When Variety Was King (e-book) (used book) | Frank Peppiatt | bookbook.eu

Description

George Peppiatt was the most popular producer of his time — a time when variety television was king. 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 as a humble Canadian boy who grew up to create iconic American TV shows amid a cast of Hollywood celebrities. While working with his partner John Aylesworth, they invented the rock TV show Hullabaloo, which lead them to getting a call from New York to write for Jack Paar. From this, the duo, known as “A & P”, went on to become the most in-demand writing and producing team around. Frank created Hee Haw, the number-one show on TV. He wrote and produced variety shows for Jackie Gleason, Andy Williams, Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Sonny and Cher, and Perry Como. This anecdote-filled memoir of a bygone golden age, will enthrall anyone interested in the early days of television as it captures that burgeoning medium with stories filled with humor and spice. This insider’s look at some of television most iconic shows and personalities will please television fans, nostalgia buffs and cultural historians alike.