Original subtitles

Cameras on standby.

-Here we go. -Take one.

Champ, watch the TV.

Unidentified male: The average time spent

watching television is five to six hours per day.

Holy residuals.

There's a reason for calling it the boob tube

and the idiot box.

Let's change the channel.

and tBanzai!t box.

We want to wrap about our scene.

Yeah.

We want to wrap about Here is the news.

We must give the American viewers

the kind of television that he both desires

and deserves.

Okay, let's try and do it again

and let's see what comes out this time.

Unidentified male: Television has grown faster

than a teenager.

Now, it is time to grow up.

♪ (theme music) ♪

The TV was the center of the house.

Yeah, I don't remember a time without TV.

By 1960,

essentially every household in America had a television.

It was a new way of bringing the world to you.

essentially every household in America had a television. David Bianculli: When something big

happened on television,

it really did happen to the entire country

and impacted the entire country at the same time.

Keep an awakened eye on the world.

Suddenly, television was the main event.

Everything else changed. Even the way in which

you went about the business of

Evergetting someonenged. Evelected President.h

(indistinct chatter)

David, will you hit the one minute button, please?

The 30 seconds and the cut, please.

In 1960, the Nixon-Kennedy debate

was a first in television.

A lot of people were watching that night.

And it introduced a lot of people to Kennedy.

the tight shot on camera one, please.

And it introduced Can you hear me now speaking?

Is that about the right tone of voice?

Good evening.

The television and radio stations

of the United States and their affiliated stations

are proud to provide...

Robert MacNeil: When the networks

offered a debate,

Kennedy immediately said yes.

Because he was sure he could do better than Nixon.

Kennedy: I think Mr. Nixon is

an effective leader of his party.

I hope he would grant me the same.

The question before us is

which point of view

and which party do we want to lead the United States?

Mr. Nixon, would you like to comment on that statement?

I have no comment.

Phil Rosenthal: If you're live on television Mr. Nixon, would you like to comment on that statement?

and there's a camera right here,

there's really no place to hide.

Once you see a guy sweating when asked a question,

there's really no place to hide. are you sure he's the leader for you?

OncThat's the questionating before the American people

and only you can decide what you want.

OncThaWhat you wantionating befthis country to be.ople

What you want to do with the future.

OncThaWhat you wantionating I think we're ready to move.

MacNeil: If you saw it on television,

clearly Kennedy had won that debate.

Smith: Gentlemen, thank you very much

for permitting us to present the next

President of the United States

on this unique program...

It was the beginning of a new form of

political craftsmanship.

If you could structure a message appropriately

for the TV camera,

you could have a huge impact.

And if you couldn't, you were toast.

I would like you now to give welcome to

the Senator from Massachusetts, And if you couldn't, you were toast.

I would like you now to give welcome to Mr. John Kennedy.

(applause)

May I ask you,

so that I don't look too naive,

a tough question right off the bat?

Whether I'm a Democrat or a Republican?

-Oh... -(crowd laughing)

People recognized that television was

now the medium that mattered.

People recognized It wasn't before 1960,

and it was every day after 1960

Heilemannin those recognized presidential debates.,

Oh, honey, let's not watch that.

-Try to find a Western. -All right.

Emily Nussbaum: Once everyone had a TV set

in their living room, and advertisers had

fully gotten a grip on how effective this was

a way to sell products,

fully gotten a grip on how effective this was the very definition of what you were doing

was to create entertainment

fully gotten a grip on how effective this was that would appeal to as many people as possible.

Beaver, eat your Brussel sprouts.

Gee, Mom, I can't.

My stomach's filled up to my throat.

GNow, no excuses..

My sJerry Mathers:d up Leave it to Beaver

was something that a lot of families understood.

It's the first show that was ever shot

from the perspective of a child.

Beaver!

Most people had a lot

of the experiences that Beaver or Wally had

and everyone in their life has an Eddie Haskell.

Hi, Wally.

Some dumb kid fell in the soup.

Good evening Mr. Cleaver.

Some poor and unfortunate child is trapped up there.

Mathers: Everyone has that moment

when they were so embarrassed and they thought

they'd never get over it. But they did.

John Willis: Tonight's special report

a scene of a 1961 Emmys.

