Carol Burnett

Performer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

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.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"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."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
00:48
Carol Burnett on her appearance on The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show and the beginning of the ear tug
01:18
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
00:44
Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show
01:40
Carol Burnett on the first scene she ever performed and how she caught the acting bug
01:25
Carol Burnett on how fame has affected her
00:52
Full Interview

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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)

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Carol Burnett on the genesis of The Carol Burnett Show
04:08
Carol Burnett on her co-stars and how she created characters on The Carol Burnett Show
08:20
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
00:49

Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78): "Went with the Wind!" Sketch

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Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
02:03

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

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Carol Burnett on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show the same night Elvis performed
00:27

Garry Moore Show, The

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Carol Burnett on starting to like television when she did musical comedy/variety on The Garry Moore Show
00:59
Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
01:22
Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
01:41
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
04:06

Lucy Show, The

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Carol Burnett on appearing on The Lucy Show with Lucille Ball and what she learned from Ball
01:01

Meet the Press

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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
02:50

Omnibus

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Carol Burnett on one of her earliest television appearances on Omnibus, hosted by Leonard Bernstein
00:57

Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show, The

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Carol Burnett on her appearance on The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show and the beginning of the ear tug
02:22

Stanley

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Carol Burnett on working on the live sitcom, Stanley, starring Buddy Hackett
00:42

Tonight Starring Jack Paar aka The Jack Paar Show

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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
02:50

Twilight Zone, The

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Carol Burnett on appearing on the pilot for The Twilight Zone and how her real-life ushering experience came in handy
04:45
Topics

Bloopers

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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
04:06

Characters & Catchphrases

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Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show
01:39
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
00:44

Memorable Moments on Television

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Carol Burnett on her appearance on The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show and the beginning of the ear tug
01:18
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
00:49
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
00:44

Pop Culture

View Topic
Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show
01:39
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
00:49
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
00:44

Representation on Television

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Carol Burnett on how Lucille Ball changed when Ball and Desi Arnaz got divorced and the dynamic of females in Hollywood
02:11

We Laughed

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Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
00:49
Carol Burnett on her Tarzan laugh
00:44

Women

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Carol Burnett on how Lucille Ball changed when Ball and Desi Arnaz got divorced and the dynamic of females in Hollywood
02:11
Professions

Actress

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Carol Burnett on the first scene she ever performed and how she caught the acting bug
01:25
Genres

Comedy Series

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Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
00:49
Carol Burnett on her co-stars and how she created characters on The Carol Burnett Show
08:20
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
04:06

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

View Genre
Carol Burnett on starting to like television when she did musical comedy/variety on The Garry Moore Show
00:59
Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
01:22
Carol Burnett on the famous "Went with the Wind!" sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
00:49
Carol Burnett on her co-stars and how she created characters on The Carol Burnett Show
08:20
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
04:06
Carol Burnett on the variety format and whether or not she thinks it could make a comeback
01:47
People

Bob Mackie

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Carol Burnett on how Bob Mackie's costumes helped her create characters on The Carol Burnett Show, including "Starlet O'Hara"
02:28

Desi Arnaz

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Carol Burnett on how Lucille Ball changed when Ball and Desi Arnaz got divorced and the dynamic of females in Hollywood
02:11

Durward Kirby

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Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
01:41
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
04:06

Garry Moore

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Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
01:22
Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
01:41
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
04:06

Harvey Korman

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Carol Burnett on her co-stars on The Carol Burnett Show - Harvey Korman
00:57
Carol Burnett on the relationship between Harvey Korman and Tim Conway, and the dentist routine
01:44

Joe Hamilton

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Carol Burnett on the genesis of The Carol Burnett Show
04:08

Leonard Bernstein

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Carol Burnett on one of her earliest television appearances on Omnibus, hosted by Leonard Bernstei
00:57

Lucille Ball

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Carol Burnett on appearing on The Lucy Show with Lucille Ball
03:12
Carol Burnett on what she learned about comedy from Lucille Ball
01:03

Marion Lorne

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Carol Burnett on working with Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and his generosity toward the cast
01:41

Martha Raye

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Carol Burnett on how she became a regular on The Garry Moore Show
01:22

Michael Dann

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Carol Burnett on the genesis of The Carol Burnett Show
02:41

Rod Serling

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Carol Burnett on appearing on the pilot for The Twilight Zone
04:45

Tim Conway

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Carol Burnett on her co-stars on The Carol Burnett Show - Tim Conway
00:38
Carol Burnett on the relationship between Harvey Korman and Tim Conway, and the dentist routine
01:44

Vicki Lawrence

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Carol Burnett on her co-stars on The Carol Burnett Show - Vicki Lawrence
03:21

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