The actor playing the brother of Eunice is the legendary Roddy McDowall. He was a talented actor, voice artist, film director and photographer. He was 10 years old when he started in the industry. He was a very good friend to Elizabeth Taylor and it was said he was a kind man... He past at the age of just 70 years old...
Rod was terrific in everything he did-- How Green Was My Valley, Night Gallery, Planet of the Apes, It!, Batman, and so much more. I believe he played Eunice's brother the writer three times during her show.
Its hard to believe Vicki Lawrence was going to college when she was doing this show(!!). And she even recorded a top ten hit; The Night The Light Went Out In Georgia. And she won an Emmy on this show; and SHE was the one who spun off into her own hit series.
Well, hi, neighbor, I'm also from Mississippi. For the record, Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett were both Texas natives, hence who they are imitating. Eunice and Thelma are very strongly based on Carol's mother and grandmother.
@@ChildrensRightsFirst947 Carol Burnett is portraying her own mother, Ina Louise Burnett, while Vicki is portraying Carol's grandmother, Nanny. Huh, what was Nanny's name. Carol is near 20 years older than Vicki, so originally, Vicki was going to be 'Eunice' and Carol would be 'Thelma'. Carol made all the changes; letting Carol be the daughter and Vicki be the mother, making them southern (Texas is close enough) and as Carol described it, making them Tennessee Williams on acid.
Well, this was a ground-breaking tv show no doubt about it....... Great acting...of course the portrayal of the "Backwards, Simple-minded southern relatives is always a trip to watch... Especially being that I'm from Mississippi.... Where would the world be without Hollywood to promote such stereotypes???? A better place maybe??
I heard some where that when the cast tried a run through Of Mamas Family with regular voices the effect fell flat.Someone suggested trying it with a southern accent and it was just what made it perfect.
They cut out part of this one. The part where Philip tells Mama he'll take her to see the studio and all she's upset about is missing another episode of 'Weathering the Storm' and they find a TV Guide to tell her what time it comes on.
Actually, he played Cornelius in the first Planet of the Apes movie and in Escape From The Planet of The Apes. He then played Caesar (Cornelius and Zira's child) in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes. Later he played the ape Galen in the tv series based on the movies.
Eunice does realize that Talia Shire was a trained, professional actress prior to the Godfather, and she was given that role do to being right for the part; no way would FFC have cast her if she wasn't talented and experienced, no?
She was always looking for a shortcut to stardom: unwilling and unable to put in the work. And of course, lacking any real confidence, thanks to her awful parents.
Carol remembered the time Roddey called her and she went on about how her finger hurt. He had called to tell her how sick he was, I believe it was cancer, he died not far on.
He never did in the show. That is correct. But Ken did an excellent job in the Eunice teleplay as Phillip. There were two other brothers in the Eunice canon played by Alan Alda and Tommy Smothers
@@Portugal2025 You know your onions. Kudos on that. Ken Berry was solid in the Eunice TV-movie (which happily was a bonus on the Mama's Family season 2 DVD set). That was a fascinating dramedy special. Moments of hilarity, melodrama, and that sad ending which always breaks my heart a little. The writers really got to pepper the TV special with some fun Eunice bits from the sketches. I love the family skits from Carol's show, they will always be hilarious to me. And Vicki's sitcom was okay, but it gradually drifted far far away from the tone of the source material. You probably already know that Harvey Korman had advised Vicki and the writers (once they were about to go into syndication) to make Mama sweeter because supposedly the TV audience wouldn't relate well to an old crab. I disagree with that notion. I loved grumpy Mama, the Mama who would never have dreamed of singing in a contest or helping others, LOL. One more thing: Ken Berry borrowed liberally from the physical comedy stylings of Don Knotts when Berry made Vint a doddering doofus as the series went into its third season (after Fran died, and when Bubba and Iola were introduced). It was a blatant ripoff (or homage?), especially the deep inhales through the nose when Vint was proud of himself or tried looking important. 😄
Oh for Pete's sake they were comedy sketches different actors played the parts and Roddy McDowall is English. Robert Redford didn't use an English accent in Out of Africa and I think it ruined the character but it didn't seem to bother anybody else
I wish they'd kept the Phillip character, instead of creating 'Vinton', when 'Mama's Family' became a sitcom. Whether Roddy McDowell played the part, or Ken Berry, it would have been more interesting and compelling than 'Vinton' (we won't even mention those hideous, rat-faced, 40-year-old "teenagers" who nearly killed the show, playing Vinton's "kids"). We have empathy for Phillip. With Vinton, we just want him to shut up and get out of the way, or fall off a cliff or something.
