Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

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Here Comes The Judge redirects here, for the 1968 song see Shorty Long.

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Dan Rowan and Dick Martin as caricatured for NBC by Sam Berman
Format	Sketch comedy
Created by	Ed Friendly George Schlatter
Directed by	Gordon Wiles Mark Warren
Starring	Dan Rowan Dick Martin Gary Owens Goldie Hawn Ruth Buzzi Henry Gibson Arte Johnson Alan Sues Jo Anne Worley Lily Tomlin Judy Carne
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	140 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time	60 minutes (per episode)
Broadcast
Original channel	NBC
Original run	January 22, 1968 – March 12, 1973
External links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In was an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968 to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC. It originally aired as a one-time special on September 9, 1967 and was such a success that it was brought back as a series, replacing The Man from U.N.C.L.E. on Mondays at 8pm on NBC.

The title, Laugh-In, came out of events of the 1960s hippie culture, such as "love-ins" or "be-ins." These were terms that were, in turn, derived from "sit-ins," common in protests associated with civil rights and anti-war demonstrations of the time.

The show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of gags and sketches, many of which conveyed sexual innuendo or were politically charged. Rowan and Martin continued the exasperated straight man (Dan Rowan) and "dumb" guy (Dick Martin) act which they had established as nightclub comics.

Laugh-In had its roots in the humor of vaudeville and burlesque, but its most direct influences were from the comedy of Olsen and Johnson (specifically, their free-form Broadway revue Hellzapoppin'), the innovative television works of Ernie Kovacs, and the topical satire of That Was The Week That Was.

Contents 1 A typical episode's format 2 Memorable cast members/guests and their running gags 3 Memorable moments and catchphrases 4 Merchandise tie-ins and spin-offs 5 Cast comings and goings 6 Ratings 7 Revival 8 Regular performers (with season numbers, where known) 9 Regular guests 10 Other celebrities who guest-starred 11 Series writers 12 Musical direction and production numbers 13 Episodes 14 Production technique 15 Shows similar to Laugh-In 16 Awards and nominations 16.1 TV Land Awards 16.2 Logie Award 16.3 Golden Globe Award 16.4 Emmy Awards 17 See also 18 External links

[edit] A typical episode's format

• Shortly after the beginning of the show, after a minute or two of Rowan/Martin standup, Rowan would intone: "C'mon Dick, let's go to the party". This live-to-tape segment comprised all cast members and occasional surprise celebrities dancing before a 1960s "Mod" party backdrop, delivering one- and two-line jokes interspersed with a few bars of dance music (later adopted on The Muppet Show, as the "At the Dance" segment and the sitcom That's So Raven has an end-credits scene that is similar to "The Cocktail Party" with absurd moments from characters).
• "The Mod, Mod World" segment, with its own signature tune, comprised brief sketches on a theme interspersed with film footage of female cast members go-go dancing in bikinis, their bodies painted with punchy phrases and pithy wordplay. The dancers were usually Goldie Hawn, Judy Carne and Chelsea Brown; Ruth Buzzi and Jo Anne Worley popped up rarely, as did frequent guest Pamela Austin. In the 1969/1970 season, the chore was handled briefly by new cast members Teresa Graves and Pamela Rodgers before the go-go dancing became the domain of uncredited extras.)
• The Farkel Family, a couple with many kids —all of whom had flaming red hair and freckles like neighbor Ferd Berfel (played by Dick Martin). Head of the family Frank Farkel never questioned this fact when Ferd visited. Most plots were excuses to force the cast into tongue-twisters. Flicker Farkel, the youngest (played by Buzzi), had no lines except screaming "Hiiii!!!" Two of the kids were twins named Simon and Gar Farkel (played by cast members of different races, Pamela Rodgers and Teresa Graves).
• "Laugh-In Looks at the News," a parody of network news (introduced by an unnews-like song and dance in varying motifs) commenting on current events. The segment often included "News of the Past" which lampooned historical events, and "News of the Future", predicting unlikely or bizarre future stories to comic effect. Rowan nailed some, mentioning "President Ronald Reagan" in a story from "1988, 20 years from now", eliciting laughter. Another prediction, that the Berlin Wall would be destroyed in 1989, also came true, although the follow-up gag that it would be "quickly replaced by a moat full of alligators" obviously did not. The news segment was reminiscent of BBC's earlier That Was The Week That Was and in turn, was echoed a few years later by Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" segments. Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels was a Laugh-In writer early in his career.
• The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate award, saluting actual dubious achievements by the government or famous people.
• Judy Carne was often tricked into saying "Sock it to me", which led to her being doused with water or otherwise assaulted. "Sock it to me" became a catch phrase. During the September 16, 1968 episode, Richard Nixon, running for president, appeared for a few seconds with a disbelieving vocal inflection, asking "Sock it to me?" Nixon was not doused or assaulted. An invitation was extended to Nixon's opponent, Vice-President Hubert Humphrey, but he declined. According to George Schlatter, the show's creator, "Humphrey later said that not doing it may have cost him the election."
• At the end of every show, Dan Rowan turned to his co-host and said, "Say good-night, Dick", to which Martin replied, "Good-night, Dick" (varying a bit from the old George Burns and Gracie Allen radio show). The show then featured cast members opening panels in a psychedelically painted 'joke wall' and telling jokes. As the show drew to a close and the applause died, executive producer George Schlatter's clapping continued even as the screen turned blank and the production logo, network chimes and NBC logo appeared.

