• Laugh tracks and phones (was: Phones

    From JOE MACKEY@1:123/140 to DARYL STOUT on Tue Dec 1 05:48:48 2020
    Daryl wrote --

    I detest laugh tracks.

    I wonder what idiot thought this up.

    I'd like to find him as well.
    It goes back to the early days of television.
    Most comedy shows were done live.
    Filmed syndicated sitcoms were common as well. Before Desi Arnaz and
    his three camera system, shows were filmed as short movies. Often out of sequence, retakes, etc.
    One couldn't expect an audience to sit all day and laugh at a one minute scene, then sit around for an hour for another short scene, etc.
    Laugh tracks were literally lifted from recorded radio comedy shows.
    The advent of tape recording around 1947 allowed engineers to have snips of different sorts of laughs they could record unto the film.
    Soon enough the bean counting brass realised they didn't need an
    audience, large theatre, and the related expenses and the rest is history for a lot
    of shows.
    But some network comedy shows continued with an audience, either live,
    on film, on kinoscope and later tape which allowed a show to be "recorded in front of a live audience". The actors liked the live feed back they got and sometimes played to the audienc
    Shows like his were straight through, so anything he did or said (and
    later on the Carol Burnett show) was presented as seen by the audience.
    (Burnett did two shows, just as radio once did a east coast show and
    three hours later a west coast show, for the time difference. Once a while a scene went over better for one group than the other and that was edited into the final show.
    (While network radio shows were not normally recorded, some people made
    air checks to see how the sponsors product was presented, etc. Recording
    then was a long, time consuming process and besides, "who wants to listen to a show a second time?"
    (WWII changed a lot of that with Armed Forces Radio Services recorded
    shows to be played overseas on the war fronts.
    (Since shows had to be done a second time a new audience was at the
    midnight show. They sometimes reacted differently to a performer and some shows
    had both recorded and are available today)

    I thought that member of the audience was at every show. Only later did I learn the real reason.

    Which was??

    I want to say it was Amos 'n' Andy.

    There was a woman in NYC in the late '50 and early '60s who went to every show every day. She made the rounds, since they were all free.

    Well, I can't blame her for being a frugal cheapskate.

    When I was NYC the first time I had tickets for the David Frost show, a
    very popular talk show at the time.
    That was also the show I made my national tv de-but.
    My ship was mentioned by Frost and the camera panned the audience with a
    sea of blue uniforms and white caps.

    I said "It's a conversation piece". :)

    Really.

    It still works.
    Back in the olden days, (pre cell phones) a transformer blew. Mine was
    the only phone to work since it needed no electrical back up. Just plug it
    in and go.
    At one time or another I had larger apartments and would buy, at like
    Radio Shack, used phones and install them myself, much to Ma Bell's dislike. I was never caught and I think the statute of limitations has run out. I hope anyway.
    One phone was from Holland and there was some problem one time of it not working (lines down or something). When I was told this I said something to the effect "It only understands Dutch".
    I also would buy extension wire and have 20-30 foot cords. To me that
    was the height of sophistication, like in the movies. Now I could carry the phone around, no longer tethered to a few feet long cord.
    Joe
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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to JOE MACKEY on Thu Dec 3 10:01:00 2020
    Joe,

    I detest laugh tracks.

    I wonder what idiot thought this up.

    I'd like to find him as well.

    Get in line, sucker. <g,d,r>

    It goes back to the early days of television.
    Most comedy shows were done live.

    They had that locally with a Bozo the clown show. That was, until
    during one of the games, this one kid (likely spoiled and undisciplined
    by his parents), failed to bounce the ball into the barrel. He said the
    S word...and Bozo said "Now, now, son...that's a Bozo No-No"...to which,
    the kid yelled "Stuff it, Clownie!!" That ENDED live runs of Bozo. I have
    to wonder if his parents were in the studio when it happened.

    The guy who played Bozo, Gary Weir, also was spokesperson for a local
    bread company, Ideal Bread (It's Ideal For Every Meal). He passed away a
    few years ago. He seemingly blinked his eyes incessantly...I don't know
    if he had a visual issue or not. BTW, the bread was delicious...I'm not
    sure offhand if it's still around or not.

    Shows like his were straight through, so anything he did or said
    (and later on the Carol Burnett show) was presented as seen by the audience.

    I'll bet the bloopers were a riot!!

    (Burnett did two shows, just as radio once did a east coast show and three hours later a west coast show, for the time difference. Once a while a scene went over better for one group than the other and that
    was edited into the final show.

    I can understand that.

    When I was NYC the first time I had tickets for the David Frost show,
    a very popular talk show at the time.

    Wipe the dust off that name...similar to "The Mike Douglas Show".
    Then, how about these classic game shows (most of the original hosts are
    dead and gone...some of the names escape me offhand...but this IS the
    MEMORIES echo). In many cases, these were the ONLY host of the show.

    Concentration - Hugh Downs and Bob Clayton
    Jeopardy! - Art Fleming (original host)
    The Price Is Right - Bob Barker (original host -- I think it's the longest running game show).
    The Newlywed Game - Bob Eubanks
    The Dating Game - Jim Lang
    Truth Or Consequences - Bob Barker
    You Don't Say, Name That Tune, and Split Second - Tom Kennedy
    Tattletales - Bert Convy
    Jackpot, The Gong Show, and Treasure Hunt - Geoff Edwards
    Match Game - Gene Rayburn
    Tic Tac Dough - Wink Martindale
    Sale Of The Century - (the host name escapes me)
    Card Sharks - (the host name escapes me)
    Hollywood Squares - Peter Marshall
    What's My Line? - John Daily and Wally Bruner
    To Tell The Truth - (the host name escapes me)
    Beat The Clock - (the host name escapes me)
    You Bet Your Life - Groucho Marx

    Chuck Woolery did some of these, but I forget which ones. Anyway, all of
    this shows how old I am...but in many circles, I'm still "a puppy". <G>

    One phone was from Holland and there was some problem one time of it not working (lines down or something). When I was told this I said something to the effect "It only understands Dutch".

    If it paid your bills, would that be a Dutch Treat?? <g,d,r>

    I also would buy extension wire and have 20-30 foot cords. To me
    that was the height of sophistication, like in the movies. Now I could carry the phone around, no longer tethered to a few feet long cord.

    Extension cords are useful, but you have to be careful of the fire hazard.

    Daryl

    ... Is Ocracoke Island where you get okra and Coke at lunch?
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