The cast and crew of The Carol Burnett Show were like a real family behind the scenes

Wouldn't you want Carol Burnett as your sister?

January 16, 2025, 2:44PM By MeTV Staff

CBS Television Distribution

No matter how well characters get along on screen, there's no guarantee that the actors share a similar camaraderie. However, once in a blue moon, the stars align and a cast transcends the bonds of coworking to become real friends.

The cast of The Carol Burnett Show was built upon a mutual love of comedy and respect, so it's no wonder that many of the cast members became close over the show's eleven-season run.

One of the show's associate producers, Bob Wright, was able to share that the tight-knit environment between the cast and the crew was captained from the top, Carol Burnett herself.

"Carol prefers people she knows," said Wright during an interview with the Anderson Herald. "It's really a repertory company. The show's staff has been together for years - we're really like a family...Carol likes to have the same people on, people she knows and likes. We've tried some others and they just don't fit in. People like Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Carol Channing, Tim Conway, Kay Ballard - they're on very often. They fit in."

Of course, the popular series was not immune to attempts for publicity, but Burnett was steadfast in keeping the show's integrity. Wright revealed that oftentimes, popular musicians requested to appear on The Carol Burnett Show, though they were often turned away.

"We get pressured by their agents to use them," said Wright. "But we're not a showcase show. Carol doesn't like that kind of music - she can't relate to it or participate in it and she likes to participate in the things our guests do. So we just don't use the contemporary musical stars."

For Wright, the best advice for a cast was to remain flexible. "The secret of weekly TV is don't be afraid of change," said Wright. "But you must have a cast that assimilates change."