Harvey Korman

Actor


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In the one-and-a-half-hour solo portion of his interview, Harvey Korman (1927-2008) speaks about studying under actress Uta Hagen and talks about some of his earliest television roles. He recalls working with several legendary comics including Danny Kaye, Lucille Ball, and Jack Benny. Korman describes headlining several short-lived series and his thoughts on being better suited as a second banana. Additionally, he speaks about his work as a voice actor, playing "The Great Gazoo" on The Flintstones and his feature film collaborations with Mel Brooks and Blake Edwards. Jennifer Howard conducted the interview on April 20, 2004 in Beverly Hills, CA. 

In the one-and-a-half-hour joint portion of their interview, Harvey Korman and Tim Conway (1933-2019) speak in great detail about their years on The Carol Burnett Show, including descriptions of famous characters and sketches. They also talk about their work in then-recent years touring the country with their two-man stage show. Karen Herman conducted the interview on April 20, 2004 in Beverly Hills, CA.

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

"I'm getting more mail now than I ever have. That I really have impacted people's lives, that I have made people happier. That I have brought families together. That I have made a difference in their lives. I think that's maybe the most important."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Harvey Korman on the highlight of his career - working with Tim Conway
00:48
Harvey Korman on studying acting with Uta Hagen
02:20
Harvey Korman on how he'd like to be remembered
01:06
Harvey Korman on voicing "The Great Gazoo" on The Flintstones
03:32
Harvey Korman on joining The Danny Kaye Show
04:48
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early influences; on being an introverted child; on his childhood in Chicago; on his early interest in vaudeville performers; on wanting to be an actor; on his recollections of the Chicago School of Television; on moving to New York City; on studying acting with Uta Hagen; on doing a play written by Sherwood Schwartz
On his first time on television; on appearing on The Donna Reed Show and on Dr. Kildare; on The Blacklist; on voicing "The Great Gazoo" on The Flintstones; on joining The Danny Kaye Show; on Carol Burnett; on the format of The Danny Kaye Show;

Chapter 2

On working with Danny Kaye and Red Skelton; on The Jack Benny Program; on working on The Lucy Show, The Munsters, and directing some of The Steve Allen Comedy Hour; on working with Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles; on Madeline Kahn
On The Love Boat; on The Harvey Korman Show; on the TV Movie Bud and Lou; on The Star Wars Holiday Special; on working on Pink Panthe r films with Blake Edwards

Chapter 3

On playing the White King in Alice in Wonderland; on Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills; on working with Cloris Leachman on The Nutt House; on the Carol Burnett Special Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin
On touring with Tim Conway; on the longevity of his career; on the highlight of his career; on his first impression of Tim Conway; on how he'd like to be remembered

Chapter 4

START OF JOINT INTERVIEW with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman: On how the pair first met; on a "Harvey Korman-type" - a straight man; on Korman's first appearance on The Carol Burnett Show; on the atmosphere Carol Burnett created on set; on the evolution of the show
On a production week on The Carol Burnett Show; on out-takes from the show; on a sketch that bombed; on the show's audience; on how Tim Conway became a regular on the show; on Conway writing sketches for Korman; on Conway's improvisations; on audiences loving when Korman breaks up
On a successful detective sketch; on a vasectomy sketch; on Carol Burnett's "Judy Garland sketch;" on their contributions to sketches; on the show's writers; on the importance of music on the show; on Bob Mackie; on Carol Burnett and her husband Joe Hamilton

Chapter 5

On the cast and guest stars of The Carol Burnett Show; on becoming a comedy team; on famous characters they've portrayed - "Mr. Tudball"; on the dentist sketch; on "Carol and Sis," "F. Lee Bunny;" on "The Old Man" and Conway's physical comedy talents
On working with directors on the show; on their spoofs of movies and shows; on the "Went with the Wind!" sketch spoofing Gone with the Wind on The Carol Burnett Show; on The Little Foxes sketch; on the show's writing; on Korman leaving the show; on not being "stars;"

