Where To Watch
Harvey Korman once said that being a director was too ''paternal''
“I’m still more like a child myself.”
Harvey Korman wasn’t just the father of four children; he was also considered one of the fathers of the hit series, Mama’s Family.
What originally began as a popular sketch on The Carol Burnett Show quickly took on a life of its own as the series was developed into its own television series. But after the show had been airing for quite some time, it was unceremoniously pulled from production due to poor audience reception. Luckily, the cast and crew were offered the opportunity to revamp the series and put it back on the air.
Korman, who also served as the show’s director, directly helped this reimagination. The show lost much of its mean streak and became softer around the edges. In later episodes of Mama’s Family, jokes were meant to entertain, not hurt others. “I think she’s cuter and warmer and more valuable,” said series star Vicki Lawrence of her character during an interview with the Gannett News Service.
According to the article, Lawrence specifically credited Korman with fixing the character of Vinton Harper, who had become directionless in the newer version of the series. “His character was really lost,” said Lawrence.
“It’s my Saint Joan Syndrome,” Korman said.
Though the impact of Korman’s directing style couldn’t be more appreciated, it might seem surprising that originally, he had little interest in taking on the job at all. “A director is too much of a paternal role,” said Korman. “I’m still more like a child myself.”
Related