I couldn't stand the sitcom show. They softened up Mama way too much. Evidently, Harvey Korman, who produced or directed the show, felt audiences would get tired or wouldn't believe that Mama could be so vile and crabby all the time. That crabbiness made half the laughs. And frankly, without Eunice in the show as well, it wasn't the same. Vinton was irritating as all...dopey and dumb acting. You are totally right, Bunny.
Bunny Biedenharn Proud to say I never watched one episode of Mama’s Family. The Family sketches only worked as well as they did because of the combined talents of Carol, Vickie, Harvey, and Tim.
@@sandee3073 I can see why you wouldn't have watched Mama's Family. If Ed or Vinton (or Buzz or Sonya) were the first people you saw, then you were right in changing the channel. However, Rue McClannahan (as Thelma's more cultivated "old maid" sister) was interesting - particularly as counterpoint to Thelma: one sister having chosen to develop her mind, while the other married beneath herself and plunged headlong into DOWNWARD MOBILITY. And, of course, Carol Burnett, when she'd make appearances, was brilliant, as was Vicki Lawrence. Eunice's performance of 'Oh Promise Me', during Naomi's wedding, is one of the most hilarious moments on TV - ever. And Naomi had a lot of good lines, even in her first season on the show. And, of course, Betty White's portrayal of Ellen, was brilliant - her darkness managing to survive into the sitcom. But a lot of it WAS cheap/tacky/saccharine/maudlin/trite - thanks, apparently, to Harvey Korman (Ed), who was a power behind the scenes. However, once Iola and Bubba appeared, the show was SAVED. Bubba's looks were enough to stop someone flipping channels. And once they were stopped, they saw Iola. There's a little Iola in all of us, and I find her to be up there with Ugly Betty, as one of the most compelling characters ever on TV. Beverly Archer BECAME Iola, with a purity and intensity that has never been surpassed, by anybody playing ANY role.
You are right Bunny. Roddy McDowell plays a far more interesting character, and is a different sort of actor than Ken Berry. "Phillip" only appeared in two episodes that I know of. "Mama's Family" was funny, but only because of Vickie Lawrence. Iola was unnecessary.
Philip couldn't afford to fly them to his home? He's Rich isn't he? He made his senior citizen mom and his sister and her husband drive across the country?
Well you're sure nasty. I think Ken Berry did a really good job as Vinton and they took the two characters who were his kids off off the show and brought in the young actor who played Eunice's son if you want it all those changes make your own show
I miss all these variety shows. The 1970s were wonderful
I love mama And Eunice sketches. I wish they made tv like this nowadays! So entertaining and funny 🙂
Eunice takes digs at Phillip the way Mamma snaps on her
After seeing Ken Berry portray Phillip in the TV movie Eunice, I never could accept anyone else playing that role.
@Kirby Kipling I don't understand who Vinton was. Wasn't he Mama's son also and played by Ken Berry?
I love 'em both.
I'm the reverse. Roddy is Phillip and it was distracting in the movie suddenly it was bumpkin Berry.
@kirbykipling9515She has Phillip, Jack, Larry and Vint.
I have enjoyed these episodes. The talents are like no other. So original and the actors are like no other. This is some of Television's finest.
Yep, it was cut short and messed up. So much for this channel.
R.M. always makes me remember Planet of the Apes. He was a great actor!
The actor playing the brother of Eunice is the legendary Roddy McDowall. He was a talented actor, voice artist, film director and photographer. He was 10 years old when he started in the industry. He was a very good friend to Elizabeth Taylor and it was said he was a kind man... He past at the age of just 70 years old...
Rod was terrific in everything he did-- How Green Was My Valley, Night Gallery, Planet of the Apes, It!, Batman, and so much more. I believe he played Eunice's brother the writer three times during her show.