Chapter 6

On the end of The Carol Burnett Show; on the final episode; on Korman returning for the last show; on Carol & Company; on the first reunion special of The Carol Burnett Show; on the legacy of The Carol Burnett Show; on directing Eunice; on Mama's Family; on The Tim Conway Special
On Dorf's Family Stump; on Tim and Harvey in the Great Outdoors; on guest appearances on Golden Palace; on their live comedy show; on their success as a comedy team; on being inducted into the TV Hall of Fame; on winning an Emmy and Conway not being present at the ceremony; on stories about Harvey Korman; on Bloopers and Practical Jokes
Shows

Alice in Wonderland (1985)

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Harvey Korman on playing the White King in Alice in Wonderland
01:35

Bud and Lou

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Harvey Korman on the TV Movie Bud and Lou
04:18

Carol & Company

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Carol & Company
00:46

Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78)

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Carol Burnett Show
00:15
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on their first appearances on The Carol Burnett Show
27:02
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the cast and guest stars on The Carol Burnett Show
04:24
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on some memorable characters they created
09:12
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the end of The Carol Burnett Show
03:51

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

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the "Went with the Wind!" sketch spoofing Gone with the Wind on The Carol Burnett Show
00:55

Carol, Carl, Whoopi, & Robin

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Harvey Korman on co-directing the Carol Burnett Special Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin
01:47

Danny Kaye Show, The

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Harvey Korman on joining The Danny Kaye Show
04:48
Harvey Korman on the format of The Danny Kaye Show
01:14
Harvey Korman on being a "second banana" to Danny Kaye
02:33
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on how they met - on The Danny Kaye Show
01:25

Donna Reed Show, The

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Harvey Korman on his first TV appearance, on The Donna Reed Show
01:29

Dr. Kildare

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Harvey Korman on appearing on Dr. Kildare
00:41

Eunice

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on directing Eunice
00:49

Flintstones, The

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Harvey Korman on voicing "The Great Gazoo" on The Flintstones
03:32

Golden Palace, The

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on appearing on The Golden Palace
00:54

Harvey Korman Show, The

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Harvey Korman on The Harvey Korman Show
01:37

Jack Benny Program, The

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Harvey Korman on working on The Jack Benny Program
02:13

Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills

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Harvey Korman on Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills
01:46

Love Boat, The

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Harvey Korman on the pilot of The Love Boat
01:36

Lucy Show, The

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Harvey Korman on working on The Lucy Show
03:23

Mama's Family

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Mama's Family
01:38

Munsters, The

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Harvey Korman on working on The Munsters
01:28

Muppet Show, The

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Harvey Korman on guesting on The Muppet Show
00:16

Star Wars Holiday Special, The

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Harvey Korman on The Star Wars Holiday Special
00:38

Steve Allen Comedy Hour, The

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Harvey Korman on working on The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
02:01

TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Korman getting tricked on Bloopers and Practical Jokes
04:41

Tim Conway Special, The

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Tim Conway Special
03:15
Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

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Harvey Korman on voicing "The Great Gazoo" on The Flintstones
03:32

Emmy Awards

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on being inducted into the TV Hall of Fame and winning Emmys
03:55

Memorable Moments on Television

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on "Carol and Sis" on The Carol Burnett Show
00:39

We Laughed

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the "Went with the Wind!" sketch spoofing Gone with the Wind on The Carol Burnett Show
00:55
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the dentist sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
03:06
Professions

Actor

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Harvey Korman on wanting to be an actor
01:14
Genres

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Harvey Korman on joining The Danny Kaye Show
04:48
Harvey Korman on being a "second banana" to Danny Kaye
02:33
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on their first appearances on The Carol Burnett Show
27:02
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Carol Burnett Show
28:52
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the end of The Carol Burnett Show
03:51