[edit] Memorable cast members/guests and their running gags

• Arte Johnson portrayed a number of recurring characters, including:
  • Wolfgang the German soldier - Wolfgang would comment on the previous gag by saying "Verrry interesting", sometimes with comments such as "...but shtupid!" He eventually would close each show by talking to Lucille Ball and the cast of Gunsmoke — both airing opposite Laugh-In on CBS; as well as whatever was on ABC.
  • Tyrone F. Horneigh (pronounced "hor-NIGH," presumably to satisfy the censors) - A dirty old man coming on to Gladys Ormphby (Ruth Buzzi) seated on a park bench, who inevitably clobbered him with her purse. Sample exchange:

    Tyrone: Do you believe in the hereafter?

    Gladys: Of course I do!

    Tyrone: Good. Then you know what I'm here after!

  • (Both the Tyrone and Gladys characters went into animated form in the "Nitwits" segments of the 1977 animated television show "Baggy Pants and the Nitwits")
  • Piotr Rosmenko, the Eastern European Man - Piotr stood stiffly and nervously in an ill-fitting suit while commenting on differences between America and "the old country," such as "Here in America, is very good, everyone watch television. In old country, television watches you!" This predated a similar schtick by Yakov Smirnoff. Occasionally guest star Sammy Davis, Jr. teamed with Johnson as "The Rosmenko Twins".
  • Rabbi Shankar (a pun on Ravi Shankar), an Indian guru - Dressed in a Nehru jacket dispensing pseudo-mystical Eastern wisdom laden with bad puns. He held up two fingers in a peace sign whenever he spoke.
  • An unnamed man in a yellow raincoat and hat, riding a tricycle. The image of him pedaling, then tipping over and falling, was frequently used between sketches. (Judy Carne was once reported to have said that every member of the cast took turns riding the tricycle at one time or another.)
• Announcer Gary Owens standing in an old-time radio studio with his hand cupped over his ear, making announcements, often with little relation to the rest of the show, such as (in an overly-dramatic voice), "Earlier that evening..."
• Ruth Buzzi in many roles, including:
  • Gladys Ormphby - A drab, though relatively young spinster who was the eternal target of Arte Johnson's Tyrone; when Johnson left the series, Gladys retreated into recurring daydreams, often involving marriages to historical figures, including Christopher Columbus and Benjamin Franklin (both played by Alan Sues).
  • Doris Swizzle - A seedy barfly used frequently in the first season, paired with her husband, Leonard Swizzle, played by Dick Martin.
  • Busy Buzzi - A Hedda Hopper/Louella Parsons-style gossip columnist.
• Henry Gibson as:
  • The Poet - The Poet would hold an oversized flower and read offbeat poems. He pronounced his name "Henrik Ibsen".
  • The Parson - A character who made ecclesiastical quips and, in 1970, officiated at a near-marriage for Tyrone and Gladys.

