One of the biggest prime time TV series to premiere in the
late 1960s was Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.
Consisting of short comedy skits and irreverent and sometimes
politically spiced jabs the series was a huge hit.
Someone got the brilliant idea to emulate Laugh-Ins
format but to tone down the innuendos and throw in a little (or a lot) of
hometown and country humor.
The results was the show Hee Haw which became an instant
hit and between prime time and syndication it lasted almost 25 years.
The show featured Buck Owens and Roy Clark hosting the
show accompanied by a zany troupe of country comedians and a bevy of hillbilly
beauties known as the Hee Haw Honeys.
Two of the former Honeys:
Victoria Hallman and Diana Goodman, have collaborated on a fascinating new book
called: Hollywood Lights, Nashville
Nights: Two Hee Haw Honeys Dish Life, Love, Elvis, Buck & Good Times In The
Kornfield, published by BearManor
Media.
Both authors had successful careers in show business
before joining Hee Haw.
From rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in
show business, including Elvis, to frequenting Hollywood and Vine to the Kornfields
of Tennessee the book covers the all.
This book was a real eye-opener to me. I never know about the shenanigans, deals and
activities that occurred outside the Kornfield.
From Tinsel Town to married bliss to individual careers
the book covers them in a reader friendly and page turner style that makes
reading the book a real pleasure.
Did you know that actor James Arness was the not the
first actor to star as Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke? He was the first to portray him physically,
but as to his first adventures actor William Conrad voiced Matt Dillon’s lines
on radio long before the TV series premiered.
Conrad lost the job as the show’s TV star mainly due to
his physical appearance: short, balding and fat.
Years later Conrad got his own TV series: Cannon, and
carved out a very successful life for himself.
Long before the success of Cannon Conrad was one of the
most prolific voice actors on radio. It should
come as no surprise that his career then shifted to TV where he voiced hundreds
of commercials and guest-starred on numerous TV series.
Known for his professionalism and voracious appetite for
food, wine and women, he was a complicated man.
He not only as actor but also a director, producer and
movie character actor.
After Cannon’s impressive TV run, Conrad would go on to
star in another TV hit: Jake And The Fatman.
In William Conrad A
Life & Career author Charles Tranberg delves into the personal life of
the portly actor, his long and illustrious career and provides a few tantalizing
glimpses of his humor, temperament and passions.
Also included are complete episode descriptions of his
Cannon and Jake And The Fatman series as well as his credits on radio, in the
movies and as a guest star on various TV shows.