If ever there was a master of deadpan humor, it’s Tim Conway. When he says something wild with that calm, straight-faced delivery of his, it’s that much funnier. On numerous occasions, he’s been a literal show-stopper, causing his co-stars to collapse into heaps of helpless laughter.
Conway grew up near Cleveland and it may have helped shape his sense of humor’s matter-of-fact craziness. He cut his teeth writing sketch comedy at a local TV station when he was in his mid-20s. However, talent like Conway’s was destined to go national and it wasn’t long before he was a regular on “The Steve Allen Show.” A few years later, he landed a role as a bumbling ensign on “McHale’s Navy.” But it was the “The Carol Burnett Show” that really gave Conway’s gift for sketch comedy a place to flourish.
It’s hard to imagine American comedy in the 1970s without “The Carol Burnett Show.” The sketch comedy and variety show aired on CBS from 1967 to 1978, earning a grand total of 25 prime time Emmy Awards. A list of the guest stars who appeared on the show during its 11 year run reads like a who’s who of the entertainment world.
One popular sketch on “The Carol Burnett Show” was “Mama’s Family” (it was later spun off as a show in its own right). In one installment, Tim Conway’s character was telling a humorous story about some elephants. Or at least he was trying to tell the story. Maybe it was just one of those days when things got silly on the set, but Conway sent Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, and Carol Burnett herself into fits of uncontrollable laughter. Conway became his own victim, ending up literally rolling on the floor laughing.
Check out the hilarious blooper reel below and let us know if you ended up on the floor, too. We’re looking forward to hearing from you in the Facebook comments and be sure to like and share, too!
