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Since this is PBS,
good luck using this.
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You should be TV star!
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00:00:10,811 --> 00:00:11,855
Oh, no, too much pressure
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and you have to
get up too early.
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00:00:13,347 --> 00:00:15,625
I don't think there's
anyone here who isn't aware
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that this is a little
special moment in time.
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For once,
I am not going to be Jan Brady.
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I'm going to be Marsha, damn it.
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Oh, my nose!
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I came out to be funny.
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Here I am!
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I don't think anybody else
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on the show was
trying to do that.
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Pure dyn-o-mite!
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Oh, god, I wish Ethel
was here to see this.
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I'm willing to be silly
and dumb and foolish
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and fall on my ass.
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Why on earth you'd
want to go out with a man
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you know nothing about.
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Hello.
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Oh.
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I got lucky.
I won the lottery.
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00:01:01,395 --> 00:01:03,506
Pioneers of Television
was made possible
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by contributions to
your PBS station
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00:01:05,999 --> 00:01:07,477
from viewers like you.
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Thank you.
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Their performances
made us laugh.
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It's still in people's
consciousness from that time.
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You know, people,
"Didi-didi."
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"You mean nanu-nanu."
"Yeah, that's it."
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Nanu-nanu!
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Oh!
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I grew up in a house where
we watched a lot of comedy
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and we would then go around
and imitate it.
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- You think I'm funny?
- You're funny!
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You think so?
'Cause people say I'm funny,
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but it's like, aaagh,
I don't see it, you know?
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You got to get messy in comedy.
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It's got to be ugly.
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You've got to take the pie.
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I rate it "D" for dyn-o-mite!
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Their acting skills
amused a generation.
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I didn't think about
being funny in those days.
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Just thought about
being an actress.
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Physical pieces
that I would put in,
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and by the time it
got to showtime,
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we were so excited
it present it.
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What can I do
to make you like me?
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Get off the stage.
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00:02:06,693 --> 00:02:08,404
It's two crazy guys, you know,
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00:02:08,428 --> 00:02:11,074
that have just been released
from a major hospital.
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Sometimes method acting
can be like urinating
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in brown corduroy pants...
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You feel fabulous,
we see nothing.
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You have to think,
"I know what this is about,
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but how can I do it in
a more interesting
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or fresher way?"
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I really admire you,
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for having the nerve
to stay here
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after that
humiliating experience.
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Together they brought
comedy acting
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to the television age.
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They are the pioneers
of television.
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In the late 19 7 0s,
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Robin Williams
took television by storm
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with a different
approach to comedy,
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a manic style he showcased
on Mork and Mindy.
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So, you're from outer space.
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Yes, you mind if I take
a few pictures
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00:03:05,852 --> 00:03:07,363
for the folks
on the home planet?
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00:03:07,387 --> 00:03:08,931
They'd like to get
some postcards.
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No.
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Okay, watch the blookie.
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It came at a time when people
were going, "What's this?"
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And we got lucky, and then it
was just this thing of...
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It became every Thursday night,
people going...
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They wanted to see
how crazy it would be.
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- Like to buy a record?
- I'm just kind of browsing.
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Let's offer you a special deal,
new from Hotel,
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Marcel Marceau's greatest hits.
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Who can ever forget
"Man Ascending an Escalator"?
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"Man Watching the World's
Largest Staircase"?
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There he goes walking
across it now.
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Let's just forget the vinyl
see the other exciting things
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you get free with this...
Look, it can be a hand glove.
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It also can dice, slice,
and make julienne fries.
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It can also be a party favor,
a King Tut hat, who knew?
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Also a puppet for
a two-dimensional child.
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Hi, Mom, nice to have you home.
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Long before his breakout hit,
Robin Williams had spent years
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honing his skills,
beginning with a class
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he took in a new kind of
comedy performance
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called improvisation.
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And it was this beginning
of getting laughs,
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especially around improvising,
which I went,
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"Literally can create it
there in that space?"
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They went, "Yep."
"Okay, let's do this."
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The response to his
early comedy performances
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in San Francisco
encouraged Williams
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to take the next step...
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Moving to Los Angeles
to try his luck in clubs
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and improv groups,
gradually working out the bits
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that would later
make him a star.
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My god, Nanook of Norinne.
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My god!
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This is a lovely...
Look at this thing.
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Right now there's a whole
bunch of animals going,
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"Is it cold? Jesus!"
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Woo!
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It's the idea of, you know,
just starting off with concepts
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and then just building
off of that,
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and weirdly, a lot of times just
playing off the audience.
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Oh! I guess you couldn't
afford the bottom fur.
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00:05:02,369 --> 00:05:05,014
I feel like Liberace right now,
going, "Just leave me
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00:05:05,038 --> 00:05:07,817
with the candelabra, damn you,
leave me the candelabra."
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This is wonderful.
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Robin's wearing the lovely pants
from Hefty Bag.
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♪ La da di da ♪
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Took a while to kind of
just get the feeling of,
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"Okay, try this, try these,"
and essentially these characters
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were jumping around,
a lot of different characters.
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00:05:24,224 --> 00:05:26,569
There was a little kid,
a kind of pretentious little...
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I remember I did a character
called Little Andrew,
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"Who was very, very intelligent.
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A long time before the iPad,
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I was basically
downloading information."
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"How?"
"Psychically.
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Don't make me hurt you."
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00:05:41,341 --> 00:05:43,286
But it was just, you know,
some people would like it,
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00:05:43,310 --> 00:05:45,121
other people, you're like,
"Whoa, what is this?"
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00:05:45,145 --> 00:05:47,590
One was a Russian
stand-up comedian
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kind of a takeoff
named Nicky Lenin
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who did "suppressions."
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A Soviet poem
of pain and suffering.
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Little robin upon my windowsill
with tiny breast of red.
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00:06:00,260 --> 00:06:04,006
I brought the window slowly down
and crushed the sucker's head.
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00:06:05,832 --> 00:06:07,944
He's gone, but sometimes works.
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00:06:07,968 --> 00:06:09,679
Soviet ventriloquism.
Johnny, you happy to be here?
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00:06:09,703 --> 00:06:10,703
Delighted!
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00:06:12,572 --> 00:06:14,650
At small comedy clubs like this,
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00:06:14,674 --> 00:06:16,752
audiences are
notoriously fickle,
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but Williams learned
from each performance.
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00:06:19,412 --> 00:06:21,424
I remember there was one show
we did at a club
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00:06:21,448 --> 00:06:23,259
and it was the opening night
of this club
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and the mics all broke
and the sound system went out
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and the guy went,
"What are we going to do?
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What are we going to do?"
"I can talk loud."
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00:06:29,422 --> 00:06:31,734
And that was the first time,
and that kind of
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00:06:31,758 --> 00:06:34,103
also determined my style
of just being off-mic
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00:06:34,127 --> 00:06:36,772
and not a standing target
working the whole audience
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00:06:36,796 --> 00:06:38,975
and using that ability
to project my voice
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to kind of change
the perspective in the room,
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so that was the beginning
of using literally
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one of those skills.
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Coming over here,
it's nice to wander back.
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Thank you.
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00:06:48,808 --> 00:06:50,386
Oh, we're just
going to work on this,
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we're going to
tease it a little.
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Just look at it.
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How about those 49ers?
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00:06:54,014 --> 00:06:55,725
You think they're ever
going to work again?
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I don't know.
Let's look over there.
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00:06:57,417 --> 00:07:00,029
Let's just look over here
just a second.
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00:07:00,053 --> 00:07:02,798
Okay, we're going to put
a little up here,
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00:07:02,822 --> 00:07:04,800
Hare Krishna, Hare... sorry.
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00:07:04,824 --> 00:07:08,671
Right now she's going,
"I worked all day on that!"
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Ooh, more smoke.
I want to die.
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00:07:11,298 --> 00:07:12,975
When it works,
there's nothing better.
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00:07:12,999 --> 00:07:14,844
When it doesn't work,
there's nothing worse.
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00:07:14,868 --> 00:07:16,545
Hence the metaphor is
you kill or die.
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There's no in between.
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The metaphors are pretty brutal.
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"You killed."
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Or "you maimed."
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You know, then when you
don't do well, "You died."
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Forward to Intellect,
saving warning Sequence 2,
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00:07:28,515 --> 00:07:30,059
save your ass at any cost.
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00:07:30,083 --> 00:07:33,129
Phase in Sequence 2,
dynamite opening response B.
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00:07:33,153 --> 00:07:35,865
Phase in amlac
opening sequence B,
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00:07:35,889 --> 00:07:37,400
amlac phase in now.
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Hey, nice to be here.
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That's a routine
I actually developed
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00:07:41,561 --> 00:07:43,272
that was called
"what goes on inside
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a comic's mind
when you've bombing,"
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00:07:45,031 --> 00:07:47,276
and it's come inside my mind,
and it was literally
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00:07:47,300 --> 00:07:49,145
the desperation of
looking for material
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00:07:49,169 --> 00:07:50,746
and trying to find
the right joke
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00:07:50,770 --> 00:07:52,248
and eventually getting it out.
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00:07:52,272 --> 00:07:54,850
You go blue just because that's
the only way to get out of it.
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00:07:54,874 --> 00:07:57,320
Move on to dynamite
second routine 1B,
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00:07:57,344 --> 00:08:00,389
phase in now, amlac phase in
opening response 1B,
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00:08:00,413 --> 00:08:02,458
amlac C, sequence A.
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00:08:02,482 --> 00:08:05,728
How 'bout that walking, eh?
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00:08:05,752 --> 00:08:07,430
Mayday, mayday, mayday!
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00:08:07,454 --> 00:08:09,765
And then finally your
id comes up, like,
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00:08:09,789 --> 00:08:11,634
"Let me go, I can talk to 'em.
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00:08:11,658 --> 00:08:14,603
They're just... just let it go,
I've got some stuff."
198
00:08:14,627 --> 00:08:16,272
No, not you.
"Nah, hah hah!
199
00:08:16,296 --> 00:08:17,473
Talk about your mother!"
200
00:08:17,497 --> 00:08:18,941
You're not ready,
you're not ready.
201
00:08:18,965 --> 00:08:24,513
ABC saw William's act,
and, in 19 7 8,
202
00:08:24,537 --> 00:08:27,516
fast-tracked a new sitcom
in which he'd play an alien.
203
00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:30,186
Critics were skeptical
of the premise,
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00:08:30,210 --> 00:08:32,488
but Mork and Mindy was a big hit.
205
00:08:33,613 --> 00:08:38,627
Ring! Ring!
206
00:08:38,651 --> 00:08:40,563
Please get the telephone.
207
00:08:40,587 --> 00:08:42,765
Oh, phone.
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00:08:42,789 --> 00:08:44,967
Primitive means of
audio communication.
209
00:08:47,394 --> 00:08:50,840
I wonder what it looks like.
210
00:08:50,864 --> 00:08:52,575
Hello!
211
00:08:52,599 --> 00:08:56,412
Hello?
212
00:08:57,604 --> 00:09:00,182
I killed it.
213
00:09:00,206 --> 00:09:02,585
It struck a chord because
it was so kind of out of
214
00:09:02,609 --> 00:09:04,720
left field in that way,
but it was a blast.
215
00:09:04,744 --> 00:09:06,255
The first year was crazy fun.
216
00:09:06,279 --> 00:09:08,657
Ah!
217
00:09:08,681 --> 00:09:10,926
I'm going home, mama!
218
00:09:17,857 --> 00:09:20,169
Hey! Don't take away
my gusto!
219
00:09:23,496 --> 00:09:25,841
Ah, help me, I'm melting!
