View Full Version : Lyle Waggoner Fired from The Carol Burnett Show?


McGillicuddy
08-12-2011, 03:47 PM
I just read on another thread that it was suggested Lyle Waggoner was fired from The Carol Burnett Show for appearing in Playgirl Magazine. I've never heard this before. I've always believed he just left because he wasn't used on the show as much as Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence and Tim Conway. Besides, I would think Carol, herself would have the last word on dismissing a member of the cast. I can't imagine her firing Lyle for something like this! :confused: Anybody else hear this before?

mstewart
08-12-2011, 06:09 PM
It was stated when Vicki Lawrence got pregnant with her first child she was taken off the show by the producers until Carol stepped in. Here is the article from google: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/243701/75-FIRING-OVER-PREGNANCY-BEGETS-SOUR-MEMORIES.html

wiseguy182
08-13-2011, 01:37 AM
I have a hard time believing Lyle Waggoner was fired. He was on several of the reunion specials that I have. I have also read that he left the show to advance his career.

Shame about Vicki Lawrence being fired, that was definitely too extreme for my tastes. I'm glad Carol used her power to bring her back. I believe Carol and Vicki are good friends to this day and Carol was the one who plucked Vicki from obscurity and gave her this huge break, which launched her career. Although their friendship has been a bit frosty at times. I heard that after Mama's Family had been on a few years, Carol and Joe Hamilton were going through a bad divorce, and Carol didn't return as Eunice when Mama's Family came back into new syndicated episodes after being cancelled from NBC, as Joe Hamilton was also heading up that project. I heard that Carol didn't like the subject of Mama's Family being brought up to her.

Anna Karenina
10-13-2016, 04:03 PM
Joe Hamilton seemed like a real jerk to do that. I am glad Carol stepped up for her.

Incidentally I saw Carol in her one woman show in April and she mentioned that she and Vicki still email each other, Vicki had warned her about two guys dressed up as Mrs. Wiggins and Mama being there to ask her questions like they did when Vicki did her one woman show. She was very sweet to them and they took pictures with her later.

Carol, BTW was so impressive at 82 fielding questions from the audience, her stamina was so impressive, she is still as charming as ever. :)

http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2015/10/09/gettyimages-456749506-e4ae0baf9563cbd67154116d2a5e961ee0e73db7-s300-c85.jpg

Bonniegirl
10-13-2016, 04:27 PM
Lyle Waggoner was HOT!!! I remember when he was no longer on the Carol Burnett show,my Mom and I were upset!:(


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/2a/32/dd/2a32dd9325e932e8094abfaaa65c5da2.jpg

Anna Karenina
10-13-2016, 04:39 PM
Lyle Waggoner was HOT!!! I remember when he was no longer on the Carol Burnett show,my Mom and I were upset!:(


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/2a/32/dd/2a32dd9325e932e8094abfaaa65c5da2.jpg

Yes, he was definitely the eye candy of the show! :happyface :wave:

howilu
10-14-2016, 08:10 AM
In 1972, Lyle Waggoner became the fourth and final host of the syndicated game show It's Your Bet. He replaced Tom Kennedy, who went on to host ABC's Split Second.

KurtfromPitts
11-30-2016, 12:00 PM
Lyle's voice was also heard on numerous radio and TV commercials.

Ron Ron
11-30-2016, 03:07 PM
Didn't Lyle leave to do Wonder Woman? I didn't care for him on TCBH. I preferred him on Wonder Woman instead.

CoolGuyBevHills
11-24-2018, 07:16 PM
I just read on another thread that it was suggested Lyle Waggoner was fired from The Carol Burnett Show for appearing in Playgirl Magazine. I've never heard this before. I've always believed he just left because he wasn't used on the show as much as Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, and Tim Conway. Besides, I would think Carol, herself would have the last word on dismissing a member of the cast. I can't imagine her firing Lyle for something like this! :confused: Anybody else hear this before?

Yes, Waggoner was "let go" from The Carol Burnett Show. Joe Hamilton was reportedly less than pleased to discover Waggoner posed for Playgirl. There were concerns about the fact that Burnett's show was considered a family show and Waggoner having posed nude was a conflict. There was also what was a called a "morals clause" in Waggoner's contract, something that was in many performers contracts at that time, that said they could be released from their contract for a bevy of reasons that could be seen as "inappropriate". For the most part, Waggoner wasn't devastated about being released from his contract. He was tired of doing the show and was ready to move on to other projects. It was an amicable departure.

Another interesting fact: Lyle Waggoner was also being considered as Robert Reed's replacement for a sixth season of "The Brady Bunch".