Background
The popular variety show made the stars household names with such sketches as "As the Stomach Turns", "Went with the Wind" (a parody of Gone with the Wind featuring a scene with Burnett as Scarlett O'Hara in the dress made from a window curtain, complete with the curtain rod), "Carol & Sis", "Mr. Tudball and Mrs. Wiggins", "The Family" (which would later spin off into a show called Mama's Family), "Nora Desmond" (Burnett's send-up of Gloria Swanson's character Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard), and "Stella Toddler." A frequent repeated segment was "Kitchen Commercials", in which cast members parodied TV commercials that drove a woman (Burnett) crazy. The show had frequent, high recognition guest stars. The long-running show was frequently nominated for Emmys, and won three times.

A unique feature of the show consisted of a question-and-answer segment involving Carol Burnett with the audience, in CBS Studio 33. Burnett usually did this for about 3-4 minutes at the start of most shows. Burnett would ask for the lights above the audience to be turned up ("Let's bump up the lights...") and then randomly pick audience members who raised their hand to ask her a question. This informality was possible due to the design of Studio 33; cameras were to the left and right of the stage with one below in the pit and one suspended, so the actors were very close to the audience.

Sample question from young woman in audience: "Have you ever taken acting lessons?" Carol: "Yes, I have." Audience member: "Do you think it did any good?"

The show was rehearsed for three to four hours each day until the Friday tapings, when two recordings were made. As there were only two recordings, if an actor flubbed a line in both takes, the error appeared in the broadcast, giving the show some immediacy. Pick ups were exceptions, and usually only used for musical numbers.

Through this program, Burnett became known for her acting and talent, and for ending each show by tugging her ear, which was a message to her grandmother who had raised her, letting her know that she was doing well and that she loved her.

A true variety show in its simplest of forms, The Carol Burnett Show struck a harmonious chord with viewers through parodies of films ("Went With the Wind"), television ("As the Stomach Turns") and TV commercials. Burnett and team struck gold with the original skit "The Family" which eventually spun off into a television show, "Mama's Family", starring Lawrence.

The show also became known for its closing theme song, with the following lyrics:

I'm so glad we had this time together
Just to have a laugh or sing a song
Seems we just got started and before you know it
Comes the time we have to say, 'So long.'[2]
Vicki Lawrence was the only cast member, other than Burnett, to remain with the series for its entire run. Tim Conway, though well remembered for his appearances on the show, did not become a full-time cast member until 1975. Harvey Korman left the show prior to its final season; he was temporarily replaced in the fall of 1977 by Dick Van Dyke. Original cast member Lyle Waggoner left the series in 1974 to pursue a dramatic acting career and the next year was cast in Wonder Woman.

Burnett went on to star in movies, write a Broadway play, and continues to make appearances. Conway and Korman traveled to do comedy routines together all over the country. Vicki Lawrence had a U.S. #1 hit record in 1973 ("The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia") and went on to star in several shows of her own (Mama's Family, the NBC daytime edition of Win, Lose or Draw, and her short-lived talk show, Vicki) and continues to perform around America writing and performing comedy sketches.


Continuations and revivals
The comedy sketches of the show were reedited into freestanding programs; the resulting show enjoyed success for many years in syndicated reruns (as Carol Burnett and Friends). In the early 2000s, certain full-length episodes of The Carol Burnett Show were released on VHS and DVD by Columbia House on a subscription basis (now discontinued). Guthy-Renker released another DVD collection, The Carol Burnett Show Collector's Edition, which is still being sold to this day.

Following repeats of The Carol Burnett Show on CBS from June to August 1978, 4 new shows were aired between August and September 1979 on ABC as Carol Burnett & Company, just prior to the beginning of the regular fall season and plans were announced for this to become an annual event but it did not. NBC aired a comedy half-hour repertory series called Carol & Company between March 1990 and July 1991 with regulars Peter Krause, Jeremy Piven, Terry Kiser, Meagan Fay, Anita Barone, and Richard Kind (and occasional guest stars such as Betty White and Burt Reynolds; each week's show was a different half-hour comedy play.

