About
"A joke is a joke, but I've noticed that the public is more sophisticated now. They don't seem to be hand-fed as they were in the early days. Now, we take the light approach as far as trying to drive home a joke with audience reaction. I think that it's okay to back off a little bit especially on a live-audience show. Go with the show and let them tell you."
In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Carroll Pratt (1921-2010) talks about his start in feature films at MGM in the sound department where his father worked. He speaks in great detail about the audience reaction (laugh) machine created by engineer Charlie Douglass, for whom Pratt worked after leaving MGM. Pratt describes the device and the types of responses that the machine was capable of doing from whistles to belly laughs. Pratt describes the updated version of the laugh machine, which he created with his brother in the 1970s, when he split from Douglass and started his own company called Sound One. Pratt talks about providing laugh tracks for numerous television series throughout the years (including the longest laugh he ever recorded, for The Mary Tyler Moore Show), until his retirement from Sound One in the mid-1990s. B-roll consists of a few photos of Pratt at work and a short video piece in which Pratt shows where he keeps his Emmy awards. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 12, 2003 in Philo, CA.
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on working in the sound department for various productions at MGM; on his early experience with television, and on how people at the film studios reacted to it
On working on sound in the postproduction of I Love Lucy; on mixing sound for The Mickey Mouse Club; on the kind of equipment he used in sound mixing in the early years, and on the professionals he collaborated with
On the Hollywood Blacklist; on working with sound engineer and laugh track creator Charles Douglas; on the "laugh machine"
Chapter 2
On the "uh-oh" sound in the laugh track for I Love Lucy; on the mechanics of the laugh track and how it worked; on tailoring a laugh track to a show, using M*A*S*H as an example
On working with his mentor Charlie Douglas on various shows adding laugh track, and on working with producers; on television critics reaction to the laugh track, and on the purpose of the laugh track
On his own sense of humor; on how Charlie Douglas worked, and on competition in the laugh track industry
Chapter 3
On recording audiences for laugh tracks in the early days, and on working with the audience to get reactions; on leaving Charlie Douglas' company, and on striving to for a better quality laugh track; on improving on the laugh track after leaving Charlie Douglas, and on starting his own company
On providing a laugh track for Hogan's Heroes; on working with Lucille Ball during his career, including The Lucy Show; on providing laugh track for Green Acres, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons, and I Dream of Jeannie
On consulting with producers on shows he provided the laugh track for; on providing laugh track for Kraft Music Hall, The Steve Allen Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family
Chapter 4
On providing a laugh track for The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show; on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show; on providing a laugh track for The Carol Burnett Show, The Jeffersons, Mama's Family, and The Bob Newhart Show, and on not getting screen credit for his work
On providing a laugh track for Hee Haw, on dealing with regional and ethnic audiences when creating a laugh track, and on creating a laugh track for American shows that have been dubbed into another language; on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
On providing a laugh track for Soap, which proved a challenge as the show was a soap opera parody, and on providing laugh tracks for Kate & Allie, and Family Ties; on the challenge of providing laugh tracks for animated series
Chapter 5
On the most important elements of sound design, and on his distaste for digital sound; on recording Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) at which Barbra Streisand is an expert, on what a re-recordist does, and on doing Foley; on providing sports sound effects
On dealing with the limitations of early television set speakers, and on modifying equipment once the technology improved; on providing audience reaction enhancement for live shows like The Emmy Awards; on his retirement, and on leaving his company in good hands
On his greatest career achievement, and on how many hours of television he'd sound enhanced; on advice to aspiring sound professionals; on how audience laughs have changed and evolved over the decades
Chapter 6
On how audience reactions have evolved over the decades; on the most common plot lines for situation comedies
On the possibility of the laugh track becoming obsolete; on what awards, including the Emmy Award, have meant to him in his career; on how he'd like to be remembered
On b-roll pictures from his career- with a laugh track machine; 1989 at Warner Bros. having done Love Boat; mid-'80s with his laugh track machine; at a screening at Warner Bros.; winning an Emmy Award; with his Emmy Awards at his home
Shows
Andy Griffith Show, The
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
Barney Miller
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
Benson
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
Beverly Hillbillies, The
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Green Acres, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons, and I Dream of Jeannie
Bewitched
