Of course up there with Barney Fife, Eddie Haskell, Archie Bunker, George Jefferson, Al Bundy, Dan Fielding, Louie Depalma, Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther.
Brilliant. I was friends with Ed Asner and he always said Ted Knight was the funniest person he worked with. I deeply miss my friend Ed. Bless them both.
This show was one of those extremely rare times when the perfect cast was assembled, coupled together with incredible writers. All the stars were aligned!
The amazing thing was how often that happened in the 70s: All In the Family; MASH; Bob Newhart, Taxi, Carol Burnett and I know I am leaving several others out ... it was a golden age for comedy.
@@lucabrazi3067 I remember hearing an interview discussing Ted Knight. It was said that Knight was actually upset about his character early on. He was distraught that the character was a buffoon. But Ted Knight really took the character of Ted Baxter and made it his own. It was the model for his character in Caddyshack. Seriously, it's hard to look at anything else Ted Knight has done and not 'see' Ted Baxter.
@@xaenon Well he made the character his own in "Too Close for Comfort" as well, and while he often did (slightly less) buffoonish things on that show, his character was less of a loser and still hilarious. MON-ROE!
The MTM show avoided the mistake made by so many others. Namely, they did not try to build a show around the one central, well known celebrity. You need a supporting cast with depth. Think of Seinfeld. Another interesting thing I read at the time of Mary Tyler Moore's death was that she was, essentially, the straight man on her own show. She let others get most of the laughs. She was the hub of the humor but most of the jokes were via the other actors. That's class.
@@jerometaperman7102 Andy Griffith did the same thing with his show. Smart leads know that it's their supporting casts' jobs to make the comedy while their job is to anchor it all. Certainly Frasier was amazing with this too.
@@kendallrivers1119 - Good point about Andy Griffith. You had Opie, Aunt Bea, Barney, Gomer, etc. I've read that, originally, they didn't have a deputy but Don Knotts contacted Andy and asked him if he might want a deputy on the show. They knew each other from working on No Time For Sergeants.
@@jerometaperman7102 I remember Andy and Don talking about that in interviews. It sounds cliche but they really don't make stars and shows like they used to. Today most sitcoms are unfunny and all the actors are trying to fight for the spotlight standing around just speaking their lines instead of working as a cohesive unit.
Ted Knight was so brilliant at comedy, especially in this show (and Caddyshack), it makes you forget that he did many dramatic roles as well. He has a small part in the first episode of The Virginian and he plays it totally straight, and I couldn't help waiting for him to pull some Ted Baxter.
@@brucejackson6451 Same here, I have also seen him in other roles, and likewise always hoping for him to appear as he did on this show. No such luck. 😂
Moving a glass 2 inches can evoke a laugh. What a genius he was. There was only 1 man who could portray this character and pull off the crying like he did. There'll never be another like him...
i don't know how they got through this scene without laughing, absolutely brilliant! I miss them all, so many are gone now. They gave us the real joy of comedy.
These old MTM scenes never fail to make me laugh til I cry. Just brilliant comedy, from all the cast. But the bald-faced outrageousness of Ted Knight was unique and timeless. Thanks, Ted. RIP.
"Born Tadewurz Wladzui Konopka in Terryville, Conn., Mr. Knight went into the Army shortly after graduation from Terryville High School. He served in World War II with the First Army Group's combat engineers as radio reconnaissance operator and was among the first American troops to enter Berlin toward the end of the war. He won five Bronze Stars during his military service.".
I remember every episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show..I absolutely loved it since 1970....its hard to believe 50 years have gone by..I felt like I'm a young teenager again when I watch it..it was so funny and good tv....my crush was on Ed Asner..for real....its hard to believe that all that time has gone by.....rest in peace Mary, Ted, Gavin, Valeria, Cloris and Georgia...You all are dearly LOVED and still MISSED..
That first minute of awkward, self-consciousness between the two was brilliant concept, writing, and acting. We've all been there at one time or another....
