The classic HEE HAW aired between 1969 and1971. The concept of the show was inspired by the hipper "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. HEE HAW, like Laugh-In was a comedy variety show. HEE HAW replaced the Smother's Brother's Comedy Hour on CBS.
It was actually a better show than Laugh-In and lived longer than Laugh-In in syndication. HEE HAW ran 20 years in syndication. Kind of funny that CBS canceled the show during a so called 'Rural Purge' of that time. Shows like Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Mayberry RFD were dropped but still rule in syndication.
"Like Laugh-In, the show minimized production costs by taping all of the recurring sketches for a season in batches— setting up for the Cornfield one day, the Joke Fence another, etc. At the height of its popularity, an entire year's worth of shows would be taped in two separate week-long sessions, then individual shows would be assembled from edited sections. Only musical performances were taped with a live audience; a laugh track was added to all other segments."
- Wikipedia
The show did well in ALL markets, not just here in the south. The show had a strong following in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. I guess the television execs got a little high brow and shot themselves in the foot. It was a funny show, shot on a shoe string, and dog-gone-it, people liked it. With HEE HAW the jokes were bad, but we still laughed.
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