It isn't whether it's a situation comedyt

or whether it's a western or whether it's a drama.

I think it's the quality of the show

itself that's important.

Vince Gilligan: The Andy Griffith Show,

Mayberry, it's just a kinder, gentler place.

It'd be hard not to want to live in Mayberry.

Hi, Pa. Hi, Barn.

Hi Op.

The core of the Andy Griffith Show was

this rock at the center of it.

The core of the Andy Calm wisdom.w was

I have taken the best parts this rock at the center of it.

of myself and people that I've known all my life

and put them into entertainment.

of myself and people that I've known all my life I hope that there comes a time

when you have to stop to play acting and tell the truth.

Don't you believe me, Pa?

when you have to stop to Don't you, Pa?e truth.

People appreciate emotional honesty.

They appreciate it more than laughs.

It's great if you can achieve both simultaneously.

The Andy Griffith Show actually did that very often.

For a sitcom and it shows an unexpected depth.

Well, we think in the new format,

the second dance number should come

before the big sketch.

Gee, I don't know.

I like it.

Now, I like it.

Yeah, me too.

Yeah, I like it too.

What do you know? Look at that tie you're wearing.

(canned laughter)

I only wrotehat what I knew about,

which was my life.

If you're writing about that, nobody can say,

"That's not true." It is true. I'm living it.

Rosenthal: Dick Van Dyke Show,

we could believe the actions of the characters

because we could On threlate to them. Show,

This wasn't a genie in a bikini

in someone's bottle On ton their mantle. Show,

These were real people.

Women are more, more...

Honest and direct?

WoNo. They're more.....

Courageous?

We all have the same needs,

feelings relationships with husbands and wives.

That was the kind of comedy we do.s,

The problems of living.

Honey... How much do you like that baby?

(canned laughter)

Oh, Rob, don't tell me How you're jealous already.aby?

The season opening episode for the 1963 season

Oh, Rob, don't tell me How was seared into my head.by?

Now, our wives had a baby

Oh, on the same day me How wain the same hospitald.by?

and the hospital was very busy, Mr. Peters.

What am I getting at?

They thought they got the wrong baby

from the hospital.?

So he calls the parents

of the other kid and thinks,

you know, we may have your kid, you may have our kid.

Hi. We're Mr. and Mrs. Peters.

Uh, come in.

(canned laughter)

Mrs. Peters. Won't you come in.

It was beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful.

Here, they're tackling a subject

without tackling it..

Why didn't you tell me taon the phone?ect

And miss the expression witon your face? it..

The network worried about the fact that the

African-Americans might be upset by it.

The network was always a little behind.

There's always somebody back there

who doesn't have B-A-L-L-S. Balls.

In Hollywood, the winner Carl Reiner, Dick Van Dyke.

(applause) (fanfare)

I wish somebody had told me, I would have worn my hair.

(laughter)

I got to tell you this one.

Do you know those knock-knock jokes?

Yeah, but they are old now.

Do you know those knock-knock jokes? -Yeah. -Yeah.

But I got a real good one, I get a real funny one.

All right.

Go ahead start say knock, knock.

-I say. -Yeah, go ahead.

Go ahead start say knock, knock. -Knock, knock. -Who's there?

(laughter)

There was only three networks knock, knock. -Knock, knock. -Who's there?

and there was only one late night show, really,

You know, it's Jack Paar.

They don't understand how we do this show.

We just keeping talking with no script.

They don't understand how we do this show. I know. It's agony.

We just keeping talking with no script. (laughter)

Jack Paar invented the late night television talk show.

Do you feel confident that you--

There's not a man in the world to beat me?

I'm as pretty as Liberace.

Jack had in his corner his personality.

It's fabulously interesting complex,

frightening, neurotic,

but in other cases, an enthusiastic

and informed personality.

It made for great television.

How much time I have done? I don't have a watch, either.

(laughter)

-How much? -Director: Nine.

Has he been charming?

-How much? I'll quit now, then.

Here's Johnny. Has he been charming?

(cheering, whistling)

Bianculli: Johnny Carson The Tonight Show

but he made it his own.

Bianculli: Johnny Carson The Tonight Show It's going to be wild tonight. I can always tell.