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Green Acres, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons, and I Dream of Jeannie
Bob Newhart Show, The (1972-78)
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Carol Burnett Show, The Jeffersons, Mama's Family, and The Bob Newhart Show, and on not getting screen credit for his work
Brady Bunch, The
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78)
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Carol Burnett Show, The Jeffersons, Mama's Family, and The Bob Newhart Show, and on not getting screen credit for his work
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Eight Is Enough
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Carroll Pratt on providing audience reaction enhancement for live shows like the Emmy Awards
Family Ties
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Soap, which proved a challenge as the show was a soap opera parody, and on providing laugh tracks for Kate & Allie, and Family Ties
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Soap, which proved a challenge as the show was a soap opera parody, and on providing laugh tracks for Kate & Allie, and Family Ties
Fawlty Towers
Carroll Pratt on providing the laugh track for The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart (which he characterizes as a take-off on Fawlty Towers)
Gilligan's Island
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
Green Acres
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Green Acres, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons, and I Dream of Jeannie
Happy Days
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
Hee Haw
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Hee Haw, on dealing with regional and ethnic audiences when creating a laugh track, and on creating a laugh track for American shows that have been dubbed into another language
Hogan's Heroes
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Hogan's Heroes
I Dream of Jeannie
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Green Acres, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons, and I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
Carroll Pratt on working on sound in the postproduction of I Love Lucy
Carroll Pratt on the "uh-oh" sound in the laugh track for I Love Lucy
Jeffersons, The
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Carol Burnett Show, The Jeffersons, Mama's Family, and The Bob Newhart Show, and on not getting screen credit for his work
Kate & Allie
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Soap, which proved a challenge as the show was a soap opera parody, and on providing laugh tracks for Kate & Allie, and Family Ties
Kraft Music Hall, The
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Kraft Music Hall, The Steve Allen Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family
Love Boat, The
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
Lucy Show, The
Carroll Pratt on working with Lucille Ball during his career, including The Lucy Show
M*A*S*H
Carroll Pratt on tailoring a laugh track to a show, using M*A*S*H as an example
Mama's Family
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Carol Burnett Show, The Jeffersons, Mama's Family, and The Bob Newhart Show, and on not getting screen credit for his work
Mickey Mouse Club, The
Carroll Pratt on mixing sound for The Mickey Mouse Club
Mork & Mindy
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
My Favorite Martian
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
My Three Sons
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Green Acres, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons, and I Dream of Jeannie
Odd Couple, The (1970-75)
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Kraft Music Hall, The Steve Allen Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family
Partridge Family, The
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Kraft Music Hall, The Steve Allen Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Kraft Music Hall, The Steve Allen Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family
Soap
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Soap, which proved a challenge as the show was a soap opera parody, and on providing laugh tracks for Kate & Allie, and Family Ties
Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
Steve Allen Show, The (1968-72)
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Kraft Music Hall, The Steve Allen Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family
Taxi
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
Topics
Emmy Awards
Carroll Pratt on providing audience reaction enhancement for live shows like the Emmy Awards
Carroll Pratt on what awards, including the Emmy, have meant to him in his career
Hollywood Blacklist
Carroll Pratt on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Carroll Pratt on the Hollywood Blacklist
Technological Innovation
Carroll Pratt on dealing with the limitations of early television set speakers, and on modifying equipment once the technology improved
Television Industry
Carroll Pratt on the Hollywood Blacklist
Carroll Pratt on television critics reaction to the laugh track, and on the purpose of the laugh track
Carroll Pratt on his retirement, and on leaving his company in good hands
Professions
Sound Mixer
Carroll Pratt on the kind of equipment he used in sound mixing in the early years, and on the professionals he collaborated with
Carroll Pratt on the "laugh machine"
Carroll Pratt on the mechanics of the laugh track and how it worked
Carroll Pratt on tailoring a laugh track to a show, using M*A*S*H as an example
