Post–Golden Age Variety Shows

 

Post–Golden Age / Color TV Era Variety Shows (Mid‑1960s through 1970s)

These shows represent the shift from Golden Age vaudeville‑style acts to high‑production musical numbers, ensemble sketch comedy, and color‑era spectacle.

🎤 Core Mid‑1960s Variety Shows

• The Danny Kaye Show (1963–1967) — Musical comedy variety with Danny Kaye’s signature physical humor.

• The Dean Martin Show (1965–1974) — Music, celebrity guests, and Dean’s laid‑back comedic style.

• The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1978) — The gold standard of sketch‑driven variety in the color era.

🌟 Late‑1960s / Early‑1970s Expansion

These shows defined the “Renaissance” of variety programming:

• The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974) — Broke ground with Flip Wilson as the first Black entertainer to host a hit variety show.

• The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (1971–1974) — Music‑comedy hybrid with signature banter (not in search results but historically part of the era; included as contextual inference).

• The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967–1969) — Politically sharp, fast‑paced variety (contextual inference; PBS source mentions Smothers Brothers in variety history).

🟦 1970s Peak Variety Era

These shows represent the height of color‑era variety entertainment:

• The Muppet Show (1974–1981) — A family‑friendly variety format blending puppetry, music, and celebrity guests.

• Donny & Marie (1976–1979) — Teen‑pop musical variety (contextual inference; widely recognized but not in search results).

• The Cher Show (1975–1976) — Solo variety vehicle for Cher (contextual inference).

• The Captain & Tennille (1976–1977) — Music‑centered variety (contextual inference).