LILY {LILY TOMLIN SPECIAL} (TV)
Summary
In this comedy special, Lily Tomlin plays familiar characters such as young Edith Ann, housewife Judy Beasley, and telephone operator Ernestine, while debuting a new character, Wanda V. Wilford. Lily opens the show by talking about how there's "more to life" than being a gifted actress, and how, as a youth, she dreamed of becoming "a big city waitress." In the first sketch, Edith Ann tells the anecdotes of a five-year-old. Then, Mrs. Judy Beasley from Calumet City, Illinois, takes part in a commercial for "Grrr-MŽt Doggie Burgers." Next, Lily is Wanda V. Wilford, "the queen of country music," who performs in a Texas honky-tonk with manager Tommy (played by Alan Alda) observing her every move. Wanda V. also interacts in the audience with some of her fans and admirers. Then, Lily returns to her monologue format to tell how making "to do" lists inadvertently became the crux of her existence. She then discusses some other amusing quandaries, including the things she'd do differently if she could relive her life. In the next sketch, Lily plays a woman who runs into her husband (played by Alda) in a restaurant that holds special memories for both, despite the fact that they're separated. Then, Alda participates in a spoof commercial for the product "nothing." Next, Lily talks to the audience about how she dreamed of having big breasts when she was eleven, seguing into the tale of newlywed-to-be "Helen," (played by Judy Kahan) who sings about potential problems in the kitchen as a housewife. Next, Lily and Bill Gerber perform "Twentieth Century Blues," observing pollution, escalating prices, and gas shortages as they walk around Los Angeles. Finally, Lily plays the owner of Opal's Silver Spoon Cafe, a seedy soul food joint, who takes care of Juke, a down-and-out drug addict (played by Richard Pryor.) Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: November 2, 1973 Friday 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:52:34
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:20944
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Lily Tomlin); She Made It Collection (Jane Wagner); African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1973
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Irene Pinn … Executive Producer
- Herb Sargent … Producer, Writer
- Jerry McPhie … Co-Producer
- Bill Davis … Director
- Rosalyn Drexler … Writer
- Lorne Michaels … Writer
- Richard Pryor … Writer
- Jim Rusk … Writer
- James R. Stein … Writer
- Robert Illes … Writer
- Lily Tomlin … Writer
- George Yanok … Writer
- Jane Wagner … Writer
- Peter Matz … Music by
- Lily Tomlin … Cast
- Alan Alda … Cast
- Richard Pryor … Cast
- Bill Gerber … Cast
- Judy Kahan … Cast
- Felix Silla … Cast
- Richard Tomlin … Cast