Editing Tim Conway (section)

=== 1967–1978: ''The Carol Burnett Show'' ===
{{main|The Carol Burnett Show}}
[[File:Tim Conway Carol Burnett Dick Van Dyke Carol Burnett Show 1977.JPG|thumb|left|150px|(L to R): Conway, [[Carol Burnett]], and [[Dick Van Dyke]] in the final season]]
Starting with the [[1975–76 United States network television schedule|1975–76 season]], Conway became a regular on ''[[The Carol Burnett Show]]'' (replacing [[Lyle Waggoner]]), after having been a frequent guest for the show's first eight seasons.<ref name="ap19750706" /> Conway's work on the show earned him four [[Emmy Award]]s&nbsp;— one for writing and three for performance, one of which was before he became a regular. Two of Conway's memorable characters on the Burnett Show were [[The Oldest Man]], whose shaggy white hair, slow speech, and shuffling gait ran counter to the much-needed energy levels of the various occupations in which he was usually found, and Mr. Tudball, a businessman whose intentions of running a "ship-shape" office were usually sunk by the bored indifference of his secretary, [[Mrs. Wiggins]] (Burnett). Although the character was widely thought to be Swedish, Conway used a Romanian accent learned from his mother.<ref>King, Susan. "[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-tim-conway-20131112-story.html Tim Conway's life off script]", ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', November 11, 2013. Accessed September 6, 2016.</ref>

Conway often made his co-stars on ''The Carol Burnett Show'' break character and laugh in the middle of a scene, usually without speaking a line of dialogue.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jarvis |first1=Zeke |title=Make 'em Laugh!: American Humorists of the 20th and 21st Centuries |date=7 April 2015 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA |isbn=978-1-4408-2995-6 |page=112 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6hfHEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA112 |access-date=3 March 2024 |language=en}}</ref> According to Burnett, the characters breaking and laughing did not happen as often as many people later remembered, but because the laughter was real and added even more comedic value to a scene, those breaks became a defining characteristic of the show.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burnett |first1=Carol |title=In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox |date=13 September 2016 |publisher=Crown |isbn=978-1-101-90466-4 |page=91 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XW5QCwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Bernadette Peters on Tim Conway Show.JPG|thumb|right|Conway with [[Bernadette Peters]] in a skit]]
A prime example of his ability to make his co-stars laugh uncontrollably involved Lyle Waggoner as a captured American airman, with Conway as a stereotypical blond-haired Gestapo agent charged with his interrogation. Stating that "the Fuhrer" had taken particular interest, Conway produced a small Hitler hand puppet. Conway suggested to the puppet that singing might relax Waggoner's character to the point he is willing to talk. In a long, drawn-out fashion, the Hitler puppet (Conway providing a falsetto voice, with German accent) sings "I've Been Working on the Railroad," and with each passing verse, Waggoner loses more of his composure, finally laughing hysterically when puppet-Hitler screeches, "FEE-FI-Fiddely-I-O!".<ref>The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1978) Season 7 Episode 21 (Feb 23, 1974)</ref>

Another example of his ability to make his co-stars break up in laughter is exemplified in the "Elephant Story" outtake from one of the "Family" sketches. Conway tells an increasingly absurd story about his visit to the circus; as he continues, the other cast members (Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, and Dick van Dyke) are soon having trouble staying in character, looking away from him and the cameras. Conway eventually finishes his story, and Lawrence (in character as Mama) quips: "Are you sure that little asshole is through?", causing the others - even Conway  - to break out in hysterical laughter.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Storc |first1=Matt |title=Vicki Lawrence Breaks Down The Hilarious Elephant Story From The Carol Burnett Show |url=https://www.looper.com/1161922/vicki-lawrence-breaks-down-the-hilarious-elephant-story-from-the-carol-burnett-show |website=Looper |access-date=June 16, 2023 |date=January 10, 2023}}</ref> Conway remained a regular cast member of ''The Carol Burnett Show'' until the program's run ended in 1978.<ref>"Brough, Rick. "CBS Says Good Bye to Miss Wiggins and Eunice." Daily Utah Chronicle, March 30, 1978.</ref>