Friday, May 30, 2008

R.I.P. Harvey Korman


I hadn't thought about Harvey Korman in years until reading about his death today. Korman was a fixture in my household in the '70s via "The Carol Burnett Show," which set a high bar for funny. I talked to a friend today who said she'd never seen the famous "Gone with the Wind" spoof, and it dawned on me that there's an entire generation of people who didn't grow up with that show.

The first person I thought about was fellow second-banana Tim Conway. The L.A. Times perfectly described their unique chemistry, which was consistently a joy to watch: "Korman and Conway developed an uncanny rapport that made them arguably one of television's most lethal comic teams; Conway's on-camera ad-libs often made Korman crack up; producers wisely kept them in the show."

If you've never had the pleasure of seeing the "GWTW" skit, check it out. Like all great humor, it holds up.

3 comments:

The Irredeemable Shag said...

I was really bummed out when I heard about this. I grew upon the Carol Burnett Show. :(

The Irredeemable Shag
http://onceuponageeek.com

E. Peterman said...

Me, too! I spent many an evening under its spell. Now, to really date myself, I also apparently loved the Sonny and Cher show. So I am told.

Healthy Heather said...

I looooooooved the CB show and was so sad when I heard that she died. The Gone with the Wind spoof should be required viewing in public schools. When she says, "I saw it in the window and had to have it," I just lose it.