About
"How would I like to be remembered? I know this is kind of corny, but, 'she made me laugh.' Because that's a good feeling."
In her one-hour interview, Carol Burnett talks about her experiences in college theater and her early television appearances. She recalls her role as a regular on the variety series The Garry Moore Show and then details the genesis of her own series, The Carol Burnett Show. She recounts tales of her castmates, memorable sketches, and characters, including "Mrs. Wiggins," "Eunice Harper," and "Starlet O'Hara." Burnett also talks about her performances on series such as Stanley (on which she had a regular role), The Winchell-Mahoney Show (on which she initiated her trademark ear tug), and The Twilight Zone (in one of the series' rare comic episodes). Karen Herman conducted the interview on April 29, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her appearance on The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show and the beginning of the ear tug
Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on the first scene she ever performed and how she caught the acting bug
Carol Burnett on how fame has affected her
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her childhood and early influences; on loving movies as a child and her early interests in writing, cartoons, and singing; on majoring in Theatre Arts and English at UCLA
On her early memories of television; on how the kindness of a stranger led to her big break, and how she paid it forward
On her first appearances on television; on her appearance on The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show and the beginning of the ear tug
On performances on Jack Paar's Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
Chapter 2
On working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast; on her favorite moment from the show
On moving to California; on what she learned from Lucille Ball on The Lucy Show
On appearing on the pilot for The Twilight Zone; on her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
On the genesis of and her co-stars on The Carol Burnett Show; on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters
On the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Chapter 3
On her Tarzan laugh; on the variety format and whether or not she thinks it could make a comeback
On how fame has affected her; on getting recognized
On advice to aspiring performers; on how she'd like to be remembered
Shows
Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78)
Carol Burnett on the genesis of The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her co-stars and how she created characters on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78): "Went with the Wind!" Sketch
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Carol Burnett on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show the same night Elvis performed
Garry Moore Show, The
Carol Burnett on starting to like television when she did musical comedy/variety on The Garry Moore Show
Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
Carol Burnett on her favorite moment on The Garry Moore Show - on her last day on the show when the cast purposely ruined a scene to see how she'd react
Lucy Show, The
Carol Burnett on appearing on The Lucy Show with Lucille Ball and what she learned from Ball
Meet the Press
Carol Burnett on appearing on The Jack Paar Tonight Show singing "I Made a Fool of Myself over John Foster Dulles", and Dulles' response to the song on Meet the Press
Omnibus
Carol Burnett on one of her earliest television appearances on Omnibus, hosted by Leonard Bernstein
Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show, The
Carol Burnett on her appearance on The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show and the beginning of the ear tug
Stanley
Carol Burnett on working on the live sitcom, Stanley, starring Buddy Hackett
Tonight Starring Jack Paar aka The Jack Paar Show
Carol Burnett on appearing on The Jack Paar Tonight Show singing "I Made a Fool of Myself over John Foster Dulles", and Dulles' response to the song on Meet the Press
Twilight Zone, The
Carol Burnett on appearing on the pilot for The Twilight Zone and how her real-life ushering experience came in handy
Topics
Bloopers
Carol Burnett on her favorite moment on The Garry Moore Show - on her last day on the show when the cast purposely ruined a scene to see how she'd react
Characters & Catchphrases
Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
Memorable Moments on Television
Carol Burnett on her appearance on The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show and the beginning of the ear tug
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
Pop Culture
Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
Representation on Television
Carol Burnett on how Lucille Ball changed when Ball and Desi Arnaz got divorced and the dynamic of females in Hollywood
We Laughed
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
Women
Carol Burnett on how Lucille Ball changed when Ball and Desi Arnaz got divorced and the dynamic of females in Hollywood
Professions
Actress
Carol Burnett on the first scene she ever performed and how she caught the acting bug
Genres
Comedy Series
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her co-stars and how she created characters on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her favorite moment on The Garry Moore Show - on her last day on the show when the cast purposely ruined a scene to see how she'd react
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Carol Burnett on starting to like television when she did musical comedy/variety on The Garry Moore Show
Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her co-stars and how she created characters on The Carol Burnett Show
Carol Burnett on her favorite moment on The Garry Moore Show - on her last day on the show when the cast purposely ruined a scene to see how she'd react
Carol Burnett on the variety format and whether or not she thinks it could make a comeback
People
Desi Arnaz
Carol Burnett on how Lucille Ball changed when Ball and Desi Arnaz got divorced and the dynamic of females in Hollywood
Lucille Ball
Carol Burnett on appearing on The Lucy Show with Lucille Ball
Carol Burnett on what she learned about comedy from Lucille Ball
Leonard Bernstein
Carol Burnett on one of her earliest television appearances on Omnibus, hosted by Leonard Bernstei
Tim Conway
Carol Burnett on her co-stars on The Carol Burnett Show - Tim Conway
Carol Burnett on the relationship between Harvey Korman and Tim Conway, and the dentist routine
Michael Dann
Carol Burnett on the genesis of The Carol Burnett Show
Joe Hamilton
Carol Burnett on the genesis of The Carol Burnett Show
Durward Kirby
Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
Carol Burnett on her favorite moment on The Garry Moore Show - on her last day on the show when the cast purposely ruined a scene to see how she'd react
Harvey Korman
Carol Burnett on her co-stars on The Carol Burnett Show - Harvey Korman
Carol Burnett on the relationship between Harvey Korman and Tim Conway, and the dentist routine
Vicki Lawrence
Carol Burnett on her co-stars on The Carol Burnett Show - Vicki Lawrence
Marion Lorne
Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
Bob Mackie
Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show, including "Starlet O'Hara"
Garry Moore
Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
Carol Burnett on her favorite moment on The Garry Moore Show - on her last day on the show when the cast purposely ruined a scene to see how she'd react
Martha Raye
Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
Rod Serling
Carol Burnett on appearing on the pilot for The Twilight Zone