Stars aligned not just for Mary but the short time CBS’ Saturday night featured All in the Family; M*A*S*H; MTM; Bob Newhart & Carol Burnet~ amazing lineup
Bill, I was like 12-13 when that happened. it will never, ever happen again. truly amazing. back then I wasn't that wild about the carol burnet show but now, it was genius, she was genius and harvey and tim and the rest were all fantastic. every time they have a lineup even close to this, they break it up immediately and eventually they did it to this lineup but for a few glorious years wow
@@fredgarv79 all in the family moved quickly, m*a*s*h soon after~ both successfully anchored a new night of comedy. I can’t even remember who replaced them on Saturday night. Personally feel Mary & Bob were the better sitcoms anyway. Carol was much more variety, I wasn’t much into the singing either (we’re pretty close in age) ~but they whittled bout all the songs out of what you can find of her show now
@@bill1589 I think the early first 4 years of mash were one of the greatest shows of all time. then it declined I think due to alan alda wanting it to be more serious and politically correct.when they lost frank and trapper, it just was not the same. it still was very good but not that great than the first years of comedy writing that they had. Mary tyler moore was just fantastic through the entire run of it from beginning to end.and I just LOVED bob newhart.
@@fredgarv79 I was worried Mary would take a turn when she changed apts, but she proved me wrong, bob felt constrained at the end & was in less episodes ~his absence was noticeable. 100% with you on mash, best ones are with Henry & Trap, but the camel’s back was losing Frank. I watched til the end, Harry Morgan was the best thing about the later years. Most absurd thing they did was turn Klinger into Radar’s “aw shucks, innocent babe” persona
I used to watch Caddyshack with my brothers as kids growing up. Took me a good 25 years to realize Ted Knight is really the comic genius that holds that entire classic movie up.
Yes, in reference to Caddyshack, he was very mad on the set, they were starting shooting late each day, hours late. He was upset with the partying going on during the filming. Chevy Chase and Bill Murray were mad at each other from SNL. But it all came together for a brilliant movie, Ted Knight's anger was really a plus, it was like veins were popping out of Ted's forehead.
Ge was the only sober one on the whole Movie set. See the documentary on YT the making of Caddy Shake.... "Gunga Gunga-Lunga, when you die, on your death bed, you will receive complete consciousness, So I got THAT going for me."
I was just a kid when MTM debuted, though I still watched it, but it took years for me to grasp the genius of it. This scene and the timing of these two men is beyond hilarious! Every time I watch it I can’t stop laughing!!
Ted Knight's "Brilliance"... the perfect way to describe him. He was ALWAYS SO FUNNY!!! The show had a great cast, but Ted Knight MADE the show! I loved him. He is terribly missed. May he rest in peace.💕
Was, unfortunately he died in 1986, at 62. Same age I am now. I was 11 when this show 1st came on tv. We watched it almost every week. Such a great show it was.
I can't either.Ted made the show and so did Rhoda and Phyllis.Ted was my favorite.I Love the early seasons but Ted had more screen time in season 5-7 which I love.Mary was fantastic! Miss them all so much! Betty is turning 100 in a few weeks.
This was one of those few perfect storms in television where they cast the perfect actors for the right roles, combined it with perfect chemistry between them and adding on top of all that - excellent writing. These kind of storms don't happen anymore.
Ted Knight was amazing in his performance as Ted Baxter what an incredible genius to still pull that off even now I am laughing despite this show which has been gone for more than 40 years. How I wish we had more of these shows on TV.
Ted was also featured in an early episode of the 1960s series "Combat!" He played a German soldier who is part of a unit occupying a French town and he strikes up a conversation with a French boy about 12 years old, and it's a minor relationship that has a sad, ironic twist at the end of the episode. The episode is called "The Volunteer." If you can find it, I'm sure you'll like it.
Ted Knight was a very versatile entertainer and I agree very underrated. Such talent, such facial expressions, such control of his voice and timing. Marvelous clip!
I used to watch Mary Tyler Moore every day after school. Ted Knight is still one of my very favorite actors. Great show, great, great actors and writers.
Ted Knight was so damn funny. He was one of the greatest buffoons to grace the television and the screen. Check him out in Caddyshack, as well. Classic!
This was one of the best shows I ever saw, mainly because of that incredible cast of supporting actors around Mary. The show got even better once they introduced Betty White's Sue Ann Nivens.
He's brought so much laughter into my life, just seeing him walk into the room on this show, I'm already laughing, each character in the show played so well off each other's strengths and weaknesses.
This was on when i was a kid, ted's laugh was so infectious and i still think about it today. A classic show. Too bad hollywood is so obsessed over politics, no show has any quality today.
I just saw a clip of Ted Knight performing on a very early live program, doing ventriliquism with 2 puppets AND telling jokes. When you put doing that daily, Ted Baxter, plus all his voiceover work, he may be one of the most underrated performers in television history.
