Carol BurnettFor over a decade, Carol Burnett's weekly variety show was one of television's most consistent successes. Working with a team of her talented friends including Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, and Tim Conway, Carol fearlessly tackled comedy in all of its forms, along with some very big production numbers.
The Carol Burnett Show's film parodies, like the take on Gone With the Wind (called Went with the Wind) remain legendary for their madcap humor, but the show also explored pathos and the darker side of family relationships with the Mama's Family sketches, where Carol memorably played the eternally frustrated Eunice.
The inspiration for both facets of her show were drawn from Carol's real life. When she was a growing up in San Antonio, Texas, she truly fell in love with the movies, often using films - and comedy - as ways to escape her difficult circumstances.
Carol Burnett has always been open and frank about both the good and bad in her life, and her current stage tour finds Carol talking unscripted with her audience -- just like she used to do at the start of every show. I started by asking her what questions she hears the most...
Listen:
An American Masters tribute to Carol Burnett will air on PBS-6 Tuesday, April 9 at 8:00 p.m.
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