The Carol Lawrence Show (found unaired pilot of daytime talk show; 1969)
The unaired pilot of The Carol Lawrence Show, a daytime talk show, was filmed on the set of the The Mike Douglas Show in Philadelphia in late 1969. The show was hosted by American actress Carol Lawrence, with her then-husband Robert Goulet co-hosting. Though lost for over 50 years, the pilot was unearthed on Ben Minnotte's Oddity Archive web series on August 31, 2023.
Summary
The pilot episode of the The Carol Lawrence Show, was filmed in late 1969 on the set of the The Mike Douglas Show in Philadelphia. (Wall signage and other set dressings for The Mike Douglas Show can be seen in several wide-angle shots.) The pilot comprises a number of conversations between host Carol Lawrence and co-host Robert Goulet, interspersed with interviews with guests, as well as musical numbers performed by Lawrence and the house band. Interviewed guests include George Stavropoulos (a fashion designer from New York whose dresses are showcased in a filmed fashion show segment starring Lawrence) and David Susskind (a television producer and fellow talk show host). The show ends with a farewell segment from Goulet and Lawrence, who show off a montage of their two young sons Christopher and Michael. Christopher (born 1964) is mentioned as turning five years old in November of the year, pinning the show's production date to late 1969.
History
An identically titled musical special, The Carol Lawrence Show, was produced by Screen Gems in 1969 and syndicated on broadcast television. It is unrelated to this talk show, however.[1]
While the 1969 pilot for The Carol Lawrence Show failed to be greenlit by any network and was ultimately shelved, Lawrence was eventually able pick up a talk show in the 1990s, on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.[2]
Availability
The Carol Lawrence Show was thought lost for nearly 54 years until it was unearthed by Ben Minnotte of the Oddity Archive YouTube web series on August 31, 2023. Showcased on the episode "Random (Video) Reel-To-Reel", Minnotte attributes the unearthing of the show to a viewer donation. The pilot was found on a Sony V-33 EIAJ-1 1/2" open-reel videotape. Minnotte deduced that the tape was a dub from the 1" Ampex master tape.[3]
Gallery
References
- ↑ Perry, Jeb H. (1991). Screen Gems: A History of Columbia Pictures Television from Cohn to Coke, 1948-1983. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810824874.
- ↑ Apodaca, Patrice (January 12, 1998). "Southland: Television's Bible Belt". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Minnotte, Ben (August 31, 2023). Oddity Archive: Episode 268 – Random (Video) Reel-To-Reel. YouTube.