“When I was growing up, theater and music were my first loves, so my original show business goals revolved around being in musical comedies on Broadway, like Ethel Merman and Mary Martin.”

In 1967, Carol Burnett and her producer husband Joe Hamilton were given the opportunity by CBS to develop a comedy variety show led by Carol and a small host of talented actors, dancers, stage crew, and guests. Carol leads readers through how the show came to be including the all the pieces that fell together perfectly, the weekly show preparation, and changes that the show experienced over the duration of its 11-year run.  Burnett also discusses the process behind the discovering and hiring of the comedic genius of show co-stars Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner, and eventually Tim Conway.  Readers are also allowed to experience a brief and hilarious review of some of the more notable guest stars and the iconic characters that were brought to live through the show.  The book also looks at a few of the blunders and behind the scenes pranks that made for such a unique work environment for Burnett, her co-stars, and her crew.  Burnett does her best to give credit to all those who helped make the show such a success by giving everything to their job/performance.  Burnett brings humor and honesty to her recounting of both the highs and lows that took place until the show’s final episode in March 1978.

This book is the perfect read for fans of Carol Burnett’s work and show, because her sense of humor shines through every page.  Readers unfamiliar with the show will also enjoy the book for both the historical flashback (American and Hollywood) and the production secrets.  The book is filled with short sections that are easy to follow quickly, while Burnett’s writing style feels like a personal, comedic guide to the past.  In Such Good Company really highlights the brilliant group of people that came together to create one of the most memorable shows in television history.