State your question in english and you may get a real response.
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ridgerunner72160-609-362419 — 14 years ago(November 22, 2011 09:39 PM)
I didn't know that. But I had read that Carol's parents were alcoholics and were constantly arguing and bickering and that Ed and Eunice were loosely based on them, so I can see where the Mama character would be based on Carol's grandmother. Good grief, can you imagine growing up in such domestic disarray? I've always liked Carol Burnett's variety show, and I admire her for becoming such a success despite growing up under tough circumstances.
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toking65000 — 14 years ago(November 23, 2011 05:40 AM)
I don't think Carol's grandmother was QUITE as mean though as Mama was though, Carol always talked good about her.
BUT Being brought up in such a rough household kinda comes through on her show, have you noticed that practically ALL of her sketches are full of animosity and fighting? I still love her show, but I just notited that.
Obviosuly the Eunice sketches were always full of animosity BUT I've noticed in just about everyother sketch they are always fighing and screaming at eachother at the top of their lungs.
I dunno if people see it but I'm starting to consider her show "dark comedy".
It's funny her new varity show in 1990 was NOT like that.
I think the Miss Wiggins sketch is about the only MILD sketch Carol did.
Just because we lose today's battle doesn't mean we've lost tommorow's war. -
ridgerunner72160-609-362419 — 14 years ago(November 23, 2011 03:02 PM)
I never had considered that, but it's true. The sketches were still pretty funny though. And I remember when I was a kid, The Carol Burnett Show was pretty much a staple on Saturday night at my parents' house. There were only three big networks back then and it seemed like ABC had the best shows on Friday nights, CBS had great shows on Saturday nights and I remember usually watching NBC shows on Sunday nights. Now there are about a zillion channels and networks to pick from but back in the '70s although there were only three networks, they really had a lot more quality programming.
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larpine — 14 years ago(December 10, 2011 09:10 PM)
We're probably the same age, so like yourself, I was raised in the age before cable was established.
Carol Burnett said in an interview that she based the charactor of Eunice on her mother. She has also disclosed on American Masters that there were arguments and discord between her mother and grandmother as to her and her younger sister's raising.
After Burnett's initial success in New York, she did bring her sister to live with her. Their mother died shortly thereafter due to complication from alcoholism. -
ridgerunner72160-609-362419 — 14 years ago(December 11, 2011 01:29 PM)
I had read that Eunice was based on her mother and seems I had read that Ed was based on her father. Good Lord, can you imagine growing up in a mess like that? That Carol was able to see comedy in such a miserable situation is a tribute to her genius. I still laugh at the Mama's Family skits from her variety show and also at the half hour sitcom. But I sure wouldn't want to live in that environment.
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toking65000 — 14 years ago(December 16, 2011 04:05 AM)
I usually always sympathized with Eunice, but I have to say I LOVED it when Larry Eunice's brother went off on ALL of them. He is about the only one who ever stood up to them.
Just because we lose today's battle doesn't mean we've lost tommorow's war. -
ridgerunner72160-609-362419 — 14 years ago(December 16, 2011 05:46 PM)
LOLI always wondered just how many kids 'Mama' had. There was Eunice, Larry, Betty White played as the daughter who had married well and gotten out of there, and later on Ken Berry played as her son Vinton. I seem to remember there were one or two other kids tooha ha. They just don't have good TV like that anymore.
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toking65000 — 14 years ago(December 23, 2011 10:56 AM)
If you count ALL of them Mama had 6 children.
Ellen
Larry
Eunice
Jack
Phillip
Vinton
I put them in order of age from oldest to youngest the best I could come up with
Vint is refered to as the baby a lot so I take it he's the youngest. Eunice has refered to both Phillip and Jack as her BABY brothers, so they would be younger than her. Larry's age is NEVER mentioned, so I'm gonna assume he's older than Eunice, b/c once in an episode of Mama's Family Mama mentioned Eunice as being her 3rd born, so that way it works. Ellen is always generally considered the oldest, however once Eunice was mentioned as being the oldest, but I'm gonna assume that was a mistake.
It IS possible Mama had 2 more children but I'm doubtful of this. Once Eunice mentioned her sister Mary Ellen, BUT I wanna strongly assume that this is the SAME Ellen we all know who is played by Betty White.
Also I heard that in b68the 11'th season of the Carol Burnett Show *The one I'm trying to get my hands on" That Steve Lawarance played one of Mama's sons, and I also heard he played Phillip on a Family sketch, hopefully that will be cleared up someday.
If you're just going by Mama's Family, then Mama mentioned having 4 children in an early episode Ellen, Eunice and Vint, and probably Phillip I heard early on they were thinking of bringing Phillip's character back but decided they already had enough on the show
Then later on it was just the 3.
Just because we lose today's battle doesn't mean we've lost tommorow's war. -
ridgerunner72160-609-362419 — 14 years ago(December 23, 2011 12:45 PM)
That's pretty good Toking. I have an old friend here in town. We've known each other since we were kids. And he works for a locb68al locksmith company. Everybody calls him Vinton on Vint after 'Mama's' youngest son even though his real name is Dave. Ken Berry would be proudLOL. : )
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ridgerunner72160-609-362419 — 14 years ago(December 27, 2011 03:11 PM)
LOLYeah, Ken Berry was pretty good in the role of Vint. I was used to him playing sort of a straight character while everybody else got the laughs on Troop F and Mayberry RFD, but he was pretty funny in his own way and was terrific as Mama's dimwitted son!!! ha ha
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toking65000 — 14 years ago(December 27, 2011 06:01 PM)
Did you see the CBS special, Eunice? Ken Berry plays Mama's son, but he plays Phillip and he plays really intelligent. Ken is a very talented actor he can' play intelligent just was well as goofy.
Just because we lose today's battle doesn't mean we've lost tommorow's war.
