JOHNNY CARSON'S HALF CENTURY OF NBC COMEDY (RADIO)

Summary

Hosted by Johnny Carson, this two-hour retrospective reviews 50 years of classic NBC radio and television comedy performances. In this Thanksgiving Day special, Carson presents comedy excerpts from a variety of comedy genres and explains how each is special. Included are satirical sketches from ÒSaturday Night LiveÓ; the irreverent comedy of Bob and Ray; and the topical comedy of humorist Will Rogers. Also included are excerpts from the radio series ÒThe Lucky Strike Program" starring Jack Benny and ÒMaxwell House Coffee Time" with George Burns, the television series ÒRowan & Martin's Laugh-In" and ÒLate Night With David Letterman,Ó and performances by Victor Borge, Fred Allen, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Lucille Ball, Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton, Ernie Kovacs, Steve Allen, W.C. Fields, Mae West, and Flip Wilson, among many others. Includes commercials for WhitmanÕs candy and Kraft products.

Details

NETWORK: NBC
DATE: November 25, 1982 8:00 PM
RUNNING TIME: 1:20:00
COLOR/B&W: N/A
CATALOG ID: R85:0286
GENRE: Radio - Specials
SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
SERIES RUN: NBC - Radio, 1982
COMMERCIALS:
- Radio - Commercials - Kraft foods
- Radio - Commercials - Whitman chocolate

CREDITS

Guy Ludwig … Producer
Johnny Carson … Producer, Host
Wendy Maxwell … Director
Bill Wendell … Announcer
Bud Abbott
Dan Aykroyd
Fred Allen
Gracie Allen
Steve Allen
Lucille Ball
John Belushi
Jack Benny
Edgar Bergen
Mel Blanc
Victor Borge
George Burns
Eddie Cantor
Judy Carne
Chevy Chase
Jerry Colonna
Bill Cosby
Lou Costello
Bing Crosby
Kenny Delmar
Jimmy Durante
Leo Durocher
Bob Elliott
Parker Fennelly
George Fenneman
W.C. Fields
Stan Freberg
David Frost
Henry Gibson
Ray Goulding
Bob Hope
Don Imus
George Jessel
Al Jolson
Jim Jordan
Marian Jordan
H.V. Kaltenborn
Ernie Kovacs
David Letterman
Dick Martin
Steve Martin
Groucho Marx
Elaine May
Ed McMahon
Garrett Morris
Mike Nichols
Gary Owens
Minerva Pious
Gilda Radner
Jackie Robinson
Will Rogers
Dan Rowan
Red Skelton
Dick Smothers
Tom Smothers
Jack Webb
Mae West
Jesse White
Harlow Wilcox
Flip Wilson
Jo Anne Worley
Ed Wynn