Rifleman. Episodes
Ed kikheov
I sure miss him😪
"A Bug's Life" was perhaps his last film. He was also in "The Cat from Outer Space."
ooooweee! LOL 😁i've had good expressions this morning....🥳🥳
Never miss an episode ❤
mama reminds me of my mamaw years ago Bless her heart ❤️
Mine too down to the wig dress pearls and shoes
Memories....lol
😋😄😋😄
He also was the butler in overboard
Classic! Classic comedy.
Imagine having a family like this?
I do 😩😆
Actually we all do lol
I didn't have to imagine. I was just thinking how close this was to my situation
@@ivoryscott1162 Not everyone does
My family is just like this.
He was also in a great black comedy titled Arnold. A great actor.
You mean Arnold? That's a great picture.
@@celladora31 yes thank you my phone decided to do it in its own
😂Wonderful! 😊
Poor phillip😔
Its hard to believe Vicki Lawrence was going to college when she was doing this show(!!). And she even recorded a top ten hit; The Night The Light Went Out In Georgia. And she won an Emmy on this show; and SHE was the one who spun off into her own hit series.
She is amazing. So talented. I had the opportunity to see her one woman show pre pandemic. 1 half was Mama 1 half she was herself. So fun
7:13 Roddy McDowell was a beautiful-looking man!
Heartily agreed!
Roger . Yes, Roger. You used the correct description for Roddy. “ Beautiful “.
I think so too!!
Ed needs to go back to his hardware store! Great episode!
“Like a bag of dirty laundry” lol 🤣
Mama: "What the hell is this goo?" 😂🤣
Still funny 😂
EE-LIZ-A BUTH!
I felt that....
Hey cut best part of show. Now got find this dvd collection box. One funny show. Thank You. Anyone know what season this part show is left me know.
Well, hi, neighbor, I'm also from Mississippi.
For the record, Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett were both Texas natives, hence who they are imitating. Eunice and Thelma are very strongly based on Carol's mother and grandmother.
So Eunice is playing her mother
@@ChildrensRightsFirst947 Carol Burnett is portraying her own mother, Ina Louise Burnett, while Vicki is portraying Carol's grandmother, Nanny. Huh, what was Nanny's name.
Carol is near 20 years older than Vicki, so originally, Vicki was going to be 'Eunice' and Carol would be 'Thelma'.
Carol made all the changes; letting Carol be the daughter and Vicki be the mother, making them southern (Texas is close enough) and as Carol described it, making them Tennessee Williams on acid.
Eunice is a mess. All that low key auditioning. 😂😂😂😂😂
God knows she gets an A for effort
@@dy9278 she has good expressions
Well, this was a ground-breaking tv show no doubt about it....... Great acting...of course the portrayal of the "Backwards, Simple-minded southern relatives is always a trip to watch... Especially being that I'm from Mississippi.... Where would the world be without Hollywood to promote such stereotypes???? A better place maybe??
Carlos Burnett created the characters from her own family life ..
Fantastic!
I heard some where that when the cast tried a run through Of Mamas Family with regular voices the effect fell flat.Someone suggested trying it with a southern accent and it was just what made it perfect.
A shame this is so heavily edited and not the full, original sketch. It's one of the better ones from the show!
totally agree...a ton edited out...sheesh
Is there a place to get the unedited version?
They cut out part of this one. The part where Philip tells Mama he'll take her to see the studio and all she's upset about is missing another episode of 'Weathering the Storm' and they find a TV Guide to tell her what time it comes on.
I guess Vint and Eunice would be the two big failures to Mama in Mama's Family where Philip and Ellen were the big successes.
Imagine Eunice knocking Philip in his own home.
This is the first time I’ve seen this skit.
"E-liz-uh-BUTH!" 👑
Hey question what happened to vent and bubba
They were on Mamas family
Back in the day when comedy was funny not filthy.
This seems kind of brief for a Eunice sketch. They usually lasted anywhere from 10 to 18 minutes. I guess this is from edited cable reruns.
They cut out 'Weathering the Storm'. Mama's favourite soap opera.
There is at least 4 minutes cut out...and it's a shame. The full version was on youtube years ago...not anymore :(
@@pocodfe I'd love all those family sketches uncut. A dvd set would be sublime. It'll never happen though.
