The Tim Conway Comedy Hour
Encyclopedia
The Tim Conway Comedy Hour was a variety
and sketch comedy
show broadcast in the United States
by CBS
as part of its 1970 fall lineup
.
The Tim Conway Comedy Hour was one of several attempts to develop a starring vehicle for Tim Conway
, who had been very popular as a sidekick
in McHale's Navy
and in several Disney
films but who had never had much success in developing an audience for programming in which he was the main star (see Rango
).
This program was no different. Despite Conway's best efforts, and those of the Nelson Riddle
Orchestra and cast members such as Sally Struthers
(soon to go on to fairly major stardom in the important supporting role of Gloria Bunker on the hit sitcom All in the Family
), this program was cancelled after 13 weeks (a fate which was to befall Conway so frequently that at one point TV Guide
ran a picture of his car sporting a California
vanity license plate reading "13 WKS").
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
and sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
show broadcast in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
as part of its 1970 fall lineup
1970-71 United States network television schedule
This was the television schedule on all three United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1970. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with a few exceptions, such as Monday Night Football....
.
The Tim Conway Comedy Hour was one of several attempts to develop a starring vehicle for Tim Conway
Tim Conway
Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway is an American comedian and actor, primarily known for his roles in sitcoms, films and television. Conway is best known for his role as the inept second-in-command officer, Ensign Charles Parker, to Lt...
, who had been very popular as a sidekick
Sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
in McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy is an American television sitcom series which ran for 138 half-hour episodes from October 11,1962, to August 31, 1966, on the ABC network. The series was filmed in black and white and originated in a one-hour drama called Seven Against the Sea, broadcast on April 3, 1962...
and in several Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
films but who had never had much success in developing an audience for programming in which he was the main star (see Rango
Rango
Rango was a Western situation comedy starring comedian Tim Conway which was broadcast in the United States on the ABC television network in 1967....
).
This program was no different. Despite Conway's best efforts, and those of the Nelson Riddle
Nelson Riddle
Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid 1980s...
Orchestra and cast members such as Sally Struthers
Sally Struthers
Sally Ann Struthers is an American actress and spokeswoman, best-known for her roles as Gloria Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards, and as Babette on Gilmore Girls.-Personal life:...
(soon to go on to fairly major stardom in the important supporting role of Gloria Bunker on the hit sitcom All in the Family
All in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
), this program was cancelled after 13 weeks (a fate which was to befall Conway so frequently that at one point TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
ran a picture of his car sporting a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
vanity license plate reading "13 WKS").