Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular (1988) TV Special

Live coverage of the Fourth of July parade from Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The broadcast features a parade with Disney characters, floats, dancers, military bands, a Disney electric light parade, formation flying by the Navy's Blue Angels, previews of new Disney World attractions, and a fireworks and laser light finale.

Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular (1988) TV Special
Cast: Tempestt Bledsoe, Rita Moreno, Tommy Tune, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, Lee Greenwood, Sandi Patty, Carol Burnett, Bert Convy, Clifton Davis, Deidre Hall, Burt Reynolds, Jack Wagner

Tenth Month, The (1979) TV Movie

Robert Altman protégé Joan Tewkesbury called the directorial shots on the made-for-TV "The Tenth Month". After a whirlwind affair with famed concert pianist Keith Michell, middle-aged, unmarried Carol Burnett becomes pregnant. Rather than seek out the father, she decides to raise the baby by herself. Though she'd previously played comparatively "straight" roles in such films as "The Front Page" (1974), "The Tenth Month" represented Carol Burnett's TV dramatic debut, as well as her first post-Carol Burnett Show project (the producer was her husband Joe Hamilton). Adapted by Ms. Tewkesbury from a novel by Laura Z. Hobson, "The Tenth Month" premiered on September 16, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Tenth Month (1979) TV Movie
Cast: Carol Burnett, Cristina Raines, Dina Merrill, Keith Michell, Martine Beswick, Melissa Converse, Richard Venture

Secrets Women Never Share (1987) (TV)

Merv was the man, for decades he practically owned Hollywood. Only Johnny and Bob could match his heavyweight status. As far as the personality and sparkle it takes to pull people in and make them feel warm and special, this was certainly Merv's territory. Watch him work his magic with Lauren Bacall, Carol Burnett, Joan Collins, Shelley Long, Brigitte Nielsen, and Raquel Welch. Merv was the man and Hollywood was dimmed when he passed.

Secrets Women Never Share (1987) (TV)

Host: Merv Griffin

Fresno (1986) TV Mini-Series

Set in Fresno, California, the story focuses on the once-wealthy Kensington family, whose raisin-growing empire has fallen on hard times. The Kensingtons are led by widowed matriarch Charlotte (Burnett), who is locked in a deadly power struggle with rival raisin magnate Tyler Cane (Coleman).

Parodying elements from other prime time soap operas of the era, Fresno centers on the ruthless battle between the Kensingtons and Tyler Cane for domination of the Fresno raisin industry, and follows the marital conflict between Charlotte's scheming son Cane (Grodin) and his bitchy wife Talon (Garr), the travails of Charlotte's "sensitive" younger son Kevin (Heald), who at one point announces that he is becoming celibate as a protest against whaling, the appearance of a mysterious, perpetually-shirtless ranch hand named Torch (Harrison), and the gradual exposure of Byzantine hidden relationships between the main characters sparked by the quest by Charlotte's supposedly adopted daughter Tiffany to find her real parents. As the story reaches a climax, it is revealed that Tiffany is in fact Charlotte's biological daughter, fathered by her mother's arch-rival Tyler shortly after Charlotte's husband's had died in a tragic raisin dehydrator accident.

Fresno was created and co-written by Barry Kemp, Mark Ganzel, and Michael Petryni, and was produced for CBS Television by Mary Tyler-Moore's MTM Productions. The miniseries was directed by Jeff Bleckner, who previously directed episodes of some of the shows parodied in Fresno, include Dynasty, Knots Landing, and Falcon Crest.

The production shot for two days in the city of Fresno, California in July 1986, completing its remaining 53 days in Los Angeles. The music was composed by John Morris, and the Emmy-nominated gowns worn by the female leads were designed by the legendary Bob Mackie.

Fresno (1986) TV Mini-Series

Cast: Carol Burnett, Dabney Coleman, Gregory Harrison, Teri Garr, Charles Grodin, Luis Avalos, Pat Corley, Valerie Mahaffey, Anthony Heald, Teresa Ganzel, Bill Paxton, Jerry Van Dyke, Charles Keating, Melanie Chartoff, Michael Richards, Jeffrey Jones, Tom Poston, Louise Latham, Tammy Lauren, Natalie Gregory, James Staley, George Wallace, Nick Toth, Marianne Muellerleile, Peter Scolari

Finding Lucy (2000) (TV)

