The Andy Williams Show

Series regulars

The Andy Williams Show featured a number of regular performers including:

• Dick Van Dyke (1958)
• The New Christy Minstrels (1962-1963)
• R.G. Brown (1962)
• Marian Mercer (1962)
• The Osmond Brothers (1962-1971)
• Jonathan Winters (1965-1967, 1970-1971)
• The Good Time Singers (1963-1966)
• Professor Irwin Corey (1969-1970)
• Ray Stevens (1969-1971)
• The Lennon Sisters (1970-1971)
• Charlie Callas (1970-1971)
• Janos Prohaska (The Cookie Bear) (1969-1971)

Series synopsis

The first series began as a summer replacement on ABC in 1958 and on CBS in 1959. The weekly year-round series premiered on NBC in 1962, where it ran until 1967, when Williams reduced his workload to three specials a year. He returned to having a weekly series from 1969 through 1971.

At the beginning of the weekly series The New Christy Minstrels were the backup singers, but on December 20, 1962 The Osmond Brothers appeared on the show, and they became the regular backup performers for the rest of the series run.

In 1967 Williams decided to cut back to three specials per year. However, two years later he returned to weekly television in a revised format that included rock and roll acts and psychedelic lighting.

Starting with the 1969 season more emphasis was placed on comedy. Hungarian acrobat and stuntman Janos Prohaska began appearing in a bear costume, asking for cookies. The bear never got any cookies in the series, but fans began mailing baked goods to Prohaska.

Five years after his second weekly run at NBC had ended, Williams hosted a half-hour syndicated weekly variety show with Wayland Flowers and orchestra leader George Wyle.

Awards and nominations

Partial list of guest stars

• Judy Garland
• Don Adams
• Jack Benny
• Joey Bishop
• Bob Hope
• Sid Caesar
• Petula Clark
• Ella Fitzgerald
• George Gobel
• Peggy Lee
• Janet Leigh
• Henry Mancini
• Vaughn Meader
• Maureen O'Hara
• The Osmonds
• André Previn
• Smothers Brothers
• Danny Thomas
• Jonathan Winters

References

References

1. (2007). "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present". Random House Publishing.
2. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/516192289/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%22&match=1 Between visits to London Andy Williams tours Midwest, ''The South Bend Tribune'', November 16, 1976, page 18]
3. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/11917488/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%20Show%22&match=1 Andy Williams Show to Debut on Monday, ''Fairbanks Daily News-Miner'', October 18, 1969, page 11]
4. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/214424806/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%20Show%22&match=1 Andy’s Bear Is Acrobat-Turned Stuntman, ''The Town Talk'' (Alexandria, LA), May 29, 1970, page 18]
5. Vincent Terrace, ''Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010'', 2nd Edition, page 43, McFarland, Inc., 2014
6. [https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1963/outstanding-variety-music-or-comedy-series 1963 Emmys Variety Program]
7. [https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1963/outstanding-performance-in-a-variety-or-music-program 1963 Emmys - Performance in Variety Program]
8. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/376737451/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%20Show%22&match=1 Andy Williams Show, ''The Baltimore Sun'', April 11, 1966, page 16]
9. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/542531215/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%20Show%22&match=1 Benny, Jonathan Winters Guest on Andy’s Premier, ''Santa Maria Times'', September 22, 1964, page 30]
10. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/370819152/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%20Show%22&match=1 Andy Williams Show, ''The Evening Sun'', November 15, 1965, page 28]
11. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/327186775/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%20Show%22&match=1 Andy Williams Show, ''The Tampa Times'', September 27, 1962]
12. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/847876368/?terms=%22Andy%20Williams%20Show%22&match=1 TV Programs, ''Portland Press Herald'', March 28, 1963, page 7]