About
"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."
In his nearly three-hour 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.
Highlights
Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies
Roy Clark on what made Hee Haw work
Roy Clark on the "Pickin' and Grinnin'" segments on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on working with Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on the legacy of Hee Haw
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on the development of his musical sensibilities
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
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
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
On his early agents and managers; on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan
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
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
Chapter 4
On what made Hee Haw work; on the cast of Hee Haw, including Buck Owens, Junior Samples, and Cathy Baker
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
On the cast of Hee Haw, including the Hager Twins, Louis "Grandpa" Jones, and David "Stringbean" Akeman
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
On the guests of Hee Haw, including Al Martino, Garth Brooks, and Sammy Davis, Jr.; on Hee Haw producer Sam Lovullo
On the legacy of Hee Haw; on then-current projects; on how fame and celebrity has impacted him over the years
Chapter 6
On his then-current musical tastes; on career achievements and regrets
On his favorite songs to play, and on the song that exemplifies him; on how he would like to be remembered
Shows
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Roy Clark on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Beverly Hillbillies, The
Roy Clark on being a guest performer on various series, including The Beverly Hillbillies
Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Roy Clark on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan
Hee Haw
Roy Clark on the creation of Hee Haw on CBS
Roy Clark on the original, CBS version of Hee Haw being canceled in Robert D. Wood's CBS "rural purge" in 1971
Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw
Roy Clark on what made Hee Haw work
Roy Clark on working with Buck Owens on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on Junior Samples on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on Cathy Baker on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on working with Buck Owens on Hee Haw, and on Owens leaving the show
Roy Clark on working with Archie Campbell on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on the various producers of Hee Haw
Roy Clark on Jim and Jon, "the Hager Twins," on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on Louis "Grandpa" Jones on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on David "Stringbean" Akeman on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on working with Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on working with George "Goober" Lindsey on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on the comedy of Hee Haw
Roy Clark on the "Pickin' and Grinnin'" segments on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on the guests of Hee Haw, including Al Martino, Garth Brooks, and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Roy Clark on Hee Haw producer Sam Lovullo
Roy Clark on the legacy of Hee Haw
Jonathan Winters Show, The (1967-69)
Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw
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
Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on deciding what to play on shows
Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
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
Topics
Bloopers
Roy Clark on a mishap on live television
Fame and Celebrity
Roy Clark on how fame and celebrity has impacted him over the years
First Big Break
Roy Clark on his first television appearance, on the local series The Hayloft Conservatory of Musical Interpretation
Pivotal Career Moments
Roy Clark on his first television appearance, on the local series The Hayloft Conservatory of Musical Interpretation
Roy Clark on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting
Pop Culture
Roy Clark on how fame and celebrity has impacted him over the years
Television Industry
Roy Clark on his early agents and managers
Genres
Comedy Series
Roy Clark on being a guest performer on various series, including The Beverly Hillbillies
Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Roy Clark on his first television appearance, on the local series The Hayloft Conservatory of Musical Interpretation
Roy Clark on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Roy Clark on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan
Roy Clark on guest-starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw
Roy Clark on hosting Hee Haw on CBS
Roy Clark on Hee Haw
Roy Clark on Hee Haw (Part 2)
Talk Shows
Roy Clark on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting
Roy Clark on guest hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on deciding what to play on shows
Roy Clark on guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
People
James Cagney
Roy Clark on his friendship with James Cagney
Johnny Carson
Roy Clark on his relationship with Johnny Carson
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Roy Clark on the guests of Hee Haw, including Al Martino, Garth Brooks, and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Jimmy Dean
Roy Clark on appearing on Jimmy Dean's radio show, and on touring with Dean
Roy Clark on being a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson while Jimmy Dean was guest-hosting
Arthur Godfrey
Roy Clark on appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
George Lindsey
Roy Clark on working with George "Goober" Lindsey on Hee Haw
Sam Lovullo
Roy Clark on Hee Haw producer Sam Lovullo
Minnie Pearl
Roy Clark on working with Minnie Pearl on Hee Haw
Ed Sullivan
Roy Clark on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and on performing with Sullivan
Jonathan Winters
Roy Clark on guest starring on The Jonathan Winters Show, which led to Hee Haw
Robert D. Wood
Roy Clark on the original, CBS version of Hee Haw being canceled in Robert D. Wood's CBS "rural purge" in 1971