He hosted a nightly party.

Are you married?

He hosted a nightly party. (chuckles nervously)

And if his buddies camed?

and they started playing together,

You felt like what it must have felt like to go to Vegas

at three in the morning and have the Rat Pack come on.

You felt like what it must have felt Where is he in?egas

No, but where's the guy you talk to?

(laughter)

No, but where's the guy you talk to? Oh, I love that.

It was a beautiful thing to watch a guy

working at his best.

Okay. Mingle.

Well, do we have it already?

Get your axe and let's go.

(piano plays)

All right.

(gasping)

(laughter)

Cavett: If you watch it closely,

he is gauging how much longer he can wait

to let the laugh die before what he says

will be irrelevant how mto what happened. wait

And he gets it just on the nose.

It's beautiful to watch.

I didn't even know you were Jewish.

(raucous laughter)

Johnny was the best audience in the world.

And he loved comedy.

The woman is watching him.

She's watching him from the corner of her eye.

She says to him, "What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking at that ugly baby."

(laughter)

That's a bad looking baby, lady.

Johnny was there listening for you

he wanted you to score,

then when you score, he scored.

Enough is enough. Now calm down, lady.

He said, "Madam, the Pennsylvania railroad

will go to any length

to avoid having differences between the passengers."

Said, "Perhaps it would be more to your convenience

if we would rearrange your seating.

And as a small compensation from the railroad,

if you'll accompany me to the dinning car,

we'll give a free meal.

Maybe we'll find a banana for your monkey."

we'(raucous laughter)l.

Hi. I'm Dick Cavett funnier than Chet Huntley,

taller than Mickey Rooney

and as pure and honest as New York, New Jersey.

was amazing because you could get

people like Norman Mailer and Woody Allen.

My only New Year's resolution amazing this year...could get

I think I'm going to try to sleep

through the Nixon administration.

I think I'm going to try to sleep You have authors on. You would have

heavyweight boxers.

There were conversations.

When you mention the national anthem

and talk about playing it in any unorthodox way.

When you mention the national anthem you immediately get a guaranteed

and talk about playing it in any unorthodox way. percentage of hate mail from people to say how dare...

It's not unorthodox.

Isn't unorthodox?

No, no. I thought, it was beautiful.

Well, there you go.

No, no. I thought, it w(applause)ul.

They just thought anything that's interesting

ought to have a place on a talk show

Cavett:rather thanthought anyoung pretty actressesing

who have used word 'excited' in every sentence.

You're not frequently seen on television.

Is that by choice or--

Well, of course, it is the most impressive medium of all. You're not frequently seen on television.

It's the medium that's going to either save America

or send it down into demise.

It's the medium that's There's no question in mind.

I'm getting out of it myself. Really!

It's the medium that's There's n(applause) in mind.

We'll be back after this.

What you do is to book the best

possible guests from different kind of businesses

maybe not everybody in show business, What you do is to book the best

some politics, some newspaper people...

Get them all in the stage together and hope

that something works.

But it's a great show, it's a great platform

for people who have something to say.

The point is that they take these scripts

out of their drawers.

They change the things around.

out of their drawers. Maybe it doesn't Green Acres,

but on many of these shows,

and that's why night after night, you turn on

these serials and they all seem

as if they came outt aof the same bread box.n

(agreement from audience) and(applause)seem

Back then you had lots and lots of of copy cats. as if they came outt aof the same bread box.n

The Addams Family The Munsters.

and then I Dream of Jeannie.

You You know, the oldmily and thsaying is imitationsters.

is the sincerest form of television.

So if one person is doing this fantastical hit,

we're going to do that.

Now is that considered a crime?

(chuckles) I'm afraid not.

There aren't any laws Now ito protect us againstrime?

bad TV shows yet. So you're safe.

Thank you.

(canned laughter)

What I'm surprised by

are some of the shows that I can't even imagine

the pitch meetings for.

are some of the shows Hogan's Heroes.ne

It's a story about

American prisoners of war in a Nazi concentration camp

Which doesn't exactly sound like

Ameit's a funny comedy.ar in a Nazi concentration camp

Why don't they trust us, Schultz?

That shows you how weird the sixties was right there.

Here's another one of our fine shows for this year,

Zoom. Pit Stop.

