During the late 1960s and early ‘70s, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In served up sharp social and political humor in a kaleidoscope of psychedelic visuals, vaudeville-worthy skits, and playful musical numbers, all with a stellar lineup of guests—most notably Richard Nixon saying “sock it to me” (a show catchphrase) during his 1968 presidential campaign. The series helped launch the careers of then-unknowns Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin, Henry Gibson, Dave Madden, and others, while also reanimating the careers of Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, a comedy team who never quite hit the A-list. This mammoth presentation includes all 140 original broadcast episodes from the show's 1968-1973 run, including many segments that were dropped from the series' syndicated reruns and previous home entertainment releases. Much of the appeal of the political satire here will depend on how well viewers are able to catch references to half-forgotten public figures like Lester Maddox and Spiro Agnew, but the parade of big-name stars that turn up to drop one-liners is nothing short of staggering—and where else could virile John Wayne and flamboyant crooner Tiny Tim share a scene? Extras include the rarely-seen 1967 pilot episode, interviews with several cast and crew members (including Martin, Tomlin, Ruth Buzzi, Gary Owens, and Arte Johnson, as well creator/producer George Schlatter), a 1993 cast reunion, a blooper reel, and a booklet charting the show's wild and often tumultuous production history. Highly recommended. (P. Hall)
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In: The Complete Series
Time Life, 38 discs, 9,000 min., not rated, DVD: $249.95 Volume 32, Issue 5
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In: The Complete Series
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