Anyone who has ever watched an episode of "The Carol Burnett Show" will feel right at home as they read this book. Carol relates the events that led to her love of musical comedy and her start in TV, then looks back on the eleven seasons of her show. She shares memories of the cast, the rest of the crew, and the special guest stars. In some cases it may just be a quick highlight about a particular episode or person. Other times she may share some of the dialogue from a skit or a plot synopsis of one of the movie spoofs they did. (Most of us who have seen the show will automatically think of their take on "Gone with the Wind" and Carol as Starlett in that dress made of drapes.)
Reading through this history of such an iconic show is like going through a list of "Who's Who" in Hollywood. Guest stars like the Lily Tomlin, Roddy McDowall, Carol Channing, Jerry Lewis, and so many others kept the audience in suspense, waiting to see what character they would portray and how they would mesh with the regular cast. Recurring characters such as Mama and Eunice, the Old Folks (Bert and Molly), and the Char Woman will also be very familiar to fans of the show.
One of the things that might surprise people is that Carol seems so "normal" and down-to-earth, while she is dropping names like Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, Sammy Davis Jr, and Bing Crosby. She also avoids sharing any stories that make others look bad. The one guest star that really didn't work out, she doesn't even name. She just mentions that there was a guest who was not a good fit with the show and was unhappy. In this age of "tell-all" memoirs, it is refreshing to read something written with good taste and restraint. The still photographs taken from the show may be a bit blurry here and there, but they will help to jog your memory of particular characters or skits.
If you have enjoyed Carol's humor while watching her perform, then you should enjoy this just as much. Her warmth and comedic sense are just as present in the book as they are on film. This would also make an excellent gift for someone who loved her show. I highly recommend it.
Reading through this history of such an iconic show is like going through a list of "Who's Who" in Hollywood. Guest stars like the Lily Tomlin, Roddy McDowall, Carol Channing, Jerry Lewis, and so many others kept the audience in suspense, waiting to see what character they would portray and how they would mesh with the regular cast. Recurring characters such as Mama and Eunice, the Old Folks (Bert and Molly), and the Char Woman will also be very familiar to fans of the show.
One of the things that might surprise people is that Carol seems so "normal" and down-to-earth, while she is dropping names like Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, Sammy Davis Jr, and Bing Crosby. She also avoids sharing any stories that make others look bad. The one guest star that really didn't work out, she doesn't even name. She just mentions that there was a guest who was not a good fit with the show and was unhappy. In this age of "tell-all" memoirs, it is refreshing to read something written with good taste and restraint. The still photographs taken from the show may be a bit blurry here and there, but they will help to jog your memory of particular characters or skits.
If you have enjoyed Carol's humor while watching her perform, then you should enjoy this just as much. Her warmth and comedic sense are just as present in the book as they are on film. This would also make an excellent gift for someone who loved her show. I highly recommend it.
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