(Contents Copyright (c) 2013 by Robert L. Mills All Rights Reserved)
Just in time for Cupid's Day next Thursday! Gloria, our Singing Dog, performs "My Funny Valentine" backed by the Doberman Pupernackle Choir. The perfect gift for your loved one...
ADAPTED FROM THE LAUGH MAKERS
(From the March Issue of Living-in-the-West Magazine)
“Save That
One For Carson”
By Robert L.
Mills
Throughout
his years on radio and TV, comedy sketches featuring Bob Hope and his guests
were essential elements of his shows. While the 8-to-12 minute playlets
were broad, farcical and in the opinion of some critics overly slapstick, he
had definite ideas about how he wanted them played.
If Hope wasn’t satisfied with a particular performance, you’d know about it — fast. Charlotte Rae, star of the seventies sitcom The Facts of Life, was in a parody of Dallas, cast as Miss Ellie opposite Hope’s J.R. Since Hope watched little television (save for football and golf ), he had no idea who the animated Broadway-trained actress was.
If Hope wasn’t satisfied with a particular performance, you’d know about it — fast. Charlotte Rae, star of the seventies sitcom The Facts of Life, was in a parody of Dallas, cast as Miss Ellie opposite Hope’s J.R. Since Hope watched little television (save for football and golf ), he had no idea who the animated Broadway-trained actress was.
Delayed at the airport, he had missed the read
through, so the dress rehearsal was his first opportunity to appraise his
fellow performers. During a break, he came rushing back to his dressing room. “Who
is that playing Miss Ellie?” he asked the producer.
“That’s Charlotte Rae. She’s a well-known sitcom
star.” Hope glared. “Well, tell her to knock off the mugging. She
looks like Mickey Rooney.” High praise,
indeed, as the Mick was one of Hollywood’s legendary scene thieves.
Most of the guests followed Hope’s directions to the letter, but once in
a while he’d run into a problem case — one like former model Susan Anton. Susan was cast on one of our football
specials as a scientist hired by the NFL to test the safety of the equipment --
on Hope who would act as a guinea pig put through a series of punishing tests.
Susan was going with British actor Dudley Moore at the time, and he was never far away during rehearsal. During the read-through, Hope had warned Susan not to laugh at her own lines while putting him through the wringer.
But despite his advice, Susan insisted on injecting a series of giggles before, during and after every one of her lines. Bad enough during rehearsal, but later in front of an audience, her giggling if anything, increased. Repeatedly, Hope stopped the taping, called her off to the side and whispered instructions. Then she’d go over to Dudley who’d give her more tips — apparently to keep up the good work.
Finally, Hope surrendered and finished the sketch, hoping that Susan’s delivery could be fixed in post. But no amount of editing could save the sketch which had to be cut from the special – along with a stretching machine that would have been the envy of the C.I.A..
Susan was going with British actor Dudley Moore at the time, and he was never far away during rehearsal. During the read-through, Hope had warned Susan not to laugh at her own lines while putting him through the wringer.
But despite his advice, Susan insisted on injecting a series of giggles before, during and after every one of her lines. Bad enough during rehearsal, but later in front of an audience, her giggling if anything, increased. Repeatedly, Hope stopped the taping, called her off to the side and whispered instructions. Then she’d go over to Dudley who’d give her more tips — apparently to keep up the good work.
Finally, Hope surrendered and finished the sketch, hoping that Susan’s delivery could be fixed in post. But no amount of editing could save the sketch which had to be cut from the special – along with a stretching machine that would have been the envy of the C.I.A..
Sometimes, a less-than-stellar performance by the usual standards would
provide unexpected comedic dividends. Charlene Tilton, who played Lucy on
the real Dallas, was a diminutive actress who had been discovered by a casting
agent selling T-shirts in a Malibu surf shop. Her role on the nighttime soaper
gave her scant opportunity to sharpen her comedic chops, but she made up for it
while guesting on one of our specials, literally rewriting the sketch she
appeared in by adding her own, obviously genuine glee in delivering her lines.
We cast Charlene in 1981 Valentine special opposite Hope as a high school football hero. Like Susan Anton, she consistently telegraphed the laughs, but did so in such a charming and disarming way, Hope realized she brought an additional element of entertainment to the sketch (which, if I recall correctly, it sorely needed).
Moreover, when Charlene flubbed a line, she’d break up and go into hysterics, sometimes literally falling on the floor. During any taping, whenever Hope sensed he was getting interesting outtakes, he’d tell the director to keep the tape rolling. This was one of those times — in spades.
Over the years, he ended up with some priceless flubs and bloopers which were used in NBC’s promos for the show and on Hope’s obligatory Tonight Show appearance. “Save that one for Carson,” he’d say. We got some irreplaceable classics from Miss Tilton.
We cast Charlene in 1981 Valentine special opposite Hope as a high school football hero. Like Susan Anton, she consistently telegraphed the laughs, but did so in such a charming and disarming way, Hope realized she brought an additional element of entertainment to the sketch (which, if I recall correctly, it sorely needed).
Moreover, when Charlene flubbed a line, she’d break up and go into hysterics, sometimes literally falling on the floor. During any taping, whenever Hope sensed he was getting interesting outtakes, he’d tell the director to keep the tape rolling. This was one of those times — in spades.
Over the years, he ended up with some priceless flubs and bloopers which were used in NBC’s promos for the show and on Hope’s obligatory Tonight Show appearance. “Save that one for Carson,” he’d say. We got some irreplaceable classics from Miss Tilton.
[Adapted from THE LAUGH MAKERS: A
Behind-the-Scenes Tribute to Bob Hope's Incredible Gag Writers by Robert L.
Mills with a Foreword by Gary Owens. Published by Bear Manor Media.
Copyright (c) 2009. To order your copy
(new or used), go to:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+Laugh+Makers. Or to download the e-version on Kindle for
$2.99:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041D9EPO]
Watch a video of the Valentine sketch at: http://youtu.be/azelaI2AGZc
Watch a video of the Valentine sketch at: http://youtu.be/azelaI2AGZc
Over
550 Hope clips are viewable at:
www.youtube.com/thelaughmakers
Contact
the author at: TheLaughMakers@GMail.com
