Tim Conway

Performer

View Full Interview

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In the one-hour solo portion of his interview, Tim Conway (1933-2019) talks about his early years in local television at Cleveland's WJW, where he was discovered by Rose Marie. He discusses his appearances on The New Steve Allen Show and describes his role as "Ensign Charles Parker" on McHale's Navy. He speaks of the notorious variety flop Turn-On, which was canceled after one airing. Conway also talks about his work in feature films such as The Apple Dumpling Gang and The Shaggy D.A.

In the one-and-a-half-hour joint portion of their interview, Harvey Korman (1927-2008) and Tim Conway 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 interviews 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 don't feature myself as being the head man. I would much rather stand in the background and make small funny things than be up at the head of the class."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the cast and guest stars on The Carol Burnett Show

04:24

Tim Conway on his 10 year guest appearance on The Carol Burnett Show

02:20

Tim Conway on his favorite sketches on The Carol Burnett Show

00:49

Tim Conway on coming to Hollywood with almost no experience and working with Ernest Borgnine on McHale's Navy

03:23

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 on how he would like to be remembered

00:33

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on three teachers who had a great impact on him; on wanting to be a jockey; on having dyslexia; on majoring in speech and dramatics in college; on volunteering for the Army after college

On his start in show business doing stand-up comedy at a Seattle club; on his first work as a television director; on early appearances on The Steve Allen Show; on working with Ernest Borgnine on McHale's Navy; on McHale's Navy producer Ed Montagne; on appearing on numerous variety shows

On starring in Rango; on hosting the notoriously short-lived show (it was canceled during its premiere) Turn-On; on doing an after school special

Chapter 2

On the show Uncle Tim Wants You with Bernadette Peters; on working in variety on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and The Flip Wilson Show; on writing sketches; on Disney films The Apple Dumpling Gang and The Shaggy D.A.; on writing the movie Billion Dollar Hobo; on starring in Ace Crawford, Private Eye

On Dorf; on writing; on Tim Conway's Fun With America; on his guest appearances on Newhart, Married... With Children, Coach, Cosby, Ellen, Clueless, and Mad About You; on acting and writing on The Carol Burnett Show; on his current projects - Yes, Dear; on working with Vicki Lawrence

On entertaining; on how people react when they meet him; on advice to aspiring comedians; on his philosophy of comedy; on the highlight of his career and career regrets; on how he'd like to be remembered

Chapter 3

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 4

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 5

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

Ace Crawford, Private Eye

Tim Conway on starring in Ace Crawford, Private Eye

00:53

Carol & Company

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Carol & Company

00:46

Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78)

Tim Conway on his 10 year guest appearance on The Carol Burnett Show

02:20

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

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

00:55

Clueless

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Clueless

00:54

Coach

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Coach

00:33

Cosby

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Cosby

00:34

Danny Kaye Show, The

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on how they met - on The Danny Kaye Show

01:25

Ellen

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Ellen

00:31

Eunice

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on directing Eunice

00:49

Flip Wilson Show, The

Tim Conway on appearing on The Flip Wilson Show

00:27

Golden Palace, The

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on appearing on The Golden Palace

00:54

Hollywood Palace, The

Actor/comedian Tim Conway on writing his own material for appearances on variety shows, such as The Hollywood Palace

01:24

Mad About You

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Mad About You

00:14

Mama's Family

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Mama's Family

01:38

Married… With Children

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Married...With Children

00:40

McHale's Navy

Tim Conway on coming to Hollywood with almost no experience and working with Ernest Borgnine on McHale's Navy

06:29

Newhart

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Newhart

00:53

Rango

Tim Conway on starring in Danny Thomas and Aaron Spelling's Rango

02:10

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Tim Conway on working in variety on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In

00:40

TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Korman getting tricked on Bloopers and Practical Jokes

04:41

Tim Conway Special, The

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Tim Conway Special

03:15

Turn-On

Tim Conway on hosting the notoriously short-lived show (it was canceled during its premiere) Turn-On

02:34

Topics

Classic TV Series Episodes

Tim Conway on hosting the notoriously short-lived show (it was canceled during its premiere) Turn-On

02:34

Comedy

Tim Conway on hosting the notoriously short-lived show (it was canceled during its premiere) Turn-On

02:34

Emmy Awards

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

03:55

Memorable Moments on Television

Tim Conway on his favorite sketches on The Carol Burnett Show

00:49

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

00:39

Pop Culture

Tim Conway on hosting the notoriously short-lived show (it was canceled during its premiere) Turn-On

02:34

We Laughed

Tim Conway on his favorite sketches on The Carol Burnett Show

00:49

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

Genres

Comedy Series

Tim Conway on coming to Hollywood with almost no experience and working with Ernest Borgnine on McHale's Navy

06:29

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Tim Conway on his 10 year guest appearance on The Carol Burnett Show

02:20

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

People

Aaron Spelling

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on starring in Danny Thomas and Aaron Spelling's Rango

02:10

Alan King

View Person Page

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

00:53

Betty White

View Interview Page

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

00:41

Bob Mackie

View Interview Page

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

01:05

Bob Newhart

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on his guest appearances on Newhart

00:53

Carol Burnett

View Interview Page

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

Danny Thomas

View Person Page

Tim Conway on starring in Danny Thomas and Aaron Spelling's Rango

02:10

Dave Powers

View Person Page

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on working with directors on the show

00:53

Dick Clark

View Interview Page

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on Korman getting tricked on Bloopers and Practical Jokes

04:41

Dick Van Dyke

View Interview Page

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

01:07

Don Knotts

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on working with Don Knotts on the Disney film The Apple Dumpling Gang

01:04

Edward Montagne

View Person Page

Tim Conway on McHale's Navy producer Ed Montagne

00:46

Ernest Borgnine

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on coming to Hollywood with almost no experience and working with Ernest Borgnine on McHale's Navy

03:23

George Schlatter

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on hosting the notoriously short-lived show (it was canceled during its premiere) Turn-On

02:34

Harvey Korman

View Interview Page

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

Joe Flynn

View Person Page

Tim Conway on Joe Flynn McHale's Navy

01:06

Joe Hamilton

View Person Page

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

Lyle Waggoner

View Person Page

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

00:20

Perry Lafferty

View Interview Page

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Tim Conway Special

01:42

Rock Hudson

View Person Page

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

00:08

Roddy McDowall

View Person Page

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

00:25

Rose Marie

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on Rose Marie liking his first television effort and showing Conway's work to Steve Allen

01:00

Steve Allen

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on Rose Marie liking his first television effort and showing Conway's work to Steve Allen

02:21

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Steve Allen Show

00:40

Tim Conway

View Interview Page

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on how Tim Conway became a regular on the show

00:43

Vicki Lawrence

View Interview Page

Tim Conway on working with Vicki Lawrence

01:10

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