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The Andy Williams Show

The Andy Williams Show was a television variety show which ran from 1959 to 1971 (alternating during the summer of 1970 with Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens), and a short-lived run in syndication, beginning in the fall of 1976. It was hosted by crooner Andy Williams, with a number of regular performers, including, from time to time:

Bobby Darin

Dick Van Dyke

The New Christy Minstrels

The Osmond Brothers

Jonathan Winters

Professor Irwin Corey

Ray Stevens

The Lennon Sisters

Charlie Callas

Janos Prohaska ("The Cookie Bear")

The show began as a summer replacement series in 1959 on CBS. Later it was picked up by NBC in 1962, where it ran until 1971.

On November 30, 1964, Julie Andrews was the featured guest on the show. This was Ms. Andrews's first appearance on any television variety series after the release of her smash hit film Mary Poppins in August. The Americanization of Emily had opened in theatres in October, and clips from that film were shown. On the show, Andrews sang the song Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious with the Osmond Brothers, and later sang a song from Oliver!, which was then playing on Broadway and had not yet been filmed. The hit motion picture The Sound of Music had not yet finished production.

When the show first started, it was tailored to Williams's pop music stylings, with "adult contemporary" style musicians. But in 1969 it was restaged, bringing in rock and roll acts and psychedelic staging. The audience sat on risers which moved around the stage, following Williams about as he moved.

Starting in 1971, Williams opted instead to produce seasonal specials (especially at Christmas) in lieu of a weekly series.

Many viewers had little interest in the musical numbers, but watched the show for its wacky comedy skits. Crazed acrobats The Flying Silverman Brothers would hurtle across the screen, a giant talking bee would offer snide comments, a suitcase (actually a performer in a suitcase costume) would walk into the shot. One recurring comedy sketch involved Williams' encounters with "The Cookie Bear" a tall, comical animal whose escapades (and begging for a cookie) would frustrate Williams to the point of his shouting at him, with increasingly high pitch, that he did not want to see him again, "Not Now... Not Ever... NEVER!!" This send-off, which became a popularly-used phrase at that time, was funny due to its contrast with the suave performing demeanor Williams was known for. The bear would then turn to the camera, utter some depressed line, and fall straight over onto his face. All over the world during the series' run, people could be seen impressing their friends by trying to fall over like that.

Five years after his second weekly run at NBC had ended, Andy tried his hand at a half-hour weekly variety show, this time in syndication. But it lasted only one season (1976-1977).

Full list of guests

Don Adams

Anna Maria Alberghetti

Julie Andrews

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap

The Righteous Brothers

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Kenny Rogers

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

The Smothers Brothers

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