Saunders: Critics salute Burnett - loudly

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

HOLLYWOOD - The young critic seated at a nearby table wasn't born when Carol Burnett signed her first CBS contract.

But there he was - standing, applauding and loudly cheering with the rest of the critics and Hollywood types when the popular performer accepted her career achievement award, given by the Television Critics Association Sunday.

And I even noted a teary mist in his eye.

Obviously, the 73-year-old Burnett transcends the rabbit-ears TV era. And as the loud, loving response continued, I wondered: Why did it take so long for our organization to honor her superb talent?

Burnett's TV career spans from the The Garry Moore Show to a recent guest appearance on Desperate Housewives. In between, she's co-starred in numerous specials, including memorable two- woman musical shows with Julie Andrews, Beverly Sills and Dolly Parton.

Recall her leading role in Fresno, the underrated 1986 miniseries spoof of Dallas and Dynasty? It dealt with families feuding over the California raisin empire, and Burnett was marvelous as a nasty, widowed matriarch.

Burnett's halcyon TV days came, of course, during her much-honored variety series that ran on CBS for 11 seasons, beginning in 1967. In accepting the TCA award, Burnett smiled and said, "Does this mean I'll never get another bad review?"

Then in her dry style, Burnett recalled how the variety show evolved.

In early 1967, her CBS contract (a pay-when-playing deal) called for her to do some variety specials. The contract, signed while she was on the Moore show, was about to expire.

"I was broke and wanted to work," she recalled.

A CBS network executive told Burnett that TV variety was really a man's domain inhabited by Jackie Gleason, Milton Berle and Sid Caesar.

After Burnett rejected Where's Agnes?, a proposed situation comedy, she agreed to do 30 variety hours.

The rest is history.

Anyone - regardless of age - with a sense of television history can recall the marvelous sketches Burnett and her crew put together during those award-winning years.

Among the most memorable: the Gone With the Wind spoof with Burnett, as Scarlett, wearing huge window drapes as her evening social attire.

After paying tribute to her staff and co-workers on the variety show, Burnett said, "I'm sure glad I didn't do Where's Agnes?"

Before leaving the stage, Burnett, whose career now centers on occasional one-woman stage shows, asked, in facetiously, whether there's an opening for her on The Office.

At the end of the awards program, she was surrounded by the stars and producers of the comedy series. Who knows what might develop?

Another popular award winner was The West Wing, given the prestigious Heritage Award for its seven-year NBC run as a drama that mixed personal relationships with White House politics.

Co-creator Aaron Sorkin noted that the award was "an incredible compliment by the critics," whose early support enabled The West Wing to establish itself and eventually win numerous honors, including four straight Emmys as TV's best drama. The TCA voted The West Wing as the best new program during its initial year.

Sorkin also said the award was "a tribute to the memory of the unforgettable John Spencer."

Spencer, who portrayed the president's chief of staff for most of the series, died after a heart attack last December before the series was completed.

Other TCA award winners:

• Drama performance - Hugh Laurie (Fox's House)

• Comedy performance - Steve Carrell (NBC's The Office)

• Program of the year - ABC's Grey's Anatomy

• Drama - ABC's Lost

• Comedy - NBC's The Office

• Movies, miniseries and specials - Bob Dylan - No Direction Home on PBS' American Masters

• News and information - PBS' Frontline

• Children's programming - the Disney Channel's High School Musical

• New program - NBC's My Name Is Earl

TODAY'S NOSTALGIA: On July 26, 1989, public television aired Halftime, a documentary that examined the lives of five prominent Yale graduates returning to New Haven for their 25th anniversary.

Dusty Saunders is the broadcasting critic. Saunders@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5137