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  • Primetime Soaps Preview

    Trace the arc of nighttime soaps, from “Peyton Place” to “Dallas,” “Dynasty” and “Knots Landing.” Primetime Soaps premieres Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

    Length: 00:00:30
    Primetime Soaps Preview
  • The Carol Burnett Show Crack-ups

    Margaret Cho and Carol Burnett describe the cast’s famous unscripted fits of laughter. Harvey Korman’s crack-ups were usually in response to Tim Conway’s facial expressions and nuances of comic delivery.  According to Burnett, the cast of “The Carol Burnett Show” … Continue reading →

    Length: 00:01:30
    The Carol Burnett Show Crack-ups
  • Joan Rivers on Being a “Pioneer”

    In this interview outtake, Rivers explains why she doesn’t like being called a “pioneer.” Continue reading →

    Length: :42
    Joan Rivers, PBS Pioneers of Television
    Joan Rivers on Being a “Pioneer”
  • Funny Ladies Preview

    See the first stand-up comediennes to appear on television and the sitcom stars who followed. Funny Ladies includes interviews with Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, Joan Rivers, Betty White and more. Premieres on PBS on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at … Continue reading →

    Length: 00:00:30
    Betty White in Life with Elizabeth -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Funny Ladies Preview
  • Carol Burnett’s Big Break

    This excerpt from Funny Ladies follows Carol Burnett’s first big break, when she performed a song feigning affection for U.S. Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, known as “The Most Boring Man in America.” Within a week, she was a … Continue reading →

    Length: 01:42
    Carol Burnett, PBS Pioneers of Television
    Carol Burnett’s Big Break
  • Stephen Cannell on the “Dragnet” Style of Acting

    Writer and actor Jack Webb believed realism on the small screen heightened the natural dramatic tension of a show, so when he created the crime drama series “Dragnet”  in 1951, he wrote fast-paced, clipped dialogue. But it was difficult for … Continue reading →

    Length: :36
    Stephen Cannell, Writer -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Stephen Cannell on the “Dragnet” Style of Acting
  • Rosey Grier on the Kennedy Assassination

    Actor Rosey Grier, who also worked as a bodyguard for the Kennedy family,  recalls the night congressman Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated and his role in apprehending Sirhan Sirhan and protecting him from an angry crowd.

    Length: 2:00
    Rosey Grier -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Rosey Grier on the Kennedy Assassination
  • Rod Serling on Science Fiction

    “Twilight Zone” creator Rod Serling defends science fiction as a legitimate form of literature. Continue reading →

    Length: 1:15
    Rod Serling, Twilight Zone -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Rod Serling on Science Fiction
  • Phyllis Diller on “The Ed Sullivan Show”

    Comedienne Phyllis Diller describes how she ran into trouble with gags and cue cards on the “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

    Length: 1:27
    Phyllis Diller -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Phyllis Diller on “The Ed Sullivan Show”
  • Leonard Nimoy on “Gunsmoke”

    Leonard Nimoy appeared as a guest star on numerous TV series before landing the role of Spock on “Star Trek.” Here, he describes a role as an Indian on the Western series “Gunsmoke.”

    Length: 1:55
    Leonard Nimoy -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Leonard Nimoy on “Gunsmoke”
  • Doc Severinsen on Johnny Carson

    “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”  bandleader Doc Severinsen shares his memories and impressions of his long-time friend and boss, Johnny Carson. He recalls the moment he realized that Carson had become a major star.

    Length: 1:40
    Doc Severinson, bandleader on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Doc Severinsen on Johnny Carson
  • Dick Cavett on Meeting Johnny Carson

    Comedian and talk show host Dick Cavett recalls meeting a young Johnny Carson backstage at Carson’s magic show at a church basement in Lincoln, Nebraska.  At the time, Carson had his own television show in Omaha, Nebraska, but still worked … Continue reading →

    Length: 2:37
    Dick Cavett -- Pioneers of Television | PBS
    Dick Cavett on Meeting Johnny Carson