Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/605448
62 SAG-AFTRA | Fall 2015 | SAGAFTRA.org approached executives at CBS about pursuing the variety show, they shot her down, attempting to steer her toward a sitcom. "They said, 'variety is a man's game,'" Burnett told Larry King in 2013. But after a lifetime of challenges, Burnett was not one to get discouraged. She pushed for the variety show, knowing that CBS executives either had to allow her the show or pay her for 30 episodes worth of TV performances instead. As a result, The Carol Burnett Show made it on to the air, premiering on CBS on Sept. 11, 1967, with an ensemble that would grow to include Tim Conway, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner and Harvey Korman. Over the years, the show would go on to feature a wide range of famous guest stars, including other Life Achievement honorees such as James Garner, Rita Moreno, Debbie Reynolds, Ricardo Montalbán, Bob Hope, Betty White, Dick Van Dyke and Nanette Fabray. It would become one of the most iconic television shows of the 1970s, spanning 11 seasons and earning dozens of Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations. At its peak, The Carol Burnett Show averaged 30 million viewers per week, featuring characters that would eventually spawn a spin-off (Mama's Family) and a TV movie (Eunice). Each episode famously opened with questions from the audience and closed with Burnett's signature song I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together followed by a tug on her ear. Although she's beloved by generations for her iconic work on television, Burnett is a film and stage actor in her own right. Her turn as Miss Hannigan in 1982's Annie is widely considered to be the defining interpretation of the role, and her return to Broadway in 1995's Moon Over Buffalo earned her a second Tony nomination. As if being a performer was not enough — Burnett is also a best-selling author of a number of books and plays, not to mention a philanthropist. Taking the words to heart from her anonymous benefactor about paying it forward, Burnett founded the Carrie Hamilton Foundation in honor of her late daughter, and several scholarships, including The Carol Burnett Musical Theatre Competition at her alma mater, UCLA. She also supports the work of the Hereditary Disease Foundation. Burnett's journey has been a remarkable one, from humble beginnings to entertainment legend. Along the way, she conquered screen and stage, left an indelible mark on television history and opened doors for women in comedy and variety programs. And she has always sought to use her success to help others, nurturing young artists and raising awareness of issues important to her. With an astounding breadth of talent and a deep commitment to philanthropy, she truly embodies the spirit of our Life Achievement Award. Burnett appears on a 2013 episode of Hawaii Five-0 with Alex O'Loughlin. NORMAN SHAPIRO/CBS