It occurs to me that a very popular form of TV entertainment in the 70's was variety shows.  Which ones do you remember (fondly, or not so fondly)?

I was recently reminded of the Smothers Brothers.  Their variety show was a frequent one for me.

Remember that Sonny and Cher had a show?

What are some of the other variety shows you remember?  Or memorable episodes?

I think the Carol Burnet show was a favorite of mine growing up, I loved how Tim Conway and Harvey Korman would lose it laughing in the middle of a sketch ;D does anyone know what year the show started and finished ?

The Gong Show

Laugh In that was the 70's wasn't it? :-\\

Laugh In that was the 70's wasn't it? :-\\

Laugh In first aired in 1968 but finished in 73.... so ya - I would say it is a 70's variety show

Laugh In that was the 70's wasn't it? :-\\


Yes I think so.


Donnie and Marie (can't remember what years though)

The Flip Wilson Show 1970-74

Sonny and Cher

Tanya

The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. :P

There were so many:

Sonny & Cher
Mac Davis
Donny & Marie
Laugh-In
Flip Wilson
The Brady Bunch
Julie Andrews (which I think was in the 60s)
Hee Haw
Andy Williams (again, I think in the 60s)
Marilyn Macoo and Billy Davis Jr.
Everly Bros
Sha Na Na
Don Knotts
Hudson Bros.
Jim Stafford
Smothers Bros
Starland Vocal Band
The Muppet Show
Carol Burnett


(Did I forget any?)

My favorites are (in no order):

Carol Burnett
The Muppet Show
Laugh-In
Flip Wilson
Mac Davis




Cat

Wow, thanks for that walk down memory lane!!! 

Sigh...  "Those Were The Days"  (Archie Bunker)

I loved the Carol Burnett Show. I watched Laugh-In and The Smothers Brothers, but was only around 8-9 yrs old, and didn't really get alot of the humor. The Smothers Brothers were pretty political in their humor and against the Veitnam war, which probably made the execs pretty nervous back then!

I think the Carol Burnet show was a favorite of mine growing up, I loved how Tim Conway and Harvey Korman would lose it laughing in the middle of a sketch ;D does anyone know what year the show started and finished ?


I think 1971-1976? I'm not so sure. :-\\



Howard

The Flip Wilson Show 1970-74



occasionally,I watch that show on TVLand.He is extremely funny. ;D


Howard

Was there ever a Jacksons variety hour? ???


Howard

I just picked up volume 2 of "Hee Haw" featuring Johnny cash in this 1974 episode....It was great to see Buck,Roy,The Hagers and the rest of the Hee haw gang in their prime..

Was there ever a Jacksons variety hour? ???


Howard


Yes. The Summer of either '76 or '77. How about the Captain and Tennille?

I think the Carol Burnet show was a favorite of mine growing up, I loved how Tim Conway and Harvey Korman would lose it laughing in the middle of a sketch ;D does anyone know what year the show started and finished ?



It started in 1967 and ended in 1978. I used to love when Tim and Harvey would crack up, too. I always thought that was funnier than the skit itself. But, my FAVORITE skit was "Went With the Wind"-the parody of "Gone With the Wind". I still laugh thinking of Carol coming down the stairs with that curtain rod.




Cat

I wasn't around then, but I do see reruns of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh In" on the TRIO channel periodically.

Yes. The Summer of either '76 or '77. How about the Captain and Tennille?


I wonder if The Jacksons Variety Show lasted on the air?



Howard

How long was a variety show back then? ???



Howard

How long was a variety show back then? ???



Howard


most were 1 hr Howard :)

most were 1 hr Howard :)



Ok,I see Thanks. :)


Howard

It started in 1967 and ended in 1978. I used to love when Tim and Harvey would crack up, too. I always thought that was funnier than the skit itself. But, my FAVORITE skit was "Went With the Wind"-the parody of "Gone With the Wind". I still laugh thinking of Carol coming down the stairs with that curtain rod.




