The Carol Burnett Show – Sid Caesar and Liza Minelli

The Carol Burnett Show – season 1, episode 2 – guest stars Sid Caesar and Liza Minelli, originally aired September 18, 1967

In the Carol Burnett Show – Sid Caesar and Liza Minelli, comedy legend Sid Caesar guests as a nervous, expectant father. Also, “V.I.P.” interviews Lucy Brains, and “Carol & Sis” finds Chris’ college interview complicated by sleeping pills.

Segments include:

• V.I.P. — where F. Lee Korman (Harvey Korman) interviews guest stars in their own homes, ambush-style. Here, he interview Carol Burnett as Lucy Brains — an expy of Luci Baines Johnson, the then-President LBJ’s daughter.
• Carol and Sis – a very funny installment, where Vicki’s going to be interviewed for college admission. But a sleeping pill gets in the way, and Carol’s falling asleep as interviewer Reta Shaw stops by. Then Reta takes one too!
• Expectant Father – Sid Caesar does a monologue as an expectant father, awaiting the birth of his first child. A sweet, funny, hilarious routine.

Music

• The Debutante’s Ball, Written by Randy Newman, Performed by Liza Minnelli
• Carol’s Theme, Written by Joe Hamilton, Performed by Carol Burnett
• Just In Time, as part of a Time Medley. Written by Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Performed by Carol Burnett and Liza Minnelli

Trivia

• Modern-day viewers are surprised to see that it’s Carol Burnett, and not guest star Liza Minnelli, perform the song “Cabaret.” At the time this episode was filmed, “Cabaret” was a hit tune from the Broadway musical of the same name. Liza Minnelli didn’t perform the role until Bob Fosse’s 1972 film version.

Funny quotes

• Question from the audience: Is Carol Burnett your real name? No, some other performer had my real name, so I had to change it. My real name is Ben Gazarra.

Cast of characters

• Carol Burnett (The Best of The Carol Burnett Show Volume One) … Self – Host / Various Characters
• Harvey Korman (Dracula Dead and Loving It) … Various Characters
• Vicki Lawrence (Mama’s Family) … Various Characters
• Lyle Waggoner (Wonder Woman TV) … Various Characters / Announcer
• Sid Caesar Sid Caesar … Self
• Liza Minnelli (Cabaret) … Self – Guest

Additional Cast

• The Ernie Flatt Dancers … Dancers (uncredited)
• Ed Pfeiffer … Dancer (uncredited)
• Reta Shaw (Bachelor in Paradise) … Self (uncredited)