Roddy does a great job at comedy, actually...
"Good expressions!" 👀
He was Cesar in original Planet of the Apes
Actually, he played Cornelius in the first Planet of the Apes movie and in Escape From The Planet of The Apes. He then played Caesar (Cornelius and Zira's child) in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes. Later he played the ape Galen in the tv series based on the movies.
@@justmeiniowa Unfortunately he was also Dr. Mellon in *Laserblast* , but we forgive him. :D
And he was Acres on board the Poseidon Adventure.
Im going with Phillip.😂
Maybe Phillip's adopted.
Eunice does realize that Talia Shire was a trained, professional actress prior to the Godfather, and she was given that role do to being right for the part; no way would FFC have cast her if she wasn't talented and experienced, no?
She was always looking for a shortcut to stardom: unwilling and unable to put in the work. And of course, lacking any real confidence, thanks to her awful parents.
@@AmyLSacks she has good expressions though
@@ericrivera8410 🎶 "Mem-reees... Laht th' cowners uvv mah mahhhnd..." 🎶
How did we go from Phillip to Vent?
Miss Putaboll ? I love it.
Why doesn’t Phillip have a thick southern accent like the rest of them?
He probably hung out with the more refined crowd growing up--though truthfully it's because Roddy McDowall was British.
He gone done and escapeded
@@russellbonaccorso8310
"Gone done?"
towards the end is cut out
"OHHHHH SHUT UP ED!"
Damn all they do is complain and Argue......... 😂
This is so cut up and edited. What happened to the full version? It used to be on youtube.
Why weren't Bubba and Billy.Joe with them?
Carol remembered the time Roddey called her and she went on about how her finger hurt. He had called to tell her how sick he was, I believe it was cancer, he died not far on.
I realized. Mama didn't care. Phillip was successful. Ellen was doing well. Only Eunice was a loser. Bad mama
Country hicks Thelma and Mama with Philip having an English accent.
Ken Berry actually did a better Phillip. In the Eunice teleplay. Worth watching. Excellent acting
I think Roddy McDowell is miscast here because of his accent. He’s far too urbane and sophisticated to have been born into the Harper family!
I don't think Ken Berry ever played Phillip. Different character.
He never did in the show. That is correct. But Ken did an excellent job in the Eunice teleplay as Phillip. There were two other brothers in the Eunice canon played by Alan Alda and Tommy Smothers
@@Portugal2025 You know your onions. Kudos on that. Ken Berry was solid in the Eunice TV-movie (which happily was a bonus on the Mama's Family season 2 DVD set). That was a fascinating dramedy special. Moments of hilarity, melodrama, and that sad ending which always breaks my heart a little. The writers really got to pepper the TV special with some fun Eunice bits from the sketches. I love the family skits from Carol's show, they will always be hilarious to me. And Vicki's sitcom was okay, but it gradually drifted far far away from the tone of the source material. You probably already know that Harvey Korman had advised Vicki and the writers (once they were about to go into syndication) to make Mama sweeter because supposedly the TV audience wouldn't relate well to an old crab. I disagree with that notion. I loved grumpy Mama, the Mama who would never have dreamed of singing in a contest or helping others, LOL.
One more thing: Ken Berry borrowed liberally from the physical comedy stylings of Don Knotts when Berry made Vint a doddering doofus as the series went into its third season (after Fran died, and when Bubba and Iola were introduced). It was a blatant ripoff (or homage?), especially the deep inhales through the nose when Vint was proud of himself or tried looking important. 😄
Roddy is a more interesting actor.
Good God! You want to talk about sterotypes?
What about the one about the gay boy from a small town who runs off to the Big City and loses his accent?
pinz2022 He not only lost his Southern accent, he gained a British one!
