"From Beautiful Downtown Burbank": A Critical History of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, 1968-1973

by Hal Erickson

Overview

Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In was one of the most unusual programs on television, defying definition as simply comedy, variety, or burlesque. The show had audiences laughing for six seasons and continues to make appearances in revivals, reunions, and salutes. This critical history of Laugh-In includes background details on the creation and creators, as well as information on lookalike shows. An appendix contains a complete program history with principal production credits and episode guides.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476600789
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	06/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	341
Sales rank:	337,044
File size:	807 KB

About the Author

Hal Erickson has written several media-related books for McFarland, and was for many years a primary editor of the All-Movie Guide website. He lives and works in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments 1
Introduction 3

PART I.
Events Leading Up to the Comedy
An Archeological Expedition 23
Assorted Nuts (Dan and Dick; Crazy F. George; The Wolfe at the Door; Many Fathers, No Orphans) 41

PART II.
From “Practically Anywhere” to “Beautiful Downtown Burbank”
The Laugh-In Special (1967) 89
The Show Goes On; Or, So Much for the Monday-Night Blues 99

PART III.
A National Habit
Getting It Together 123
Cuckoo Laugh-In World: Season One (January–April 1968) 138
Keeping It Up: Season Two (1968-69) 155
Merchandising, Look-alikes, Spin-offs and Cash-Ins (1968 Onward) 176

PART IV.
The Crest of the Wave
Some Goodbyes and a Big Hello: Season Three (1969-70) 201
Good News, Bad News: Season Four (1970-71) 222
Bye-Bye, George: Fifth Season (1971-72) 235

PART V.
Final Bows
Laughed Out: Sixth Season (1972-73) 251
Reunions and Revivals (1973-98) 262

Appendix: Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (Program History) 291
Principal Cast and Production Credits 291
Episode Guide 292
Selected Bibliography 313
Index 319

Editorial Reviews

provides a chronological history of the quirky television series”—Classic Images; “well-written, highly detailed text”—Copley News Service; “interesting...crammed full of facts and figures”—Accessibly Live Off-Line.

From the Publisher

well-written, highly detailed text

Copley News Service

provides a chronological history of the quirky television series

Classic Images

"interesting...crammed full of facts and figures"

Accessibly Live Off-Line