220
00:09:30,637 --> 00:09:33,716
Mork and Mindy was performed
in front of a studio audience,
221
00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:36,385
a long-standing technique
that especially benefits
222
00:09:36,409 --> 00:09:38,888
comedians like Williams,
who need the feedback
223
00:09:38,912 --> 00:09:40,589
of an audience reaction.
224
00:09:40,613 --> 00:09:43,125
People forget that Chaplin,
when he did a lot of his movies,
225
00:09:43,149 --> 00:09:44,693
was performing
in front of people,
226
00:09:44,717 --> 00:09:46,262
that they sometimes
would have...
227
00:09:46,286 --> 00:09:48,397
A lot of the silent comedians
would have, like...
228
00:09:48,421 --> 00:09:51,033
Because there was no soundtrack,
they'd have an audience there.
229
00:09:51,057 --> 00:09:52,535
They knew where the laughs were.
230
00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:54,537
Or he would take it out
as stage productions.
231
00:09:54,561 --> 00:09:56,572
Like, the Marx Brothers
did all of their movies
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00:09:56,596 --> 00:09:57,706
as stage productions first
233
00:09:57,730 --> 00:09:59,475
so they knew where
all the laughs were.
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00:09:59,499 --> 00:10:02,611
Television couldn't contain
Robin Williams,
235
00:10:02,635 --> 00:10:05,247
and soon he was
starring in movies
236
00:10:05,271 --> 00:10:07,183
like Good Morning, Vietnam.
237
00:10:07,207 --> 00:10:11,520
Good morning, Vietnam!
238
00:10:11,544 --> 00:10:14,723
Hey, this is not a test,
this is rock and roll!
239
00:10:14,747 --> 00:10:18,260
Director Barry Levinson
took advantage of Williams'
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00:10:18,284 --> 00:10:21,530
improvisational skills
by secretly filming him
241
00:10:21,554 --> 00:10:24,733
from a distance as he
interacted with locals.
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00:10:24,757 --> 00:10:27,470
There'd be just Thai kids
and different people kind of
243
00:10:27,494 --> 00:10:29,505
and we'd be talking
and he'd just say,
244
00:10:29,529 --> 00:10:31,740
"Start rolling," and wouldn't
let anybody know,
245
00:10:31,764 --> 00:10:34,076
and you'd get wonderful stuff
with just the people
246
00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:35,744
and just regular folks.
247
00:10:35,768 --> 00:10:37,680
It's no big deal.
248
00:10:37,704 --> 00:10:40,483
Look,
♪ How loving can you feel ♪
249
00:10:40,507 --> 00:10:42,218
♪ When you got
that moment when ♪
250
00:10:42,242 --> 00:10:44,620
♪ Don't you know that
time can be that-a way ♪
251
00:10:44,644 --> 00:10:45,955
♪ Wacka-wack,
wacka-wack, wacka-wack ♪
252
00:10:45,979 --> 00:10:47,790
We ended up playing
with a grapefruit
253
00:10:47,814 --> 00:10:50,059
instead of a baseball,
and there was one actor,
254
00:10:50,083 --> 00:10:52,795
"This is not a real baseball,
I have seen a real baseball."
255
00:10:52,819 --> 00:10:54,897
And he just started
arguing with me,
256
00:10:54,921 --> 00:10:57,199
and Barry said, you know,
"Keep rolling."
257
00:10:57,223 --> 00:10:58,901
It was wonderful,
'cause he was like,
258
00:10:58,925 --> 00:11:00,236
"No, it's a baseball."
259
00:11:00,260 --> 00:11:02,138
"No, it's not a baseball.
This is a piece of fruit."
260
00:11:02,162 --> 00:11:05,274
It's much smaller
and harder than this one.
261
00:11:05,298 --> 00:11:07,643
You've got me there, Wilk,
because, I'm sorry,
262
00:11:07,667 --> 00:11:10,546
we have no budget, you see,
and I've got to get on a plane
263
00:11:10,570 --> 00:11:12,047
and we have to do with
what we can.
264
00:11:12,071 --> 00:11:14,283
Give me your hand.
Thank you.
265
00:11:14,307 --> 00:11:16,307
- Thank you all the same.
- Thank you all the same.
266
00:11:18,645 --> 00:11:21,123
Williams would go on
to play a wide range
267
00:11:21,147 --> 00:11:23,626
of both comic
and serious roles in films,
268
00:11:23,650 --> 00:11:26,428
winning an Academy Award
for Good Will Hunting.
269
00:11:26,452 --> 00:11:30,299
But for many, he remains
the iconic Mork from Ork.
270
00:11:30,323 --> 00:11:32,334
It still is that thing,
even after winning
271
00:11:32,358 --> 00:11:34,069
an Academy Award,
for like a week,
272
00:11:34,093 --> 00:11:36,472
people going, "Hey,
Good Will Hunting, way to go."
273
00:11:36,496 --> 00:11:38,374
Two weeks later,
"Hey, Mork!"
274
00:11:38,398 --> 00:11:39,525
It doesn't change.
275
00:11:41,801 --> 00:11:44,079
By the fourth season
of Mork and Mindy,
276
00:11:44,103 --> 00:11:46,782
the producers decided
to add a new character,
277
00:11:46,806 --> 00:11:49,418
played by the only comedian
who could match
278
00:11:49,442 --> 00:11:52,021
Robin Williams'
spontaneous comic energy...
279
00:11:52,045 --> 00:11:53,122
Jonathan Winters.
280
00:11:53,146 --> 00:11:56,492
I don't like you, Freddy.
281
00:11:56,516 --> 00:11:58,280
Don't like you, Junior.
282
00:12:00,019 --> 00:12:01,730
You wonder if I am different.
283
00:12:01,754 --> 00:12:04,400
I am twisted
and bent out of shape
284
00:12:04,424 --> 00:12:06,969
because you took my parents
285
00:12:06,993 --> 00:12:08,518
from me!
286
00:12:13,733 --> 00:12:15,978
In many ways,
Jonathan Winters had
287
00:12:16,002 --> 00:12:18,113
paved the way for Robin Williams
288
00:12:18,137 --> 00:12:20,916
as television's first
improvisational genius.
289
00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:23,219
I know you're bitter
because you had to leave
290
00:12:23,243 --> 00:12:25,154
that plush job there
in the Pentagon.
291
00:12:25,178 --> 00:12:27,423
Yeah, it's cuckoo.
292
00:12:27,447 --> 00:12:29,225
Cut that jazz out.
293
00:12:29,249 --> 00:12:30,993
Let's face it,
it's sort of a challenge for...
294
00:12:31,017 --> 00:12:36,098
It's sort of...
Hope you didn't get any on you.
295
00:12:36,122 --> 00:12:39,201
It's sort of man against
the jungle, you might say.
296
00:12:39,225 --> 00:12:41,337
You know, malaria, yellow fever.
297
00:12:41,361 --> 00:12:43,973
Animals.
No offense, Rodney.
298
00:12:43,997 --> 00:12:47,142
You see, I'll be
shoving off before long,
299
00:12:47,166 --> 00:12:49,278
and, look, you're into me
for 200 now.
300
00:12:49,302 --> 00:12:50,813
Keep your hands out of there.
301
00:12:50,837 --> 00:12:52,214
He made it possible
302
00:12:52,238 --> 00:12:54,316
for me to think that
you can do anything.
303
00:12:54,340 --> 00:12:55,918
He made it possible
to do voices,
304
00:12:55,942 --> 00:12:58,420
characters, sound effects,
and all those different things
305
00:12:58,444 --> 00:13:00,122
that just open the world up.
306
00:13:00,146 --> 00:13:02,558
He was morphing
before the technology.
307
00:13:02,582 --> 00:13:04,526
So it was a bit...
That was, for me,
308
00:13:04,550 --> 00:13:06,395
like the beginning of,
like, wow.
309
00:13:06,419 --> 00:13:07,796
Tell me, Mr. Groundhog,
310
00:13:07,820 --> 00:13:09,498
do you predict six miserable,
311
00:13:09,522 --> 00:13:12,034
lousy weeks of weather
ahead of us or not?
312
00:13:12,058 --> 00:13:15,070
I don't know anything
about the weather, Jack.
313
00:13:15,094 --> 00:13:16,705
I can tell you that it's
314
00:13:16,729 --> 00:13:19,141
a crummy hole
I live in down there.
315
00:13:19,165 --> 00:13:22,011
It's rotten, it's damp,
the missus is about
316
00:13:22,035 --> 00:13:24,280
he ugliest broad
I have ever seen.
317
00:13:28,708 --> 00:13:31,754
Now, Robin Williams
said to me one time,
318
00:13:31,778 --> 00:13:36,625
"Pops, you're my mentor,"
and I said, "No, don't...
319
00:13:36,649 --> 00:13:39,128
Listen, don't say 'mentor.'
320
00:13:39,152 --> 00:13:42,998
In Ohio, they think
that's a salve.
321
00:13:43,022 --> 00:13:45,868
Say 'idol.'
Everybody gets that.
322
00:13:45,892 --> 00:13:47,269
I love 'idol.'
323
00:13:47,293 --> 00:13:50,706
See, mentor's... that's like
a pharmaceutical thing.
324
00:13:50,730 --> 00:13:52,096
Put that on your skin."
325
00:13:53,666 --> 00:13:56,245
Jonathan Winters'
comedy skills ran deep.
326
00:13:56,269 --> 00:13:59,615
As a boy in Dayton, Ohio,
he listened to his grandfather
327
00:13:59,639 --> 00:14:01,784
joke about the town celebrities,
328
00:14:01,808 --> 00:14:03,919
Wilbur and Orville Wright.
329
00:14:03,943 --> 00:14:06,755
And I met
Orville Wright when I was a kid.
330
00:14:06,779 --> 00:14:10,125
My grandfather went to school
with these guys,
331
00:14:10,149 --> 00:14:13,162
and he said they
were devoid of any humor,
332
00:14:13,186 --> 00:14:14,630
they were not funny.
333
00:14:14,654 --> 00:14:18,100
I went like to this to them
and I said, you know,
334
00:14:18,124 --> 00:14:20,169
"How's the airplane, Orville?"
335
00:14:20,193 --> 00:14:22,771
As a young man,
336
00:14:22,795 --> 00:14:24,873
Winters hoped to
become an artist,
337
00:14:24,897 --> 00:14:27,609
but his wife set him
on a different track.
338
00:14:27,633 --> 00:14:29,478
My wife said, "Enough.
339
00:14:29,502 --> 00:14:31,580
Your art isn't that good.
340
00:14:31,604 --> 00:14:35,684
I'm going to tell you,
I love you," this and that.
341
00:14:35,708 --> 00:14:38,654
"You don't have a style,
and you've got to have a style.
342
00:14:38,678 --> 00:14:42,324
As a performer in
the music business and acting,
343
00:14:42,348 --> 00:14:44,460
you've got to have a style."
344
00:14:44,484 --> 00:14:45,994
And I didn't have a style.
345
00:14:46,018 --> 00:14:47,696
Winters went to New York
346
00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,033
and developed his unique
improvisational style.
347
00:14:51,057 --> 00:14:54,937
Soon he was a regular
on the talk show circuit.
348
00:14:54,961 --> 00:14:56,605
He has a plan to save Cuba.
Listen to this.
349
00:14:56,629 --> 00:14:57,606
Please tell them.
350
00:14:57,630 --> 00:14:59,041
Well, my plan is this, Jack.
351
00:15:00,433 --> 00:15:03,278
From one Jack to another,
352
00:15:03,302 --> 00:15:05,981
it has been my feeling
right along,
353
00:15:06,005 --> 00:15:08,884
and I tried to get Congress
to go along with me,
354
00:15:08,908 --> 00:15:11,620
my friends.
