Heyday of the Variety Show!

What the reality show genre is to the 2000's, the variety show was to the 1960's.  It seemed that no matter what channel you turned to, there was a variety show on.  Keep in mind that we had only a few channels to choose from.  The whole television industry was so limited in those days.  We didn't have Tivo's.  If you wanted to watch a particular show, you had to be home to watch it when it aired.  This was also a time when we didn't have other ways of seeing our favorite entertainers.  There was no YouTube then.  You couldn't just get on your computer and pull up a performance to enjoy on the spot.There were only three networks that had programming other than educational, and they each had these wonderful shows. 

To be honest, the variety show was an acquired taste.  They were often over-the-top in the singing and dancing, and I didn't know who so many of the entertainers were at the time.  As I got older I started appreciating variety shows.  They cheered me up.  They were upbeat, brightly colored, the hosts were welcoming, and they truly offered a great deal of variety. 

One show that was a Saturday night staple in our house was "Lawrence Welk".  I loved Larry Hooper's bass voice, and the bubbles that floated around the bandstand.  I first heard a wonderful song called "The Baby Elephant Walk" on that show, I believe.  They had musical skits and people dancing in the audience.  There was tap dancing and musical- instrument-playing all over the place.  Truly, my parents watched this show religiously, and since it was on in the evening I was always nearby.  I could pretend to hate it, but I think that deep-down I enjoyed it immensely.  Part of my enjoyment came from my parents' enjoyment.

We also always watched the "Ed Sullivan Show" on Sunday nights.  He had a great variety of entertainers, some regulars and some special stars.  Everyone knows about the Beatles and Elvis Presley being on with Ed Sullivan, but he had many other entertainers as well.  An evening watching Ed Sullivan was an evening well spent!  My favorite performer was the plate spinner.  That fascinated and inspired me--but it didn't inspire my mom!  When I wanted to spin plates on my finger, she put a quick end to the idea!

Maybe my favorite variety show was "Hollywood Palace".  I don't hear that particular show mentioned very often, but it took variety to new heights.  Literally!  There were sometimes circus performers on this show--trapeze artists, high wire acts, animal acrobats.  There were singers and musicians of all kinds.  Almost every Saturday when we went grocery shopping Mom would buy a box a glazed donuts, or maple bars, and we'd enjoy a big glass of milk and donuts with "Hollywood Palace".  It never failed to entertain!

"The Carol Burnett Show" lasted into the 70's, but was also on in the 60's.  I think everyone knows Carol's humor and the uproariously funny cast she had.  We also watched "The Smothers Brothers".  I was too young to care about politics, so anything that had to do with that went over my head.  But I enjoyed Tommy's sly humor and Dick's straight man, as well as many musical guests they had.  "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" was also on every week in our house.  That was a crazy show, probably known most for "sock it to me", "ver-r-r-y IN-ter-es-ting", "you bet your sweet bippy", and other iconic sayings, as well as the little doors the cast members and guests opened at the end of the show to talk to each other and us.

There were many other variety shows over the course of the decade.  What were your favorites?  Do you have special memories of enjoying variety shows in a certain way, or with certain people?  Today, there doesn't seem to be such a need for variety shows, but I do miss them.  I would love to see that genre come back, with clean jokes and great entertainment.  Maybe when reality shows finally die out!