The Carol Burnett Show: So Glad We Had This Time Together [DVD Review
Variety shows were all the rage in the seventies and The Carol Burnett Show was one of the best.
With a small team of regulars and big name guest stars, Carol Burnett put on a weekly, family-friendly series that combined humor, songs, dance and pop culture madness. And though slapstick humor was a sketch staple, the series also worked with clever word play and even strayed into the realm of dramedy on many occasions
In “Carol’s Favorites”, the first DVD in The Carol Burnett Show: The Ultimate Collection from TimeLife, Carol and guest Roddy McDowall tell a complete story speaking only one word at a time. That’s brilliant writing, but it’s the acting and the timing, that makes it work. Earlier in the episode, the two of them go for pure silliness, when Roddy appears in full Planet of the Apes make-up while Carol gently tries to tell him that he has something on his face. Apes fans will also enjoy the tiny snippet of a home movie of Roddy getting made-up for the occasion.
In the same episode, you’ll see the very first Mama’s Family sketch. Carol plays Eunice Harper, a plain Jane living a hum drum life with a domineering mother and Southern yokel husband. But Eunice dreams of living the good life, of gaining fame as a dancer or singer or author and we can’t help feeling sorry for her as we see her hopes dashed to pieces time and time again.
Instead of relying on sight gags and slapstick, Mama’s Family’s humor comes from the heart. It’s an early try at the kind of comedy we see now in shows like Modern Family and Gilmore Girls. It’s funny because we see ourselves in this dysfunctional family, even though we’re loath to admit it.
Carol’s Favorites features 16 uncut episodes, that for some odd reason, aren’t delivered in chronological order. That’s a shame, because it would be nice to watch the evolution of regular characters like Mrs. Wiggins and Norma Desmond in their proper order.
Guest stars run the gamut from Hollywood legends like Vincent Price and Rock Hudson, to TV favorites like Betty White and Carl Reiner. Joan Rivers (Fashion Police) does her stand-up act, Pearl Bailey thrills the audience with her amazing voice and wait until you see The Jackson Five reacting to a real earthquake that hit during the live performance.
And while we’re talking music, how about a round of applause for Carol’s dance troop who often did triple duty filling out the backgrounds of several sketches. Don Crichton, you stole my heart as a girl and I’d waltz with you, any day.
Movie Madness
But as much as I love a good production number, my favorite part of The Carol Burnett Show are the movie parodies. In this DVD set you’ll see Steve Martin join in on Beach Blanket Boo-Boo, Ken Berry joins them for Babes in Barns (a parody of the Judy Garland / Mickey Rooney films), and it’s Sunset Blvd all over again when Carol takes on the role of Norma Desmond.
The best movie parody on this set is Disaster 75, a cliche-ridden salute to the Airport film franchise that was so popular in the era. It has all the required elements, overly cheerful singing nuns, a crazed bomber, and a stewardess forced to land the plane when the pilots leave the cabin through a hole in the hull. It’s spot on.
The most famous Carol Burnett movie parody is probably Went with the Wind. The Gone with the Wind parody gave the show one of its most infamous moments – Carol coming down the stairs in the curtain rod dress.
“I saw it in a window and couldn’t resist.”
My all-time favorite Carol Burnett movie parody is a toss up between Jaws and The Exorcist.
The Exorcist sketch was part of the recurring soap opera As the Stomach Turns. Bernadette Peters played Raven, Carol’s niece who is possessed by the devil. Tim Conway takes on the title roll using his Mr. Tudball Swedish accent. He saves sweet Raven by showing her symbols of goodness and purity including Pat Boone’s white shoe and a photo of Doris Day drinking milk.
In Jowls, Harvey Korman plays a mighty fine Quint as he and Tim Conway hunt a sewer shark roaming the pipes of an apartment building. When the two men try to top each other’s fishtales, you won’t be the only one laughing. “If only she hadn’t been wearing her lucky ham!”
If you’d like own the entire series, click on this big link and order it directly from TimeLife.
If you’d like to own the six-disc set Carol’s Favorites, you can pick that up on Amazon.
Or you can win a copy right here.
Win The Carol Burnett Show: Carol’s Favorite on DVD
GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. THE WINNERS ARE
I have three copies of this six-disc set to give away and all you have to do is leave a comment and you’re entered. It would be great if you left your favorite Carol Burnett memory, but I won’t fault you if you’re too young to remember the show.
Rules: (gotta have ’em)
Deadline to enter is Tuesday, September 25 at midnight PST. That’s the street date for the entire collection.
US entries only.
Three winners will be chosen by random draw and the winners will be notified by email. You’ll have 72 hours to respond with your mailing address or we’ll pick a new winner.
Good luck and good laughs!
im too young to remember
I loved watching this show when I was a little kid. Carol’s audiobook of her autobiography is great too.