• Lily Tomlin as:
  • Ernestine - The obnoxious telephone operator with no concern for her customers ("'Fair'? Sir, we don't have to be fair. We're the phone company.").
  • Edith Ann - A child who frequently said, "And that's the truth", followed by "Pbbbt!" . Tomlin performed her skits in an oversized rocking chair that made her appear small.
  • "Tasteful" society matron Mrs. Earbore. Tomlin later performed Ernestine for Saturday Night Live, and Edith Ann on children's shows such as Sesame Street.
• Judy Carne as a talking "Judy Doll", usually played with Arte Johnson who never heeded her warning: "Touch my little body, and I hit!"
• Henny Youngman telling one-liner jokes for no reason. Often, corny one-liners would be followed by the line, "Oh, that Henny Youngman!"
• Alan Sues as Big Al - A clueless and fey sports anchor who loved ringing his bell, which he called his "tinkle", and as hungover children's show host "Uncle Al, The Kiddies' Pal"
• Goldie Hawn was the giggling dumb blonde stumbling over her lines, especially when she introduced Dan's "News of the Future".
• Jo Anne Worley sometimes sang off-the-wall songs using her loud operatic voice, but is better remembered for her mock outrage at "chicken jokes." Many times, during the Cocktail Parties, she talked about her boyfriend Boris (a married man).
• Barbara Sharma as the dancing meter-maid who ticketed anything from trees to baby carriages, and often praised vice president Spiro Agnew, calling him 'Pres-ee-dent Agnew.'
• Flip Wilson, whose character, the cross-dressing Geraldine, originated the phrase "What you see is what you get". Another catchphrase was "The devil made me do it". Wilson and his alter ego had their own variety show in the early 70s.
• Dan Rowan as General Bull Right - A far right-wing representative of the military establishment and outlet for political humor.
• Richard Dawson as Hawkins The Butler - Would always start his piece by saying "Permission to........" and proceed to fall over.

[edit] Memorable moments and catchphrases

The show gave publicity to singer Tiny Tim, an unusual man with long dark hair, a prominent nose and a cheap suit. He sang in falsetto while accompanying himself on ukulele. Tiny Tim was Herbert Khaury, a serious scholar of Tin Pan Alley tunes who hit upon this strangely humorous characterization. Thanks to appearances on the show, he recorded a piercing version of the 1920s song "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" which became a Top-40 hit. Tiny Tim was later married on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to Victoria Budinger, who was known as Miss Vicki. Martin would often refer to Tim's appearances by asking Rowan with some concern, "You're not gonna bring back Tiny Tim, are you?"

Other musical moments came in the first season with some of the first music videos seen on network TV, with cast members appearing in films set to the music of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Bee Gees, The Temptations, the Strawberry Alarm Clock and The First Edition.

Lily Tomlin and Goldie Hawn later became noted film stars (Hawn won an Academy Award while still a member of the cast; Tomlin was later nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1975 for Nashville). Henry Gibson later co-starred in the Robert Altman film Nashville. Ruth Buzzi became a regular on children's television series. Dave Madden, whose trademark was to throw confetti while keeping a dour expression at the punchline of a joke, played Reuben Kincaid on the television sitcom The Partridge Family. Richard Dawson, who previously had a regular supporting role on the sitcom Hogan's Heroes, went on to success on the game shows Match Game and Family Feud. Larry Hovis, also a regular on Hogan's Heroes, appeared on Laugh-In during the first and the fifth seasons. Teresa Graves parlayed her season on the show into the title role of the police drama Get Christie Love! Flip Wilson took Geraldine and his other characters to his own variety show from 1970 through 1974.