Ted Knight was absolutely fantastic. He took his job seriously and was a genius. Some of the actors in Caddy Shack who were not used to professional acting & didn't like Knight's business like approach to the job, but he was brilliant and stayed on script.
The filming of Caddyshack was basically a 10 week Frat Party. They blew through their budget in the first few weeks and had to go begging the studio for enough money to finish the picture. Ted Knight was very much a part of the ongoing, never ending, party that was the making of Caddyshack.
Pure comic genius! One of the best ever TV characters that you could laugh at and yet like at the same time. Not easy to pull that off but Ted Knight did it and even made it look easy.
While everybody else was watching Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad or the Walking Dead, I've been watching this show the last 3-4 months. Just started season 5, and it's one of my favorite shows. I look forward to getting to this episode.
Will Ferrell is my favorite comic today, but even his satirical sendup of a1970's schlocky TV anchormen can't hold a candle next to Ted Knight's over-the-top mockery, and Knight was doing it in the very era when it was actually occurring and in the exact same medium of Television. His comedic brilliance is usually overlooked because he was knocking it out of the park without it being a big motion picture for millions of dollars. Just like Lou Gehrig humbly doing what latter generations try to do, but without steroids and million dollar contracts.
the anchormen may have been "schlocky" but at least they actually reported news and not native advertising or worrying about ratings. thank you Ronald Reagan, for getting rid of the rules that stations had to provide news that was honest and factual. because of the dippy gipper, now news agencies are more concerned iwht money than honesty. just one of the actions that puts Reagan in the list of 5 worst presidents of all time.
This scene is brilliant on so many levels. The most interesting (for me at least) is that the scene is so unimportant; all Ed and Ted are doing is hamming it up to absurd levels.
Me too! Ted,Rhoda,Phyllis,Mary my favorites in that order.Mary would be 1st but she had alot of straight lines.Such a talented close knit group.I Love "The Gang" and still watch that show every day.
The brilliant Ted Knight, playing Ted Baxter, nuanced so perfectly:: "Lou, I can't take bad news ... unless it's about you -- I might be strong enough for that!" (Just brilliant.)
At the start, Lou obviously wrought over some terrible news, Ted completely oblivious to all the signs because he's such a simpleton. I love how they both play it, but seriously, nobody could do it like Knight. Much of the humour comes from what really can't be written in the scene, the noises, the reactions, etc.
I watched this show as a kid with my parents-he was so funny on this show- what he says, how he says it and the mannerisms- hilarious! But now that I’m older I’m now appreciating how attractive Ted Knight was! He really was handsome with that full head of silver hair, dazzling smile and those expensive suits!
Tell me please, how it is possible that this show, at over 40 years old, is so very much funnier than the stuff on TV today? Isn't it typical to get BETTER with practice?
@Nelson Robert Willis Time is the acid test, I think. I'm pretty sure Mozart will still be heard two hundred years hence. Assuming, of course, we don't blow ourselves to bits first. Most of the 'current' stuff? Doubtful. The fact of the matter is, most music - the stuff that pours of radios, anyway - is written for mass consumption via a formula or a template, and usually with some gimmick or 'hook' in mind. That was NOT the case in the age of the great composers.
Ted Knight truly is/was one of a kind. In my opinion he made this show. His verbal and physical mannerisms as evidenced in this scene are priceless and hilarious and I am genuinely shocked that in all of this time -- since his death -- some other actor hasn’t capitalized on acting out a character like this in a movie or in another TV show. Same thing with Louis Nye. 2 Totally unique hilarious characters.
His scenes doing ventriloquism with handpuppet Fluffy are impressive and pretty hilarious. Clearly a comic genius, seemingly coming out of the blue. But so did Ed Asner who also played minor or uncredited roles until MTM.
YOOOOOO i'm an 80s baby.. 26 years old... and I gotta say.. This generation of sitcom comedies >>>>>>>> i'm DYING laughing... I'm so infatuated with the writing and simplicity back then... timeless
Ted Knight was a comedic genius. His timing and delivery made him one of the greatest comedic talents ever. RIP Ted Knight, thank you.
Ted Baxter, one of the greatest characters in television history.
Of course up there with Barney Fife, Eddie Haskell, Archie Bunker, George Jefferson, Al Bundy, Dan Fielding, Louie Depalma, Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther.
