Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967–1973)

The original rapid fire sketch comedy show.

Creator:

Digby Wolfe

Stars:

Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, Ruth Buzzi

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 8 wins & 34 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Dan Rowan	...	Himself - Host (141 episodes, 1967-1973)
Dick Martin	...	Himself - Host (141 episodes, 1967-1973)
Ruth Buzzi	...	Regular Performer (141 episodes, 1967-1973)
Gary Owens	...	Announcer (139 episodes, 1968-1973)
Alan Sues	...	Regular Performer (102 episodes, 1968-1972)
Arte Johnson	...	Regular Performer (93 episodes, 1967-1971)
Henry Gibson	...	Regular Performer (92 episodes, 1967-1971)
Lily Tomlin	...	Regular Performer (85 episodes, 1970-1973)
Richard Dawson	...	Regular Performer (74 episodes, 1968-1973)
Jo Anne Worley	...	Regular Performer (70 episodes, 1967-1973)
Goldie Hawn	...	Regular Performer (67 episodes, 1968-1970)

Storyline

This show popularized a rapid style of vignette comedy show where comedy sketches, punch-lines and gags are edited together in a rapid and almost random format. Regular trademark elements included the joke wall, the dancing woman tattooed with one-liners and the fickle finger of fate award. This series would inspire such shows as Monty Python's Flying Circus and Sesame Street.

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Plot Keywords:

joke | sketch comedy | racist joke | spoof | social satire | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Music

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 September 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Laugh-In

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

George Schlatter-Ed Friendly Productions, National Broadcasting Company (NBC), Romart Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (124 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the trademarks of the series was the fast cutting that happened in between videotaped segments. Blackouts, one-liners and sketches were edited together in such a way that the show had a very rapid, almost frenzied, pace. This was done before computer controlled editing machines were invented, so much of the show was edited by hand.

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Quotes

Jo Anne: Boris says, "Red China is our friend. And when they get here, they're going to prove it."

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Crazy Credits

In the Pilot Special, the ending credits show the cast playing with huge beach balls.

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Connections

Referenced in The Maltese Bippy (1969)

User Reviews

Laugh in Socked it To Us So Well ***1/2

Fabulous television series running from 1967 to 1973.

What made the show so great was the lively supporting cast associated with it.

The sketches with Arte Johnson as the old man starting up with Ruth Buzzi on the park bench were constantly hilarious. Who had the idea to put that net on Buzzi's hair? It made her look so appropriately ugly. When she swung that pocketbook, we roared with laughter.

Then we had Judy Carne saying "Sock it to Me!" Remember when Richard Nixon said that famous line briefly on the show?

Dick Martin gave us that dead pan like humor and Dan Rowan portrayed the typical slick but constant smoking guy on the show.

Joanne Worley was loud but so well suited for this continuous mayhem.

I can't imagine how announcer Gary Owen was able to restrain himself from laughing.

This show and "That Was the Week That Was" gave new dimension to television.