The Dick Cavett Show, March 9, 1971, 11:30pm ET on ABC

February 27, 2022 12:14 PM

Cavett, Arnaz, Burnett, and Ball [1h6m] Dr Ferdie Pacheco discusses the previous night's Ali/Frasier fight briefly, but then Lucie Arnaz comes out to discuss her famous childhood, and soon Carol Burnett joins her, and finally Lucille Ball joins them to end the hour. It's a wonderful slice of television from a much previous age, full of fun.
posted by hippybear (14 comments total)

Thank you!!
posted by JanetLand at 2:01 PM on February 27, 2022

Lucie Arnaz is wearing that macramie necklace very well!
posted by Czjewel at 3:01 PM on February 27, 2022

Not using Glitter and Be Gay for a theme song?
posted by mikelieman at 3:16 PM on February 27, 2022

It seems that was used for a theme song for his PBS talk show that ra in the late 70s, not this earlier ABC talk show.
posted by hippybear at 3:37 PM on February 27, 2022

Dick Cavett shows are pretty fascinating to watch. The pace is so mellow and they can have actual conversations. You feel like you can get a glimpse of who the guests really are. Such a contrast to how a show like this would happen today.
posted by Liquidwolf at 3:42 PM on February 27, 2022 [8 favorites]

Man, I've just started streaming Dick Cavett reruns, and his guest list is INSANE. Just mind-boggling. So far I've seen Shirley Chisholm, BB King, and Ruby Dee. I've watched TWO EPISODES. It's wild.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 3:43 PM on February 27, 2022 [2 favorites]

Oof! Such a different era. Thanks for posting.š
posted by fruitslinger at 3:48 PM on February 27, 2022

There's a great Dick Cavett Show on YouTube that's all David Bowie from approximately 1975. Bowie appears rather sickly and extremely strung out, but he does a couple of great performances and of course great conversation.
posted by SoberHighland at 4:02 PM on February 27, 2022

Two favorites:

Dick Cavett and Paul Simon.

Dick Cavett and Oscar Peterson.
posted by emelenjr at 7:49 PM on February 27, 2022

It blows my mind how "OK" drugs were before Reagan f'd everything up so badly. Casual and fun references throughout his opening monologue.
posted by Meatbomb at 5:14 AM on February 28, 2022 [2 favorites]

This was from before my time. It really struck me how much looser it felt. Like they were comfortable saying something without applause from the audience. It just feels so much more authentic, and therefore enjoyable

But also felt quite similar to my memory of watching David Letterman in the 90s

Also: this aired at 11:30pm? I looked it up and that was a Tuesday! So people would watch it and then go to work the next day? I'm cranky if I'm not in bed by 10!
posted by plasmatron7 at 1:40 PM on February 28, 2022

I am SO CHARMED by this whole thing I came back to tell you with 15 minutes to go. I don’t want to watch the rest because then it will end. Long time Carol Burnett fan and Dick Cavett fan but never saw it.
posted by Glinn at 5:06 PM on February 28, 2022

Fun fact: Lucie Arnaz nearly missed her flight to NY for this show. My dad worked for the airline she was booked to fly on from Providence to NY and he pulled some strings to hold the flight for her when she was delayed for an unknown reason. I only learned this last year when I was going through his papers and found a handwritten letter from Ms. Arnaz thanking him for his assistance getting her to NY. The next letter I found was from her agent, also thanking him for the assistance and going into detail about how important that flight was to Lucie because she was appearing on Dick Cavett with her mother and Carol Burnett.
So maybe not a fun fact for everyone, but I never thought I'd see people commenting on that episode soon after learning of my father's connection to it.
posted by ModelM at 5:45 PM on February 28, 2022 [9 favorites]

That's amazing! Flagged as fantastic!
posted by hippybear at 6:56 PM on February 28, 2022