355
00:15:11,644 --> 00:15:16,125
Lyndon, who I saw
about a year ago.
356
00:15:17,683 --> 00:15:20,729
Jonathan Winters was
almost unknown
357
00:15:20,753 --> 00:15:23,999
until he had
the Jack Paar experience,
358
00:15:24,023 --> 00:15:28,470
and people who came on that show
became suddenly known.
359
00:15:28,494 --> 00:15:30,672
Did you ever undress
in front of a dog?
360
00:15:34,367 --> 00:15:36,278
Um...
361
00:15:38,404 --> 00:15:41,183
I'll tell you...
362
00:15:41,207 --> 00:15:42,885
You think about that
for a minute.
363
00:15:44,877 --> 00:15:47,956
I don't know, people,
you know, it's funny.
364
00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:50,626
A bird somehow
doesn't count, right?
365
00:15:52,051 --> 00:15:53,662
Or a cat.
366
00:15:53,686 --> 00:15:56,231
But a dog, they really stare.
367
00:15:58,724 --> 00:16:00,869
If Jack Paar liked
what you were doing,
368
00:16:00,893 --> 00:16:03,939
you know, the rest of the guests
could come back the next night.
369
00:16:03,963 --> 00:16:07,476
I'd just come out of the shower
and here was my dog.
370
00:16:10,670 --> 00:16:13,215
You know they can talk, right?
371
00:16:13,239 --> 00:16:15,050
So when they look at you like...
372
00:16:17,276 --> 00:16:19,021
Yeah, and wagged her little tail
373
00:16:19,045 --> 00:16:21,590
and went out and told
her friends what she'd seen.
374
00:16:21,614 --> 00:16:24,126
I remember seeing him...
Watching him with my father.
375
00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:26,895
My dad was kind of, you know,
very kind of quiet like this,
376
00:16:26,919 --> 00:16:29,298
and Jonathan did a thing
where he came on one time
377
00:16:29,322 --> 00:16:31,033
on The Tonight Show
with Jack Paar
378
00:16:31,057 --> 00:16:32,201
and came out and said...
379
00:16:32,225 --> 00:16:33,802
And Jack said,
"What are you?"
380
00:16:33,826 --> 00:16:34,937
What are you?
381
00:16:34,961 --> 00:16:37,005
I'm the Voice of Spring!
382
00:16:42,268 --> 00:16:45,247
I bring you some little goodies
from the forest.
383
00:16:51,677 --> 00:16:53,956
And I saw my dad
lose it and I went,
384
00:16:53,980 --> 00:16:56,158
"Okay, this guy,
I like this guy."
385
00:16:56,182 --> 00:16:58,126
Where did you decide to do this?
386
00:16:58,150 --> 00:16:59,428
This is something new.
387
00:16:59,452 --> 00:17:02,498
Well, I've been to the forest,
and the...
388
00:17:02,522 --> 00:17:05,267
You've been on Third Avenue,
is where you've been.
389
00:17:07,326 --> 00:17:09,972
Weeee!
390
00:17:09,996 --> 00:17:13,342
Took me 45 minutes
to get that in there.
391
00:17:13,366 --> 00:17:16,078
I'm sorry, in the forest,
we don't care.
392
00:17:21,173 --> 00:17:24,520
At each performance,
Winters would morph into
393
00:17:24,544 --> 00:17:28,524
a collection of characters,
all funny, all spontaneous.
394
00:17:28,548 --> 00:17:32,661
That was very touching,
boys and girls.
395
00:17:32,685 --> 00:17:34,463
Excuse me while I shed a tear.
396
00:17:34,487 --> 00:17:36,598
I don't want to do it
in front of you.
397
00:17:36,622 --> 00:17:38,600
Aw!
398
00:17:38,624 --> 00:17:39,668
Oh...
399
00:17:42,862 --> 00:17:44,840
Ah!
400
00:17:44,864 --> 00:17:47,910
Ah, just a little medicine.
401
00:17:47,934 --> 00:17:50,812
"And the boys said, 'No, no.'
Jeez, I'll tell it."
402
00:17:50,836 --> 00:17:53,515
"I am not from Paris,
I am from Bordeaux."
403
00:17:53,539 --> 00:17:56,885
"And we seen this light up there
and it was a huge saucer."
404
00:17:56,909 --> 00:17:58,820
"I have a marvelous appetite.
405
00:17:58,844 --> 00:18:01,356
You can tell that
by looking at me."
406
00:18:01,380 --> 00:18:04,560
"Oh, god, I wish Ethel
was here to see this."
407
00:18:04,584 --> 00:18:07,229
"Take me to your leader!
Take me to your leader!"
408
00:18:07,253 --> 00:18:08,964
"And did you take him
to your leader?"
409
00:18:08,988 --> 00:18:10,432
"I didn't know who
my leader was."
410
00:18:12,391 --> 00:18:13,552
"Stop that, boy."
411
00:18:15,928 --> 00:18:20,342
In 1956, Jonathan Winters
got his own television show,
412
00:18:20,366 --> 00:18:23,679
the first-ever series
broadcast in color.
413
00:18:23,703 --> 00:18:27,382
It didn't last long,
but he was back in 1967
414
00:18:27,406 --> 00:18:30,552
with another series
showcasing his comic genius.
415
00:18:30,576 --> 00:18:33,255
Margaret, if you'd be kind
enough to plug in that
416
00:18:33,279 --> 00:18:35,324
new electric knife
that you gave me,
417
00:18:35,348 --> 00:18:37,059
there's a special turkey here.
418
00:18:37,083 --> 00:18:39,027
Would you plug it in,
sweetheart?
419
00:18:42,722 --> 00:18:44,399
Thppt! Oh!
420
00:18:46,025 --> 00:18:48,403
I'm sorry, Uncle Willie!
421
00:18:48,427 --> 00:18:50,472
Try to stand, will ya?
422
00:18:51,797 --> 00:18:54,042
Cut your tie off,
didn't it? Aw!
423
00:18:54,066 --> 00:18:56,144
When we're talking about
improvisation,
424
00:18:56,168 --> 00:18:57,145
it's a little scary.
425
00:18:57,169 --> 00:18:58,480
It's always scary.
426
00:18:58,504 --> 00:19:02,651
A lot of you people have asked
why my strange headdress.
427
00:19:03,709 --> 00:19:05,087
Well, don't ask anymore.
428
00:19:05,111 --> 00:19:06,822
Ppt, ppt.
429
00:19:09,982 --> 00:19:12,728
When you saw him on his show
where he would come out with
430
00:19:12,752 --> 00:19:14,896
a box of stuff
and just take out something.
431
00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,099
One time, I remember,
he came out and said,
432
00:19:17,123 --> 00:19:18,400
"My name is Tommin Turney,
433
00:19:18,424 --> 00:19:20,235
I come from the country
of Tangwai.
434
00:19:20,259 --> 00:19:25,440
Our country is 400 yards wide
and 20 miles long."
435
00:19:25,464 --> 00:19:27,142
And then they said,
"What is your chief export?"
436
00:19:27,166 --> 00:19:28,944
"Mainly rope."
437
00:19:28,968 --> 00:19:31,113
It was like...
And he just started
438
00:19:31,137 --> 00:19:32,848
building these things.
439
00:19:32,872 --> 00:19:34,282
Give him a hat,
he could go for days.
440
00:19:34,306 --> 00:19:39,955
It's not easy here on this
bloody ship, is it, matey?
441
00:19:39,979 --> 00:19:41,657
- Is it?
- It's not easy, sir.
442
00:19:41,681 --> 00:19:43,325
'Course it isn't.
443
00:19:43,349 --> 00:19:45,894
You want to go that route again?
444
00:19:45,918 --> 00:19:48,363
Lock and load the cannon.
445
00:19:48,387 --> 00:19:50,432
That's the cannon right there.
446
00:19:50,456 --> 00:19:52,467
- Yes, sir.
- See, I've been drinking, too.
447
00:19:52,491 --> 00:19:54,670
I can't help.
448
00:19:54,694 --> 00:19:57,839
These are all different from
this afternoon.
449
00:19:57,863 --> 00:19:59,141
You bet they are.
450
00:19:59,165 --> 00:20:01,276
And he'd make these things up,
451
00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:03,979
but then when it came time
to do it again
452
00:20:04,003 --> 00:20:06,815
on the live show
after the dress rehearsal,
453
00:20:06,839 --> 00:20:09,351
he wasn't as good
because he wanted...
454
00:20:09,375 --> 00:20:11,753
He didn't want to do
the same thing,
455
00:20:11,777 --> 00:20:15,457
and the time he did it first
was the funniest.
456
00:20:15,481 --> 00:20:17,759
That was the first thing that
came in his head, boom,
457
00:20:17,783 --> 00:20:20,796
and he did it and it was great.
458
00:20:20,820 --> 00:20:24,766
Let's... let's play swords.
459
00:20:27,626 --> 00:20:29,271
I didn't have to do anything
460
00:20:29,295 --> 00:20:31,840
except just stand there
and laugh at him.
461
00:20:31,864 --> 00:20:35,243
I'd sing a song
and supposedly I don't know
462
00:20:35,267 --> 00:20:39,247
that he's behind me doing
all kinds of crazy things.
463
00:20:39,271 --> 00:20:43,051
♪ I'm starry-eyed ♪
464
00:20:43,075 --> 00:20:47,723
♪ And vaguely discontented ♪
465
00:20:47,747 --> 00:20:49,825
♪ Like a nightingale ♪
466
00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,331
Cracker.
467
00:20:57,723 --> 00:20:59,301
It was silly for me
468
00:20:59,325 --> 00:21:03,171
to sing it in dress rehearsal
and for him to do it because,
469
00:21:03,195 --> 00:21:06,241
again, he was funnier
doing it the first time
470
00:21:06,265 --> 00:21:08,110
than he was the second time.
471
00:21:08,134 --> 00:21:14,449
The reason a lot of these guys,
Andy and Dean and Steve
472
00:21:14,473 --> 00:21:20,322
and Jack had chosen me was
a very dangerous thing,
473
00:21:20,346 --> 00:21:23,692
but thank god, they would say,
474
00:21:23,716 --> 00:21:27,062
if they were here today
to say it,
475
00:21:27,086 --> 00:21:29,931
I would bet on this,
one thing about Winters,
476
00:21:29,955 --> 00:21:32,667
you never knew what he was
going to say or do.
477
00:21:32,691 --> 00:21:34,536
When we had Jonathan on,
it was amazing,
478
00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:36,805
because he and I...
They would just do these things
479
00:21:36,829 --> 00:21:38,540
like, "Jonathan
and Robin riff here."
480
00:21:38,564 --> 00:21:40,542
I was kicked out of Santa, sir.
They found me in a dress.
481
00:21:40,566 --> 00:21:42,377
Doesn't make any difference.
They found you in what?
482
00:21:42,401 --> 00:21:43,378
A gown.
483
00:21:43,402 --> 00:21:45,313
Ah, gown's better.
484
00:21:46,338 --> 00:21:48,850
One time we did
485
00:21:48,874 --> 00:21:50,118
a World War I takeoff.
486
00:21:50,142 --> 00:21:52,754
They shot for like 45 minutes
to the point where
487
00:21:52,778 --> 00:21:54,890
the cameras were
running out of film.
488
00:21:54,914 --> 00:21:56,958
They were like machine gunners
at Guadalcanal.
489
00:21:56,982 --> 00:21:58,393
I'm out!
490
00:21:58,417 --> 00:22:00,462
Get a gunner to camera three!
