Roy Clark

Host / Performer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his nearly three-hour Archive interview, Roy Clark (1933-2018) describes his early years as a musician with Jimmy Dean and other country legends. He speaks about his early television appearances, culminating in his hosting of the long running syndicated series Hee Haw, which was produced in Nashville. He relates anecdotes about several of the series regulars, including Buck Owens, David "Stringbean" Akeman, Louis "Grandpa" Jones, Minnie Pearl and Junior Samples as well as several featured country music guest stars. Clark also discusses many of his appearances on variety shows, as well as his week-long stints as guest host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 20, 2005 in Tulsa, OK.

"Television really has been responsible for everything that I've done successfully. I can't put it into anything else. No massive hit records. No 30,000 concert attendance, except a couple of times. But you put this face on television, week in, week out, they'd stop me and they'd say, 'Hey, Roy, how are you doing?' They'd know who I was, what I was, what I looked like, and what I did - all from seeing and hearing it at the same time on television."

Highlights

Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

03:47

Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies

03:55

Roy Clark on what made Hee Haw work

02:06

Roy Clark on the "Pickin' and Grinnin'" segments on Hee Haw

02:51

Roy Clark on working with Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw

04:30

Roy Clark on the legacy of Hee Haw

03:35

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on the development of his musical sensibilities

14:42

On deciding he wanted to be a musician; on his earliest experiences with television; on his first television appearance, on the local series The Hayloft Conservatory of Musical Interpretation

13:45

Chapter 2

On appearing on various local Washington D.C. musical shows early in his career; on appearing on Jimmy Dean's radio show, and on touring with Dean; on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting

11:58

On appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts; on being a guest performer on various series, including The Beverly Hillbillies; on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on deciding what to play on shows

09:17

On his early agents and managers; on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan

06:47

Chapter 3

On guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; on a mishap on live television; on some of the guests he had on while guest hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on his friendship with James Cagney

15:25

On guest-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies; on guest-starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, and on the creation of Hee Haw; on the original, CBS version of Hee Haw being canceled in Robert D. Wood's CBS "rural purge" in 1971

12:36

Chapter 4

On what made Hee Haw work; on the cast of Hee Haw, including Buck Owens, Junior Samples, and Cathy Baker

11:30

On Buck Owens leaving Hee Haw, and how it impacted the show; on working with Archie Campbell on Hee Haw; on the producers of Hee Haw

12:05

On the cast of Hee Haw, including the Hager Twins, Louis "Grandpa" Jones, and David "Stringbean" Akeman

05:04

Chapter 5

On working with Minnie Pearl and George "Goober" Lindsey on Hee Haw; on the comedy of Hee Haw; on the "Pickin' and Grinnin'" segments on the show

13:15

On the guests of Hee Haw, including Al Martino, Garth Brooks, and Sammy Davis, Jr.; on Hee Haw producer Sam Lovullo

07:24

On the legacy of Hee Haw; on then-current projects; on how fame and celebrity has impacted him over the years

07:28

Chapter 6

On his then-current musical tastes; on career achievements and regrets

09:24

On his favorite songs to play, and on the song that exemplifies him; on how he would like to be remembered

06:22

Shows

Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts

Roy Clark on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts

04:25

Beverly Hillbillies, The

Roy Clark on being a guest performer on various series, including The Beverly Hillbillies

01:50

Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies

03:55

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

Roy Clark on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan

05:14

Hee Haw

Roy Clark on the creation of Hee Haw on CBS

03:40

Roy Clark on the original, CBS version of Hee Haw being canceled in Robert D. Wood's CBS "rural purge" in 1971

03:02

Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw

01:59

Roy Clark on what made Hee Haw work

02:06

Roy Clark on working with Buck Owens on Hee Haw

02:40

Roy Clark on Junior Samples on Hee Haw

04:57

Roy Clark on Cathy Baker on Hee Haw

01:43

Roy Clark on working with Buck Owens on Hee Haw, and on Owens leaving the show

05:32

Roy Clark on working with Archie Campbell on Hee Haw

02:25

Roy Clark on the various producers of Hee Haw

04:05

Roy Clark on Jim and Jon, "the Hager Twins," on Hee Haw

01:19

Roy Clark on Louis "Grandpa" Jones on Hee Haw

01:27

Roy Clark on David "Stringbean" Akeman on Hee Haw

02:18

Roy Clark on working with Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw

04:30

Roy Clark on working with George "Goober" Lindsey on Hee Haw

02:05

Roy Clark on the comedy of Hee Haw

03:45

Roy Clark on the "Pickin' and Grinnin'" segments on Hee Haw

02:51

Roy Clark on the guests of Hee Haw, including Al Martino, Garth Brooks, and Sammy Davis, Jr.

05:23

Roy Clark on Hee Haw producer Sam Lovullo

02:00

Roy Clark on the legacy of Hee Haw

03:35

Jonathan Winters Show, The (1967-69)

Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw

01:59

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The

Roy Clark on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting

03:29

Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on deciding what to play on shows

03:02

Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

03:47

Roy Clark on some of the guests he had on while guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on his friendship with James Cagney

06:37

Topics

Bloopers

Roy Clark on a mishap on live television

02:44

Fame and Celebrity

Roy Clark on how fame and celebrity has impacted him over the years

02:38

First Big Break

Roy Clark on his first television appearance, on the local series The Hayloft Conservatory of Musical Interpretation

04:04

Pivotal Career Moments

Roy Clark on his first television appearance, on the local series The Hayloft Conservatory of Musical Interpretation

04:04

Roy Clark on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting

03:29

Pop Culture

Roy Clark on how fame and celebrity has impacted him over the years

02:38

Television Industry

Roy Clark on his early agents and managers

03:52

Genres

Comedy Series

Roy Clark on being a guest performer on various series, including The Beverly Hillbillies

01:50

Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies

03:55

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Roy Clark on his first television appearance, on the local series The Hayloft Conservatory of Musical Interpretation

04:04

Roy Clark on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts

04:25

Roy Clark on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan

05:15

Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw

01:59

Roy Clark on hosting Hee Haw on CBS

06:42

Roy Clark on Hee Haw

28:41

Roy Clark on Hee Haw (Part 2)

24:15

Talk Shows

Roy Clark on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting

03:29

Roy Clark on guest hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on deciding what to play on shows

03:02

Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

15:25

People

James Cagney

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Roy Clark on his friendship with James Cagney

04:14

Johnny Carson

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Roy Clark on his relationship with Johnny Carson

02:16

Sammy Davis, Jr.

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Roy Clark on the guests of Hee Haw, including Al Martino, Garth Brooks, and Sammy Davis, Jr.

05:23

Jimmy Dean

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Roy Clark on appearing on Jimmy Dean's radio show, and on touring with Dean

06:41

Roy Clark on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting

03:29

Arthur Godfrey

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Roy Clark on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts

04:25

George Lindsey

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Roy Clark on working with George "Goober" Lindsey on Hee Haw

02:05

Sam Lovullo

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Roy Clark on Hee Haw producer Sam Lovullo

02:00

Minnie Pearl

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Roy Clark on working with Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw

04:30

Ed Sullivan

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Roy Clark on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan

05:15

Jonathan Winters

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Roy Clark on guest starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw

01:59

Robert D. Wood

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Roy Clark on the original, CBS version of Hee Haw being canceled in Robert D. Wood's CBS "rural purge" in 1971

03:02