CBS brought back The Carol Burnett Show for another run in the fall of 1991; new regulars included Meagen Fay and Richard Kind (brought over from the NBC show), and Chris Barnes, Roger Kabler and Jessica Lundy. Only nine episodes of this revival were aired.

Over the years, the cast of The Carol Burnett Show were reunited on three CBS TV specials:

The Carol Burnett Show: A Reunion (January 10, 1993) featured several clips of the show's best moments from 1967-1978 with the gang reminiscing about their time together on the show.
The Carol Burnett Show: Show Stoppers (November 26, 2001) consisted mostly of bloopers and outtakes from the series. The program was a major ratings success; the media credited its timing, being broadcast not long after the September 11, 2001 attacks, with contributing to its success.
The Carol Burnett Show: Let's Bump Up the Lights! (May 12, 2004) featured one of Carol's favorite ongoing bits, turning up the house lights and then taking questions from members of the studio audience.

Guest stars

Season 1 (1967–1968)
Jim Nabors (appeared on the first episode of every season)
Sid Caesar
Liza Minnelli
Jonathan Winters
Eddie Albert
Lucille Ball
Tim Conway
Gloria Loring
Imogene Coca
Lainie Kazan
Phyllis Diller
Gwen Verdon
Bobbie Gentry
The Smothers Brothers
Diahann Carroll
Richard Kiley
Nanette Fabray
Sonny & Cher
Richard Chamberlain
Juliet Prowse
Martha Raye
Don Adams
Lesley Ann Warren
Barbara Eden
Leonard Nimoy
Mickey Rooney
John Davidson
Ella Fitzgerald
Lynn Redgrave
Mike Douglas
Lana Turner
Frank Gorshin
Trini Lopez
Ken Berry
George Chakiris
Shirley Jones
Dionne Warwick
Jack Palance
Betty Grable
Art Carney
Garry Moore
Durward Kirby
John Gary
Mel Tormé
Jack Jones
Soupy Sales
Peter Lawford
Minnie Pearl
Shani Wallis
Barbara McNair

Season 2 (1968–1969)
Jim Nabors
Martin Landau
Barbara Bain
Carol Channing
Nanette Fabray
Trini Lopez
George Gobel
Bobbie Gentry
Edie Adams
Tim Conway
Lucille Ball
Eddie Albert
Nancy Wilson
Mel Tormé
Don Rickles
Sid Caesar
Ella Fitzgerald
Garry Moore
Durward Kirby
Michele Lee
Flip Wilson
Imogene Coca
Vic Damone
Eileen Farrell
Marilyn Horne
Mickey Rooney
Emmaline Henry
Roland Winters
Perry Como
Martha Raye
Chita Rivera
Ken Berry
Shirley Jones
Soupy Sales
Barbara McNair
Ethel Merman
Ross Martin
John Davidson
Mike Douglas
Barrie Chase
Larry Hovis
Ronnie Schell
Vikki Carr
Robert Goulet
Jimmie Rodgers

Season 3 (1969–1970)
Jim Nabors
Nancy Wilson
Bernadette Peters
Steve Lawrence
Edward Villella
Bobbie Gentry
Ken Berry
Tim Conway
Kay Medford
Gwen Verdon
Pat Boone
Bing Crosby
Ella Fitzgerald
Rowan and Martin
Andy Griffith
Merv Griffin
Lucille Ball
George Carlin
Martha Raye
Garry Moore
Durward Kirby
Donald O'Connor
Kaye Stevens
Audrey Meadows
Nanette Fabray
Flip Wilson
Vikki Carr
Soupy Sales
Mel Tormé
Ronald Reagan
Barbara Feldon
Joan Rivers
Pat Carroll
Jack Jones
Jane Connell
Trini Lopez
Ronnie Schell
Peggy Lee
Michele Lee