Carol Burnett is my favorite!
The Scarlet O’hara curtain dress is a classic!
I would love to win these DVDs. Thanks for the chance.
I loved that show.
We enjoy Carol and would like to win this!
I loved this show, especially when they’s start laughing during a skit.
I can barely remember my mother watching this show.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
I remember this show well – loved it, so funny!
And my favorite was Mama.
Thank you.
The Gone With the Wind, coming down the staircase, I never laughed so hard!
This is an awesome giveaway! My favorite skits are the ones with Mrs. Wiggins the secretary!
rypm25@aol.com
Absolutely love Carol Burnett. Loved her skits with Tim and Harvey. She was true comedy and classy, to me, just like Lucille Ball, and of course always loved her ear tug that was meant for her grandmother and then later for her daughter.
Always loved Tim Conway and Harvey Corman on this show.
I always loved this series. I especially loved the questions from the audience.
Lonerwor@aim.com
I am soooo excited about this giveaway! I was just laughing this weekend with my husband about the Eunice sketches and her Sunset Blvd. spoof. Can’t forget Scarlett with the curtain rod still in her dress and gotta love Mr. Tuddball and Mrs. (H)Wiggins. lol I’m tugging my earlobe and hoping I win. 🙂
I remember my parent’s watching this show when I was very young =)
I’m picturing Tim Conway playing the old man in the soda shop—lol!
Mama’s Family sketches were always funny, but I loved Mrs..Wiggins.
I cried when the series ended, loved this show
I loved watching this show with my folks when I was a little kid. Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
Reneewalters3@yahoo.com
I remember watching this on tv with my mom when I was a kid 🙂 I didn’t get a lot of the jokes, but I liked hanging with my mom. I also liked Carol in Annie 🙂
I’ve always loved this show. Every week was so funny, and we could hardly wait for the next weeks program! Thanks.
i like the Tim Conway and Harvey Korman at the Dentist Routinue
Thanks for the opportunity! Wish this show was on repeats.
cody_endres(at)hotmail(dot)com
We loved gathering as family and watching this show.
Would love to win it!
I have always been a big fan of the show!
I love this show because it is funny and clean, GOD BLESS AND KEEP YA’LL SAFE IN HIS LOVING ARMS.
I always loved it when they would start laughing right in the middle of a sketch.
This was certainly one of the funniest shows ever aired. The cast melded perfectly into hilarious skits every week.
What great memories I have of the Carol Burnett Show! I guess the Scarlett O’hara bit was one of my favorites but there were so many more. Thanks for the chance to win!
I’m new to Carol Burnett, honestly, so I have no memories, but I’d love to create some new ones.
I LOVED when they did the Mama skits-so funny!
smchester at gmail dot com
I love Miss Wiggins skit.
I loved The Carol Burnett Show. The scenes with Tim and Harvey always had me laughing to the point of crying. The fact that Harvey couldn’t keep a straight face when he did scenes with Tim was always enough to set me off. Nothing like it since.
I remember my parents watching this. I always thought it was a fun show.
Mrs Higgins although I always thought the character was mrs. Zwahiggins.
ky2here at msn dot com
Both my husband and I loved this show as kids!! We do the Tim Conway old man shuffle. Ha! I loved the skit with Carol as the old lady with the saggy ball in a sock boobs. So funny!!
I don’t have a very favorite memory, I have had too many good times watching to pick just one! I will say that I do miss Carol & the Gang, she proved that comedians didn’t need to be rude, crude, or obscene to get a laugh. An intelligent, beautiful, articulate woman who is sorely missed by those of us who remember what it was like to watch a good program with the whole family and know your only worry was soda going through your nose!
I would love for good programming like this to make a come back! 🙂
I remember watching reruns of this show when I was a young teen and even then I could appreciate the humor! They don’t make quality comedy like this anymore
I remember her last show, as she was saying goodbye and getting emotional she tugged on her ear.
I loved watching the Carol Burnett show. I liked when Harvey Korman couldnt finish his skit cos Tim Conway was making him laugh so hard.
jofo120 at yahoo dot com
I loved the show growing up
I remember watching the show as a little girl with my grandparents and laughing together.
As a kid, I always like Tim Conway and Harvery Corman the best.
My Mom was a big movie buff, so I was raised on watching old movies. The movie parodies were my favorites. I can still see and hear Carol looking into the camera repeating in a very low voice, “Pat…Pat…”, in place of the light house horn in the parodie of the old Bette Davis movie, “A Stolen Life”. What a joy all of the parodies were and still are. Have a Happy Day, Bill
I remember watching Carol Burnett as a child and loved it. I remember years later watching an interview with Carol Burnett where she stated that when she tugged on her ear at the end of the show, she was telling her daughter good night!
