“She’s the only person I know who could sing and eat a steak at the same time.”
The Carol Burnett Show has made us laugh, made us cry, and made us laugh until we cried! Carol Burnett is a radiant beacon of comedic genius and a spectacular entertainer. Week after week, special guests would take the stage with Burnett & Company to deliver side-splitting skits with developed characters and elaborate sets. Along with hilarious comedy, The Carol Burnett show would stun audiences with an array of multi-talented musical guests. High stepping choreography, stunning costumes, dazzling sets, and amazing vocal performances captivated viewers.
Variety shows back then really knew how to deliver a good show. I feel like audiences had longer attention spans. Take this fantastic clip from The Carol Burnett Show, featuring the incredibly talented Mrs. Eydie Gorme.
Eydie Gorme is best known as the exuberant, dark-haired, apple-cheeked beauty of Steve & Eydie, a performing duo with her husband Steve Lawrence. The pair met while working together on a variety show hosted by Steve Allen. They fell in love, got married and spent the next five decades entertaining fans with their traditional style and subtle humor, standing the test of time.
In an enlightening interview with Ellie Kemper at The Paley Center in 2015, Carol shared a story about Eydie and her admiration of the woman’s fierce attitude.
“I remember during a medley with Eydie Gormé, who was like Lucille Ball. She never censored herself from anything. But we were singing away in rehearsals and there was a platform that ended, and we wanted to step down off of that platform and get a little bit closer to the audience. The director, however, said, ‘Ladies, don’t step down off of that platform.'”
“We instinctively moved closer for the big finish, and the director yelled at us again. Then Eydie says, ‘What’s the problem?’ She’s the only person I know who could sing and eat a steak at the same time. The director replies, ‘Girls, I don’t want you to step down there because you’re not lit for down there. OK?’ So then there’s a pause and she says, ‘Well, why don’t you hit us with a spotlight like in real show business?’ I wanted to kiss her feet. She says, ‘What’s the matter with you? Why don’t you speak up for yourself?’ I said, ‘Oh no, I have to actually come back here to work.’”
This is the performance that Burnett was referring to in the interview. Watch as Carol and Eydie perform rousing renditions of their favorite tunes from stage and screen. Enjoy this clip from Eydie’s February 4, 1977 guest appearance on the Carol Burnett Show.
One fan commented, “Wow. Such a long melody, compiled, orchestrated, memorized by Carol and Eydie, choreographed for dancers, rehearsed and performed — all for one television show — then discarded. For years, there were big musical production numbers like this one created for one shot on television shown almost every night. Where has it all gone? Thank goodness for Youtube.”
“WOW, what a wonderful clip of the two queens of music, Loved them both. Such talent, Judy Garland is my absolute favorite and loved it when Eydie started singing, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow!!!! – I watched all the Carol Burnett shows, what talent, both great singers, look fantastic and singing famous songs from the 70’s. Thanks for posting this to youtube.This is just fantastic!”, shared another.
Watch this show-stopping medley and tell me which was your favorite song featured in this homage to Hollywood Hits.