491
00:22:00,486 --> 00:22:01,963
And were just riffing.
492
00:22:01,987 --> 00:22:03,732
They're coming, father, look!
493
00:22:03,756 --> 00:22:05,700
Thousands of Huns,
Germans, Bosch!
494
00:22:05,724 --> 00:22:07,803
Germans and Bosch!
What's the Bosch?
495
00:22:07,827 --> 00:22:10,872
- Small soup with beets.
- I suppose.
496
00:22:10,896 --> 00:22:13,216
And then eventually they would
cut it down to five minutes.
497
00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:16,611
Ow, ow, my hand, my hand!
498
00:22:16,635 --> 00:22:18,780
I'm sorry, sorry, take it out!
499
00:22:18,804 --> 00:22:19,781
I'm hurt, I'm hurt!
500
00:22:19,805 --> 00:22:21,249
I know you are,
but you've killed
501
00:22:21,273 --> 00:22:23,051
the old man with
four fingers in his head!
502
00:22:25,044 --> 00:22:29,724
Well, it's two crazy guys,
you know,
503
00:22:29,748 --> 00:22:33,595
that had just been released
from a major hospital,
504
00:22:33,619 --> 00:22:36,665
and, "Ha, ha, ha,
we're on the playground now,
505
00:22:36,689 --> 00:22:37,966
you'll never get us.
506
00:22:37,990 --> 00:22:40,735
We can get in that Jeep
and roll away, bye-bye."
507
00:22:40,759 --> 00:22:43,438
And he is on full throttle.
508
00:22:43,462 --> 00:22:45,440
I mean, I can be
on full throttle,
509
00:22:45,464 --> 00:22:48,176
but I found out what
full throttle can do to you.
510
00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,513
It can... you can end up
hitting the pylon
511
00:22:51,537 --> 00:22:53,648
rather than going around it.
512
00:22:53,672 --> 00:22:58,854
Um... the thing to me,
Robin is like a great air show.
513
00:22:58,878 --> 00:23:00,689
Looks like
the bloody war's over.
514
00:23:00,713 --> 00:23:02,123
- No, sir.
- What a shame.
515
00:23:02,147 --> 00:23:03,325
And no action.
516
00:23:03,349 --> 00:23:06,461
You know, I can't...
No, it's my medallions.
517
00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:09,564
There we are.
518
00:23:09,588 --> 00:23:11,600
It would take him literally
sometimes 30 minutes
519
00:23:11,624 --> 00:23:13,568
to get from his car to
the set on Mork and Mindy
520
00:23:13,592 --> 00:23:15,604
because he would stop
and perform for everybody.
521
00:23:15,628 --> 00:23:19,140
The guys that comes up now,
"Did I see you on television?"
522
00:23:19,164 --> 00:23:21,776
Of course, a lot of
times I will say,
523
00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,880
"I'm Leland Buckhorn
and I'm a bronco buster,
524
00:23:24,904 --> 00:23:26,047
a bronco rider."
525
00:23:26,071 --> 00:23:28,283
"No, that's not it."
526
00:23:28,307 --> 00:23:31,720
"Oh, yes, it is.
I'm Leland Buckhorn.
527
00:23:31,744 --> 00:23:34,456
And I'm busting my
whole thing down here
528
00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,391
and riding them Brahman bulls.
529
00:23:36,415 --> 00:23:38,159
It's just terrible for me.
530
00:23:38,183 --> 00:23:40,762
I can't do it no more."
531
00:23:40,786 --> 00:23:42,697
And have the woman
turn to her husband,
532
00:23:42,721 --> 00:23:44,633
"Eddie, I told you
it wasn't him."
533
00:23:44,657 --> 00:23:47,736
Jonathan Winters,
as everyone knows,
534
00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,338
is some kind of a...
535
00:23:50,362 --> 00:23:51,640
savant or something.
536
00:23:51,664 --> 00:23:52,741
I mean, I don't know.
537
00:23:52,765 --> 00:23:55,777
He just never stopped.
He was always
538
00:23:55,801 --> 00:23:56,945
in some character.
539
00:23:56,969 --> 00:23:59,281
I just think he felt
so comfortable there.
540
00:23:59,305 --> 00:24:02,117
Writing for
an improvisational performer
541
00:24:02,141 --> 00:24:04,786
like Jonathan Winters
was a challenge
542
00:24:04,810 --> 00:24:08,023
because Winters liked to
work out his own bits.
543
00:24:08,047 --> 00:24:09,824
They would give him
stuff to say that if
544
00:24:09,848 --> 00:24:12,060
he didn't think was funny,
he couldn't memorize it.
545
00:24:12,084 --> 00:24:14,663
Jonathan, please.
546
00:24:14,687 --> 00:24:16,865
Just do the lines.
547
00:24:16,889 --> 00:24:19,701
What we've talked about
for five days, okay?
548
00:24:19,725 --> 00:24:21,636
Because he's so
naturally funny that
549
00:24:21,660 --> 00:24:23,605
I think it was like
tissue rejection.
550
00:24:23,629 --> 00:24:26,007
They would write him stuff
to say and just, pbbt,
551
00:24:26,031 --> 00:24:28,009
you know, and he'd go,
"I don't... no."
552
00:24:28,033 --> 00:24:33,782
You got six to seven
writers on the show, okay?
553
00:24:33,806 --> 00:24:36,952
This one scene here
in the second act, please,
554
00:24:36,976 --> 00:24:38,753
let's just do it.
555
00:24:38,777 --> 00:24:40,956
Tomorrow we'll do it.
556
00:24:40,980 --> 00:24:42,891
Why can't we do it now, man?
557
00:24:42,915 --> 00:24:45,427
I'd like to get it started...
You know,
558
00:24:45,451 --> 00:24:47,562
I want to get this thing going.
559
00:24:47,586 --> 00:24:50,832
There's going to be some
big changes all week.
560
00:24:50,856 --> 00:24:52,701
I know that, okay.
561
00:24:52,725 --> 00:24:57,539
Now, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday,
562
00:24:57,563 --> 00:24:59,074
skipping... you're fighting
for your life.
563
00:24:59,098 --> 00:25:01,042
I'm fighting
to get in some more.
564
00:25:01,066 --> 00:25:04,079
I want to do a thing with
a window out here with the kids.
565
00:25:04,103 --> 00:25:05,313
What window?
566
00:25:05,337 --> 00:25:07,148
The break front.
567
00:25:07,172 --> 00:25:08,950
It's a fake window, okay?
568
00:25:08,974 --> 00:25:11,619
Can you get that?
You're getting 60,000 bucks.
569
00:25:11,643 --> 00:25:13,188
A fake window.
570
00:25:13,212 --> 00:25:16,057
Phew, medication.
571
00:25:17,416 --> 00:25:19,594
There we go.
572
00:25:19,618 --> 00:25:21,629
Because he's so
instinctually funny
573
00:25:21,653 --> 00:25:23,798
that you just want to go,
"Let him go.
574
00:25:23,822 --> 00:25:25,900
Let him free-range.
We'll be there."
575
00:25:25,924 --> 00:25:28,336
You know, then when they did,
it would work.
576
00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:31,773
What made Jonathan Winters
and Robin Williams unique
577
00:25:31,797 --> 00:25:34,209
was their ability
to create comedy
578
00:25:34,233 --> 00:25:36,600
from nothing instantaneously.
579
00:25:38,437 --> 00:25:41,016
Improvisational masters
can conceive, write,
580
00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,669
and perform a line all in
the blink of an eye.
581
00:25:45,978 --> 00:25:48,323
At the other end of
the spectrum are performers
582
00:25:48,347 --> 00:25:50,825
who focus on preparation,
getting into their roles,
583
00:25:50,849 --> 00:25:54,095
carefully crafting the delivery
of each funny word.
584
00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,499
Among the most honored of these
formally trained comedy actors
585
00:25:57,523 --> 00:25:59,634
is Cloris Leachman,
who's won more
586
00:25:59,658 --> 00:26:01,854
acting Emmy Awards
than anyone else.
587
00:26:05,164 --> 00:26:09,444
In 1946, Cloris Leachman nearly
won the Miss America contest,
588
00:26:09,468 --> 00:26:12,313
but beauty pageants
weren't her goal.
589
00:26:12,337 --> 00:26:14,682
She wanted to act,
a dream since she
590
00:26:14,706 --> 00:26:16,851
stepped onstage as a little girl
591
00:26:16,875 --> 00:26:19,521
and learned her first
lesson about comedy.
592
00:26:19,545 --> 00:26:21,623
I, like, twirled and did...
And I slipped
593
00:26:21,647 --> 00:26:27,228
and fell flat on my ass,
and I was horrified.
594
00:26:27,252 --> 00:26:28,663
And everybody laughed.
595
00:26:28,687 --> 00:26:30,565
And it changed, I'm sure,
596
00:26:30,589 --> 00:26:33,301
my outlook for
the rest of my life,
597
00:26:33,325 --> 00:26:36,104
that it's okay to fall
flat on your ass.
598
00:26:36,128 --> 00:26:37,839
The audience is with you.
599
00:26:37,863 --> 00:26:40,708
They're right there
with you and for you.
600
00:26:40,732 --> 00:26:45,814
Studying under Elia Kazan
at the famed Actors Studio,
601
00:26:45,838 --> 00:26:48,283
Leachman learned the techniques
of dramatic acting,
602
00:26:48,307 --> 00:26:50,051
which she then
applied to comedy.
603
00:26:50,075 --> 00:26:54,522
Kazan emphasized using objects
604
00:26:54,546 --> 00:26:56,658
in a scene instead of
using your face.
605
00:26:56,682 --> 00:26:58,760
Well, gee, you know,
he would have you
606
00:26:58,784 --> 00:27:02,030
do something with an object that
would show how you're feeling.
607
00:27:02,054 --> 00:27:04,265
We're gonna get this business
deal on its feet, all right,
608
00:27:04,289 --> 00:27:06,234
and then the feet's gonna be
right on your neck.
609
00:27:06,258 --> 00:27:07,602
Now, that's a damn lie!
610
00:27:07,626 --> 00:27:10,338
Now, listen, this outfit
is going to go through,
611
00:27:10,362 --> 00:27:12,474
but the arrangement has
got to be between you and me.
612
00:27:12,498 --> 00:27:14,943
So I said, "I need something,"
and the prop department said,
613
00:27:14,967 --> 00:27:16,511
"Well, what do you need?"
"Well, I don't know,
614
00:27:16,535 --> 00:27:17,579
I... a candy?"
615
00:27:17,603 --> 00:27:20,048
So they gave me
this bowl on a stem
616
00:27:20,072 --> 00:27:21,816
with wrapped candy covered.
617
00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,452
My goodness, let's not grobble.
618
00:27:24,476 --> 00:27:26,187
Yeah, let's not fight about
619
00:27:26,211 --> 00:27:28,423
anything silly like old Maureen.
620
00:27:28,447 --> 00:27:30,024
I mean, what the hell.
621
00:27:31,917 --> 00:27:33,027
Crack.
622
00:27:33,051 --> 00:27:34,529
I cracked it.
623
00:27:34,553 --> 00:27:38,399
Oh, yes, it got a big laugh.
624
00:27:38,423 --> 00:27:43,171
That's the sort of thing
that's wonderful,
625
00:27:43,195 --> 00:27:44,720
to use objects.
626
00:27:47,199 --> 00:27:49,777
Throughout her career,
Leachman has been careful
627
00:27:49,801 --> 00:27:51,779
not to play stock
comic characters.
628
00:27:51,803 --> 00:27:54,516
Instead, she works to make
each performance unique.
