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Arts & Culture

PIONEERS OF TELEVISION: Carol Burnett & The Funny Ladies

A rare 1954 color photo of Betty White, who was already a beloved TV personality.
Courtesy of PBS PIONEERS OF TELEVISION
A rare 1954 color photo of Betty White, who was already a beloved TV personality.

Airs Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018 at 9:30 p.m. on KPBS TV

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This program is comprised largely of material from the “Funny Ladies” episode that led off Season 3 of PIONEERS OF TELEVISION. The program focuses on Carol Burnett's television comedy career and the funny ladies of television who joined her in paving the way for today's TV comediennes.

Carol Burnett's first big break

"Funny Ladies" featured the first standup comediennes to appear on television - legends such as Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers.

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It also looks at Lucille Ball's breakthrough on I LOVE LUCY and the sitcom stars who followed, including Mary Tyler Moore, Betty White and Marla Gibbs.

The episode covers television's most enduring variety star, Carol Burnett, and features interviews with contemporary actresses including Tina Fey and Margaret Cho.

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