BIOGRAPHY: CAROL BURNETT: JUST TO HAVE A LAUGH (TV)
Summary
One in this series of documentaries which examines the professional and personal lives of a wide range of individuals, both those in the public eye and those of historic note. This documentary, narrated by Richard Kiley, utilizes biographical narration; broadcast excerpts; film clips; archival footage; photographs; and interviews with family, friends, colleagues, and artists in an examination of the life and career of comedienne/actress Carol Burnett. After an introduction by Harry Smith, the program begins with a study of Burnett's early years, covering her childhood in San Antonio; her parents' move to Hollywood while she stayed behind with her grandmother, "Nanny"; her parents' battle with alcoholism, which led to their eventual separation; and the reunion of her family when she and Nanny moved to Hollywood in 1940 to join her parents. Next, the program examines the evolution of Burnett's interest in performance, including her reenactments of radio dramas as a child, her first stage experience in high school, her involvement with the drama department at UCLA, her decision to pursue theater in New York with her boyfriend Don Saroyan after receiving a $2000 loan from an anonymous source, her early struggles and eventual success in being signed by the William Morris Agency, and her first appearance on television as an extra on "The Colgate Comedy Hour." At this point, Kiley talks about the origin of Burnett's trademark "Hello, Nanny" ear-tug; her marriage to Saroyan on December 17, 1955; the national attention she received for singing a comedy/love song to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1957; her success in "Once Upon a Mattress" on Broadway; and her amicable divorce from Saroyan. The next segment of the program follows Burnett's decision to focus primarily on a career in television, beginning with her tenure on "The Garry Moore Show," and the winning of her first Emmy. This segment also includes her introduction to her future producer/husband Joe Hamilton; her friendship with Julie Andrews and their televised Carnegie Hall concert, which earned Burnett her second Emmy; her growing popularity; the birth of her daughter Carrie; her work on "The Entertainers"; and the family's move to Beverly Hills in 1967. Kiley then examines Burnett's twelve seasons of success with "The Carol Burnett Show," as well as the personal trials she faced during that period, including the death of her Nanny, her $10,000,000 libel lawsuit against the National Enquirer, and her daughter's addiction to drugs. The final segment deals with the comedienne's life and career after "The Carol Burnett Show," including her decision to try her hand at dramatic acting in the 1979 made-for-television movie, "Friendly Fire"; the family's move to Hawaii in order to keep the children out of Hollywood and the drug scene; the collapse of her second marriage in 1982; her induction into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame in 1985; the failure of her new television show, "Carol and Company"; Joe Hamilton's death from cancer in 1990; and her return to Broadway in 1995, starring in Ken Ludwig's "Moon Over Buffalo." Smith closes the program by mentioning Burnett's imminent return to Broadway, after a thirty-five year hiatus, in Stephen Sondheim's "Putting It Together." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: A&E
- DATE: July 12, 1999 Monday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:51
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57452
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Carol Burnett); Women comedians; Women in television broadcasting
- SERIES RUN: A&E - TV series, 1987-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Michael Cascio … Executive Producer
- Kevin Burns … Executive Producer, Director
- Sophie Livsey … Coordinating Producer
- Kim Egan … Supervising Producer
- Jaime Klein … Producer
- Michele Farinola … Associate Producer
- Rio Leyva … Researcher
- Tom Jenkins … Music by
- Chris Many … Music by
- Harry Smith … Host
- Richard Kiley … Narrator
- Julie Andrews
- Carol Burnett
- Tim Conway
- John Foster Dulles
- Christine Frauchiger
- Carrie Hamilton
- Erin Hamilton
- Jody Hamilton
- Joe Hamilton
- Henry Kissinger
- Harvey Korman
- Ken Ludwig
- Bob Mackie
- Garry Moore
- Jim Nabors
- Don Saroyan
- Beverly Sills
- Liz Smith
- Stephen Sondheim
- Ed Sullivan
- Janice Vance
- Ken Welch
- Mitzie Welch
- Robert Wright