I love this show!!
vmkids3 at msn dot com
I love her!!! I always loved the way she would tug on her ear at the end of each show!!!
ptavernie at yahoo dot com
I was too young to see when this show first ran but watched many in reruns.I love the curtain dress(aka Gone With The Wind parody) skit.I also loved Carol on Mama’s Family.Thanks!
lstanziani(at)yahoo(dot)com
been so long can’t remember specifics, but loved how Harvey Korman and Tim Conway would crack each other up all the time
I just have to say “Momma”
i so love this show especially the mama’s family skits and the mr. tutball and mrs. wiggins skits as well. but my all time favorite has to be the gone with the wind skit!
jagar0047 at yahoo dot com
I remember watching Carol when i was really young. I would probably really love the show now that I am old enough to get all the jokes.
Count me in!
I’d love to win this – I’ve never seen this show before but I love Carol Burnett
annabella @ centurytel dot net
I remember my mother loved this show….especially Tim Conway’s skits. 🙂 Thank you so very much for this great giveaway.
i remember watching it with my parents, but i can’t really remember any specifics
The Gone With The Wind sketch was one of the greatest comedy moments in TV history!
harvey, tim carol, vickie…grew up with them! ty for the chance!
I remember watching and laughing along with my grandmother who has since passed. I treasure the memories and find myself laughing inside when I think back to those days!
I remember when I was young sitting with my brother and watching The Carol Burnett Show nightly. We couldn’t wait for it to come on, and we loved how they would try to crack each other up. We always tried to make each other laugh during the commercials, but during the show we were glued to the show. One of my favorite childhood memories.
My favorite skit was with Tim Conway talking about the Siamese elephants that were connected at the trunk.
I loved watching her show. Fav. memory was when she used the curtains I think in the gone with the wind episode
ardy22 at earthlink dot net
I have no memories of the show except that I remember my grandmother loved to watch it and if I win that is who will be enjoying it!
I remember she would answers questions from the audience at the beginning of the show
I didn’t see this when it was originally on but enjoyed watching it with my mom when it has been re-aired over the years
I remember my parents always watching this and laughing.
Mr Tutball,Mrs Wiggins and of course the Gone With The Wind “Curtain” dress!!! *LOL* I loved the finale song too..I’m so glad we had this time together….just to have a laugh and sing a song or too…
Thank You! 🙂
I most remember Lyle’s Waggoner!
I remember my mother watching this all the time but I was pretty young
I was too young to watch the show when it was on, but I remember watching clips of the classic moments as well as my parents’ fond memories of the show.
Thanks for the giveaway! I’ve never seen the Carol Burnett show, but I’d love to win this for my grandmother!
I loved this show and couldn’t pick out any one favorite character or bit. It would be great fun to share this with family (some of whom are too young to remember it at all).
i remember watching this show – re-runs of course but i can’t think of a specific episode, i know it’s funny and i would love to watch it again
I absolutely loved this show! I wish it was still on so I can see it again!
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
Thanks for the giveaway! Carol Burnett is awesome!
I remember watching this every week when I was little with my Grandmother our favorite ones were with Mrs. Wiggins
I am young, but I LOVE Carol Burnett!!! My husband and I had the oppurtunity to see Vicki Lawrence live last year! She was founded by Carol Burnett!
I loved the Carol Burnett show. All the actors on the show were really funny, especially Carol Burnett. Winning the video would be great. Thanks!
I would love to win, thanks for the chance!
I remember watching reruns as a child, she was so silly!
Thank you so much for the giveaway, I loved watch the Carol Burnett show!
I loved the show! My favorite episode was the take off of Gone With The Wind when Carol wore the curtains for a dress, curtain rod and all!
lauraemerson17 at yahoo dot com
My husband and I watched Carol Burnett way back. We still talk about some of the funny things like when the husaband said that she had “lines”! It was totally crazy, but so so funny! She would do all kinds of moves and was hilarious!
This would be the perfect birthday present for my husband. He would love it and it would help him relax.
I am crossing my fingers!
I seem to remember Carol had great color programming when we got our first color TV.
The episode I remember the most is the Gone With the Wind Parody. I have shown some of the bloopers to my kids – on YouTube. Tim Conway sure knew how to break up Harvey Korman! I would LOVE to have this set! Thank you for the opportunity!
I love Carol Burnett! I was so little but still remember watching. I loved when she did the Gone with the Wind parody and put the curtain on as a dress- classic! But her facial expressions- hilarious no matter what it was. She is definitely the queen of comedy!
I remember watching it w/my grandparents. My favorite Carol Burnett moment is a comedy/duet her and Harry Connick, Jr. performed for his Christmas special.
I would love to win this.
I remember my parents watching this show. However I can’t remember any specific moments.
My favorite was when the Jackson Five was on the Show!
I would love to win this!
Contest is closed. Thanks to everyone who entered. I’ll have the winners shortly!