She was a phenomenon, she was unshakable and she was the best. The unrivaled Queen of Comedy and as someone who was raised and has lived my entire life in Southern California, she was pretty much always there. Even today in the 20-twelve, channel 11 plays at least an hour every weekday and 2 hours EVERY Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Lucy and Los Angeles are forever, which reminds me of a funny story. I once had to visit a local emergency room back in May of 1994. Nothing serious, I survived but being broke and insurance-free it was necessary to go to a county hospital and I chose Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, a hospital funded by Los Angeles County, located in the Sylmar neighborhood of northern Los Angeles. Now let me set the scene; a large ER waiting room, roughly split in two with about 40 seats in each section. The chairs are arranged in rows but the two sections are facing each other and there is a single large TV over each section facing inward. In other words, each section watched the TV over the heads of the people they were facing. It's a weekday around 9 or 10ish and the place is PACKED. It's Los Angeles and a county hospital, it can be assumed it's never not packed. So anyway, as my wife and I sat patiently waiting and watching TV (both TVs were on different channels) it turns 10AM and the all too familiar "I Love Lucy" theme starts on our TV and almost the entire other side simultaneously stood up as if choreographed and turned around to watch the other TV with the Lucy. It was an amazing Lemming moment and living testimony to not only her greatness but also the undeniable impact Desi had on the rising tide of Latin immigrants whom had even then in the early 1950s brought their huddled masses to our shores. Long live Lucy & Desi!

This the fourth episode of the fifteenth season of the "American Masters" documentary series.

Finding Lucy (2000) (TV)

Cast: Edie Adams, William Asher, Fred Ball, Carol Burnett, Bob Carroll Jr., Madelyn Davis, Fran Drescher

Superstars & Their Moms (1987) (TV)

A Mother's Day special hosted by Carol Burnett and her late daughter Carrie Hamilton, featuring interviews with guest celebrities and their mothers. Fun time but rather nostalgic with the passing of Carrie and John.

Superstars & Their Moms (1987) (TV)

Cast: Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, Cher, Bill Cosby, Whitney Houston, John Ritter, Tom Selleck, Cybill Sheppard, Robin Williams, Carol Burnett, Carrie Hamilton

50 Years of Television: A Golden Celebration (1989) (TV)

A 2-hour CBS special hosted by the legend Walter Cronkite highlighting fifty years in the history of television. Includes tributes to Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Jackie Gleason, Bob Hope, Ed Sullivan and many more. To say clips of classic television moments are presented is an understatement, this is an excellent presentation that reaches deep into TV history.

50 Years of Television: A Golden Celebration (1989) (TV)

Host: Walter Cronkite

11th Annual American Comedy Awards (1997) (TV)

This is the usual star-studded affair to honor all things comedic. A huge room with a sea of faces, look for your favorites. A few of the obvious; David Alan Grier, Brooke Shields with Andre Agassi, John Cleese, Carol Burnett, Kathy Bates, Kelsey Grammer, Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O'Donnell, Lily Tomlin, Dennis Farina, Phil Hartman, Paul Reiser, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner and it just goes on and on. The energy in the room is high and the production is well done except the lighting and color gel usage seem excessive. The entire ballroom is awash in over-saturated color making things look a little muddy, I prefer a sharper picture. Overall a real fun time. God bless Phil Hartman.

11th Annual American Comedy Awards (1997) (TV)

Host: Kelsey Grammer

Carol Burnett Show, The: Let's Bump Up The Lights! (2004) (TV)

Carol and crew bring what appears to be a regular taping of her classic show to an unexpected halt and "bump up the lights" for an impromptu Q&A panel. Great fun for fans of the great lady.

The Carol Burnett Show: Let's Bump Up The Lights! (2004) (TV)

Cast: Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner

Julie & Carol: Together Again (1989) (TV)

There's nothing like old friends getting together to sing, dance and tell jokes. This was a wonderful special with both friends at the top of their game. Good stuff.

Julie & Carol: Together Again (1989) (TV)
Cast: Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett

America's All-Star Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor (1989) (TV)

The title doesn't say it all. This is to honor Ms. Taylor on being an honoree of a "Hope Award", as in Bob and Dolores Hope. This is from a huge unnamed concert hall in Palm Desert, California; expect to see many faces from the oldies. You know you're in for a good time when the first person to the podium is the stud that was Charles Bronson. This is a grand celebration, Black Tie all the way. Overall a great evening, super star power and Stevie sings a personalized version of "I Just Called To Say...".

