What is “Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In”?
A: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television
program.
It ran for how many episodes?
A: 140.
It ran from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on
what network?
A: The NBC television network.
Who hosted it?
A: Comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin.
It originally aired as a what?
A: A one-time special on September 9, 1967.
It was such a success that it was brought back as a
what?
A: A series, replacing The Man from U.N.C.L.E. on Mondays at 8 pm (ET).
It quickly became what?
A: The most popular television show in the United States.
The title of the show was a play on what?
A: The 1960s hippie culture "love-ins" or the counterculture "be-ins", terms
that were derived from "sit-ins" that were common in protests associated
with civil rights and antiwar demonstrations of the time.
In 2002, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In was ranked number
what on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time?
A: 42.
Laugh-In had its roots in the humor of what?
A: Vaudeville and burlesque.
The show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of
what?
A: Gags and sketches, many of which were politically charged or contained
sexual innuendo.
The co-hosts continued the exasperated straight man
(Rowan) and "dumb guy" (Martin) act which they had established how?
A: As nightclub comics.
The show featured Gary Owens as what?
A: The on-screen announcer.
Longer-tenured cast members included whom?
A: Judy Carne, Henry Gibson, Goldie Hawn, Arte Johnson, Jo Anne Worley, Alan
Sues, Lily Tomlin, Johnny Brown, Dennis Allen and Richard Dawson.
Each episode followed a somewhat similar format, often
including what?
A: Recurring sketches.
The show started after the intro and a batch of shorts
skits that served as what?
A: As a cold open with a short dialogue between Rowan and Martin.
Shortly afterward, Rowan would intone what?
A: "C'mon Dick, let's go to the party, You're all invited!".
At the end of every show, Rowan turned to his co-host
and said what?
A: "Say good night, Dick", to which Martin replied, "Good night, Dick!".
The show then featured cast members' opening panels in
a what?
A: A psychedelically painted "joke wall" and telling jokes.
After which, the show would continue with one final
what?
A: Batch of skits, before drawing to a close.
After the applause died, executive producer George
Schlatter's solitary clapping continued even as what?
A: The screen turned blank and the production logo, network chimes, and NBC
logo appeared.
All of this was replaced in the sixth and final season
with a new production logo and Ruth Buzzi's what?
A: "Busy Buzzi" laugh.
Although episodes included most of the above segments,
the arrangement of the segments was often what?
A: Interchanged.
The show often featured what?
A: Guest stars.
Sometimes, the guest had a prominent spot in the
program, at other times the guest would do what?
A: Pop in for short "quickies" (one- or two-line jokes) interspersed
throughout the show – as was done most famously by Richard Nixon, when
running for president.