(chuckling from audience)

The moving story of an effeminate race car driver...

(raucous laughter)

...who was really an astronaut for the Mafia.

(laughter continues)

9:30 Eastern Time, 8:30 Central time,

quarter after two Pacific Time.

(laughter)

CBS presents this program in color.

I didn't have color television until I was 16 years old.

Yes, I lived like an animal.

The following program is being brought to you

in living color on NBC.

Hanks: Getting the color TV was huge

because suddenly we can watch

Walt Disney's Wonderful world of color Hanks: Getting the color TV was huge

on Sunday night's which was like because suddenly we can watch

just an acid trip of a show.

We just could not believe it.

Tinker Bell going bing, bing bing and it was like oh,

it was like special effects, par excellence.

♪ The world is a carousel of color ♪ Tinker Bell going bing, bing bing and it was like oh,

(pop music plays)

It also happened just coincidentally

at the time when what we think of

as the Mod Sixties came in.

Colors were all over the place

just as TV could start to take advantage of them.

Hi.

Well, glad you could make it.

I remember saying

stay tuned for next in color.

Wednesday night, September 15, in color, on ABC.

It was a big marketing thing.

Colored TV was a huge step forward

as far as the technologies went.

Colored TV was a huge step forward And yet, I think of Lost in Space.

Lost in Space started off as a black and white show as far as the technologies went.

and then went to color.

It didn't get any better when it went to color.

Dr. Smith, you're alive.

Of course I'm alive.

Do I look like a corpse?

Nussbaum: The period has a reputation

for being TV as a, kind of, candy. Do I look like a corpse?

Sometimes it felt like there was thision

really aggressive innocence to it.

-(whistling) -Only blow it in an emergency.

This is an emergency. You're standing on my foot. really aggressive innocence to it.

makes no sense whatsoever logistically.

This is an emergency. You're standing on my foot. I'm going to make ia spider drunk.

How was the professor able to build

all the stuff but not build the damn raft?

Look at this stick of true dynamite that I made.

It makes no sense if you pull any single thread on it.

But it was just like the kind of show

It designed to live foreverll any sin syndication. it.

What are you looking for?

-A nun, who else? -(chuckling)

Are you kidding?

is the most-- It's a crazy show.

Like what is that about?

is the most-- It's a crazy show. Look, Carlos, it's very simple.

You see, I only weigh 90 pounds

and the combination of my cornet and wind lifts me.

It was just complete nonsense.

Let's face it. (chuckles)

It was in height of the sixties

and everyone was eating granola and dropping out

and doing God knows what else and I wasn't.

Hello, Central?

I'm switching to my eye glasses.

Put a hold on my wallet but keep my shoe open.

Television more than ever in the sixties

was a place to escape to.

Let's go.

It seemed like it was almost

sort of a willful respite

It seemed like it was almost from the stuff that was going on out in the world

and in real in life.

Here's a Bulletin from CBS News.

There's has been an attempt, perhaps you know now,

on the life of President Kennedy.

There's has been an attempt, perhaps you know now, He was wounded in an automobile driving from...

Until early sixties, television news

There's has been an attempt, perhaps you know now, was by and largean seen as somethingm...

of a back water to print journalism

and even to radio,

but the Kennedy assassination was the moment

that television journalism came of age.io,

We'll continue a full-day coverage

of the Presidential funeral and the final procession...

More and more people were depending on

television to give them the headline news of the day.

330 Americans were killed

in combat last week in Vietnam.

But the number of wounded,

3,886, was the highest of any... in combat last week in Vietnam.

Most of the 1960s,

the contrast between what you saw on your entertainment in combat last week in Vietnam.

and what you saw on the news was,

you know, planetary.

(shouting)

Never has this descent been as emotional and intense.

In the sixties, it was one thing after another.

Each year, it was filled with poor events.

Governor Wallace has ordered

500 Alabama national guardsmen into Tuscaloosa.

At the moment, they are under his control.

When there was the Civil Rights Movement,

or it was the Kennedy assassination,

or the space race,

when there was a huge thing that happened,

it happened on TV.

The witness to that violence

that had seemed to be unprovoked

on the part of the The witdemonstrators.iolence

Television became the fire

in which the whole tribe gathered around

to listen to the elders tell them what was going on.

