When Did the First Carol Burnett Show Air?
The Carol Burnett show first aired in 1967. It was produced by her husband, Joe Hamilton and ran for eleven years winning numerous Emmys and other show business awards.
The series was based around a one hour variety act including comedy, song and dance. Several of the comedy sketches were based on parodies of famous films including Gone with the Wind. In every show, Burnett would take questions from the audience delighting them with her humorous replies.
Seemingly the wise cracking act she played was herself in real life. She had a difficult childhood as both her parents battled alcohol problems. She was raised mainly by her maternal grandmother whom she adored but was rather eccentric. Carol started making people laugh from an early age and even invested an invisible twin to help her cope with her personal problems. She was very appreciative of her success and had no time for those that complained about being famous and having no privacy. Not only would she take audience questions on every show, but she also believed in support her public. She took care of her fans and one who went on to become extremely successful, Jim Carey, received a letter of encouragement from Burnett when he wrote to her aged 10 speaking of his wish to become a famous artist.
Burnett didn’t burst onto TV and become an overnight sensation. She originally worked in theater and by her own admission often worked more as the hat check in girl than on the stage. By the time the Carol Burnett show aired, she had worked on numerous shows and with several well known names. She appeared on The Lucy Show and remained lifelong friends with Lucille Ball until Ball’s death. She stared in The Entertainers with Bob Newhart and Art Buchwald.
Her traditional first guest on every season of the Carol Burnett show was Jim Nabors the star of Gomer Pyle whom Burnett met when she played a marine. Other stars who appeared on her show were Lyle Waggoner who went on to achieve fame as Steve Trevor in Wonder woman. Vicki Lawrence, who with Burnett, was the only other cast member to last the entire series and went on to star in the spin off Mama’s family. Burnett had real chemistry with her co-stars and there didn’t appear to be any of the infighting and bitching you would normally associate with a show that ran for so long.
The Carol Burnett show was suitable for the entire family and was always funny. It was never mean or used other people’s misfortune to make people laugh. Burnett went on to act in various films when the show ended in 1978. Her most memorable ones include real life stories such as the Friendly Fire based on a survivor of Vietnam. She appeared as Helen Hunt’s mum in the 90’s film Mad about You.
Ms Burnett still makes guest appearances on TV today and even now collects Emmy nominations despite her advancing years.