MovieChat Forums > The Carol Burnett Show (1967) Discussion > Was the uncontrollable giggling planned?

Was the uncontrollable giggling planned?

posted 13 years ago by edwardholub
19 replies | jump to latest

I can understand that sometimes one actor can start another actor into laughing. It happens all the time. However, when a sketch is supposed to be timed for programming purposes, aren't they supposed to cut and do it again? And my BIG question, and this is where it gets really twisted, were these break-ups on the set so popular that they soon became PLANNED??????????? Was time set aside for Harvey to giggle for a minute and a half? Did they purposely write the sketches shorter to give someone real planned time to laugh uncontrollably. If so, that is some of the most unprofessional activity I've seen in show business.

There is no "off" position on the genius switch.

[–] hifijohn 10 years ago

this may be the first and only time that a goof was more popular than the skit!!

[–] moosefeathers 10 years ago

Just about all the people who watched this show found it funny that the actors would break character and laugh. That was the best part of it. Next time you watch tv, why not take that stick out of your azz before you sit down....?

And they weren't planned. How do you plan to make a horse crap on cue? Tim Conway was famous for breaking the actors up.....they used to bet when exactly he would do it and sometimes his adlibs would do the trick.

Swing away, Merrill....Merrill, swing away...

[–] rerunwatcher 10 years ago

Steve Lawrence had a funny ad lib. Carol messed up her lines and Steve said "You had your nose fixed and now your mouth won't work".

[–] rycki1138 10 years ago

I saw one a few days ago on MeTV where Harvey was playing a guy who was extremely nearsighted. It was the Torchy Song episode.

Carol flubbed her lines and Harvey ad-libbed "I can't see and you can't talk".

(knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny (knock,knock,knock) Penny

[–] Itsamoomoo 10 years ago

I honestly believe none of the giggles were planned. And, I am very surprised by a few of the comments here from people who find any of the cracking up annoying. Why are you even watching a comedy show like this if you can't laugh along with the actors messing up??

[–] Ken1260 9 years ago

Those are the best skits on the show because it was like you were watching it live and not done over and over to get a perfect take.

[–] indy_go_blue44 9 years ago

I loved it when the show was on tv, and I love it now whenever I watch a CBS dvd. We'd be laughing at the show, then we'd laugh twice as hard when the actor/actress started cracking up.

One of my favorite comedy bits ever is when Tim Conway in a "Family" skit tells the story about the Siamese elephant. Carol said "my face was soaking wet and I kept having to hide behind the Password (the game they played in the skit) card. Vicky finally zinged him with the "are you sure that little A-hole is finished?" Like Dick Van Dyke and Tim, I'm ready to fall off the couch.

Sorry for you people who didn't enjoy it.

The UNITED States of America. July 4, 1776-June 26, 2015.
RIP.

[–] 9 years ago

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