Reporter: Police reinforcements moving down Balboa Street now.

(chanting)

Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

Tonight, live from New York...

From Hollywood...

From beautiful Downtown Burbank.York...

Here is the star of our show, Bob Hope.

(applause)

Variety was the backbone of television back then.

One year, there were like 18 different variety shows.

Variety was the backbone of television back then. Everybody had a variety show.

♪ (Jimmy Dean Show theme music) ♪

Everyone was different because of who was helming the show.

(singing)

(shouts)

Dean Martin was just so loose.

He acted as though

he was doing the whole show drunk

without a rehearsal.

This is a real international show.

Now, where else could you see a smooth Italian.

and a slippery pole?

(laughter)

He was funny. He was really, really funny.

He always looked as if he was a bit lost.

People thought that it because he was tidily.

But that was part of the charm.

Presenter: Here he is. Ed Sullivan.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

No matter who controlled the TV set

the other nights of the week on Sunday night, you know,

eight o'clock you were going to watch Ed Sullivan.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, a very fine hourly act.

Ed Sullivan was a phenomena and he was powerful force.

Now, lQuiet please!tlemen, a very fQuiet.urly act.

The beauty of the Sullivan kind

Nof variety show is thatn, if you didn't like some things,

something else would be around in four minutes.

-No, Yanni, no. -No.

-It is very difficult. -Easy.

-No, Yanni, no. -No. : Advertisers wanted everybody.

And so they got everybody.

The little kid and his grandparents

could watch the same show.

They would have an elephant on,

and then the next thing somebody doing Shakespeare,

and then the next thing have a comic.ant on,

There would be an acrobat

and then an opera singer over next bit,

which was true variety.

♪ Forget all your cares ♪

♪ And go Downtown ♪

♪ Things will be great when you're Downtown ♪

Anything that was current was on

Ed Sullivan Show.

The young Richard Pryor.

Thank you. Thank you.

Sullivan: Rodney Dangerfield.

Everybody wanted a showcase Thank you. Thank you.

and if you got in on Sullivan you knew...

You can talk about it. "Did you just see Sullivan?"

andMy whole lifen on I don't get no respect.

No respect from anyone.

andMy whole lifen on I don't get no respect. He's a performer.

You couldn't get a better place to sell your product.

When I started out,

they would say, "Variety is a man's game.

It's Dean, it's Milton Berle, it's Jackie Gleason,

it's, you know, the guys." But variety is what I know.

I felt it was in my genes to do this.

She had been so good on the Garry Moore show.

She always knew she could sing and dance and be funny.

Honey, where is the...

On my show,

I would do pratfalls and jump out of windows

and get pies in the face and it was heaven.

II think it's gone.s and jumOh, God. windows

You know, I still see a rerun of

Carol Burnett show and goddamn they're funny.

Richard Smother: There's never been a better

three-wall sketch show ever.

She was great in bed too, Dick.

-You remember that? -Stop.

-You never when to bed with... -Well.

You're not supposed to curtsy, you're supposed to bow.

But I get dizzy when I bend over.

Burnett: When Tim Conway came on,

his goal in life was to destroy Harvey.

Here's Tim with our own Harvey Korman

as a brand new dentist with his very first patient.

Here'I use to haver own a pool back stage

not as to whether Harvey was going to break up.

But at how far he could get along with the sketch

not as to whether Harvey was before he broke up.

But at how far he could Okay, novocaine, novocaine.

not aTake a firm holdvey was of the hypodermic needle.

But at how far he could Okay, novocRight.novocaine.

And they never knew what he was going to do.

But they knew it's not going to be what they expected.

When they did the dentist sketch,

none of that was rehearsed.

Yeah, I'll be right with you.

Burnett: Poor Harvey was helpless,

tears coming down and Tim swears

that Harvey wet his pants during that sketch.

I don't know why that works so well.

Watching two actors break character

and just crack each other up

should not be as entertaining.

But somehow when it's Tim Conwayr up

and Harvey Korman doing it, it just...

I could watch that stuff forever.

I just thought if we have fun,

the audience will...

We're going to go out there and do what we do best

and it worked.