San Dee: You do know Roddy WAS BORN in England, right? 🙄🙄🙄
Oh for Pete's sake they were comedy sketches different actors played the parts and Roddy McDowall is English. Robert Redford didn't use an English accent in Out of Africa and I think it ruined the character but it didn't seem to bother anybody else
I wish they'd kept the Phillip character, instead of creating 'Vinton', when 'Mama's Family' became a sitcom. Whether Roddy McDowell played the part, or Ken Berry, it would have been more interesting and compelling than 'Vinton' (we won't even mention those hideous, rat-faced, 40-year-old "teenagers" who nearly killed the show, playing Vinton's "kids"). We have empathy for Phillip. With Vinton, we just want him to shut up and get out of the way, or fall off a cliff or something.
I couldn't stand the sitcom show. They softened up Mama way too much. Evidently, Harvey Korman, who produced or directed the show, felt audiences would get tired or wouldn't believe that Mama could be so vile and crabby all the time. That crabbiness made half the laughs. And frankly, without Eunice in the show as well, it wasn't the same. Vinton was irritating as all...dopey and dumb acting. You are totally right, Bunny.
@@pocodfe So glad we agree!
Bunny Biedenharn Proud to say I never watched one episode of Mama’s Family. The Family sketches only worked as well as they did because of the combined talents of Carol, Vickie, Harvey, and Tim.
@@sandee3073 I can see why you wouldn't have watched Mama's Family. If Ed or Vinton (or Buzz or Sonya) were the first people you saw, then you were right in changing the channel. However, Rue McClannahan (as Thelma's more cultivated "old maid" sister) was interesting - particularly as counterpoint to Thelma: one sister having chosen to develop her mind, while the other married beneath herself and plunged headlong into DOWNWARD MOBILITY. And, of course, Carol Burnett, when she'd make appearances, was brilliant, as was Vicki Lawrence. Eunice's performance of 'Oh Promise Me', during Naomi's wedding, is one of the most hilarious moments on TV - ever. And Naomi had a lot of good lines, even in her first season on the show. And, of course, Betty White's portrayal of Ellen, was brilliant - her darkness managing to survive into the sitcom. But a lot of it WAS cheap/tacky/saccharine/maudlin/trite - thanks, apparently, to Harvey Korman (Ed), who was a power behind the scenes.
However, once Iola and Bubba appeared, the show was SAVED. Bubba's looks were enough to stop someone flipping channels. And once they were stopped, they saw Iola. There's a little Iola in all of us, and I find her to be up there with Ugly Betty, as one of the most compelling characters ever on TV. Beverly Archer BECAME Iola, with a purity and intensity that has never been surpassed, by anybody playing ANY role.
You are right Bunny. Roddy McDowell plays a far more interesting character, and is a different sort of actor than Ken Berry. "Phillip" only appeared in two episodes that I know of. "Mama's Family" was funny, but only because of Vickie Lawrence. Iola was unnecessary.
But his accent? How is this explained?
Lol, He is educated, well-traveled and cultured. They are the complete opposite of him!
@@jewel8748 Yup. He wanted to be different than the rest of the family. Can't really blame him.
He is peculiar... (as said in the xmas episode, with another actor by the way)
@@ingesoft2009 That was Alan Alda playing yet another successful brother: a commercial artist.
It sucked the video cuts off early
Too many commercials
Philip couldn't afford to fly them to his home? He's Rich isn't he? He made his senior citizen mom and his sister and her husband drive across the country?
He probably offered but they said no.
@@AmyLSacks Yes, and Mama probably made a big thing about not wanting to fly in a plane!
They would have all been put on the no fly list for sure
@@BrokamaGay 😂 true.
Driving cross country makes for a more interesting, ironic narrative + they could remark on truck stops. :-)
Brilliantly scripted and acted.
All that way and dressed in the same clothes.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well you're sure nasty. I think Ken Berry did a really good job as Vinton and they took the two characters who were his kids off off the show and brought in the young actor who played Eunice's son if you want it all those changes make your own show
Philip has to leave his own house to get away from these hoodlums.
It's subtly implied that Phillip is gay in these old skits.
I don't think they were supposed to be from the south
I don't remember this man
Oh I remember them talking about him but never seen him
I used to laugh at all of these skits but now they just depress me. Sucks.
Why do they depress you now?
too bad...they actually bring back very warm memories for me...and they're still funny too...
@@markinette4953I think it's because some of this seems so realistic when you watch it.
Could not stand the dumb characters in mamas family. They all stunk
Parts cut out and the ending cut off...shame.