‘The Carol Burnett Show’: THR’s 1967 Review

On Sept. 11, 1967, The Carol Burnett Show premiered during the 10 pm hour on CBS, kicking off a 278-episode run that claimed 25 Emmy wins over a decade-plus. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:

One might say that a new Carol Burnett has arrived on the TV scene, and we don’t mean just her new short haircut. In previous outings, particularly the old “Entertainers” series, Miss Burnett’s antics were confined to slap stick characterizations with her mugging propensity as the chief laugh-getter.

Here, she’s matured as a well-rounded comedienne who can pull the stops for subtle approaches to laughs, and though the mugging is still evident, it’s only used for propitious moments. Thus all the more laughable. She also uses her exceptionally good singing voice to good advantage and more warmth as a personality than noted heretofore, as in her informal questions-and-answers opening chatter session with the audience, a device some critics may find too informal for a primetime show, but one which established quick rapport between her and the average viewer.

The show as a whole, however, was not as good as she was. The material provided her in a Shirley Temple spoof was a sophomoric attempt at satire that got its laughs with pointed needling rather than subtle jabbing. Neither was what is to be a recurring sketch very laughable, in which she has a lookalike teen sister to belabor her husband, played by Harvey Korman. The sis, played by Vicki Lawrence, contributes nothing to the laughs, she is forced to play her role either sullenly or brattishly.

On the plus side was an excellent duo by Miss Burnett and Jim Nabors, doing a comic take-off on songs from B’way musicals they’d liked to have starred, and another sketch by the pair in which they played accident-prone guests at a ski lodge, she with her arm in a cast and he with his leg in a cast. Miss Burnett was also in fine form in a discotheque finale (beautifully staged with psychedelic effects) wherein she reprised her charwoman character, effecting a strong torch-tempoed vocal “Georgy Girl.”

Nabors also scored in his song spot with operatic treatment of “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.” Thus, the show had some high moments, but also some flat moments. There could be a good running gag concerning her moon struck attitude toward her handsome announcer, played by Lyle Waggoner. The show had enough solid substance to merit optimism for its future, but the material has to be sharpened to put Miss Burnett’s talents in high gear and, particularly, to allow regular Harvey Korman full display of his comedy talents. He wasn’t much more than a straightman here.

Show was directed by Clark Jones for producer Joe Hamilton. Comedy sketches were staged by Danny Simon, as provided by a writing staff that included Stan Burns, Mike Marmer, Don Hinkley, Saul Turtletaub, Kenny Solms, Gail Parent, Bill Angelos and Buz Ko- han. Riding herd as writing supervisor is Arnie Rosen. — Hank Grant, originally published on Sept. 13, 1967.