Cat


Thanks Cat, I didn't think it went back that far,would  67  have been about the same time laugh-in started ?  :)

But, my FAVORITE skit was "Went With the Wind"-the parody of "Gone With the Wind". I still laugh thinking of Carol coming down the stairs with that curtain rod.




Cat

I forgot all about that one! That was hilarious!  ;D 

I was in college from 1975-1979 and we watched an old black &white Tv in the dorm rec room...fuzzy picture..but we would watch Starsky & Hutch every wensday nite! Oh, and Saturday nites  were for getting high and watching Saturday Night Live !!!!!      John Belucci ,Steve Martin and Gilda Radner !!! The'70's were so much fun! Great Music Great Pot Great Friends! Mar

What about Tony Orlando, he looked so much like Freddie Prince that Freddie came on in Tony's place and the audience didn't notice

8)Where could i view the video clip shown during the Smothers Bros show "Classical Gas Video"? I am working on a quick cut peice and i have been told about it? sure would like to see it.

8)Where could i view the video clip shown during the Smothers Bros show "Classical Gas Video"? I am working on a quick cut peice and i have been told about it? sure would like to see it.



The Smothers Bros are now on VHS and DVD. There are a couple of them and I'm not too sure which one shows Mason Williams preforming. I do have a CD of Classical Gas. It really is a great tune.



Cat

My favorites from when I grew up are-

Carol Burnett Show
Hee Haw
Sonny and Cher
Donny and Marie

My other favorites are-

Laugh-In
Flip Wilson Show

I was being born during the time they were both on.

Yes I think so.


Donnie and Marie (can't remember what years though)


Donny and Marie was on from 1976-79.

Yes. The Summer of either '76 or '77. How about the Captain and Tennille?


The Jacksons Variety Show was on in the summer of '76. Yes, there was a Captain and Tennille Show, too. I think it ran from like '77 to '78. I used to watch it.

I forgot to name the Muppet Show, the Gong Show, and the Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. Show as favorites of mine, too.

Donny and Marie was on from 1976-79.


Thanks snoops71.  Apparently I can't spell either!!!  ;)

Hee Haw was a very funny show! I would watch that and Benny Hill with my mom and dad.



Erin :)

It started in 1967 and ended in 1978. I used to love when Tim and Harvey would crack up, too. I always thought that was funnier than the skit itself. But, my FAVORITE skit was "Went With the Wind"-the parody of "Gone With the Wind". I still laugh thinking of Carol coming down the stairs with that curtain rod.




Cat

classic skit! one of my favourites was the skit Mama(later to be the show Mama's Family) and they sat down to play the board game Sorry. i also enjoyed the beginning of the show when carol burnette would answer questions from the audience. by the way, do kids nowadays know what a board game is?

(Did I forget any?)


How about "Shields And Yarnell"?  Who can ever forget the variety show with mimes?

Then there was "The Captain & Tenielle".  I still remember them showing clips of the Captain's favorite show, "Staircase & Hutch", a rather bizzare cop show parody with furniture.

"The Dick Van Dyke Show", which for many of us gave our first glimpse into the demented mind of Andy Kaufman.  They did a bit once with an "Elvis Impersonator" contest.  They had 3 guys, a fat black guy, an Asian guy, and Andy (who was doing his Latka Gravis character, years before Taxi).  Andy did a rock solid impersonation of Elvis (complete with tossing toilet paper scarfs to the audience), only to loose to one of the others (I think it was the black guy that one).  The bit was so popular, Dick had him back several other times before the show was cancelled.

The Glen Campbell Goodtime Show.  I barely remember this one.

Tony Orlando & Dawn.  To bad I was to young to appreciate this one.  Dawn were 2 hot looking ladies.

Saturday Night Live, the only "Variety Show" to last until the present time.  Nothing can ever be better then the original 2 "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" casts.

Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour.  This one was fairly unique, because it was the first time that a lot of people got to see "Blue Screen" technology on a weekly TV show.  The hosts were 2 life-sized puppets, who were animated with a crew who wore blue outfits, so they would not be visible with the chroma-key overlays.  Most of the skits were parodies of current popular TV shows and movies.