Season 4 (1970–1971)
Jim Nabors
Cass Elliot
Pat Paulsen
Nanette Fabray
Steve Lawrence
Eydie Gormé
Joan Rivers
Ken Berry
Lucille Ball
Mel Tormé
Donald O'Connor
Bernadette Peters
Ricardo Montalban
Juliet Prowse
Martha Raye
Ross Martin
Dyan Cannon
Paul Lynde
Debbie Reynolds
Don Rickles
Durward Kirby
Pat Carroll
Robert Goulet
Rich Little
Art Carney
Jerry Lewis
Leslie Uggams
Michele Lee
Edward Villella
Violette Verdy
Rita Hayworth
Totie Fields
Chita Rivera
Bob Newhart
Tim Conway
Mike Douglas
David Frost
Eileen Farrell
Marilyn Horne

Season 5 (1971–1972)
Jim Nabors
Tim Conway
The Carpenters
Steve Lawrence
Carol Channing
Ken Berry
Cass Elliot
Peggy Lee
Dom DeLuise
Diahann Carroll
Bing Crosby
Paul Lynde
Bernadette Peters
Nanette Fabray
Mel Tormé
Eydie Gormé
Shecky Greene
Andy Griffith
Barbara McNair
Dionne Warwick
Dick Martin
Ray Charles
Vincent Price
Kaye Ballard
Burt Reynolds
Jack Klugman
Tony Randall
Karen Black

Season 6 (1972–1973)
Jim Nabors
Carol Channing
Marty Feldman
Andy Griffith
Helen Reddy
Steve Lawrence
Paul Sand
Eydie Gormé
Jack Gilford
Joel Grey
Cass Elliot
Tim Conway
Pearl Bailey
Peggy Lee
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara
Lily Tomlin
Ruth Buzzi
John Davidson
Ray Charles
Vincent Price
Carl Reiner
Melba Moore
Anthony Newley
Bernadette Peters
Jack Cassidy
Kaye Ballard
Petula Clark
John Byner
Valerie Harper
Ken Berry
David Hartman
Paula Kelly
William Conrad

Season 7 (1973–1974)
Jim Nabors
Tim Conway
Charo
Petula Clark
Gloria Swanson
Helen Reddy
John Byner
Eydie Gormé
Paul Sand
Jack Weston
Ruth Buzzi
Richard Crenna
Anthony Newley
Dick Martin
Carl Reiner
Vincent Price
Joel Grey
Bernadette Peters
Roddy McDowall
The Jackson 5

Season 8 (1974–1975)
Jim Nabors
Steve Lawrence
James Coco
Jack Weston
Michele Lee
Telly Savalas
The Smothers Brothers
Eydie Gormé
Rich Little
Alan King
Lena Zavaroni
John Byner
Kenneth Mars
Helen Reddy
Maggie Smith
Tim Conway
Carl Reiner
Ken Berry
Alan Alda
Vincent Price
Joan Rivers
William Conrad
The Jackson 5
The Pointer Sisters
Rock Hudson
Nancy Walker
Wayne Rogers
Buddy Ebsen
Roddy McDowall
Bernadette Peters
Sally Struthers
Jean Stapleton
Phil Silvers

Season 9 (1975–1976)
Jim Nabors
Sammy Davis Jr.
Cher
Shirley MacLaine
Bernadette Peters
Maggie Smith
The Pointer Sisters
Roddy McDowall
Betty White
Eydie Gormé
Jessica Walter
Steve Lawrence
Rita Moreno
Emmett Kelly
The Jacksons
Joanne Woodward
Dick Van Dyke
Tony Randall
Jack Klugman

Season 10 (1976–1977)
Jim Nabors
Sammy Davis Jr.
Madeline Kahn
Steve Lawrence
Roddy McDowall
Dinah Shore
Ken Berry
The Pointer Sisters
Alan King
Betty White
Dick Van Dyke
Glen Campbell
Rock Hudson
Helen Reddy
Eydie Gormé
Ben Vereen
Hal Linden
Neil Sedaka

[edit] Season 11 (1977–1978)
Jim Nabors
Steve Lawrence
Nancy Dussault
Ken Berry
Ben Vereen
Bernadette Peters
Rock Hudson
Helen Reddy
Roddy McDowall
Eydie Gormé
Captain and Tennille
Natalie Cole
Betty White
Steve Martin
James Garner
George Carlin
James Stewart