In addition to those mentioned, the show created numerous catchphrases:

• "Verrry Eeenteresting!" (said by Arte Johnson as a Nazi soldier spying from behind a potted plant)
• A six-note pattern preceding a code-word or punchline to an off-color joke, such as "do-doo-doo-da-do-doo ... smack!" or "... family jewels!" (sometimes extended to 18 notes by repeating the GGGDEC pattern two more times before the code-word). This same musical phrase had been used as a "signature" at the end of many pieces played by Spike Jones and his City Slickers.
• "I didn't know that." (Dick Martin's occasional response to what happened on an episode)
• "Easy for you to say!' (Dan Rowan's reply whenever Dick Martin tripped on his tongue during a joke)
• "Ohh, I'll drink to that." (Martin's response to something Rowan said that he liked.)
• "I was wondering if you'd mind if I said something my aunt once said to me." A phrase that Dick Martin would always say to interrupt Dan Rowan's announcements on what would happen during their next show; this phrase was followed by a story about a bizarre situation that his aunt went through.
• "Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls!"
• "Go to your room."
• "Uncle Al had a lot of medicine last night" (line by Uncle Al, the Kiddies' Pal, played by Alan Sues)
• "You bet your sweet bippy!"
• "Here come de' judge!" (reprising comedian Pigmeat Markham and further popularized by guest star Sammy Davis Jr. and Flip Wilson. )
• "'Ello, 'ello! NBC, beautiful downtown Burbank" (the response to calls received by a switchboard operator played by Judy Carne). When the series was syndicated in 1983, the NBC logo and the network's name were edited out.
• "One ringy-dingy...two ringy-dingies..." Ernestine's mimicking of the rings while she was waiting for someone to pick up the receiver on the other end of the telephone lines)
• "A gracious good afternoon. This is Miss Tomlin of the telephone company. Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?" Ernestine's greeting to people whom she would call
• "I just wanna swing!" Gladys Ormphby's catchphrase
• "Is that a chicken joke?" Jo Anne Worley's outraged cry, a takeoff on Polish jokes
• "Here comes the big finish, folks!" (usually before the last of a series of a star's bad puns)
• "Sock it to me!" experienced its greatest exposure on Laugh-In although the phrase had been featured in songs like Aretha Franklin's 1967 "Respect" and Mitch Ryder's 1966 "Sock It To Me, Baby!"
• "Oh, that Henny Youngman"
• "Marshall McLuhan...what're you doin'?" (Henry Gibson)
• "I don't know. I've never been out with one!" (first introduced by guest star Marcel Marceau)
• "Blow in my ear and I'll follow you anywhere."
• "Now that's a no-no!"

[edit] Merchandise tie-ins and spin-offs

A humor magazine tie-in, Laugh-In Magazine, was published for two years, and a syndicated newspaper comic strip was collected for a paperback reprint. The show had its own Topps trading-card set, including "Joke Wall" cards which had perforations to allow a 'door' to open, displaying a punchline on the reverse.

There was also a short-lived spin-off daytime program hosted by Gary Owens called Letters to Laugh-In, in which cast members read jokes sent in by the public.

The comedy film The Maltese Bippy featured several actors from the series.

The Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors Corporation produced a GTO special modification called "The Judge" to capitalize on the phrase's popularity. "The Judge" was available in 1969, 1970 and 1971.

[edit] Cast comings and goings

The show was #1 in the ratings for the 1968–69 and 1969–70 seasons. At the end of '68–69, Judy Carne chose not to renew her contract, though she did make appearances during '69–70; producer George Schlatter blamed her for breaking up the "family." The show also survived the departures of Goldie Hawn and Jo Anne Worley to remain a top-20 show in '70–71. Schlatter tried to replace Hawn with other wide-eyed starlets acting dumb: first Pamela Rodgers, then Sarah Kennedy, and finally Donna Jean Young, but Hawn's dizzy characterization proved inimitable.