629
00:27:54,540 --> 00:27:55,683
It's so easy
630
00:27:55,707 --> 00:27:56,684
to do clichés.
631
00:27:56,708 --> 00:27:58,253
We all know what... in fact,
632
00:27:58,277 --> 00:28:01,289
some actors who think they're
really good and they aren't,
633
00:28:01,313 --> 00:28:04,259
they think they're good because
they know their clichés.
634
00:28:04,283 --> 00:28:07,128
Oh, I know, you stand this way
or you don't cry
635
00:28:07,152 --> 00:28:09,464
or you do or whatever
at this point.
636
00:28:09,488 --> 00:28:11,232
It's all clichés.
637
00:28:11,256 --> 00:28:14,702
So you have to think,
"I know what this is about,
638
00:28:14,726 --> 00:28:17,672
but how can I do it in
a more interesting
639
00:28:17,696 --> 00:28:18,940
or fresher way?"
640
00:28:18,964 --> 00:28:21,609
Cloris Leachman's
breakthrough role on television
641
00:28:21,633 --> 00:28:24,345
came as Phyllis on
The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
642
00:28:24,369 --> 00:28:25,813
So this is the newsroom?
643
00:28:25,837 --> 00:28:27,949
Yeah, this is it.
Morning, Gordy.
644
00:28:27,973 --> 00:28:29,217
Hi, Mary, how are you?
645
00:28:29,241 --> 00:28:30,618
Oh, Gordy, I'd like you to meet
646
00:28:30,642 --> 00:28:32,187
Phyllis Lindstrom,
my new assistant.
647
00:28:32,211 --> 00:28:33,755
This is Gordy Howard,
our weatherman.
648
00:28:33,779 --> 00:28:35,356
Gordy, I just want to
say one thing.
649
00:28:35,380 --> 00:28:36,925
I'd love you to
come over for dinner
650
00:28:36,949 --> 00:28:38,660
so we can really
get to know each other.
651
00:28:39,685 --> 00:28:42,130
I mean as human beings.
652
00:28:42,154 --> 00:28:44,499
Because we're going to be
working together.
653
00:28:44,523 --> 00:28:47,569
Yeah, uh-huh.
654
00:28:47,593 --> 00:28:49,370
Gordy and I really hit it off.
655
00:28:53,398 --> 00:28:55,810
Leachman's comic nemesis
on the show
656
00:28:55,834 --> 00:28:57,545
was Valerie Harper's Rhoda.
657
00:28:57,569 --> 00:29:00,048
We loved each other.
We were great friends.
658
00:29:00,072 --> 00:29:02,483
We'd go to lunch every day
and decide what
659
00:29:02,507 --> 00:29:04,786
we were going to do
so we wouldn't take
660
00:29:04,810 --> 00:29:07,355
so much time on the set,
'cause Mary and Jay,
661
00:29:07,379 --> 00:29:10,291
the director, they'd do it
and that's the end of it.
662
00:29:10,315 --> 00:29:14,462
Rhoda, you'll give me
an honest opinion, won't you?
663
00:29:14,486 --> 00:29:16,965
Uh, not necessarily, Phyllis.
664
00:29:16,989 --> 00:29:19,534
Well, listen, I'll taste it.
665
00:29:19,558 --> 00:29:21,117
Give it a try here.
666
00:29:23,962 --> 00:29:25,073
I love this pie.
667
00:29:26,999 --> 00:29:28,176
So it's come down to this.
668
00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:30,378
I've become such
an object of pity
669
00:29:30,402 --> 00:29:32,347
that even Rhoda is being kind.
670
00:29:32,371 --> 00:29:33,703
No!
671
00:29:35,474 --> 00:29:37,919
The Phyllis character
was eventually spun off
672
00:29:37,943 --> 00:29:39,420
into her own show,
673
00:29:39,444 --> 00:29:43,057
but with a different cast,
the comedy dynamic changed.
674
00:29:43,081 --> 00:29:47,328
Lars proposed to
somebody before me?
675
00:29:47,352 --> 00:29:50,298
Oh, he must have known her
long before he knew me.
676
00:29:50,322 --> 00:29:52,667
Oh, no, dear,
I think he was going out
677
00:29:52,691 --> 00:29:54,836
with both of you
at the same time.
678
00:29:56,762 --> 00:29:59,607
When you take a character
out of a group
679
00:29:59,631 --> 00:30:03,211
like The Mary Tyler Moore Show,
it's not a character.
680
00:30:03,235 --> 00:30:06,247
It's only defined by
the people around you.
681
00:30:06,271 --> 00:30:08,483
So it was tricky,
and each week I thought,
682
00:30:08,507 --> 00:30:10,318
"Who am I going to
be this week?"
683
00:30:10,342 --> 00:30:12,811
It was a little tricky.
Isn't that interesting?
684
00:30:14,613 --> 00:30:17,158
Always looking to stretch
her comic skills,
685
00:30:17,182 --> 00:30:18,660
Leachman took movie roles,
686
00:30:18,684 --> 00:30:20,295
including an iconic turn
687
00:30:20,319 --> 00:30:22,997
as Frau Blucher
in Young Frankenstein.
688
00:30:23,021 --> 00:30:25,333
That was your cigar smoldering
in the ashtray!
689
00:30:25,357 --> 00:30:26,768
Yes!
690
00:30:26,792 --> 00:30:29,270
And it was you who left
my grandfather's book out
691
00:30:29,294 --> 00:30:30,271
for me to find!
692
00:30:30,295 --> 00:30:32,373
- Yes!
- So that I would...
693
00:30:32,397 --> 00:30:33,441
Yes!
694
00:30:33,465 --> 00:30:35,143
And you and Victor were...
695
00:30:35,167 --> 00:30:38,513
Yes! Yes! Say it!
696
00:30:38,537 --> 00:30:42,517
He was my boyfriend!
697
00:30:42,541 --> 00:30:45,753
And then Mel Brooks gave me
a one line reading,
698
00:30:45,777 --> 00:30:47,889
and all I've ever done with him.
699
00:30:47,913 --> 00:30:50,425
I said, "Stay close
to the candles.
700
00:30:50,449 --> 00:30:52,694
The staircase
can be treacherous."
701
00:30:52,718 --> 00:30:54,529
He gave me this line reading.
702
00:30:54,553 --> 00:30:56,397
"Stay close to the candles.
703
00:30:56,421 --> 00:30:59,300
The staircase
can be treacherous."
704
00:30:59,324 --> 00:31:02,337
That means a couple of
people have died already.
705
00:31:02,361 --> 00:31:05,006
Isn't that funny?
706
00:31:05,030 --> 00:31:07,075
Stay close to the candles.
707
00:31:07,099 --> 00:31:10,433
The staircase
can be treacherous.
708
00:31:12,771 --> 00:31:13,981
In High Anxiety,
709
00:31:14,005 --> 00:31:16,417
director Mel Brooks
suggested Leachman
710
00:31:16,441 --> 00:31:18,052
play the role of Nurse Diesel
711
00:31:18,076 --> 00:31:20,021
just like she had
played Frau Blucher,
712
00:31:20,045 --> 00:31:21,689
but the actress
had another idea.
713
00:31:21,713 --> 00:31:22,757
He said,
714
00:31:22,781 --> 00:31:24,692
"Oh, well, how do you
want to play it?"
715
00:31:24,716 --> 00:31:27,295
And I said, "I don't know,
but I'm so hateful and evil,
716
00:31:27,319 --> 00:31:29,163
I don't want anybody
to recognize me,
717
00:31:29,187 --> 00:31:32,033
and I think they know my smile
from The Mary Tyler Moore Show,
718
00:31:32,057 --> 00:31:35,770
so I think maybe if
I don't smile,
719
00:31:35,794 --> 00:31:39,107
and I kind of talk like that."
720
00:31:39,131 --> 00:31:40,942
Nurse Diesel!
721
00:31:40,966 --> 00:31:43,492
Are you all right?
722
00:31:45,537 --> 00:31:46,781
Yes.
723
00:31:46,805 --> 00:31:48,950
We heard some weird noises
emanating from the room.
724
00:31:48,974 --> 00:31:49,951
We were... worried.
725
00:31:49,975 --> 00:31:52,453
Weird noises?
726
00:31:52,477 --> 00:31:54,288
It was the TV.
727
00:31:54,312 --> 00:31:56,524
Sorry it disturbed you.
728
00:31:56,548 --> 00:31:58,259
I've turned it down.
729
00:31:58,283 --> 00:32:00,962
Is there anything else?
It is rather late.
730
00:32:00,986 --> 00:32:03,898
Leachman's acting skills
were so strong,
731
00:32:03,922 --> 00:32:06,934
she could play an over-the-top
comic role
732
00:32:06,958 --> 00:32:10,571
for Mel Brooks one day
and an intensely serious role
733
00:32:10,595 --> 00:32:12,707
for Peter Bogdanovich the next.
734
00:32:17,502 --> 00:32:20,047
What am I doing
apologizing to you?
735
00:32:20,071 --> 00:32:23,117
Why am I
always apologizing to you,
736
00:32:23,141 --> 00:32:26,120
you little bastard?
737
00:32:26,144 --> 00:32:29,056
In The Last Picture Show,
Leachman played Ruth Popper,
738
00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,526
the role that would earn her
an Academy Award
739
00:32:31,550 --> 00:32:34,929
thanks to the power
of this scene.
740
00:32:34,953 --> 00:32:36,731
I haven't done anything wrong.
741
00:32:36,755 --> 00:32:38,499
Why can't I quit apologizing?
742
00:32:38,523 --> 00:32:40,234
You're the one
ought to be sorry!
743
00:32:40,258 --> 00:32:41,903
I wouldn't still be
in my bathrobe
744
00:32:41,927 --> 00:32:43,104
if it hadn't been for you.
745
00:32:43,128 --> 00:32:44,872
I'd have had
my clothes on hours ago.
746
00:32:44,896 --> 00:32:48,042
You're the one made me quit
caring if I got dressed or not!
747
00:32:49,468 --> 00:32:53,281
As she got older,
Cloris Leachman found herself
748
00:32:53,305 --> 00:32:56,651
back on television,
continuing to create
749
00:32:56,675 --> 00:32:58,837
a unique character
for each role.
750
00:33:04,216 --> 00:33:07,161
You do this to torture me?
To hurt me?
751
00:33:07,185 --> 00:33:08,496
You don't like Christmas music?
752
00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:10,331
It sounds like
the song they sang
753
00:33:10,355 --> 00:33:12,600
when they would ride
through the villages
754
00:33:12,624 --> 00:33:14,602
and throw the babies
into the fire.
755
00:33:14,626 --> 00:33:16,737
They sang "Jingle Bells"?
756
00:33:16,761 --> 00:33:19,874
They sang something.
757
00:33:19,898 --> 00:33:22,677
I have a... a knitting needle,
758
00:33:22,701 --> 00:33:26,614
my grandson's here,
perfectly lovely darling boy.
759
00:33:30,775 --> 00:33:33,054
And I get mad...
I don't know what...
760
00:33:33,078 --> 00:33:35,890
I stab him with my
knitting needle in his thigh,
761
00:33:35,914 --> 00:33:37,024
and he goes, "Ow!"
762
00:33:38,483 --> 00:33:41,462
Ow! God, what the hell
is wrong with you?
763
00:33:41,486 --> 00:33:43,631
You like pushing me.
That's what happens
764
00:33:43,655 --> 00:33:45,366
when you push, big, tough guy.
765
00:33:45,390 --> 00:33:49,704
Oh, and I...
And because he goes on about it,
766
00:33:49,728 --> 00:33:53,074
I jiggle... I... oh!