As well as his hilarious performance as Judge Smails in Caddyshack.
@@markfox3083
Omg that was hilarious 😂
I guess he thought just because his name was Ted he should get the Teddy Award!
Hi Mare... Murr.
Brilliant. I was friends with Ed Asner and he always said Ted Knight was the funniest person he worked with. I deeply miss my friend Ed. Bless them both.
How Ed didn't crack up shows what an incredible actor he was
@@feralcherylshow maybe it took a few takes, lol!
He makes it look so easy. Brilliant!
@@ebmk96 that's genius for you
This show was one of those extremely rare times when the perfect cast was assembled, coupled together with incredible writers. All the stars were aligned!
The amazing thing was how often that happened in the 70s: All In the Family; MASH; Bob Newhart, Taxi, Carol Burnett and I know I am leaving several others out ... it was a golden age for comedy.
@@katazack definitely Sanford and Son too. It had some of the finest comics and character actors doing their thing.
@@katazack WKRP
Not a 70s show but Seinfeld had this perfection as well imo.
@@katazack Dick Van Dyke show also had incredible writing.
Ted Knight's range of facial expressions, and quick succession of them, is hilarious.
One could turn off the volume and just enjoy watching his face.
Teds crying in any situation always makes me lose it……his face getting red building up to the sobbing,what superb acting.
He even has a vein popping on his forehead.
Knight's brilliance is that he could take a character like Ted Baxter and make him, deep down, a likable guy.
That is because Ted Knight was, deep down, a likable guy.
Likable? Lovable
@@lucabrazi3067 I remember hearing an interview discussing Ted Knight. It was said that Knight was actually upset about his character early on. He was distraught that the character was a buffoon.
But Ted Knight really took the character of Ted Baxter and made it his own. It was the model for his character in Caddyshack. Seriously, it's hard to look at anything else Ted Knight has done and not 'see' Ted Baxter.
A lovable buffoon.
@@xaenon Well he made the character his own in "Too Close for Comfort" as well, and while he often did (slightly less) buffoonish things on that show, his character was less of a loser and still hilarious. MON-ROE!
This is comic genius. We watch it over and over and laugh more each time.
He was a great comedic actor. The entire cast was brilliant.
Ted Baxter was an insanely difficult character to play successfully. But Knight somehow pulled it off.
This is what you get when you have a superb ensemble and terrific writing.
Exactly. It takes both.
The MTM show avoided the mistake made by so many others. Namely, they did not try to build a show around the one central, well known celebrity. You need a supporting cast with depth. Think of Seinfeld. Another interesting thing I read at the time of Mary Tyler Moore's death was that she was, essentially, the straight man on her own show. She let others get most of the laughs. She was the hub of the humor but most of the jokes were via the other actors. That's class.
@@jerometaperman7102 Andy Griffith did the same thing with his show. Smart leads know that it's their supporting casts' jobs to make the comedy while their job is to anchor it all. Certainly Frasier was amazing with this too.
@@kendallrivers1119 - Good point about Andy Griffith. You had Opie, Aunt Bea, Barney, Gomer, etc. I've read that, originally, they didn't have a deputy but Don Knotts contacted Andy and asked him if he might want a deputy on the show. They knew each other from working on No Time For Sergeants.
@@jerometaperman7102 I remember Andy and Don talking about that in interviews. It sounds cliche but they really don't make stars and shows like they used to. Today most sitcoms are unfunny and all the actors are trying to fight for the spotlight standing around just speaking their lines instead of working as a cohesive unit.
The entire cast was brilliant. One of the best shows from the 1970's.
One of my favorite Ted Baxter scenes. I still laugh each time I watch this. Ted Knight what a comic genius he was. Thanks for all the laughs Ted.
me to
And Ed Asner is funny, too as the straight-man!
Ted Knight was so brilliant at comedy, especially in this show (and Caddyshack), it makes you forget that he did many dramatic roles as well. He has a small part in the first episode of The Virginian and he plays it totally straight, and I couldn't help waiting for him to pull some Ted Baxter.
@@brucejackson6451 Same here, I have also seen him in other roles, and likewise always hoping for him to appear as he did on this show. No such luck. 😂
Moving a glass 2 inches can evoke a laugh. What a genius he was. There was only 1 man who could portray this character and pull off the crying like he did. There'll never be another like him...
i don't know how they got through this scene without laughing, absolutely brilliant! I miss them all, so many are gone now. They gave us the real joy of comedy.
