Monday, October 22, 2018

What Might've Been: The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters (1972)

I've been looking for this one for a while.

The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters, often sponsored by Chevrolet, as memory serves, lasted two seasons in syndication (1972-4), and was a rare non-Dean Martin program produced by Greg Garrison. Winters' gift for improvisation fueled this half hour show, and, yes, all the usual suspects, insofar as his repertoire of characters (i.e. Maudie Frickert, Elwood P. Suggins, etc.) would turn up from time to time.

Locally, the then-ABC affilate (now an NBC affiliate) carried Wacky World. During the first year, Winters also turned up, along with Maudie, in an episode of The New Scooby-Doo Movies. His earlier, self-titled variety show aired on CBS a few years earlier.

Following is a sample clip with special guest Burt Reynolds introducing the show and the opening skit, plus commercials.



Winters inspired at least two generations of comedians, including Robin Williams, with whom he co-starred on Mork & Mindy in the series' final season (1981-2). It's a shame that there is so little of this gem available online.

Rating: A.

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