I'm just horrible...
767
00:33:55,166 --> 00:33:56,344
Isn't that terrible?
768
00:33:56,368 --> 00:33:58,579
You shouldn't even be
allowed to be a grandma!
769
00:33:58,603 --> 00:34:00,081
Are you finished?
770
00:34:00,105 --> 00:34:03,050
Yes! I am... Ow! Ah!
771
00:34:03,074 --> 00:34:04,519
Ah!
772
00:34:04,543 --> 00:34:07,855
Oh! I am so sorry.
773
00:34:07,879 --> 00:34:11,192
I should have kissed your
boo-boos and made them better.
774
00:34:11,216 --> 00:34:15,096
It's always been a big challenge
not to repeat myself
775
00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:16,797
and not to do clichés.
776
00:34:16,821 --> 00:34:19,867
Even a script will say,
"She comes and sits,"
777
00:34:19,891 --> 00:34:21,936
and, oh,
you don't want to sit, then.
778
00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,672
You find out a way
to do something else
779
00:34:24,696 --> 00:34:28,342
or maybe start to sit and not
or get on one leg or lean.
780
00:34:28,366 --> 00:34:30,177
You've lost your mind
and you're never lucid
781
00:34:30,201 --> 00:34:31,479
for very long, so listen up.
782
00:34:31,503 --> 00:34:34,315
I understand, go, let's do this.
783
00:34:34,339 --> 00:34:37,084
We'd like you to quit smoking.
784
00:34:37,108 --> 00:34:38,319
What are you talking about?
785
00:34:38,343 --> 00:34:40,254
You guys aren't
letting me smoke, are you?
786
00:34:40,278 --> 00:34:43,524
I quit smoking in 1971.
787
00:34:43,548 --> 00:34:45,860
- You did?
- Yeah.
788
00:34:45,884 --> 00:34:47,628
I quit when Virginia was born.
789
00:34:47,652 --> 00:34:49,730
You quit smoking for me?
790
00:34:49,754 --> 00:34:51,299
If you're Virginia, yeah.
791
00:34:51,323 --> 00:34:56,637
I wanted to live long enough to
see what you'd grow up to be.
792
00:34:56,661 --> 00:34:58,372
Doesn't look like
it was worth the wait.
793
00:34:58,396 --> 00:35:01,776
Well, I think it's fun to
bring comedy to serious things
794
00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:04,078
and bring
serious things to comedy.
795
00:35:04,102 --> 00:35:06,681
And we won't let you
smoke anymore.
796
00:35:06,705 --> 00:35:08,182
In fact, since you're quitting,
797
00:35:08,206 --> 00:35:10,518
no one in this house
is going to smoke anymore.
798
00:35:17,148 --> 00:35:18,741
Oh...
799
00:35:20,352 --> 00:35:21,820
Good luck with that.
800
00:35:24,322 --> 00:35:26,655
For a versatile actor
like Cloris Leachman,
801
00:35:26,725 --> 00:35:29,203
the subtle nuances
of each character
802
00:35:29,227 --> 00:35:31,572
were the key
to her performances.
803
00:35:31,596 --> 00:35:34,375
But another group of
comedy actors
804
00:35:34,399 --> 00:35:37,645
were quite happy to
play it big and broad
805
00:35:37,669 --> 00:35:40,648
in iconic roles
that audiences loved.
806
00:35:40,672 --> 00:35:44,218
Junior. Junior!
807
00:35:44,242 --> 00:35:45,286
Junior.
808
00:35:45,310 --> 00:35:46,721
Don't stop me now, Mama!
809
00:35:46,745 --> 00:35:49,457
I'm past the point of no return!
810
00:35:52,817 --> 00:35:55,963
Jimmy Walker played just
one role on television,
811
00:35:55,987 --> 00:35:58,966
yet few actors have shot to
prominence more quickly
812
00:35:58,990 --> 00:36:01,802
or created more controversy
than Walker did
813
00:36:01,826 --> 00:36:04,305
on a show called Good Times.
814
00:36:04,329 --> 00:36:06,607
I came on to be funny.
815
00:36:06,631 --> 00:36:08,275
That was my plan of attack.
816
00:36:08,299 --> 00:36:12,313
A black family should have
a black symbol.
817
00:36:12,337 --> 00:36:15,282
If Mama sees that there,
she's gonna kill you.
818
00:36:15,306 --> 00:36:19,220
Jesus may have your soul,
but Mama gonna have your behind.
819
00:36:21,212 --> 00:36:24,859
When I come out,
I want nuclear bomb comedy,
820
00:36:24,883 --> 00:36:27,595
and I don't think
anybody else on the show...
821
00:36:27,619 --> 00:36:29,664
They're actors,
so they're thinking,
822
00:36:29,688 --> 00:36:31,932
"We're acting."
I came out as a stand-up.
823
00:36:31,956 --> 00:36:33,434
Different deal.
824
00:36:33,458 --> 00:36:38,272
And, Junior, don't think of
taking mail that ain't ours.
825
00:36:43,768 --> 00:36:47,581
I don't take things, Mama,
I find them.
826
00:36:49,774 --> 00:36:53,754
Then don't find any mail
that ain't ours.
827
00:36:53,778 --> 00:36:55,990
God didn't make man to steal.
828
00:36:56,014 --> 00:36:59,060
Then how come he gave us
more pockets than hands?
829
00:37:00,919 --> 00:37:03,731
Producer Norman Lear
had designed Good Times
830
00:37:03,755 --> 00:37:05,232
as a vehicle to portray
831
00:37:05,256 --> 00:37:07,468
the African American experience,
832
00:37:07,492 --> 00:37:11,072
but Jimmy Walker's character
became so popular so fast,
833
00:37:11,096 --> 00:37:12,907
he changed
the direction of the show.
834
00:37:12,931 --> 00:37:15,710
Overnight, Walker's
comic catchphrase
835
00:37:15,734 --> 00:37:18,612
became part of
the national vocabulary.
836
00:37:18,636 --> 00:37:25,486
Dyn-o-mite!
837
00:37:25,510 --> 00:37:28,222
"Dyn-o-mite" made
Jimmy Walker famous,
838
00:37:28,246 --> 00:37:30,758
but the very
first time he used it,
839
00:37:30,782 --> 00:37:32,326
Walker wasn't so sure.
840
00:37:32,350 --> 00:37:34,328
Director John Rich, he said,
841
00:37:34,352 --> 00:37:36,097
"I want you to do it like this,"
842
00:37:36,121 --> 00:37:38,799
and I went, "John,
that's a little silly.
843
00:37:38,823 --> 00:37:42,336
That's... to just have
somebody stand up
844
00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:44,839
and say 'dynamite'
in the middle of the show?"
845
00:37:44,863 --> 00:37:47,108
He says, "This thing is
going to be big."
846
00:37:47,132 --> 00:37:49,210
Dyn-o-mite!
847
00:37:53,004 --> 00:37:58,018
Jimmy Walker's outsized acting
was popular from the start,
848
00:37:58,042 --> 00:38:01,589
but backstage,
controversy was brewing.
849
00:38:01,613 --> 00:38:04,725
I thought that they...
We had lost the focus,
850
00:38:04,749 --> 00:38:07,027
which was the family as a whole
851
00:38:07,051 --> 00:38:09,597
and not just, you know,
buffooning.
852
00:38:09,621 --> 00:38:13,067
Today hasn't been a good day in
the chicken delivering business.
853
00:38:13,091 --> 00:38:15,903
Well, what happened?
Somebody rip off the coleslaw?
854
00:38:16,928 --> 00:38:18,873
No, worse than that.
855
00:38:18,897 --> 00:38:20,341
I lost my job.
856
00:38:20,365 --> 00:38:21,442
You lost your job?
857
00:38:21,466 --> 00:38:23,043
Oh, honey, what happened?
858
00:38:23,067 --> 00:38:25,513
What, did they catch you
finger-licking again?
859
00:38:26,805 --> 00:38:29,383
And I made it clear
as to what my feelings were,
860
00:38:29,407 --> 00:38:31,585
that, you know,
how much more of the...
861
00:38:31,609 --> 00:38:34,121
How many more chicken hats
and how... you know,
862
00:38:34,145 --> 00:38:35,456
how long can we do this?
863
00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:38,225
As talent, I don't think
864
00:38:38,249 --> 00:38:42,429
Norman Lear agrees with
anything that I've ever done.
865
00:38:42,453 --> 00:38:46,567
I think that Norman felt that
his show was hijacked,
866
00:38:46,591 --> 00:38:48,836
his idea, what he wanted to do,
867
00:38:48,860 --> 00:38:52,006
and I think to this day,
he still regrets that.
868
00:38:52,030 --> 00:38:56,243
Sometimes we would
have a moment,
869
00:38:56,267 --> 00:38:58,245
and Norman Lear
would always say,
870
00:38:58,269 --> 00:39:00,948
"Well, didn't that moment
feel much better than
871
00:39:00,972 --> 00:39:03,150
that tomfoolery
you're always doing?"
872
00:39:03,174 --> 00:39:05,386
And I would go, "No.
873
00:39:05,410 --> 00:39:07,755
That's it.
I'm here for laughs.
874
00:39:07,779 --> 00:39:09,657
If you need a laugh,
let me bring it.
875
00:39:09,681 --> 00:39:12,459
I'm coming in on
the big Boeing 707.
876
00:39:12,483 --> 00:39:13,861
I'm trying to kill."
877
00:39:13,885 --> 00:39:17,131
For Walker, sitcoms
should be about laughs,
878
00:39:17,155 --> 00:39:20,467
and the way to get laughs
is to play it big.
879
00:39:20,491 --> 00:39:25,639
In any sitcom you do,
someone has to be the guy
880
00:39:25,663 --> 00:39:27,575
to take the pie.
881
00:39:27,599 --> 00:39:31,645
But that I mean that person
has to be the one
882
00:39:31,669 --> 00:39:33,981
that you look to laughs.
883
00:39:34,005 --> 00:39:35,516
You've got to commit,
884
00:39:35,540 --> 00:39:37,985
snot's got to
come out your nose,
885
00:39:38,009 --> 00:39:39,687
your eyes got to water,
886
00:39:39,711 --> 00:39:42,306
you've got to
have hands flapping.
887
00:39:44,949 --> 00:39:47,494
You've got to
get messy in comedy.
888
00:39:47,518 --> 00:39:48,863
It's got to be ugly.
889
00:39:48,887 --> 00:39:50,931
You've got to take the pie.
890
00:39:50,955 --> 00:39:53,534
Somebody... and the person
that takes the pie
891
00:39:53,558 --> 00:39:55,936
usually is going to surface,
'cause that's where
892
00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:58,138
the person...
That's where people gravitate.
893
00:39:58,162 --> 00:40:01,809
Much of Jimmy Walker's appeal
came from his ability
894
00:40:01,833 --> 00:40:04,745
to use his wiry frame
for comic effect.
895
00:40:04,769 --> 00:40:07,114
It's part of a long tradition
of TV actors
896
00:40:07,138 --> 00:40:09,216
best known for
their physical comedy,
897
00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:11,185
a group that
includes Art Carney,
898
00:40:11,209 --> 00:40:13,354
Don Knotts, Penny Marshall,
899
00:40:13,378 --> 00:40:16,690
John Ritter,
and Michael Richards.
900
00:40:16,714 --> 00:40:19,059
Man, these are tight!
901
00:40:19,083 --> 00:40:20,227
Squinch your hips in!
902
00:40:20,251 --> 00:40:22,129
I am squinching my hips!
903
00:40:22,153 --> 00:40:24,732
Squinch 'em!