Only one living now is Betty White (Suanne).
@@michaelgreen5206 That's right, Michael
Look closely and you'll see a very slight smile crack on Ed Asner's face before he manages to turn it into a grimace.
Every major cast member of the MTM show are now dead.
@@scottmurphy650 Except for Betty White (100 next January).
These old MTM scenes never fail to make me laugh til I cry. Just brilliant comedy, from all the cast. But the bald-faced outrageousness of Ted Knight was unique and timeless. Thanks, Ted. RIP.
Ted was my favorite.Really miss him.
Ted Knight was a comedic genius. May God Rest his soul. Hard to believe its been 35 years this month.
The irony of this scene is that he was a brave war hero in real life
A sucker and a loser according to the current occupant of the Oval!
"Born Tadewurz Wladzui Konopka in Terryville, Conn., Mr. Knight went into the Army shortly after graduation from Terryville High School. He served in World War II with the First Army Group's combat engineers as radio reconnaissance operator and was among the first American troops to enter Berlin toward the end of the war. He won five Bronze Stars during his military service.".
@@tedosmond413 that's a real hero , he was awesome
@tedosmond413 wow!! Thank you!! I didn't know that!!
I remember every episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show..I absolutely loved it since 1970....its hard to believe 50 years have gone by..I felt like I'm a young teenager again when I watch it..it was so funny and good tv....my crush was on Ed Asner..for real....its hard to believe that all that time has gone by.....rest in peace Mary, Ted, Gavin, Valeria, Cloris and Georgia...You all are dearly LOVED and still MISSED..
That first minute of awkward, self-consciousness between the two was brilliant concept, writing, and acting. We've all been there at one time or another....
"I'm not strong Lou," if nothing else Ted was self-aware.
Give him points for that! : )
"Ted, you're not getting an award this year." Ted wails uncontrollably.
Stars aligned not just for Mary but the short time CBS’ Saturday night featured All in the Family; M*A*S*H; MTM; Bob Newhart & Carol Burnet~ amazing lineup
Bill, I was like 12-13 when that happened. it will never, ever happen again. truly amazing. back then I wasn't that wild about the carol burnet show but now, it was genius, she was genius and harvey and tim and the rest were all fantastic. every time they have a lineup even close to this, they break it up immediately and eventually they did it to this lineup but for a few glorious years wow
@@fredgarv79 all in the family moved quickly, m*a*s*h soon after~ both successfully anchored a new night of comedy. I can’t even remember who replaced them on Saturday night. Personally feel Mary & Bob were the better sitcoms anyway. Carol was much more variety, I wasn’t much into the singing either (we’re pretty close in age) ~but they whittled bout all the songs out of what you can find of her show now
@@bill1589 I think the early first 4 years of mash were one of the greatest shows of all time. then it declined I think due to alan alda wanting it to be more serious and politically correct.when they lost frank and trapper, it just was not the same. it still was very good but not that great than the first years of comedy writing that they had. Mary tyler moore was just fantastic through the entire run of it from beginning to end.and I just LOVED bob newhart.
@@fredgarv79 I was worried Mary would take a turn when she changed apts, but she proved me wrong, bob felt constrained at the end & was in less episodes ~his absence was noticeable. 100% with you on mash, best ones are with Henry & Trap, but the camel’s back was losing Frank. I watched til the end, Harry Morgan was the best thing about the later years. Most absurd thing they did was turn Klinger into Radar’s “aw shucks, innocent babe” persona
I was about 3 when that happened, but I appreciate the re-runs and the stories
One of my favorite things about Ted Baxter, was how he couldn't do math...until you put a dollar sign💲in front of the numbers.😆
Ted Knight could not have done this without Ed Asner as his comic wingman!
"YOU MEAN IT GETS WORSE??!!"
That was the best line in the whole sketch!!! Me: 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
I think Ed Asner starts to laugh at the “Teddy” part and just barely reels it back in. So good.
"Unless it's bad news about you, I could probably take that"
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I used to watch Caddyshack with my brothers as kids growing up. Took me a good 25 years to realize Ted Knight is really the comic genius that holds that entire classic movie up.
WhiteAbenaki Well said my friend! I totally agree! he was a genius and he made comedy look easy!
You'll get nothing and LIKE IT!
