Already a well-regarded producer of television specials and variety shows by 1967, George Schlatter pitched to NBC an idea that was a radical departure: a comedy special inspired by the hippie counter-culture, one which would take the idea of sit-ins, love-ins, and be-ins, and manifest that politicized, sexualized, consciousness-raising energy into comedic sketches.
The special, Laugh-in, was so successful it became a regular television series, running from January 1968 to March 1973 and eventually becoming the #1 show on TV.
Schlatter new book, "Still Laughing," features never-before-told backstories from the creation of one of the most beloved shows in television history. It also recounts the coming-of-age of one of television’s great producers, from his early nightclub days in Vegas, to his influential friendships with Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra.
The book is an inside look at the Golden Age of Hollywood in the wake of the cultural upheaval of the Sixties and Seventies. It demonstrates the crucial role a working producer plays in bringing a show to life.