New faces in the 1970–71 season (joining Lily Tomlin, who first appeared late in the previous season) included tall, sad-eyed Dennis Allen, who alternately played quietly zany characters and straight man for anybody's jokes; comic actress Ann Elder, who also contributed to scripts, tap dancer Barbara Sharma, who would later appear on Rhoda, and beefy Johnny Brown, who played the superintendent Nathan "Buffalo Butt" Bookman on Good Times.

Arte Johnson, who created many characters, insisted on star billing, apart from the rest of the cast. The producer mollified him, but had announcer Gary Owens read Johnson's credit as a separate sentence: "Starring Dan Rowan and Dick Martin! And Arte Johnson! With Ruth Buzzi..." This maneuver gave Johnson star billing, but made it sound like he was still part of the ensemble cast. Johnson left the show after the 1970-71 season. NBC aired the pilot for his situation comedy Call Holme, but it never became a series.

Henry Gibson also departed after the 1970–71 season. He and Johnson were replaced by Richard Dawson and Larry Hovis, both of whom had appeared occasionally in the first season. However, the loss of Johnson's many characters caused ratings to drop farther.

The show celebrated its 100th episode during the '71–72 season, and Carne, Worley, Johnson, Gibson, Graves, and Tiny Tim all returned for the festivities. John Wayne was also on hand for his first cameo appearance since 1968.

For the show's final season (1972-73), Rowan and Martin assumed the executive producer roles from George Schlatter (known on-air as "CFG", which stood for "Crazy Fucking George") and Ed Friendly.

Except for holdovers Dawson, Owens, Buzzi, and only occasional appearances from Tomlin, a new cast was brought in. But viewers didn't respond and the show was canceled.

This final season, which included future Match Game panelist Patti Deutsch, folksy singer-comedian Jud Strunk, and ventriloquist Willie Tyler of Willie Tyler and Lester, never aired in the edited half-hour rerun syndicated to local stations in 1983 and later aired on Nick at Nite. The cable network Trio started airing the show in its original one-hour form in the early 2000s, but only the pilot and the first 69 episodes (extending to the fourth episode of the 1970–71 season) were included in Trio's package. Two Best-of DVD packages are also available; they only contain six episodes each.

Of over three dozen entertainers to grace the cast, only Rowan, Martin, Owens and Buzzi were there from beginning to end. Owens wasn't in the 1967 pilot and Buzzi missed two first-season episodes.

[edit] Ratings

• 1968-1969:#1 [1]
• 1969-1970:#1 [2]
• 1970-1971:#13[3]
• 1971-1972:#22 [4]

[edit] Revival

In 1977, Schlatter and NBC briefly revived the property as a series of specials - entitled simply Laugh-In - with a new cast, including former child evangelist Marjoe Gortner. The standout was a then-unknown Robin Williams; whose starring role on ABC's Mork & Mindy one year later prompted NBC to rerun the specials as a summer series in 1979.

[edit] Regular performers (with season numbers, where known)