Yes, in reference to Caddyshack, he was very mad on the set, they were starting shooting late each day, hours late. He was upset with the partying going on during the filming. Chevy Chase and Bill Murray were mad at each other from SNL. But it all came together for a brilliant movie, Ted Knight's anger was really a plus, it was like veins were popping out of Ted's forehead.
Ge was the only sober one on the whole Movie set.
See the documentary on YT the making of Caddy Shake....
"Gunga Gunga-Lunga, when you die, on your death bed, you will receive complete consciousness, So I got THAT going for me."
@@tommyodonovan3883 Pretty sure Harold was sober, too.
I never tire of this scene. It really was genius.
I was just a kid when MTM debuted, though I still watched it, but it took years for me to grasp the genius of it. This scene and the timing of these two men is beyond hilarious! Every time I watch it I can’t stop laughing!!
Ted Knight's "Brilliance"... the perfect way to describe him. He was ALWAYS SO FUNNY!!! The show had a great cast, but Ted Knight MADE the show! I loved him. He is terribly missed. May he rest in peace.💕
These episodes are PURE GOLD, i adore this show and all of the characters...great memories
Ted Knight was fantastic, but Ed Asner is an important part of the brilliance of this scene as well.
That he held together while Knight went into orbit.
Rest in peace, Mr Asner. You were one of the best.
@@graceskerp Is Asner gone now? : (
Yes, sad to say.
Two actors making it work.
Ed was the straight man in this scene. Playing the straight gut, and playing it well is a tough job. You’ve got to be good to do it.
These people were great together. It was like they were meant to be together on this show.
Can't imagine that series without Ted Baxter. Ted Knight is a gifted performer.
Was, unfortunately he died in 1986, at 62. Same age I am now. I was 11 when this show 1st came on tv. We watched it almost every week. Such a great show it was.
I can't either.Ted made the show and so did Rhoda and Phyllis.Ted was my favorite.I Love the early seasons but Ted had more screen time in season 5-7 which I love.Mary was fantastic! Miss them all so much! Betty is turning 100 in a few weeks.
They rewrote the role for him, Ted Baxter was supposed to be tall, dark, handsome leading man for Mary, Murray was supposed to be her nemesis.
This was one of those few perfect storms in television where they cast the perfect actors for the right roles, combined it with perfect chemistry between them and adding on top of all that - excellent writing. These kind of storms don't happen anymore.
Ted Knight was amazing in his performance as Ted Baxter what an incredible genius to still pull that off even now I am laughing despite this show which has been gone for more than 40 years. How I wish we had more of these shows on TV.
Ted was also featured in an early episode of the 1960s series "Combat!" He played a German soldier who is part of a unit occupying a French town and he strikes up a conversation with a French boy about 12 years old, and it's a minor relationship that has a sad, ironic twist at the end of the episode. The episode is called "The Volunteer." If you can find it, I'm sure you'll like it.
Ted Knight was a very versatile entertainer and I agree very underrated. Such talent, such facial expressions, such control of his voice and timing. Marvelous clip!
I used to watch Mary Tyler Moore every day after school. Ted Knight is still one of my very favorite actors. Great show, great, great actors and writers.
We lost Ed Asner today. Now Betty White is the only one of the original cast still with us -- I hope she sticks around for a long time yet!
John Amos is still alive.
And Betty White's role was not in the original cast.
@@RagingSurf90210 Lisa Gerritsen (Phyllis's daughter) and Joyce Bulifant (Murray's wife) are still around as well.
No matter how many times I watch this I cry in tears. Outstanding chemistry between Lou & Ted
Loved this show so much. could watch it every day.....Ted was a genius at comedy.....loved them all so much..
That was an incredible scene. The writers must've had so much fun creating this character.
Ted Knight was so damn funny. He was one of the greatest buffoons to grace the television and the screen. Check him out in Caddyshack, as well. Classic!
Ted's scenes were always hilarious. What a great actor!
You know it's fantastic comedy, when you can watch it over and over and still laugh as hard as the first time you saw it. 🤣🤣🤣
He will always be one of a kind, no one can hold a candle to his comedy
I have to say, Lou’s acting is pretty great too.
Ed Asner won at least four Emmys for this role. He was fantastic in it
This was one of the best shows I ever saw, mainly because of that incredible cast of supporting actors around Mary. The show got even better once they introduced Betty White's Sue Ann Nivens.