904
00:40:27,859 --> 00:40:29,403
It's not gonna work.
It's not gonna work.
905
00:40:29,427 --> 00:40:31,171
Let me just think
for a second here.
906
00:40:31,195 --> 00:40:32,840
You'd better get me...
907
00:40:37,635 --> 00:40:40,114
Here, get me...
Get me... get me...
908
00:40:40,138 --> 00:40:41,515
Oh, hold on, hold on.
909
00:40:41,539 --> 00:40:43,050
Hold it, look.
910
00:40:43,074 --> 00:40:45,566
You're gonna need the jaws of
life to get out of those things.
911
00:40:46,077 --> 00:40:49,172
Among television's
all-time most-gifted
912
00:40:49,213 --> 00:40:51,592
physical performers,
Dick Van Dyke.
913
00:40:51,616 --> 00:40:55,629
The Dick Van Dyke Show.
914
00:40:55,653 --> 00:40:57,598
Starring Dick Van Dyke.
915
00:40:57,622 --> 00:40:58,899
He missed the ottoman sometimes
916
00:40:58,923 --> 00:41:00,789
and sometimes he tripped
over the ottoman.
917
00:41:03,895 --> 00:41:05,873
Loved it. I just loved it.
Still love it.
918
00:41:05,897 --> 00:41:08,208
And Clarksville!
919
00:41:08,232 --> 00:41:09,977
That's our train!
920
00:41:10,001 --> 00:41:14,214
As a boy, Dick Van Dyke spent
hours in the movie theater
921
00:41:14,238 --> 00:41:17,217
carefully studying his
favorite physical comics.
922
00:41:17,241 --> 00:41:19,153
If there was a Laurel and Hardy,
923
00:41:19,177 --> 00:41:21,555
my mother would
have to come and get me,
924
00:41:21,579 --> 00:41:24,758
because I would sit through two
or three runnings of it.
925
00:41:24,782 --> 00:41:26,114
I just loved those guys.
926
00:41:28,586 --> 00:41:30,664
Come on, Stan!
927
00:41:30,688 --> 00:41:32,633
This is the last train today!
928
00:41:32,657 --> 00:41:34,922
Come on!
929
00:41:38,262 --> 00:41:40,975
Van Dyke got his first chance
to showcase his skills
930
00:41:40,999 --> 00:41:43,644
on national television
on Pat Boone's variety show
931
00:41:43,668 --> 00:41:45,779
in 1958.
932
00:41:59,784 --> 00:42:03,397
Van Dyke's physical skills
were unlike any other
933
00:42:03,421 --> 00:42:05,165
comedy performer on television.
934
00:42:29,647 --> 00:42:31,759
That same year,
Van Dyke landed a guest shot
935
00:42:31,783 --> 00:42:36,330
on Phil Silvers' show
and buzz began to build.
936
00:42:36,354 --> 00:42:38,465
They had me on that show
playing a hillbilly
937
00:42:38,489 --> 00:42:40,134
who could pitch with both hands.
938
00:42:40,158 --> 00:42:42,536
Got any more throws like that?
939
00:42:42,560 --> 00:42:44,405
Yeah, I've got one
I call my bender.
940
00:42:44,429 --> 00:42:45,439
Your bender.
941
00:42:45,463 --> 00:42:47,174
Yeah, that's in case
of a squirrel
942
00:42:47,198 --> 00:42:48,509
a-hiding behind a tree.
943
00:42:48,533 --> 00:42:49,543
I'll show it to you.
944
00:42:51,869 --> 00:42:53,514
Wait, hold on.
The target's over there.
945
00:42:53,538 --> 00:42:54,581
I know.
946
00:42:54,605 --> 00:42:57,200
He knows, he knows.
947
00:43:01,913 --> 00:43:03,690
A fastball,
a change of pace, a curve,
948
00:43:03,714 --> 00:43:04,858
it's too good to be true!
949
00:43:04,882 --> 00:43:06,960
I could kill a squirrel
with either hand,
950
00:43:06,984 --> 00:43:08,996
and he tried to sell me
to the Yankees.
951
00:43:09,020 --> 00:43:10,798
As a pitcher.
952
00:43:10,822 --> 00:43:13,200
Did you say Yankees?
- Yeah.
953
00:43:13,224 --> 00:43:15,002
Now, listen, now,
keep this as a surprise, Hank.
954
00:43:15,026 --> 00:43:17,604
You're going to get a tryout
with the New York Yankees!
955
00:43:17,628 --> 00:43:19,773
Oh, I don't reckon
I can do that, sergeant.
956
00:43:19,797 --> 00:43:21,975
My daddy wouldn't hold still
for me being on
957
00:43:21,999 --> 00:43:23,644
the same side with the Yankees.
958
00:43:23,668 --> 00:43:25,145
Oh, wait a minute, what is this?
959
00:43:25,169 --> 00:43:26,780
The Civil War's been over
90 years!
960
00:43:26,804 --> 00:43:29,083
Well, I'm sorry, sergeant,
but my pappy says
961
00:43:29,107 --> 00:43:30,541
General Lee give up too soon.
962
00:43:31,642 --> 00:43:34,321
Dick Van Dyke is a very
adroit man with comedy.
963
00:43:34,345 --> 00:43:35,789
He can do physical comedy
964
00:43:35,813 --> 00:43:37,975
and he does
spoken comedy very well.
965
00:43:39,550 --> 00:43:42,996
Dick Van Dyke landed
his own sitcom in 1961,
966
00:43:43,020 --> 00:43:44,932
but the first scripts
weren't written
967
00:43:44,956 --> 00:43:47,334
to take advantage of
his physical comedy skills,
968
00:43:47,358 --> 00:43:50,571
and so Van Dyke would try to
work in bits each week.
969
00:43:50,595 --> 00:43:54,241
We did a lot of improv
during the week of rehearsal,
970
00:43:54,265 --> 00:43:56,577
physical pieces
that I would put in,
971
00:43:56,601 --> 00:43:58,879
and by the time
it got to showtime,
972
00:43:58,903 --> 00:44:01,048
we were so excited
to present it.
973
00:44:01,072 --> 00:44:03,650
♪ Everybody ♪
974
00:44:03,674 --> 00:44:06,153
♪ And now you're
doing the twist ♪
975
00:44:06,177 --> 00:44:08,822
♪ Everybody ♪
976
00:44:08,846 --> 00:44:11,525
♪ You're gonna be
getting a kiss ♪
977
00:44:11,549 --> 00:44:14,895
He will break into a tap dance
at the drop of a hat
978
00:44:14,919 --> 00:44:19,566
and he can do card tricks
and he can do impressions.
979
00:44:19,590 --> 00:44:21,869
He's just wonderful,
but he doesn't flaunt it.
980
00:44:21,893 --> 00:44:25,339
Physical comedy always has
the potential for injury,
981
00:44:25,363 --> 00:44:28,342
and The Dick Van Dyke Show
was no exception.
982
00:44:28,366 --> 00:44:30,210
Today's modern-day comedian
983
00:44:30,234 --> 00:44:32,179
comes out in front
of his audience
984
00:44:32,203 --> 00:44:34,681
and talks to them
in a relaxed... oh!
985
00:44:36,574 --> 00:44:38,152
I'd sometimes come in
on a Saturday
986
00:44:38,176 --> 00:44:39,887
to come up with something...
987
00:44:39,911 --> 00:44:43,157
Laughing at people in pain
is a manifestation of
988
00:44:43,181 --> 00:44:45,626
a deep-seated hostility.
989
00:44:54,225 --> 00:44:56,036
Thank goodness we have
reached a point
990
00:44:56,060 --> 00:44:58,372
in our civilization today
where we no longer laugh
991
00:44:58,396 --> 00:45:01,308
at people destroying themselves.
992
00:45:04,635 --> 00:45:06,580
It was one of
my favorite things.
993
00:45:06,604 --> 00:45:08,215
I'm very happy to say
994
00:45:08,239 --> 00:45:10,584
that you'd have to look
all over the world
995
00:45:10,608 --> 00:45:13,787
to find someone who would laugh
at a man, say, falling down.
996
00:45:13,811 --> 00:45:15,689
Oh, no!
997
00:45:18,182 --> 00:45:20,527
It did hurt.
I didn't do it right.
998
00:45:20,551 --> 00:45:22,816
But it's funny to look at.
999
00:45:24,889 --> 00:45:26,800
The Dick Van Dyke Show
was performed
1000
00:45:26,824 --> 00:45:28,202
in front of a live audience,
1001
00:45:28,226 --> 00:45:30,370
because even for
physical comedians,
1002
00:45:30,394 --> 00:45:32,506
the feedback of
an audience is key.
1003
00:45:32,530 --> 00:45:34,908
I just don't see how people
do comedy shows
1004
00:45:34,932 --> 00:45:38,946
without an audience,
because they do half the work.
1005
00:45:38,970 --> 00:45:42,149
They're the ones that
give you the timing.
1006
00:45:42,173 --> 00:45:44,518
You go with their reaction.
1007
00:45:44,542 --> 00:45:46,553
And I can't work
without an audience.
1008
00:45:46,577 --> 00:45:50,557
At the very end of the show,
I didn't handle myself too well
1009
00:45:50,581 --> 00:45:52,125
with that Patrick rat.
1010
00:45:52,149 --> 00:45:55,262
Aw. He got you to say
something embarrassing,
1011
00:45:55,286 --> 00:45:57,097
didn't he?
What was it?
1012
00:45:57,121 --> 00:45:59,499
I said Alan Brady is bald.
1013
00:46:03,761 --> 00:46:07,374
I just don't understand how
people can not have that,
1014
00:46:07,398 --> 00:46:11,278
you know, that interplay,
'cause that's what makes comedy.
1015
00:46:11,302 --> 00:46:12,679
Oh, without an audience,
1016
00:46:12,703 --> 00:46:14,171
I don't know
what I would have done.
1017
00:46:15,306 --> 00:46:18,970
An audience may have been
critical for Dick Van Dyke,
1018
00:46:19,010 --> 00:46:21,755
but the more recent crop
of television comedians
1019
00:46:21,779 --> 00:46:24,491
have eliminated
the studio audience altogether.
1020
00:46:24,515 --> 00:46:26,927
They represent a new kind
of comedy actor,
1021
00:46:26,951 --> 00:46:28,428
confident in the writing,
1022
00:46:28,452 --> 00:46:30,664
less worried about
instant feedback.
1023
00:46:30,688 --> 00:46:33,967
Among the most successful,
Tina Fey.
1024
00:46:33,991 --> 00:46:36,470
I'm not over it,
and now I'm wearing this!
1025
00:46:36,494 --> 00:46:38,905
What is the deal with my life?
1026
00:46:38,929 --> 00:46:40,507
Are you imitating me?
1027
00:46:40,531 --> 00:46:43,810
No! This is what
I sound like when I cry!
1028
00:46:43,834 --> 00:46:45,445
I think I'm a little insulted!
1029
00:46:45,469 --> 00:46:47,748
You're insulted?
I'm crying!
1030
00:46:47,772 --> 00:46:51,285
Well, it's mostly this kind of
single-camera approach
1031
00:46:51,309 --> 00:46:53,820
is just what's
in fashion right now.
1032
00:46:53,844 --> 00:46:57,991
I think you can make a very good
comedy in front of an audience.
1033
00:46:58,015 --> 00:47:00,527
I don't... some people I feel
think there's a stigma to it,
1034
00:47:00,551 --> 00:47:03,764
that it's too easy,
but you look at shows
1035
00:47:03,788 --> 00:47:07,334
like Cheers and...
Well, only Cheers, I guess.
