Television variety shows, recurring performers and segments; distinct from interview-led Talk Shows.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which host introduced musical acts on The Ed Sullivan Show with the phrase "a really big show"?
Sullivan flattened the line into "shew," and impersonators still copy his stiff delivery.
Which future film star played the giggly bikini-clad dancer on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In?
Hawn joined Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in 1968, and her laughing persona soon led to film roles.
Who hosted the music series Soul Train?
Cornelius created Soul Train and hosted it until 1993, guiding the show from Chicago to national syndication.
Which comedy duo hosted the sketch show Laugh-In?
Rowan and Martin had already worked for years as a nightclub comedy team before fronting the show.
What camera restriction applied to Elvis Presley during the January 1957 The Ed Sullivan Show broadcast?
CBS censors considered Elvis Presley hip movements too suggestive for a family audience.
Which Italian mouse puppet appeared regularly alongside Ed Sullivan on The Ed Sullivan Show?
Topo Gigio appeared dozens of times and became one of the most requested acts on the show.
What reunion series did Sonny Bono and Cher host after The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour ended?
The reunion aired on CBS from 1976 to 1977 after the divorced pair finished separate solo series.
Which country stars hosted the variety show Hee Haw?
Owens and Clark stayed co-hosts from the 1969 CBS debut through long syndication, linking songs with cornfield sketches.
Which line ended jokes about runaway lovers on the variety show Hee Haw?
Archie Campbell sang a comic verse, then he and Gordie Tapp blew raspberries on the shared chorus refrain.
Which rock band ended a 1967 performance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour with a drum explosion?
Extra explosive charges made Keith Moon's televised drum blast much larger than the crew expected.