When Lou was just sitting there at the beginning of the clip, I was waiting for Ted to utter, “Well . . . we’re waiting.”
OMG, This is a scream. Lou and Ted, so funny. It's great to laugh, these clips are totally priceless!❤🕊😇😻
He's brought so much laughter into my life, just seeing him walk into the room on this show, I'm already laughing, each character in the show played so well off each other's strengths and weaknesses.
This was on when i was a kid, ted's laugh was so infectious and i still think about it today. A classic show. Too bad hollywood is so obsessed over politics, no show has any quality today.
Ted had the best laugh and the best cry. 😀
This is a class example of a script that is very general and genius talent makes it into something fantastic
Such a great collection of writers, actors, directors on this show.
This scene is on par with Chuckles the Clown funeral scene!
I just saw a clip of Ted Knight performing on a very early live program, doing ventriliquism with 2 puppets AND telling jokes. When you put doing that daily, Ted Baxter, plus all his voiceover work, he may be one of the most underrated performers in television history.
Best cast of any show....Ted was amazing each time...
The greatest character on a great show. Ted Knight does not get the recognition deserved.
Ted deserved every Emmy and award he got...he was truly *BRILLIANT!* ...I loved him on MTM and "Too Close For Comfort!"
Every Emmy, but NOT every Teddy! 😂🤣
LOL :D
Ted Knight was absolutely fantastic. He took his job seriously and was a genius. Some of the actors in Caddy Shack who were not used to professional acting & didn't like Knight's business like approach to the job, but he was brilliant and stayed on script.
Didn’t know this. Maybe that tension is on screen; to great effect.
The filming of Caddyshack was basically a 10 week Frat Party. They blew through their budget in the first few weeks and had to go begging the studio for enough money to finish the picture. Ted Knight was very much a part of the ongoing, never ending, party that was the making of Caddyshack.
@@LibertyWarrior1776 and that comes across in the movie
Pure comic genius! One of the best ever TV characters that you could laugh at and yet like at the same time. Not easy to pull that off but Ted Knight did it and even made it look easy.
While everybody else was watching Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad or the Walking Dead, I've been watching this show the last 3-4 months. Just started season 5, and it's one of my favorite shows. I look forward to getting to this episode.
I’m with you 2 outta 3 & especially MTM & her production company, but I hope you’ve allowed yourself the experience of Breaking Bad
I wish we were back then
No Phones !
I miss those Days and My Mom and Dad
No phones? I remember having a telephone back then.
It wasn't the horse and buggy days.
@Dave Postek Look on the bright side: Trump will more than likely wind up in prison.
@Dave Postek An simple minded folk like you.
@@HansDelbruck53 Nah, he's gonna be reelected in 2024, Joe Biden will be in an Assisted Living facility, and we'll finish building the wall.
@@apparently2 Rampant delusion is not an admirable quality.
Will Ferrell is my favorite comic today, but even his satirical sendup of a1970's schlocky TV anchormen can't hold a candle next to Ted Knight's over-the-top mockery, and Knight was doing it in the very era when it was actually occurring and in the exact same medium of Television. His comedic brilliance is usually overlooked because he was knocking it out of the park without it being a big motion picture for millions of dollars. Just like Lou Gehrig humbly doing what latter generations try to do, but without steroids and million dollar contracts.
dyingtodeath Agreed. He was one of the best.
dyingtodeath I couldn't agree with you more, well put!
Shane Doe This recording is from 1966. It has never been released.
Can't stand will farrell
the anchormen may have been "schlocky" but at least they actually reported news and not native advertising or worrying about ratings. thank you Ronald Reagan, for getting rid of the rules that stations had to provide news that was honest and factual. because of the dippy gipper, now news agencies are more concerned iwht money than honesty. just one of the actions that puts Reagan in the list of 5 worst presidents of all time.
I must watch this or another Ted Knight clip once a month. They were both hysterical in this clip.
Wow, it just hit me that only one other guy could pull scenes like this off with a similar character -- Phil Hartman on NewsRadio
This scene is brilliant on so many levels. The most interesting (for me at least) is that the scene is so unimportant; all Ed and Ted are doing is hamming it up to absurd levels.
Ted... one of TV's best characters ever.
Classic - one of the top 10 best sitcoms in the history of television.
DAMN Ted Knight is really good
These shows never get old to watch! They are priceless!