1036
00:47:07,358 --> 00:47:11,672
Like many modern TV comedians,
Tina Fey learned her craft
1037
00:47:11,696 --> 00:47:14,441
at Chicago's Second City
through performances that
1038
00:47:14,465 --> 00:47:17,110
taught her how to deal
with success and failure.
1039
00:47:17,134 --> 00:47:19,212
Kevin, as a former
Miss Tennessee,
1040
00:47:19,236 --> 00:47:20,714
there's two things I know.
1041
00:47:20,738 --> 00:47:23,517
One of them is that
the children are our future,
1042
00:47:23,541 --> 00:47:27,754
and the other is that people
respond to friendliness,
1043
00:47:27,778 --> 00:47:30,891
and that is why
a friendly company...
1044
00:47:30,915 --> 00:47:33,694
- Is a successful company.
- Yee-ha.
1045
00:47:33,718 --> 00:47:37,164
The high feeling of when
something actually goes well
1046
00:47:37,188 --> 00:47:40,133
is great, but almost
more valuable is the...
1047
00:47:40,157 --> 00:47:43,570
The thrilling free fall
of when it goes terribly
1048
00:47:43,594 --> 00:47:45,739
and just goes terribly
and then you sort of realize,
1049
00:47:45,763 --> 00:47:48,542
"Well, we didn't die.
Let's just start again."
1050
00:47:48,566 --> 00:47:51,078
That is I think the thing
that's the best for you
1051
00:47:51,102 --> 00:47:52,512
and performers to experience.
1052
00:47:52,536 --> 00:47:56,350
At Saturday Night Live,
Fey was hired as a writer
1053
00:47:56,374 --> 00:47:59,720
and didn't join the cast
for three years.
1054
00:47:59,744 --> 00:48:03,123
Two days before Britney Spears'
HBO concert from Las Vegas,
1055
00:48:03,147 --> 00:48:05,859
someone broke into
her dressing room and stole
1056
00:48:05,883 --> 00:48:08,762
the white Elvis-inspired
rhinestone jump suit that
1057
00:48:08,786 --> 00:48:11,665
she wore to promote the event,
and you know what?
1058
00:48:11,689 --> 00:48:13,066
I'm not giving it back.
1059
00:48:16,060 --> 00:48:17,838
I'm keeping it now.
It's mine.
1060
00:48:17,862 --> 00:48:20,707
When Fey got her own show,
30 Rock,
1061
00:48:20,731 --> 00:48:23,929
it retained
a writer-centric approach.
1062
00:48:24,568 --> 00:48:26,880
Okay, are we going to talk
about this like adults,
1063
00:48:26,904 --> 00:48:28,964
or are you just going to
throw thing at me?
1064
00:48:31,275 --> 00:48:34,855
Okay, fine,
get it out of your system.
1065
00:48:34,879 --> 00:48:36,490
All right, nothing
that plugs in, you guys!
1066
00:48:36,514 --> 00:48:38,073
Nothing that could
really hurt me!
1067
00:48:40,351 --> 00:48:42,696
There's a lot of work
in that writers' room
1068
00:48:42,720 --> 00:48:45,665
to think about those jokes
and those bits and that story.
1069
00:48:45,689 --> 00:48:48,568
But that focus on writing
doesn't minimize
1070
00:48:48,592 --> 00:48:52,205
Fey's respect for actors
who can make an audience laugh.
1071
00:48:52,229 --> 00:48:54,541
Going into something
and I know where the jokes are,
1072
00:48:54,565 --> 00:48:56,176
and when the joke's
well-executed,
1073
00:48:56,200 --> 00:48:58,278
that will make me laugh,
but also when there's
1074
00:48:58,302 --> 00:49:00,380
a little nuance of performance
that is sort of
1075
00:49:00,404 --> 00:49:04,251
an extra gift from the actor...
Just a small facial thing
1076
00:49:04,275 --> 00:49:06,686
or a rhythmic thing...
That is...
1077
00:49:06,710 --> 00:49:09,856
That is just an, you know,
an unforeseen gift,
1078
00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:11,658
'cause you go in...
Mostly as a writer,
1079
00:49:11,682 --> 00:49:12,893
you go into it hoping, like,
1080
00:49:12,917 --> 00:49:14,461
"Yeah, nobody
screw up my jokes."
1081
00:49:14,485 --> 00:49:16,596
For Tina Fey,
comedy acting combines
1082
00:49:16,620 --> 00:49:18,131
the preparation of a writer
1083
00:49:18,155 --> 00:49:20,634
and the spontaneity
of an improv performer.
1084
00:49:20,658 --> 00:49:22,502
There's a lot of talk about
1085
00:49:22,526 --> 00:49:24,805
relaxed readiness,
and so I think there's
1086
00:49:24,829 --> 00:49:27,407
a lot of preparation,
preparation, preparation,
1087
00:49:27,431 --> 00:49:30,343
and then you want to be in
a state of relaxed readiness
1088
00:49:30,367 --> 00:49:32,846
so that if something
spontaneous does happen,
1089
00:49:32,870 --> 00:49:35,582
you're there and you're capable
of seizing that moment,
1090
00:49:35,606 --> 00:49:38,185
but I think you get there
with a lot of prep work.
1091
00:49:38,209 --> 00:49:39,886
My god, Lemon, what is that?
1092
00:49:39,910 --> 00:49:41,721
This is how I cry now!
1093
00:49:41,745 --> 00:49:45,058
Ever since you made me get
that off-brand eye surgery!
1094
00:49:45,082 --> 00:49:46,710
Lemon, what have we done to you?
1095
00:49:48,052 --> 00:49:50,430
It's okay.
1096
00:49:50,454 --> 00:49:52,966
Go home and get some rest.
I'll take the hit.
1097
00:49:52,990 --> 00:49:55,268
I can't let you do that for me.
1098
00:49:55,292 --> 00:49:56,783
Let him go.
1099
00:50:00,831 --> 00:50:03,009
Like all accomplished
comedy actors,
1100
00:50:03,033 --> 00:50:05,378
Tina Fey recognizes that
the best comedy
1101
00:50:05,402 --> 00:50:08,615
is a reflection of reality,
performances that tell a truth
1102
00:50:08,639 --> 00:50:10,150
while they make us laugh.
1103
00:50:10,174 --> 00:50:11,952
I think that's the biggest thing
1104
00:50:11,976 --> 00:50:13,286
you can teach someone,
1105
00:50:13,310 --> 00:50:16,490
is to play real characters
that they know, or real...
1106
00:50:16,514 --> 00:50:19,092
Or to portray the world
as they see it
1107
00:50:19,116 --> 00:50:21,862
and not the way they think
the audience expects it.
1108
00:50:21,886 --> 00:50:23,730
You know, we used to...
Amy Poehler and I
1109
00:50:23,754 --> 00:50:25,632
used to tour together
for the Second City,
1110
00:50:25,656 --> 00:50:27,267
and we would do
these old sketches
1111
00:50:27,291 --> 00:50:29,169
that were handed to us
that a lot of times
1112
00:50:29,193 --> 00:50:30,971
were just a way for
the girlfriend,
1113
00:50:30,995 --> 00:50:32,839
the waitress to
come in and be like,
1114
00:50:32,863 --> 00:50:35,475
"Honey, well what's this?"
Well, I would never do that,
1115
00:50:35,499 --> 00:50:37,811
so let's change...
Let's make up new ones.
1116
00:50:37,835 --> 00:50:40,914
Good evening,
my fellow Americans.
1117
00:50:42,573 --> 00:50:46,987
I was so excited when I was told
Senator Clinton and I
1118
00:50:47,011 --> 00:50:49,489
would be addressing you tonight.
1119
00:50:50,748 --> 00:50:54,160
And I was told I would be
addressing you alone.
1120
00:50:57,821 --> 00:51:01,001
There is no single path
to acting funny.
1121
00:51:01,025 --> 00:51:03,937
TV has a long history
of physical comedians,
1122
00:51:03,961 --> 00:51:06,172
method actors, and improvisers.
1123
00:51:06,196 --> 00:51:08,775
Each performer is unique,
but together,
1124
00:51:08,799 --> 00:51:11,011
they've kept us laughing
for 50 years.
1125
00:51:11,035 --> 00:51:12,312
Is it rewarding? Yeah.
1126
00:51:12,336 --> 00:51:14,314
But is it hard work?
Oh, yeah.
1127
00:51:14,338 --> 00:51:17,017
And as you get older,
it's like it's harder work.
1128
00:51:17,041 --> 00:51:20,086
I had heart surgery halfway
through the last tour.
1129
00:51:20,110 --> 00:51:21,221
You know, almost killed you.
1130
00:51:21,245 --> 00:51:23,089
I'm back!
Hee hee, way to go!
1131
00:51:23,113 --> 00:51:26,126
I'm getting letters from
third generation now from...
1132
00:51:26,150 --> 00:51:28,695
That show is still
running around the world,
1133
00:51:28,719 --> 00:51:31,865
and I get letters from kids
who enjoy the show.
1134
00:51:31,889 --> 00:51:33,300
Good feeling.
1135
00:51:33,324 --> 00:51:38,605
That is fun,
to remind yourself that...
1136
00:51:38,629 --> 00:51:42,208
That jokes can be enjoyed
by a live audience.
1137
00:51:42,232 --> 00:51:45,078
If the audience doesn't laugh,
then it's not funny.
1138
00:51:45,102 --> 00:51:46,079
The end of it.
1139
00:51:46,103 --> 00:51:47,247
There's no more discussion.
1140
00:51:47,271 --> 00:51:48,815
I'd love to know what's next.
1141
00:51:48,839 --> 00:51:50,951
I can't wait, so exciting.
1142
00:51:50,975 --> 00:51:52,218
It really is exciting.
1143
00:51:52,242 --> 00:51:58,224
How often, how often
can you say to yourself
1144
00:51:58,248 --> 00:52:02,862
watching whatever scene it is
1145
00:52:02,886 --> 00:52:05,765
that puts you on the floor
and you say, "God,
1146
00:52:05,789 --> 00:52:08,368
I don't know when I laughed
as much as I did tonight"?
1147
00:52:08,392 --> 00:52:10,486
That's how rare it is.
1148
00:52:12,262 --> 00:52:15,289
They are the pioneers
of television.
1149
00:54:19,022 --> 00:54:21,768
Have I done a lot of
Shakespearean plays? No.
1150
00:54:21,792 --> 00:54:23,269
But could I?
1151
00:54:23,293 --> 00:54:26,139
With help
and the right director.
1152
00:54:26,163 --> 00:54:27,574
You could, dear boy.
1153
00:54:27,598 --> 00:54:29,743
Don't be afraid to enunciate.
1154
00:54:29,767 --> 00:54:34,047
I met Laurence Olivier when I
did the first Academy Awards,
1155
00:54:34,071 --> 00:54:35,949
and they said, "Mr. Olivier,
this is Robin Williams."
1156
00:54:35,973 --> 00:54:39,219
"Hello," and he said,
"Are you wearing makeup?"
1157
00:54:39,243 --> 00:54:40,920
And I said,
"Yes, Mr. Olivier."
1158
00:54:40,944 --> 00:54:42,956
And he said, "Don't.
It makes you look effeminate."
1159
00:54:42,980 --> 00:54:44,557
Thank you, Larry.
1160
00:54:45,883 --> 00:54:47,408
Kept that in mind.
1161
00:54:50,621 --> 00:54:53,600
For more insider features
about your favorite TV stars,
1162
00:54:53,624 --> 00:54:56,035
stories you won't hear
anywhere else,
1163
00:54:56,059 --> 00:54:58,858
visit pbs.org.