You can plan it, you can write it,

you can rehearse it but you hope for some magic

and it was Carol, the magic of Carol Burnett.

Are you saying he's a TV addict?

Perhaps she's been staring at this electronic blessing,

the television set, for so long

that its life has become his.

Yeah.

And he's reached such a stage of confusion

that he no longer knows whether he's watching the action

or he's participating in it.

The Twilight Zone theme music) ♪

You unlock this door with the key of imagination.

Beyond it is another dimension.

Gilligan: There was a desire

on the part of writers and producers

to push the envelope and stretch the medium

and you certainly saw The Twilight Zone. on the part of writers and producers

It was a very cinematic show.

Rod Serling: This is not a new world.

It has patterned itself after every dictator It was a very cinematic show.

who has ever planted the ripping imprint of a boot

on the pages of history

since the beginning of times.

Rod Serling who created

came to the realization that

through a lens of fantasy or science fiction,

he could actually tellto stories aboutthat

racism, he could tell stories about fascism.

Tonight, I shall talk to you about

glorious conformity.

It was a way to deal with a lot of the issues

that America was starting to go through at that time.

But in a fantastic setting

so that there's some divide between you and the show.

They sent four people,

a mother and the father and two kids

who looked just like humans but they weren't.

Nussbaum: had these

little O'Henry like twists on it.

It was allowed to have unhappy endings.

They picked the most dangerous enemy they can find

and it's themselves.

Narrator: Now, six months a fugitive,

this is Richard Kimble with a new identity

and, for as long as it is safe, a new name.

tCritic: The Fugitivee was kind of aty

somber character study.

Beware of the eyes of strangers.

Keep moving.

Everybody wanted to see what happens to the fugitive.

Well, the actual question is how long is it going to go on?

Will we even find her?

I'm about ready to give up. I'm tired.

Bianculli: When it ended, it broke the viewership record

set by the Beatles Ed Sullivan.

It was one of the first TV shows that actually

went somewhere.

You know, Youngstown is not exactly on our course. It was one of the first TV shows that actually

Genzlinger: In a lot of ways,

television was showing slices of the world

that people had never seen before.

Route 66 was an innovative show

because it was actually filmed on location.

So the audience are being exposed

because it was actually to things that just

weren't part of their local orbit.

Narrator: Space the final frontier.

You know, there's a little bit

of the Mayberry aspect Star Trek

and that's going to sound like an odd analogy

but follow me here.

People want to believed that such a place can exist.

The idea of a future in whichhere.

a lot of the biasesed and fears of the pastst.

The idea of a future has evolved out of us.

Where I come from...

Size, shape, or color makes no difference.

Bianculli: There's one episode

where some of the members of the crew

were taken over by these mental giants.

This is psychokinetics power of yours,

were taken over by how long have you had it?

Bianculli: They forced Cap. Kirk

and Lieutenant Uhura to kiss.

(laughter in the background)

It was the first interracial kiss

on television.

Clark: NBC asked me if would do

my own special

and I have always adored Harry Belafonte. Clark: NBC asked me if would do

We decided to do one duet called

The Path of Glory.

♪ They will die for their country ♪

It's an anti-war song

and we both felt very strongly about it

and I just touched his arm.

and we both felt Sponsor went crazy.t

My star doesn't touch a black man's arm.

Petula Clark says I'm not doing it over

and it's my show and it's going in that way.

And we weren't having any of that nonsense.

No way. So it went out

the way we wanted it to go out.

I didn't really have any other problems with sponsors

but that sort of gave me a taste of

I didn't really have any otherwhat could happen.nsors

♪ A car that's moving fast and clean and strong. ♪

♪ Get in a Plymouth seat. You can't go wrong. ♪

Gilligan: In the TV business,

60's was probablyeat. about the last decade

during which the sponsors had a really

iron grip on content.

Brought to you by Dash.

Even if they tried to keep TV

as white homogeneous, whole milk product

the world found its way in. It could, it just had to. Even if they tried to keep TV

What's the trouble, driver? as white homogeneous, whole milk product

(gunshot)

Don't you ever remember

to bring a silencer?

It ruins the line of my suit.

With I Spy, Robert Culp and Bill Cosby

were equals. Cosby is this pioneer

Biancin terms of aSpy, black male lead in a drama.