The Golddiggers.  I only remember this, because they were Dean Martin's dancers.  I only remember watching it a few times, probably around 1972.

After Sonny & Cher got divorced, they both had 1 season flops.  "The Sonny Comedy Revue" and *The Cher Show" both lasted for 1 season (1974-1975) before they got together for 1 last season of "The Sony And Cher Show".

The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour.  Neither my parents nor myself were fans of him, so I don't think I ever saw it more then once or twice.  I much prefered Flip Wilson.

The Rich Little Show.  Rich is one of my favorite commedians.  He excelled at impersonations and improvisation.  The thing I remember most is that for the last 10 minutes or so, he would ask the audience to shout out names of famous people, and he would then give 10-30 second impersonations of them. 

The Dean Martin Show.  This was the real name of his "Celebrity Roast" series.  I have about 25 tapes of this show, someday I am gonna take the time to sit down and watch them all.

The Midnight Special.  This was a late-night series, with Wolfman Jack as the announcer, and had many hosts, including Any Kaufman, Richard Pryor, and Helen Reddy.  It actually was intended as a special to encourage people from 18-25 to vote in the 1972 election, but was so popular they ket it going for 11 years.

Oh I wish these types of shows would return.  I have many fond memories of the variety shows of the 1970's.  Sadly, they were gone by the mid 1980's.

People say I'm crazy, but....

There was a variety show in the 70's starring two Japanese girls.  Am I the only one to remember?

The'70's were so much fun! Great Music Great Pot Great Friends! Mar

Ah! Too have it all to do over again........ :\'(

People say I'm crazy, but....

There was a variety show in the 70's starring two Japanese girls.  Am I the only one to remember?




"Pink Lady & Jeff". This 5-episode wonder ran in 1980. Here's the thread I made about it.
http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php/topic,3281.0.html

The Midnight Special & Don Kirshners Rock Concert weren't prime time but were good variety shows with some really great musical acts on them.

Howard Cosell Show which relied on the newcomers' (at the time) popularity to jump start the show...namely the Bay City Rollers in '76

"The Dick Van Dyke Show", which for many of us gave our first glimpse into the demented mind of Andy Kaufman.  They did a bit once with an "Elvis Impersonator" contest.  They had 3 guys, a fat black guy, an Asian guy, and Andy (who was doing his Latka Gravis character, years before Taxi).  Andy did a rock solid impersonation of Elvis (complete with tossing toilet paper scarfs to the audience), only to loose to one of the others (I think it was the black guy that one).  The bit was so popular, Dick had him back several other times before the show was cancelled.

Dick Van Dyke had a variety show in the 70's? I know he had a sitcom in the 60's, simply titled, "The Dick Van Dyke Show." Guess he had two different shows with the exact same title??

Several variety shows from the 60s and 70s would clearly be in the running for "worst" but the Brady's variety show has to take the cake

The epitome of actors with no appreciable musical talent at all

Muppet Show's 40th anniversary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvnHgKkNKR4

Muppet Show's 40th anniversary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvnHgKkNKR4


I can't believe it's been 40 years.  :o

I can't believe it's been 40 years.  :o

I had no idea that the Muppet Show premiered that long ago, but I do know that it was quite popular. O0

There's also The Jacksons Variety Hour.

Carol Burnett
Sonny and Cher
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Johnny Cash
Tom Jones
Glen Campbell
Donny and Marie
Dean Martin

Yes, there was a Jackson Variety show as I have it on Dvd,,,personally, am looking to purchase a 1974 show Run Joe Run...is selling shows allowed on here..if so, I have tons of 70s shows, but am looking for Run Joe Run-can someone help me, please?? Thanks xx

The Brady Bunch Variety Hour

The Jackson's 40th anniversary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jacksons_(TV_series)

The Jackson's 40th anniversary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jacksons_(TV_series)



Wow, it's been 40 years already?  :o