Happy 50th Anniversary to
Herbie J Pilato
When it comes to vintage comedy-variety shows headlined by pop-music stars, before Tony Orlando and Dawn, Donny and Marie and the Captain and Tennille, there was Sonny and Cher.
Breezy, brazen and groundbreaking,
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour started it all.
Premiering August 1, 1971, as a six-week summer replacement series on CBS, it starred the married musical duo who rose to fame in the late 60s on the popularity of such hit songs as I Got You Babe and The Beat Goes On.
Cher (née Cherilyn Sarkisian) was sylphlike and sardonic; Sonny (Salvatore Bono) was short and silly. She cracked wise; he was the butt of her jokes. She could belt out a tune; he had difficulty carrying one. But it didn t matter. When they got together, it was television magic.