Rosenthal: He made race a none issue

because he's undeniable.

The winner is Bill Cosby in I Spy.

(crowd cheering)

The winner is Bill Cosby in I Spy. Bobby and I try and put forth

an example of a way it should be

racially in this country.

an example of a way We need more people

in this industry to put forth

that message and let it be known

to the bigots and the racist

that they don't count.

to the bigots anThank you.st

Diahann Carroll: As television changed,

to the bigots it was helping all Americans

to understand that this is what America looks like.

Frankly, you're not exactly

-what I expected. -No?

No, not from what I read here.

Did you expect me to be

older or younger?

Carroll: Julia was going to be

the first time at a black woman starred

in her own television show.

Had Mr. Colden told you?

Tell me what?

I'm colored.

What color are you?

She was a young black woman who had been educated.

Raising her son alone.

It had a universality that's

just something new.

And you'll keep out of mischief.

-I'll just watch the old TV. -Good.

In the 60s, America was

exploding in a way that

needed to be reflected on TV.

Stand still.

came back in the late '60s

and Friday was now in a very different world

than he had been in the black and white days

and suddenly there were the damn dirty hippies.ld

thanI'll makeeen in you a book. He's beenays

andropping that acidere we've been hearing about.d

Jack Webb would lecture aboutays

the dangers of marijuana, smoking, and

crazy drug culture.

They're trying to deal with

the counter culture but they don't understand it.

So it's just basically they're stereotypes

of what the hippies were like and it

plays exactly like that.

Keep your nose out of my purse.

Keep yours out of the acid,

Keep your nose out of next time I will.

NBC presents

Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in.

(applauding)

♪ (60's music) ♪

Our country would be

much better off with a strong leader.

I know but Sinatra can't do everything.

much better off with a(laughter)ader.

Hanks: came along,

we'd never seen anything that was kind of like

grown ups acting goofy and hip that way,

we'd never seen anything that was kind of like you know, and had girls dancing in bikinis

that they had to joke walk.

Who's in there with you?

Cool Hand Luke.

And there was nothing Who's but jokes.ith you?

I was at the hospital.

Anything serious?

A black widow bit me.

Well, it never would have happened

if he had been a gentleman.

Jug.

We took it to the network and the network said

"What the hell is this?"

They said, "This makes no sense." I said, "Right."

-Hi. -You too?

Rosenthal: They acknowledged

the hippie generation,

yet the hosts were in tuxedos smoking cigarettes.

They were still your parents.

But the other people let loose on the show yet the hosts were in tuxedos smoking cigarettes.

were this kind of young Vaudeville.

It must be "Sock it to me" time!

Hey, she socked it to herself.

We knew that Sock It To Me

didn't mean Sock It To Me, right?

So we thought.

Sock It To Me.

Sock It To Me!

Sock It To Me?

It wasn't as subversive as it sounds.

Yes, it was-- it was fun.

It wasn't as subveSock It To Me?unds.

It was the first time Presidential candidate

had ever appeared on a comedy show

and that, may have got 'em elected

and I've had to live with that-- anyway.

The family that watches

together

really needs to pray together.

It just seems like it's happening right now

and it's about right now

that was greatest thing ever that there's a

fusion of politics and comedyght now

and everything else into one television show.

fusion of politics andWhen we take over,now

and eI'm going tose into olook out for you.w.

The subjects that were verboten,

we don't talk about these things.

We're starting to come up

in TV and because it was well executed,

it changed everything.

This is Smothers Brothers, it waComedy Hour,ted,

Production 124 air, take one.

(applause)

Good evening

and welcome to the Smothers Brothers Show.

Harry Reasoner: If Rowan and Martin

and the Smothers Brothers are the new stars

of TV Comedy,

it is the comedy itself

rather than the comedians

which is more often in the spotlight.

These two programs have consciously tried

to influence people which is more often in the spotlight.

by comedy techniques to breakthrough

the traditional song and skit routines.

by comedy techniques to breakthrough And by subject matter,

that is often on the cutting edge of what is new.

Our government

is asking us as citizens, good citizens

to refrain from traveling to foreign lands.

Okay, all you guys in Vietnam?

