Glen Campbell was born a seventh son, but not otherwise lucky. Raised in grinding poverty in rural Arkansas, he parlayed his good looks and singing talent (and some hard work) into a formidable career. By 1969 it seemed as if Glen Campbell was everywhere, even giving an impressive dramatic performance opposite John Wayne in 'True Grit'.
'The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour' was originally packaged as a summer replacement for 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'. I saw the promo for this at a press screening in London, where the show's U.S. producers were hoping to sell the U.K. television rights. Campbell launched his series by making a guest appearance on the Smothers Brothers show: standing on their Television City stage, Campbell promised Tom and Dick Smothers that his new series would be unpredictable. This was the cue for several dozen pigs to rush out of the wings (pigs have wings?) and scurry onto the stage, bowling over both of the Smothers siblings and Campbell. Unfortunately, nothing this unpredictable happened on Campbell's series itself.
The transition was smooth enough, with the Smothers' writers Steve Martin and Rob Reiner -- not yet famous themselves -- doing script duties for Campbell's variety hour, the usual mixture of music and comedy. Campbell's ingratiating manner and fine singing voice took care of the musical aspects, but the comedy was rather dire. In one episode, Campbell wanted to plug his starring role in the forthcoming movie 'Norwood' (based on a novel by the same guy who wrote 'True Grit'). This was the excuse for an unfunny skit in a screening room, where Campbell intends to show us a clip from the movie but he's abruptly interrupted by Dom DeLuise, carrying the world's largest bag of popcorn. It turns out that DeLuise has a bit role in 'Norwood' (thanks for warning us!), and he wants Campbell to show us that clip. Then some terrible footage unspools, notable only for offering a brief glimpse of veteran actor Jack Haley.
The opening credits of 'Goodtime Hour' showed several travelling shots of rustic exteriors, over a vocal of Campbell singing his hit song 'Gentle on My Mind'. This sounds like a warmly romantic ballad until you pay attention to the lyric: 'It's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bonds, and the ink stains that have dried upon some line.' Those 'forgotten words and bonds' are the wedding vows, and those 'ink stains' are the signatures on a marriage license. This is a song about a guy who wants all the advantages of marriage without the commitment.
John Hartford, who wrote 'Gentle on My Mind', was among the house musicians for this series, and made occasional guest appearances here: in one of these, he demonstrated his ability to play tunes on his face by slapping himself in the cheeks while altering the aperture of his mouth.
I still cringe at memories of the *really* bad comedy on this series. One alleged skit depicted a female kangaroo (played by a male actor in a roo cozzy) singing 'Gentle on My Mind'. When she (he? it?) got to the line about the sleeping bag behind the couch, the kangaroo's joey (played by another actor in costume) popped his head out of the roo's pouch and said 'pouch'. Geddit? 'Pouch' instead of 'couch'? Ouch! Stick to singing, Campbell, and leave the comedy to others.
'The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour' was originally packaged as a summer replacement for 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'. I saw the promo for this at a press screening in London, where the show's U.S. producers were hoping to sell the U.K. television rights. Campbell launched his series by making a guest appearance on the Smothers Brothers show: standing on their Television City stage, Campbell promised Tom and Dick Smothers that his new series would be unpredictable. This was the cue for several dozen pigs to rush out of the wings (pigs have wings?) and scurry onto the stage, bowling over both of the Smothers siblings and Campbell. Unfortunately, nothing this unpredictable happened on Campbell's series itself.
The transition was smooth enough, with the Smothers' writers Steve Martin and Rob Reiner -- not yet famous themselves -- doing script duties for Campbell's variety hour, the usual mixture of music and comedy. Campbell's ingratiating manner and fine singing voice took care of the musical aspects, but the comedy was rather dire. In one episode, Campbell wanted to plug his starring role in the forthcoming movie 'Norwood' (based on a novel by the same guy who wrote 'True Grit'). This was the excuse for an unfunny skit in a screening room, where Campbell intends to show us a clip from the movie but he's abruptly interrupted by Dom DeLuise, carrying the world's largest bag of popcorn. It turns out that DeLuise has a bit role in 'Norwood' (thanks for warning us!), and he wants Campbell to show us that clip. Then some terrible footage unspools, notable only for offering a brief glimpse of veteran actor Jack Haley.
The opening credits of 'Goodtime Hour' showed several travelling shots of rustic exteriors, over a vocal of Campbell singing his hit song 'Gentle on My Mind'. This sounds like a warmly romantic ballad until you pay attention to the lyric: 'It's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bonds, and the ink stains that have dried upon some line.' Those 'forgotten words and bonds' are the wedding vows, and those 'ink stains' are the signatures on a marriage license. This is a song about a guy who wants all the advantages of marriage without the commitment.
John Hartford, who wrote 'Gentle on My Mind', was among the house musicians for this series, and made occasional guest appearances here: in one of these, he demonstrated his ability to play tunes on his face by slapping himself in the cheeks while altering the aperture of his mouth.
I still cringe at memories of the *really* bad comedy on this series. One alleged skit depicted a female kangaroo (played by a male actor in a roo cozzy) singing 'Gentle on My Mind'. When she (he? it?) got to the line about the sleeping bag behind the couch, the kangaroo's joey (played by another actor in costume) popped his head out of the roo's pouch and said 'pouch'. Geddit? 'Pouch' instead of 'couch'? Ouch! Stick to singing, Campbell, and leave the comedy to others.