Carroll Pratt on recording audiences for laugh tracks in the early days, and on working with the audience to get reactions
Carroll Pratt on improving on the laugh track after leaving Charlie Douglas, and on starting his own company
Carroll Pratt on consulting with producers on shows he provided the laugh track for
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Hee Haw, on dealing with regional and ethnic audiences when creating a laugh track, and on creating a laugh track for American shows that have been dubbed into another language
Carroll Pratt on the challenge of providing laugh tracks for animated series
Carroll Pratt on the most important elements of sound design, and on his distaste for digital sound
Carroll Pratt on recording Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) at which Barbra Streisand is an expert, on what a re-recordist does, and on doing Foley
Carroll Pratt on providing sports sound effects
Carroll Pratt on dealing with the limitations of early television set speakers, and on modifying equipment once the technology improved
Carroll Pratt on providing audience reaction enhancement for live shows like The Emmy Awards
Carroll Pratt on advice to aspiring sound professionals
Carroll Pratt on how audience laughs have changed and evolved over the decades
Carroll Pratt on how audience reactions have evolved over the decades
Sound Professionals
Carroll Pratt on the kind of equipment he used in sound mixing in the early years, and on the professionals he collaborated with
Carroll Pratt on the "laugh machine"
Carroll Pratt on the mechanics of the laugh track and how it worked
Carroll Pratt on tailoring a laugh track to a show, using M*A*S*H as an example
Carroll Pratt on recording audiences for laugh tracks in the early days, and on working with the audience to get reactions
Carroll Pratt on improving on the laugh track after leaving Charlie Douglas, and on starting his own company
Carroll Pratt on consulting with producers on shows he provided the laugh track for
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Hee Haw, on dealing with regional and ethnic audiences when creating a laugh track, and on creating a laugh track for American shows that have been dubbed into another language
Carroll Pratt on the challenge of providing laugh tracks for animated series
Carroll Pratt on the most important elements of sound design, and on his distaste for digital sound
Carroll Pratt on recording Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) at which Barbra Streisand is an expert, on what a re-recordist does, and on doing Foley
Carroll Pratt on providing sports sound effects
Carroll Pratt on dealing with the limitations of early television set speakers, and on modifying equipment once the technology improved
Carroll Pratt on providing audience reaction enhancement for live shows like The Emmy Awards
Carroll Pratt on advice to aspiring sound professionals
Carroll Pratt on how audience laughs have changed and evolved over the decades
Carroll Pratt on how audience reactions have evolved over the decades
Genres
Animation
Carroll Pratt on the challenge of providing laugh tracks for animated series
Children's Programming
Carroll Pratt on mixing sound for The Mickey Mouse Club
Comedy Series
Carroll Pratt on working on sound in the postproduction of I Love Lucy
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Hogan's Heroes
Carroll Pratt on working with Lucille Ball during his career, including The Lucy Show
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Green Acres, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons, and I Dream of Jeannie
Carroll Pratt on providing laugh track for Kraft Music Hall, The Steve Allen Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Carol Burnett Show, The Jeffersons, Mama's Family, and The Bob Newhart Show, and on not getting screen credit for his work
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Eight is Enough, Taxi, and Benson
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Soap, which proved a challenge as the show was a soap opera parody, and on providing laugh tracks for Kate & Allie, and Family Ties
Carroll Pratt on the most common plot lines for situation comedies
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Happy Days, and The Andy Griffith Show
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Carol Burnett Show, The Jeffersons, Mama's Family, and The Bob Newhart Show, and on not getting screen credit for his work
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for Hee Haw, on dealing with regional and ethnic audiences when creating a laugh track, and on creating a laugh track for American shows that have been dubbed into another language
Sports
Carroll Pratt on providing sports sound effects
People
Lucille Ball
Carroll Pratt on working with Lucille Ball during his career, including The Lucy Show
Charlie Douglas
Carroll Pratt on working with sound engineer and laugh track creator Charles Douglas
Carroll Pratt on working with his mentor Charlie Douglas on various shows adding laugh track, and on working with producers
Carroll Pratt on how Charlie Douglas worked, and on competition in the laugh track industry
Carroll Pratt on leaving Charlie Douglas' company, and on striving to for a better quality laugh track
Mary Tyler Moore
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Barbra Streisand
Carroll Pratt on recording Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) at which Barbra Streisand is an expert, on what a re-recordist does, and on doing Foley
Dick Van Dyke
Carroll Pratt on providing a laugh track for The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show