Come on home.

The times were changing so quickly

Cin the 60s,.

and we didn't change them...

We just reflected them. Cin the 60s,.

I can't hear you.

We just reflected them. What are you doing?

I'm getting ready

We just reflected them. Wto go to college.?

CBS gave the Smothers Brothers

that show because they were

clean-cut folk satirists.

You know, they wore blazers,

they could sing well,

they were funny.

Mom liked you best.l,

You lower your voice.

Mom liked you best.

They told us Yowhat they thoughte.

we could do and what we should do

and it was totally wrong

and Tommy came in saying,

"I would like to show where we could be relevant."

♪ If you ever get a war without blood and gore, ♪

♪ boy, I'll be thew ♪evant."

♪ But until then, ♪

♪ I'm only 18, ♪ ♪ boy, I'll be thew ♪evant."

♪ and I always carry a purse ♪

People in the counterculture

started making these shows

and they don't want to play by the rules

that other people did before then.

and they don't want to play by the rules but who would expect this Smothers Brothers

of all people to be the ones raising this much of a fuss.

and they don't want to play by the rules but who would expect thisA good script.hers

I held my breath every time

they did the show because I knew it

that the network people

were befouling their

trousers with fear.

Nothing funny in this.

Yeah, boys we're through censoring your show.

(applause)

They said the social subjects

we touched on were not appropriate

for the 9 o'clock safamily viewing hour.ts

Stick 'em up!

They came up with any excuse to make it difficult.

And I came up with any excuse to push it.

Yeah.

♪ CBS would like to give us notice ♪

♪ and some of you don't like the things we've said, ♪

♪ but we're still here. ♪

♪ and some of you don't ♪ Oh yeah, we're still here. ♪

They were going to speakere. ♪

truth the power

and they were not compromising.

Do you have something important?

Something very important to say

on American television.

You know, a lot of times we can't--

on American television. we don't have opportunities saying anything

important because it's American television.

Every time you say something

and if you try to say something important, they...

(applause)

Well, whether you can say it or not,

keep trying to say it.

That's what's important, isn't it?

Are you getting that? Yeah?

There's no one in the world

if anything is meaningful

and truthful that you're not going to offend someone.

You've got to be able to

say what it is,

say how it is and Ytake the consequence.to

CBS announced today say what it is,

Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

will not return in

to the CBS Television Network next season.

Network President Robert Wood said

it became evident that the brothers,

"Were unwilling

to accept the criteria of taste

established by CBS."

CBS News efforts to reach the brothers for comment

have been unsuccessful.

I was angry but we never regretted it.

We never did regret it.

What do you think of television honestly?

Do you think it's good?

What do you think of television honestly? Yes, I do.

I think, particularly for what it is

for the amount of hours

that it gives you for enjoyment.

Either an education or for pure entertainment.

that it gives you It's remarkably good.

What television did Either an education or for pure entertainment.

in the 60s was to show the American people that it gives you It's remarkably good.

to the American people.

in the 60s was to show the American people Until then,ou we did not truly know

much about each other.

We knew only what we had seen

which is very little

and what we had read which was even less.

Few years ago, I thought it was the end of the world.

No, it's just the beginning.

I think people looked at television

for answers maybe that the world is

just confusing. It's going to be hell over the place.

Maybe something on here will help.

There was no denying in the shift and

attitudes towards sex, towards race relations,

There was no denying in the shift and towards politics.

attitudes towards sex, towards race relations, It was all televised.

That you will faithfully

execute the office.

And I will faithfully

execute the office.

Paul Newman: When it works And I will faithfully

television conveys impressions

and revokes memories. When it works And I will faithfully

When it works well, television makes us feel.

and revokes memories. When it works And Good morning.ully

When it works well, television makes us feel. It's T-minus one hour,

and revokes memories. When it works 29 minutes and 53 seconds and countingully

Television created a sense of national unity around culture events.

Good, now we can see

Television created a sense you coming downround in the ladder now.

You could turn on a machinee

and be somewhere else. Television created a sense you coming downround in the ladder now.

-You're looking good here. -Phew, boy.

Television changed absolutely everything.

Beautiful view. Isn't that something?

♪ (The Sixties theme, Composer Blake Neely) ♪