND TORE DOWN
THE GOALPOSTS OF MY LOVE.

WHOO, TOUCHDOWN!

Narrator:
"THE FLIP WILSON SHOW"

SKYROCKETED TO NUMBER 2
IN THE RATINGS,

PROMPTING TIME MAGAZINE
TO CROWN WILSON

AS TV'S FIRST
BLACK SUPERSTAR.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HE WAS

CHANGING THE MOOD
OF THE COUNTRY,

ETHNICITY-WISE.

HE HAD SUCH A...

A SPIRIT OF LOVINGNESS
TO HIS WORK

THAT... AND THE GUESTS
THAT HE HAD ON

WERE ALWAYS IN THE SAME WORLD
THAT HE WAS IN.

WE WERE ONE PEOPLE,
ONE FAMILY.

Narrator: AS THE FIRST
AFRICAN AMERICAN TO HOST

FLIP WILSON'S POPULARITY
AOPENED DOORS FOR OTHERS, ,

INCLUDING THIS TRIO.

♪ A HUNDRED
YELLOW RIBBONS ♪

♪ ROUND THE OLD
OAK TREE ♪

YES, INDEED,
YOU'VE BEEN BEAUTIFUL!

Narrator: TONY ORLANDO,
TELMA HOPKINS,

AND JOYCE VINCENT WILSON

RECORDED A STRING
OF NUMBER-ONE HITS

AS TONY ORLANDO AND DAWN.

BUT THEIR BIGGEST BREAK CAME
WHEN SONNY AND CHER

ABANDONED THEIR TOP-RATED
VARIETY SHOW

AND CBS INSTALLED
THE TRIO IN THEIR PLACE.

IT WAS THE FIRST ETHNIC GROUP

TO EVER BE ON PRIME TIME
TELEVISION.

SO, WITH ALL THOSE COMPONENTS
AND DYNAMICS WORKING TOGETHER,

WE WERE VERY LUCKY,
BECAUSE OUR TIME WAS...

HAD COME.

Narrator: FROM THE START,
ORLANDO TOOK ON THE ROLE

OF THE BUMBLING SET-UP MAN,

WHILE TELMA AND JOYCE DELIVERED
THE PUNCH LINES.

I'VE GOT HIS MANNERISMS
DOWN COLD.

ELVIS'S FAMOUS SNEER,
THE SNEER

THAT'S DRIVEN WOMEN CRAZY
FOR YEARS.

WATCH THIS SNEER.

YOU WATCH WHAT HAPPENS
TO LADIES IN THIS AUDIENCE

WITH THIS SNEER.

HUH?

HUH?

ON ELVIS,
IT'S A SNEER.

ON YOU,
IT LOOKS

LIKE THE NOVOCAINE
DIDN'T WEAR OFF.

Narrator: ORLANDO SEEMED PERFECT
FOR TELEVISION.

HE WAS A QUICK STUDY
AND NATURALLY FUNNY.

BUT HE SOON LEARNED
THE MOST BASIC TRUTH

ABOUT TV VARIETY...

IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

IT WAS A VERY TIRING,

VERY, VERY HARD EXPERIENCE
TO DO.

ESPECIALLY FOR ONE

WHO NEVER DID
A HIGH SCHOOL PLAY...

NEVER WENT TO AN ACTING CLASS...

DID NOT KNOW ZILCH
ABOUT COMEDY.

AND HERE I AM,
ASKED TO DO ALL THESE THINGS.

SO I WAS IN THE LEARNING
PROCESS, AS WELL,

WHILE I WAS ON A NATIONAL
TELEVISION SHOW

THAT 30 MILLION PEOPLE WOULD
TUNE IN ON EVERY WEEK,

AND SAY, WE EITHER LIKE YOU
OR WE DON'T.

Narrator:
ORLANDO SOUGHT ADVICE

FROM THE MOST BELOVED
VARIETY HOST OF ALL TIME,

WHO HAPPENED TO WORK
ACROSS THE HALL.

