First published 2016
Carol Burnett opens the curtain on her Emmy-winning variety series that dominated television for eleven seasons. The comedy star recounts how CBS executives nearly killed the show before it aired and how she assembled her perfect cast, discovering Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. Burnett shares stories about legendary guest stars including Lucille Ball, Jim Nabors, Bernadette Peters, Betty White, and Rita Hayworth. She celebrates the behind-the-scenes team, from costume designer Bob Mackie to the cameraman who became part of the show's opening segments. The book captures her favorite sketches and the spontaneous moments that surprised both cast and audience. Burnett traces the program's journey from initial concept to becoming one of television's most celebrated variety shows, earning 25 Emmy Awards. This memoir serves as her tribute to a golden television era.
Genres: 20th-century, american, biography-memoir, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, nostalgic
Tropes: celebrity, memoir, show-business
Period: 1960s, 1970s
301 pages · Hardcover · Crown Archetype