Modified On August 26, 2009
The series ran from 1965 to 1974. It’s available on DVD (the infomercials run constantly on DirecTV). We had the pleasure of watching a couple of those DVD’s while visiting with family out west last week.
Martin is a charming host, immensely likable. And he welcomed a lot of comedians onto the show.
In just two episodes, we saw sets by Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett and Flip Wilson.
Allen’s set was filled with funny stuff, delivered in his quirky style. There was even a drug reference or two. The set went over well (we’re pretty sure there was a live audience) and it didn’t appear to be sweetened.
Cosby’s set opened with the Gold Diggers dance troupe dancing and dressed as “spies.” Cosby entered wearing a trench coat. All to the tune of the theme song from the series he starred in (also on NBC), “I Spy.”
He did a bit from his 1967 album “Revenge” all about getting back at Junior Barnes for hitting him in the head with a slush ball. Cosby is undeniably charming in the performance, but it was pretty rough sledding for most of it. And it didn’t go over very well. And, we daresay it doesn’t hold up well. There were few jokes in the bit… very little actual humor in it.
Rickles did what Rickles always does. He was installed into the middle of a skit (a western parody) between the show’s host and Roy Rogers. The freewheeling atmosphere of the show (it is said that Martin showed up only for taping, never for rehearsal) is perfectly fertile ground for Rickles.
Hackett came out and sat down and did material. He was a hoot. (Among other things, he told the old “Hark! I hear the cannon’s roar!” joke.)
Flip Wilson’s set was surprisingly strong. It was a lengthy story, similar to Cosby’s set in that regard, but it was funnier and delivered with more energy. Wilson might have been even more charming than Cosby. It was obvious he was on a roll. (He was awarded his own NBC show in 1970.)
We’re not sure what year the episodes we watched were from. The best guess would be somewhere around 1968 or so. But it’s clear that Martin and producer Greg Garrison were interested in having a lot of comedians on the show– both those who were signed to NBC deals and those who were not. The variety show format was a good one for comedians– regular appearances in prime time were tremendous exposure and often led to deals or high salaries in nightclubs and in Vegas.