Orlando:
I WOULD MEET CAROL

IN THE HALLWAY,
AND I'M LIKE DRAGGING,

AND SHE'S FRESH AS A DAISY.

I GO, "CAROL,
HOW DO YOU DO IT?"

SHE SAID, "TONY, RELY ON
THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE SHOW.

"THAT'S WHY I HAVE
A HARVEY KORMAN.

"RELY ON THOSE OTHER PEOPLE.

"AND YOU'LL FIND THAT
THE LESS YOU DO

"AND THE MORE YOU INVOLVE THEM,

THE HEALTHIER YOU'LL BE."

Narrator:
DESPITE THE GOOD ADVICE,

ORLANDO'S SHOW WRAPPED
AFTER JUST FOUR SEASONS.

TONY, TELMA, AND JOYCE

HADN'T LOST A STEP,

BUT THE VARIETY SHOW FORMAT

WAS REACHING THE END
OF THE LINE.

A YEAR LATER, CAROL BURNETT
LEFT THE AIR.

A FEW NEW SHOWS TRIED
TO BUCK THE TREND,

BUT NONE HAD STAYING POWER.

YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED...

THE INVENTION
OF THE REMOTE CONTROL,

THAT CHANGED THE TIMING
OF THE WORLD.

BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE
NO PATIENCE ANYMORE.

NONE WHATSOEVER.
IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT GENRE
WILL EVER COME BACK.

BECAUSE... WELL,
I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE

THAT CAN WRITE AND DO IT,
BUT NOT TOO MANY.

Narrator: THE TRADITIONAL
VARIETY SHOW MAY BE GONE.

BUT WE STILL HAVE
THE MEMORIES

OF THE STARS
THAT BROUGHT US TOGETHER

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
OF THE TELEVISION AGE.

I JUST LOVED
THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE

OF THE VARIETY SHOW.

WHICH OF US
DO YOU THINK IS THE OLDER?

YOU MEAN WHICH OF
YOU TWO ARE THE OLDER?

YEAH, YEAH, WHICH
IS THE OLDEST?

WE HAND IT WAS PERFECT.UN,

WE WERE JUST BARELY
SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH

TO PULL IT OFF.

♪ RAINDROPS
ARE FALLING ♪

♪♪ PLEASE TELL ME WHY ♪♪

THE FAMILY SAT AROUND
THE TELEVISION...

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TELL ME

THAT'S THE ONLY TIME
THE FAMILY TALKED.

WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE
GRAVITATE TO THAT?

BECAUSE WE WANT TO HEAR
SOME MUSIC, YOU KNOW,

THEY WANT TO HEAR
AND SEE A MUSICAL PERFORMER.

I WAS VERY, VERY LUCKY
TO HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE.

♪ WE'RE AFTER ♪

♪ THAT SAME
RAINBOW'S END ♪

♪ WAITING ROUND THE BEND ♪

♪ MY HUCKLEBERRY FRIEND ♪

♪ MOON RIVER ♪

♪ AND ME ♪♪

Narrator: THE PIONEERS
OF TELEVISION.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON "PIONEERS OF TELEVISION"

AND OTHER PBS PROGRAMS,

NEXT TIME, ON
"PIONEERS OF TELEVISION"...

Announcer:
BOB BARKER!

WE GOT SOMETHING GOING HERE,
HAVEN'T WE?

BOY, I HIT THE BULL'S EYE
RIGHT IN THE FACE.

Host: SAY, ARE MOST
STOLEN CARS RECOVERED?

I HAD ONE RECOVERED
IN ZEBRA ONCE.

OKAY, TOMORROW WE MAKE
ANOTHER PHONE CALL,

SO BE SURE AND GET
YOUR CARDS IN.

YOU GOT IT!

YOU GOT IT!

YOU GOT IT!

I'M THE FASTEST MAN

ON THE DRAW!

NOW, EVEN JOHN WAYNE
CAN'T DO THAT.

I FIGURE ANYTIME
A PROP GETS

A BIGGER LAUGH
THAN ME,

IT'S GOT TO GO.

THIS PROGRAM

BY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO YOUR PBS STATION

FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.