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Harvey Korman on the TV Movie Bud and Lou
04:18
People

Alan King

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on a sketch that bombed on The Carol Burnett Show
00:53

Beatrice Arthur

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Harvey Korman on The Star Wars Holiday Special with Bea Arthur
00:38

Betty White

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on guest stars on The Carol Burnett Show
00:41

Blake Edwards

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Harvey Korman on working on Pink Panthe r films with Blake Edwards
03:47

Bob Mackie

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Bob Mackie's amazing clothes he created for The Carol Burnett Show
01:05

Buddy Hackett

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Harvey Korman on the TV Movie Bud and Lou
04:18

Carl Reiner

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Harvey Korman on co-directing the Carol Burnett Special Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin
01:47

Carol Burnett

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Harvey Korman on Carol Burnett wanting Korman for her new show
03:01
Harvey Korman on co-directing the Carol Burnett Special Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin
01:47
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on their first appearances on The Carol Burnett Show
27:02
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Carol Burnett and Joe Hamilton
01:34
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on how difficult it was to break up Carol Burnett
01:41
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the end of The Carol Burnett Show
03:51
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Mama's Family
01:38

Cloris Leachman

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Harvey Korman on working with Cloris Leachman on The Nutt House
02:52

Danny Kaye

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Harvey Korman on joining The Danny Kaye Show
01:47
Harvey Korman on being a "second banana" to Danny Kaye
02:33

Dave Powers

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on working with directors on the show
00:53

Dick Clark

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Korman getting tricked on Bloopers and Practical Jokes
04:41

Dick Van Dyke

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Dick Van Dyke on The Carol Burnett Show
01:07

Fred Gwynne

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Harvey Korman on working on The Munsters
01:28

Fred Silverman

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Harvey Korman on The Harvey Korman Show
01:37

Harvey Korman

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on what is "a Harvey Korman type"
01:25
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Korman leaving the show, and not being a "star"
03:28
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Conway's favorite Korman story - the pair are like Jack Benny and George Burns
02:34

Jack Benny

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Harvey Korman on working with Jack Benny
02:13

Jackie Coogan

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Harvey Korman on doing a play written by Sherwood Schwartz
02:06

Jeff Bridges

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Harvey Korman on Cloris Leachman
01:19

Joe Hamilton

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on a sketch that bombed on The Carol Burnett Show
00:53
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Carol Burnett and Joe Hamilton
01:34

Lucille Ball

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Harvey Korman on working on The Lucy Show
03:23

Lyle Waggoner

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the cast of The Carol Burnett Show
00:20

Madeline Kahn

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Harvey Korman on working with Madeline Kahn
01:48

Mel Brooks

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Harvey Korman on working with Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles
02:38

Perry Lafferty

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Tim Conway Special
01:42

Red Skelton

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Harvey Korman on working with Red Skelton
00:29

Richard Chamberlain

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Harvey Korman on appearing on Dr. Kildare
00:41

Robin Williams

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Harvey Korman on co-directing the Carol Burnett Special Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin
01:47

Rock Hudson

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on guest stars on The Carol Burnett Show
00:08

Roddy McDowall

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on guest stars on The Carol Burnett Show
00:25

Sherwood Schwartz

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Harvey Korman on doing a play written by Sherwood Schwartz
02:06

Steve Allen

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Harvey Korman on working on The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
02:01
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Steve Allen Show
00:40

Steve Martin

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Harvey Korman on Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills
01:46

Tim Conway

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Harvey Korman on touring with Tim Conway and the joy of working with him
03:54
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on how Tim Conway became a regular on the show
00:43

Uta Hagen

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Harvey Korman on studying acting with Uta Hagen
02:20

Vicki Lawrence

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Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the cast of The Carol Burnett Show
01:42
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on "Carol and Sis"
00:39
Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Mama's Family
01:38

Whoopi Goldberg

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Harvey Korman on co-directing the Carol Burnett Special Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin
01:47

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