• All seasons: Dan Rowan, host
• All seasons: Dick Martin, host
• All seasons: Gary Owens, announcer
• All seasons: Ruth Buzzi
• Season 1: Eileen Brennan (1968)
• Season 1, 2, 3: Judy Carne (1968-1970)
• Season 1, 2, 3, 4: Henry Gibson (1968-1971)
• Season 1, 2, 3: Goldie Hawn (1968-1970)
• Season 1, 5: Larry Hovis (1968, 1971-1972)
• Season 1, 2, 3, 4: Arte Johnson (1968-1971)
• Season 1: Roddy Maude-Roxby (1968)
• Season 1, 2, 3: Jo Anne Worley (1968-1970)
• Season 2, 3, 4, 5: Alan Sues (1968-1972)
• Season 2: "The Fun Couple" Charlie Brill and Mitzi McCall (1968-1969)
• Season 2: Chelsea Brown (1968-1969)
• Season 2: Dave Madden (1968-1969)
• Season 2: Pigmeat Markham (1968-1969)
• Season 2: Dick "Sweet Brother" Whittington (actor/disc jockey) (1968-1969)
• Season 2, 3: Byron Gilliam (1969-1970; uncredited in season 2, returned as dancer only in 5)
• Season 3: Teresa Graves (1969-1970)
• Season 3: Jeremy Lloyd (1969-1970)
• Season 3: Pamela Rodgers (1969-1970)
• Season 3: Stu Gilliam (1970)
• Season 3, 4, 5, 6: Lily Tomlin (1969-1973)
• Season 3, 4, 5 Johnny Brown (1970-1972)
• Season 4, 5: Dennis Allen (1970-1973)
• Season 4, 5: Ann Elder (1970-1972)
• Season 4: Nancie Phillips (1970-1971)
• Season 4, 5: Barbara Sharma (1970-1972)
• Season 4: Harvey Jason (1970-1971)
• Season 4, 5, 6: Richard Dawson (1971-1973; also one appearance in Season 1)
• Season 6: Moosie Drier (1971-1973)
• Season 6: Tod Bass (1972-1973)
• Season 6: Brian Bressler (1972-1973)
• Season 6: Patti Deutsch (1972-1973)
• Season 6: Lisa Farringer (1972-1973)
• Season 6: Sarah Kennedy (1972-1973)
• Season 6: Jud Strunk (1972-1973)
• Season 6: Willie Tyler (1972-1973)
• Season 6: Donna Jean Young (1972-1973)

[edit] Regular guests

• Jack Benny (1968-1970, 1972)
• Johnny Carson (1968-1970, 1971, 1973)
• Sammy Davis Jr. (1968-1970, 1971, 1973)
• Zsa Zsa Gabor (1968-1970)
• Peter Lawford (1968-1971)
• Tiny Tim (1968-1970, 1971-1972)
• John Wayne (1968, 1971-1973)
• Flip Wilson (1968-1970)
• Henny Youngman (1968-1969, 1971-1973)

[edit] Other celebrities who guest-starred

Sivi Aberg Don Adams Steve Allen Herb Alpert Eve Arden Desi Arnaz Lucie Arnaz Pamela Austin Jim Backus Barbara Bain Billy Barty Meredith Baxter Elgin Baylor The Bee Gees Harry Belafonte Edgar Bergen Shelley Berman Milton Berle David Birney Joey Bishop Bill Bixby Vida Blue Sonny Bono Victor Borge Ernest Borgnine James Brolin Mel Brooks William F. Buckley Carol Burnett John Byner James Caan Sebastian Cabot Sid Caesar Michael Caine Charlie Callas Godfrey Cambridge Dyan Cannon Truman Capote Art Carney Jack Carter Johnny Cash Jack Cassidy Dick Cavett Wilt Chamberlain Carol Channing Charo Cher Petula Clark Rosemary Clooney James Coco Perry Como Chuck Connors Mike Connors William Conrad Bill Cosby Tim Conway Howard Cosell Joseph Cotten Wally Cox Bob Crane Richard Crenna