I'm literally crying laughing ! Ted Baxter was my favorite character on the MTM show 😂
They were all just so great! I guess if I had to pick favorites it would be Ted Knight, Betty White and Cloris Leachman.
Me too! Ted,Rhoda,Phyllis,Mary my favorites in that order.Mary would be 1st but she had alot of straight lines.Such a talented close knit group.I Love "The Gang"
and still watch that show every day.
It's Ted, Sue Ann and Murray for me but all the characters and actors were fantastic.
I agree with all the previous comments - A comic genius helped by superb writers and cast
These two together . priceless .
Oh my stomach muscles hurt from laughing ! Have to watch it again. and again
Such a great cast and great writing.
The brilliant Ted Knight, playing Ted Baxter, nuanced so perfectly:: "Lou, I can't take bad news ... unless it's about you -- I might be strong enough for that!" (Just brilliant.)
Knight and MacLeod were great friends in real life.
At the start, Lou obviously wrought over some terrible news, Ted completely oblivious to all the signs because he's such a simpleton. I love how they both play it, but seriously, nobody could do it like Knight. Much of the humour comes from what really can't be written in the scene, the noises, the reactions, etc.
Ted and Ed had incredible chemistry
How Ed Asner kept from laughing is beyond me.
"I'm not strong, Lou." LMAO
"I can't take bad news Lou... unless its about you, I might be strong enough for that."
hahaha...
I watched this show as a kid with my parents-he was so funny on this show- what he says, how he says it and the mannerisms- hilarious! But now that I’m older I’m now appreciating how attractive Ted Knight was! He really was handsome with that full head of silver hair, dazzling smile and those expensive suits!
Me too. I think Ted Knight was sooooooo handsome!
Tell me please, how it is possible that this show, at over 40 years old, is so very much funnier than the stuff on TV today? Isn't it typical to get BETTER with practice?
We have long surpassed the golden age of TV.
@@ADAPTATION7 It would so appear. There is so very little I even want to see anymore. I haven't turned my set on in ages.
@Nelson Robert Willis Time is the acid test, I think. I'm pretty sure Mozart will still be heard two hundred years hence. Assuming, of course, we don't blow ourselves to bits first. Most of the 'current' stuff? Doubtful.
The fact of the matter is, most music - the stuff that pours of radios, anyway - is written for mass consumption via a formula or a template, and usually with some gimmick or 'hook' in mind.
That was NOT the case in the age of the great composers.
@@xaenon Mr.Mozart, yes. Miss "not so" swift, no.
Because it's tough to be original and producers and writers have different priorities now
Ted Knight truly is/was one of a kind. In my opinion he made this show. His verbal and physical mannerisms as evidenced in this scene are priceless and hilarious and I am genuinely shocked that in all of this time -- since his death -- some other actor hasn’t capitalized on acting out a character like this in a movie or in another TV show. Same thing with Louis Nye. 2 Totally unique hilarious characters.
Thank you for uploading this. Ted Knight was extremely underrated as a comedian, and its good to see other's appreciate his humour.
Ted Knight made Caddyshack legendary. I can't imagine any other actor make Judge Smails as hilarious as Knight did.
"You'll get nothing, and like it!"
3:10 Asner almost breaks character.
Yes and then at 3:46, Ted Knight gets a little smile on his face. It's amazing they both lasted as long as they did!
I don't know how he made it through the scene...Ted was absolutely briliant.
Some of the best comedic writers and actors in all of history.
This was back when T.V. had entertainment to offer. I watched the Saturday night line up every week!
“I hate spunk”. - Lou Grant
Wow!!! He's amazing. From a person born 1984
His scenes doing ventriloquism with handpuppet Fluffy are impressive and pretty hilarious. Clearly a comic genius, seemingly coming out of the blue. But so did Ed Asner who also played minor or uncredited roles until MTM.
Ted was brilliant. The whole cast was. I miss that show growing up in the 70s.
He cried great. Second only to Mary’s “Oh Robs.” on DVD.
Ed Asner and Ted Night each played villains on different episodes of Wild Wild West, worth checking out
YOOOOOO i'm an 80s baby.. 26 years old...
and I gotta say.. This generation of sitcom comedies >>>>>>>>
i'm DYING laughing... I'm so infatuated with the writing and simplicity back then... timeless
agreed.
Ted's laugh at 1:36 is so great!
ted knight is hilarious