America's All-Star Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor (1989) (TV)
Cast: Angela Lansbury, Beau Bridges, Bob Hope, Burt Bacharach, Carol Burnett, Charles Bronson, Cyd Charisse, Dudley Moore, Kenny Rogers, Mickey Rooney, Robert Stack, Roddy McDowall, Stevie Wonder

Carol & Company (1990) (TV series)

Unlike Carol's other variety shows, this series was a comedy anthology. It featured one show-long sketches, with each member of the company playing different characters each week with no running characters. Great guest appearances and a proven ensemble cast.

AVAILABLE EPISODES
Season 1, Episode 1
Bump in the Night
31 March 1990

Unknown Episode
Myna and the Messenger
1990

Season 2, Episode 4
Guns and Rosie
13 October 1990

Season 2, Episode 5
Stiff Competition
20 October 1990

Season 2, Episode 8
Mom and Dad Day Afternoon
10 November 1990

Season 2, Episode 14
Turning Tables
19 January 1991

Season 2, Episode 19
Momma Needs a New Pair of Shoes
2 March 1991

Carol & Company (1990) TV series
Cast: Anita Barone, Carol Burnett, Jeremy Piven, Meagen Fay, Peter Krause, Richard Kind, Terry Kiser

Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (1987) (TV)

TV REVIEW; 'A CAROL BURNETT SPECIAL' ON ABC  

By JOHN J. O'CONNOR
Published: February 10, 1987



ONCE upon a time, variety shows were a television staple. Hardly a night passed without some performer or personality being host of an hour or so of comedy and music. "The Ed Sullivan Show" led the way on Sunday evenings for years. And then, suddenly, there were none. Perhaps the public had heard all the jokes and seen all the production numbers. Ratings plummeted, and programmers turned almost exclusively to sitcoms and action-adventures. A measure of what was lost can be glimpsed, tonight at 10 on ABC, in "A Carol Burnett Special . . . Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin." The executive producers are Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner from "The Cosby Show."

Ms. Burnett was, of course, one of television's most outstanding variety stars. Her show ran for 11 years, with a little help from such talented comics as Harvey Korman and Tim Conway. On this evening's special, after an opening musical number, she steps out before the audience to the sounds of her familiar theme music. In fact, she's appearing in the same studio where her old show was taped. She takes questions from the audience, and she even gives her left ear the familiar tug for luck before walking off to resume the show. In the past few years, Ms. Burnett has been acclaimed elsewhere - from dramatic roles on television and in films to a concert version of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" - but she still shines most comfortably in the old variety format.

For this occasion, the star shares most of the show with her guests. Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams join her for the curtain raiser, a clever musical lecture on laughing, on titters and cackles, on chuckles and chortles, and especially on guffaws. The rest of the show - directed by Mr. Korman and Roger Beatty - is largely monopolized by sketches Ms. Burnett does separately with Mr. Williams and Ms. Goldberg. (Mr. Reiner is limited to a brief skit with Mr. Williams on the perils of Shakespeare's iambic pentameter.) The Burnett routine with Mr. Williams is hilarious as he, a touch deranged and garishly dressed, visits her in a funeral home. He has come to pay his respects to her departed husband, the only person who was ever nice to him on the commuter train. "Do you want to keen?" asks the looney mourner, "or how about singing a Negro spiritual?" In an unusual gambit, the entire sketch is then repeated with, we are told, Mr. Williams doing a complete and unrehearsed improvisation. "Death," he observes, "is nature's way of saying, 'The check, please.' "
The material featuring Ms. Goldberg is far too predictable and runs on too long. With Ms. Burnett playing the mother and Ms. Goldberg the daughter, the performers trace a relationship from cradle to old age. It's the kind of turn that Marcel Marceau used to do better and faster without words. But disappointment is part of the variety experience. It didn't work this time, but it would be fun to see the two stars try something else next time. Not long ago, that next time would have been next week. Now, who knows? Meanwhile, this "Carol Burnett Special" adds up to an affecting reminder of how one departed television format used to be surprisingly entertaining.

Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (1987) (TV)

Cast: Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams

Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, The (1978) TV Movie

A city couple move to the suburbs in search of peace and quiet, and find instead that their lives have become more chaotic than ever. Based on a novel by Erma Bombeck. Made for television.

The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank (1978) TV Movie
Cast: Alex Rocco, Carol Burnett, Charles Grodin, Craig Richard Nelson, Eric Stoltz, Linda Gray