# In the 70s, everybody had their own variety show. Let's list 'em. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707 "2013-07-17T00:05:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/1 "2013-07-17T00:05:54Z")
[This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=696687) got me to thinking. In the 70s, it seemed like everybody had a variety show on TV. The networks were handing them out like candy. Hell, I’m pretty sure **I** had a variety show for a couple of episodes. Anyway, let’s see if we can come up with a list of all the celebrities (often B-and C-listers) who hosted variety shows in the 70s. (60s and 80s bleed-over is OK.) I’ll start with [The Jim Stafford Show](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072521/), hosted by [Jim Stafford](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Stafford), best known for a handful of novelty hits (“Spiders and Snakes,” “Wildwood Weed,” e.g.) Others? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/2 "2013-07-17T00:07:11Z")
Jim Stafford started as a regular guest on another show, though - what was it? **Carol Burnett**? **Flip Wilson**? (to sneakily list two others). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/3 "2013-07-17T00:08:56Z")
Maybe I’m checking the thread earlier enough to pick some low-hanging fruit, but I personally remember seeing **Donny and Marie** Osmond, and **The Captain and Tennille**. Also **The Muppet Show**. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/4 "2013-07-17T00:09:35Z")
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour The Pat Paulsen Half-a-Comedy Hour The Glen Campbell Goodtime Show The Red Skelton Show The Jackie Gleason Show ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/5 "2013-07-17T00:18:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Maybe I’m checking the thread earlier enough to pick some low-hanging fruit, but I personally remember seeing **Donny and Marie** Osmond, and **The Captain and Tennille**. Also **The Muppet Show**. These are the three I remember watching. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/6 "2013-07-17T00:25:04Z")
Tony Orlando and Dawn, probably the signature 70s show other than Donnie and Marie. The horribly derivative Pink Lady and Jeff, which I’d forgotten until it was mentioned in the other thread. Bobby Vinton? Was he the one that sang some opening or closing signature song in Polish? “Blah-blah-blah means that I Love You So?” And who closed out the show with a line or two from “Tie a Yellow Ribbon”? ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/7 "2013-07-17T00:28:41Z")
Okay let’s go to the lesser known ones: Keane Brothers (11 year olds famous for, uh, being 11) Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis (from the Fifth Dimension) Starlight Vocal Band Manhattan Transfer Gladys Knight Most of these were summer replacement shows. Wonder why the networks liked variety shows in that season. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/8 "2013-07-17T00:29:43Z")
Bill Cosby (most people forget he had a variety show among his many others. Groucho Marx was a guest!) Flip Wilson Sonny and Cher ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/9 "2013-07-17T00:32:11Z")
Rowan and Martin (Laugh In) The Smothers Brothers Dean Martin ---
**Author:** ![100\_polyester\_mens\_briefs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/6a8cbe/32.png) [@100\_polyester\_mens\_briefs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/100_polyester_mens_briefs)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/10 "2013-07-17T00:32:47Z")
Here are two variety shows (forgot their actual show names). One great, one best left in the vaults: 1975 **Manhatten Transfer** 1976 **Starland Vocal Band** I watched MT’s show when it first aired back in 1975. Great stuff almost entirely consisting of the quartet’s singing. I avoided SVB show like the plague. (btw, i’m a “longtime listener, first time caller”. this is my first post. hope it was done correctly.) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/11 "2013-07-17T00:33:14Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > Most of these were summer replacement shows. Wonder why the networks liked variety shows in that season. Cheap and fast to produce. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Sonny and Cher Can’t think how I missed them in my first list. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/12 "2013-07-17T00:37:13Z")
[This Is Tom Jones](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Tom_Jones) ran from 1969 - 1971. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/13 "2013-07-17T00:38:08Z")
Andy Williams Dean Martin Jim Nabors ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/14 "2013-07-17T00:41:47Z")
> [@100\_polyester\_mens\_briefs](#): > > btw, i’m a “longtime listener, first time caller”. this is my first post. hope it was done correctly. Welcome! ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/15 "2013-07-17T00:44:04Z")
The Rosemary Clooney Show The Nat King Cole Show The Kraft Music Hall (Yeah, I’m old.) ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/16 "2013-07-17T00:46:33Z")
Howard Cosell actually hosted the “first” _Saturday Night Live_, which was on ABC. It was a completely different show from the NBC icon, which came shortly afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/17 "2013-07-17T00:49:24Z")
I don’t know if I never saw it, or just repressed it, but [The Brady Bunch Hour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brady_Bunch_Hour). From Wikipedia, it seems to have been a show where the Bradys had a variety show, so it was kind of meta, but had the variety show skits, so i think it counts. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/18 "2013-07-17T00:51:50Z")
I’m sure that no one will be surprised that Wikipedia has a [list of American variety shows](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_variety_television_series) although they’re not all from the 1970s. (Remember The Don Knotts Show? I didn’t, but then I was about five when it aired in 1970-71.) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/19 "2013-07-17T00:55:32Z")
I watched and enjoyed _The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show_ on Saturday mornings in the mid-seventies, though I can only remember one bit (and truth be told, I can’t absolutely guarantee it was actually from that show - the seventies are a bit of a blur): The Hudsons are singing a pseudo-Latin love song, with Brett (or whoever was the “zany” one) directly singing to a hot Latina with his brothers as backup: Brett: I like your eyes. Backup: I like your eyes. Brett: I like your lips. Backup: I like your lips. Brett: Would you like my teeth? [shows her one of those novelty clacking-teeth toys, she walks away in disgust, he shrugs and puts the teeth back in his pocket, sings the rest of the song with his brothers] ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707/20 "2013-07-17T01:07:08Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m sure that no one will be surprised that Wikipedia has a [list of American variety shows](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_variety_television_series) although they’re not all from the 1970s. (Remember The Don Knotts Show? I didn’t, but then I was about five when it aired in 1970-71.) Why can’t people resist cheating in these threads? 😛 Remember back when people used to remember things? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-70s-everybody-had-their-own-variety-show-lets-list-em/663707.md?page=2)