Network: NBC
Episodes: 140 (hour)
Seasons: Six
TV show dates: January 22, 1968 — March 12, 1973
Series status: Cancelled/ended
Performers include: Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, Gary Owens, Ruth Buzzi, Henry Gibson, Arte Johnson, Jo Anne Worley, Judy Carne, Flip Wilson, Alan Sues, Goldie Hawn, John Wayne, Johnny Carson, and Tiny Tim.
TV show description:
Hosted by comedy team Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, this fast-paced variety show began as a one-time special but it was so popular that Laugh-In was developed into a weekly series. The show features bits of comedy done at a rapid-fire pace in sketches and live-to tape segments.
Each show begins with a stand-up routine by Rowan and Martin. At the end, Rowan declares, “C’mon, Dick, let’s go to the party!” which leads to the next segment centered around a wild cocktail party. Guests mill around with drinks in hand or dance to music that would suddenly halt when a party-goer would face the camera to deliver a one-liner or a quick joke.
Other popular recurring segments include “Mod, Mod World” (vignettes of comedic sketches and/or musical numbers based on a topical theme) and “Laugh-in Looks at the News,” a fictional newscast about past, present and future events.
The show frequently features celebrity guests including Johnny Carson, Hugh Hefner, Sammie Davis Jr., Diana Ross, Bob Hope, The Monkees, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and future President Richard Nixon.