Bing Crosby Robert Culp Tony Curtis Arlene Dahl Bill Dana Bobby Darin Jimmy Dean Dom DeLuise Angie Dickinson Phyllis Diller Kirk Douglas Hugh Downs Sandy Duncan Ralph Edwards Cass Elliot Nanette Fabray Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Peter Falk James Farentino Barbara Feldon Sally Field Totie Fields Fannie Flagg Tennessee Ernie Ford David Frost Roman Gabriel James Garner Greer Garson Mitzi Gaynor George Gobel Arthur Godfrey Frank Gorshin Robert Goulet Billy Graham Andy Granatelli Lee Grant Lorne Greene Dick Gregory Andy Griffith Buddy Hackett Gene Hackman Monty Hall Phil Harris Laurence Harvey Isaac Hayes Rita Hayworth Hugh Hefner Don Ho Bob Hope Lena Horne Rock Hudson Engelbert Humperdinck Anne Jackson David Janssen George Jessel Van Johnson Anissa Jones Davy Jones Alex Karras Danny Kaye Tom Kennedy

Werner Klemperer George Kirby Jack Klugman Jack LaLanne Fernando Lamas Martin Landau Abbe Lane Muriel Landers Sue Ane Langdon Murray Langston Steve Lawrence Michele Lee Legendary Stardust Cowboy Janet Leigh Jack Lemmon Jack E. Leonard Sheldon Leonard Jerry Lewis Liberace Rich Little Gina Lollobrigida Guy Lombardo Julie London Paul Lynde Marcel Marceau Peter Marshall Dean Martin Ross Martin Marcello Mastroianni Mike Mazurki Doug McClure Kent McCord Ed McMahon Ann Miller Martin Milner Liza Minnelli The Monkees The Monkees (sans Peter Tork) Ricardo Montalban Roger Moore Agnes Moorehead Pat Morita Zero Mostel Joe Namath Bob Newhart Inga Nielsen Leonard Nimoy The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Pat Nixon Richard Nixon France Nuyen Hugh O'Brian Carroll O'Connor Jo Ann Pflug Regis Philbin Edward Platt Otto Preminger Vincent Price Della Reese Charles Nelson Reilly

Carl Reiner Debbie Reynolds Don Rickles Jack Riley Oral Roberts Cliff Robertson Edward G. Robinson Sugar Ray Robinson Kenny Rogers and the First Edition Mickey Rooney Diana Ross Bill Russell Nipsey Russell Mort Sahl Doug Sanders Harland Sanders Romy Schneider Vin Scully Peter Sellers Rod Serling Doc Severinsen Willie Shoemaker Dinah Shore Phil Silvers Frank Sinatra Nancy Sinatra Walter Slezak Kate Smith The Smothers Brothers Jack Soo Jill St. John Jean Stapleton Ringo Starr David Steinberg Connie Stevens Larry Storch Strawberry Alarm Clock Sally Struthers Jacqueline Susann Rip Taylor The Temptations Terry-Thomas Three Dog Night Forrest Tucker Sonny Tufts Karen Valentine Gore Vidal Robert Wagner Patrick Wayne Eli Wallach Raquel Welch Orson Welles Slappy White Andy Williams Demond Wilson Paul Winchell Jonathan Winters Shelley Winters Lana Wood Sam Yorty

[edit] Series writers

George Schlatter, Lorne Michaels, Phil Hahn, Jim Mulligan, Jack Hanrahan, Gene Farmer, Jim Abell, Bill Richmond, Don Reo, Allan Katz, Jack Wohl, Larry Siegel, John Rappaport, Allan Manings, Jack Margolis, Bob Howard, John Jay Carsey, Richard Goren (also credited as Rowby Greeber and Rowby Goren), Chris Bearde (credited as Chris Beard), Chet Dowling, David Panich, Marc London, Paul Keyes, Dave Cox, Jack Kaplan, Stephen Spears, Hugh Wedlock Jr., Coslough Johnson (Arte Johnson's twin brother), Hart Pomerantz, Barry Took, Digby Wolfe, Jeremy Lloyd.

[edit] Musical direction and production numbers

The musical director for Laugh-In was composer-lyricist Billy Barnes, who wrote all of the original musical production numbers in the show. Barnes is the creator of the famous Billy Barnes Revues of the 1950s and 1960s, and composed such popular hits as "(Have I Stayed) Too Long at the Fair" recorded by Barbra Streisand and the jazz standard "Something Cool" recorded by June Christy.

