Your Show of Shows 

Live, original comedy originally featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Carl Reiner and Howard Morris joined the show later. Two of the great skits on the show were "The Hickenloopers", a ... See full summary »

Creator:

Sylvester L. Weaver Jr.

Stars:

Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Felisa Vanoff

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Sid Caesar	...	Himself - Regular Performer / ... 141 episodes, 1950-1954
Imogene Coca	...	Herself - Regular Performer / ... 141 episodes, 1950-1954
Felisa Vanoff	...	Herself (dancer) 141 episodes, 1950-1954
Carl Reiner	...	Himself - Regular Performer / ... 140 episodes, 1950-1954
Howard Morris	...	Himself - Regular Performer / ... 140 episodes, 1950-1954
James Starbuck	...	Himself - Regular Performer / ... 111 episodes, 1951-1954

Storyline

Live, original comedy originally featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Carl Reiner and Howard Morris joined the show later. Two of the great skits on the show were "The Hickenloopers", a battling husband-and-wife team and the clock in the Bavarian town of Baverhoff which always broke when the hour was struck.

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Plot Keywords:

variety show | live performance | live broadcast | live audience | song | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 February 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sid Caesar's Show of Shows

Filming Locations:

International Theatre - 5 Columbus Circle, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Max Liebman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Most of the show's writers went on to successful careers of their own, and the backstage antics of the writing on this show was what inspired such works as Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001) (written by Neil Simon) My Favorite Year (1982) (produced by Mel Brooks) and The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) (created by Carl Reiner).

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Connections

Spoofed in The Simpsons: Whistler's Father (2017)

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Soundtracks

Stars Over Broadway
by Max Liebman, Mel Tolkin and Clay Warnick (ASCAP)
Published by Savoy Music Co., Inc.

User Reviews

Simply Unique

To understand why "Your Show of Shows" (YSOS) is so highly regarded, just take a look at the list of the cast and crew. The confluence of all that talent took place at a time when the industry was still being burped on the shoulders of its fathers. But, in retrospect, it was an experiment that worked.

If the episodes don't seem as hilarious today as they did when the show was originally broadcast, it's because so many subsequent programs have absorbed, borrowed and reused elements of YSOS. The brilliant Carl Reiner's "Dick van Dyke Show" was undoubtedly inspired by YSOS, but that's an obvious example, and a classic in its own right.

The strain of putting on a 90-minute live TV show, with the same lead characters in harness week after week, must have drained even the most sturdy contributors.

I recall the last show of the run. Pat Weaver was there to help say good-bye. I had tape-recorded about a dozen programs on a reel-to-reel machine. At least I had those episodes to soften the blow.

Fortunately today episodes aplenty are available for home viewing, and that's something to celebrate.