In the ninth season of ‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ Carol Burnett and Tim Conway introduced the characters of Mr. Tudball and Mrs. Wiggins. They were a boss and secretary duo who were often at odds.
Burnett really got to shine with physical comedy when playing Mrs. Wiggins. A lot of it had to do with the tight, form-fitting skirt that Mrs. Wiggins always wore, which made it difficult for her to do simple things like sit down.
Mr. Tudball was a straight-laced boss, but Mrs. Wiggins brings out his sarcastic side. Her lack of understanding and intelligence is the butt of many of his jokes.
In this sketch, Mr. Tudball waits for Mrs. Wiggins at a nice restaurant. It’s Secretary’s Week, and he’s promised his wife he would take Mrs. Wiggins out.
She finally arrives and spends a lot of time just trying to get into the booth. Once she does, she asks crazy questions and shows a general lack of basic understanding.
However, another actor, Harvey Korman, is in the scene playing a waiter. Mr. Tudball can send a bit of his sarcasm Korman’s way, too.
As usual, Korman has a hard time remaining straight-faced. Tim Conway adlibs many little digs at Korman, such as calling him “Stilts” and “Storklegs” due to his height. The sketch ends with Mrs. Wiggins alone, uncelebrated, but she seems fine all the same.
