When Variety Was King: Memoir of a TV Pioneer: Featuring Jackie Gleason, Sonny and Cher, Hee-Haw, and More

(Paperback)

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Description

Frank Peppiatt was the most popular producer of his time - a time when variety television was king. He created Hee Haw, the number-one show on TV. He wrote and produced shows for Jackie Gleason, Andy Williams, Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Sonny and Cher and Perry Como. He even invented the rock TV show Hullabaloo. Peppiatt, a man who spent his life behind the scenes writing comedy and turning entertainers into household names, now recounts his own remarkable life story: a humble Canadian boy who grew up to create iconic American TV shows amid a cast of Hollywood celebs.

Reviews

"When Variety Was King is an enjoyable look back at a long lost TV genre from behind the typewriter of a harried, talented, humble Canadian writer who modestly carved a niche for himself as an unsung hero of the golden age of television, who had a lot of fun and had very few regrets throughout such an impressive showbiz career." -- West End Times
"[These] stories are informative and interesting, especially for those are hooked on celebrities." -- Winnipeg Free Press
"For fans of TV history, there's a gold mine here." -- Booklist

Author Bio

Frank Peppiatt was the creator and executive producer of "Hee Haw" and was the writer for many well-known TV shows, such as "The Judy Garland Show," "The Sonny and Cher Show," and "The Steve Allen Show." He is on the CBC Comedy Wall of Fame and is the winner of numerous Emmys for his work in television. He passed away in November 2012, after finishing this memoir.