Carol Burnett

Performer

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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)

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

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

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

00:27

Garry Moore Show, The

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

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

01:01

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

02:50

Omnibus

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

00:57

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

02:22

Stanley

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

00:42

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

02:50

Twilight Zone, The

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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