[edit] Episodes

Main article: List of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In episodes

[edit] Production technique

The show was pre-recorded at NBC's Burbank Facility. Since timecode-controlled videotape editing had not been invented at the time, montage was achieved by the error-prone method of physical splicing of the two-inch quadraplex tape. This had the incidental benefit of ensuring that the master tape would be preserved, since a spliced tape could not be recycled for further use.

[edit] Shows similar to Laugh-In

• NBC's Laugh-In inspired CBS's Hee Haw, which debuted in 1969.
• You Can't Do That On Television was heavily influenced by Laugh-In for having the use of slime poured on people's heads when they say "I don't know" (like "sock it to me" on Laugh-In), as well as using school lockers as a device similar to Laugh-In's joke wall. Ruth Buzzi was also a regular on its short-lived prime-time spinoff, Whatever Turns You On (which in itself is one of the many recurring comedy taglines of Laugh-In fame).

[edit] Awards and nominations

[edit] TV Land Awards

• Nominated: Favorite Variety Show (2003)

[edit] Logie Award

• Won: Best Overseas Show (1969)

[edit] Golden Globe Award

• Won: Best Supporting Actress - Television, Ruth Buzzi (1973)
• Nominated: Best Supporting Actress - Television, Lily Tomlin (1972)
• Nominated: Best Supporting Actor - Television, Henry Gibson (1971)
• Nominated: Best TV Show - Musical/Comedy (1970)
• Won: Best TV Show (1969)
• Nominated: Best TV Show (1968)

[edit] Emmy Awards

• Nominated: Outstanding Achievement by a Performer in Music or Variety, Ruth Buzzi (1972)
• Nominated: Outstanding Achievement by a Performer in Music or Variety, Lily Tomlin (1972)
• Won: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety or Music, Mark Warren (For episode #4.7, 1971)
• Nominated: Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement - Individuals, Goldie Hawn (1970)
• Won: Special Classification Achievements - Individuals (Variety Performances), Arte Johnson (1969)
• Nominated: Special Classification Achievements - Individuals (Variety Performances), Ruth Buzzi (1969)
• Nominated: Special Classification Achievements - Individuals (Variety Performances), Goldie Hawn (1969)
• Won: Outstanding Musical or Variety Program, George Shlatter (For the September 9, 1967 special, 1968)
• Won: Outstanding Musical or Variety Series, George Shlatter (1968)
• Won: Outstanding Writing Achievement in Music or Variety, Chris Bearde, Phil Hahn, Jack Hanrahan, Coslough Johnson, Paul Keyes, Marc London, Allan Manings, David Panich, Hugh Wedlock, Jr., Digby Wolfe (1968)

[edit] See also

• Turn-On

[edit] External links

• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.com
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In at the Internet Movie Database
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In at TV.com
• References the effect of Nixon's appearance on Laugh-In on the US presidential election of 1968
• FBI review of an episode devoted to the agency, quoted by Harper's Magazine in 2006

v • d • e Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series The Alan Young Show (1951) · Your Show of Shows / The Red Skelton Show (1952) · Your Show of Shows (1953) · Omnibus (1954) · Disneyland (1955) · Toast of the Town (1956) · The Jack Paar Tonight Show (1957) · The Jack Paar Tonight Show (1958) · An Evening with Fred Astaire (1959) · The Garry Moore Show (1960) · Astaire Time (1961) · The Garry Moore Show (1962) · The Andy Williams Show (1963) · The Danny Kaye Show (1964 · The Andy Williams Show (1966) · The Andy Williams Show (1967) · Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) · Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1969) · The David Frost Show (1970) · The Carol Burnett Show (1972) · The Julie Andrews Hour (1973) · The Carol Burnett Show (1974) · The Carol Burnett Show (1975) Complete list: (1951–1975) · (1976–2000) · (2001–present)