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Lily Tomlin | 05/27/2008 9:32 am

Lily Tomlin: When the 'Murphy Brown' Show Ended, I Cried My Eyes Out

Lily Tomlin

I particularly miss all the shows I was on: “Laugh-In” (absolutely the show that gave me a career and the first producer who “got me” my big break — Bubba, George Schlatter); “Murphy Brown” (I was on two seasons and, when the show ended, I wept more than those who had been on for ten years. I wanted to buy my dressing room so I’d have digs in Burbank and could sleep over whenever I missed Murphy and the gang); “West Wing” (made the world more bearable pretending for four years that Jed Bartlett was our president, and being in that ensemble with those scripts? Thank you, Aaron, for inventing Debbie Fiderer). I miss “Maude” and “Golden Girls” (anything with Bea Arthur); and “The Carol Burnett Show” and “Mary Tyler Moore” (I remember when Carol recognized me in the ladies room at CBS — I was giddy with happiness); “The X Files”; “Everybody Loves Raymond” (I adore Doris Roberts). Dixie Carter and I were in a revue at New York’s Upstairs at the Downstairs in 1966, so when she came on my friend Linda Bloodworth’s show, “Designing Women,” I became a double-big fan of that show.

upstairs downstairs 01.jpg
NYC, 1966, Upstairs at the Downstairs, revue - "Below the Belt"
Lily Tomlin, Richard Blair, Madeline Kahn, Robert Rovin, Dixie Carter

“Six Feet Under” (I miss Frances Conroy and all the dysfunctional Fishers and Rachel Griffiths as Brenda). And I’m thinking, now, of Madeline Kahn and her character Pauline as Cosby’s neighbor. Madeline and Dixie and I were all three in that same revue in 1966. Was there anyone more wonderfully comedic than Madeline? We’d all started out together.

upstairs downstairs 02.jpg
NYC, 1966, Upstairs at the Downstairs, revue - "Below the Belt"
Richard Blair, Dixie Carter, Lily Tomlin

What I’ve been missing, NOW, for just a few months (although it seems like years) is the second season of “Damages.” If it doesn’t come back on soon, I’m going to picket FX.

Click here to read what television shows the other women of wOw miss the most.

39 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Xandra Homes
I certainly do envy you Ms. Tomlin. I would have loved to have even walked a foot in your shoes. Amazing shows that used to come on and so sad to have seen them go. I will sad to see Boston Legal go. But I do hope that some creative souls with come up with such original programming and I hope u will be involved. hehe…
By Xandra Homes on 05/27/2008 4:46 pm
Esther Bradley-DeTally
Did I miss something? Boston Legal is going? eeek! is this true????
By Esther Bradley-DeTally on 05/27/2008 8:17 pm
Brooklyn Gal
Loved those pics. Thanks for sharing. Those were wonderful shows. I like Damages too. It has a lot of twists and turns and I hope Season 2 lives up to the first season. Sorry to hear about Dick Martin. I grew up with Laugh In.
By Brooklyn Gal on 05/27/2008 4:49 pm
Maurine H
Lily - Just look at you! And those shoes! And Dixie and Madeline! You are adorable…then and now! I loved your “West Wing” character! You were terrific in “Tea with Mussolini”. You’re just the best in every bit of work you ever do! Thanks so much for sharing your photos and your thoughts with us wOwers!
By Maurine H on 05/27/2008 4:51 pm
Frannie Em
Lily I love your short hair, and Dixie’s too. The black and white ensemble is so coooool.
By Frannie Em on 05/27/2008 4:52 pm
Sam M
What a divine tribute Lily! Thanks to the beauty of technology we can now re-visit the legacy these shows have made over the years (even decades) not only domestically but globally as well! It is also fascinating to watch the next generation (me being one of them). take an interest in such groundbreaking shows like Laugh In, Murphy Brown, etc. I agree they may be “gone” but certainly NOT forgotten! They’ll always have a speical place in our heart <3
By Sam M on 05/27/2008 4:54 pm
Lorraine Bates
those pictures are great! Just goes to show, beautiful and talented women are timeless. Except for the changes in your hairstyles, you Lily, Dixie and Madeline all still look as great as you did then. I miss the Carol Burnett Show the most - I grew up watching variety shows with my mom - Sonny and Cher, Donnie and Marie - and I miss them. I miss Murphy Brown, too - the dialogue was funny and insightful. It was the ‘sitcom’ for the thinking person. I felt the same way about Studio 60, and I cried when I heard it wouldn’t make a second season.
By Lorraine Bates on 05/27/2008 6:06 pm
Mugsy Peabody
Ms. Lily, I’ve been hoping that you are really in clever disguise as Merlin, so I can watch you do it over again, backward in my declining years…. yrs always, Mugsy
By Mugsy Peabody on 05/27/2008 6:25 pm
Sue E
Aw!!! What a touching trip down memory lane, thank you so much for sharing this sweet trip back in time with us Lily. I adored you in Murphy Brown, you were so amazing as Murph’s boss and what a special treat to watch every week. I am still bummed that your sojourn on that fabulous show has all ended! You know some things in life you just never ever recover from. I miss my favourite Black comedies on the defunct the UPN channel like Half and Half and The Parkers. Another one, I that never fully recovered from is Living Single being axed that starred Queen Latifah. More recently I miss Hope and Faith or is it Faith and Hope (I always forget which)? Anyways, the one with Kelly Ripa. Very cute and funny show that I enjoyed that actually made me laugh out loud. Most comedy shows just don’t do that anymore. We need more really funny comedy shows (not so much the warmedy genre) out there in tvland and not as much reality show types.
By Sue E on 05/27/2008 6:27 pm
Sue E
Lily where can I write you for an autograph? We love you so much in Canada! Cheers, Susan
By Sue E on 05/27/2008 6:30 pm
Vivvy Stewart
How wonderful to have those memories and great and lasting friendships. If you come to Texas, I’ll cook for you and your old friend from Laugh-In. Shhhh…our secret.
By Vivvy Stewart on 05/27/2008 7:46 pm
Pat Lamas
I too miss Murphy Brown and West Wing. I am attracted programs such as these with dialogue that just rolls. Both programs had great writing and took the leap to address some controversial and thoughtful stories. I too felt that if only we had a President like Jed Bartlet perhaps we would have been in a better place now, even with all the problems that occurred. When Mrs Laningham’s character met a tragic end ( I hope I spelled the name correctly), I felt that this was someone that I knew personally and sad. I could not imagine who could take her place and then along came you, Lily! The writers provided material that certainly gave you the ability to make the role your own. This type of writing and ensemble cast is difficult to find and have a successful program, one that will endure. I hope that you find or Create another Murphy Brown or West Wing.
By Pat Lamas on 05/27/2008 8:02 pm
Buh- Bye
Madeline Kahn, oh dear dear dear Madeline Kahn. How I loved her! Can anyone forget her moment on Young Frankenstein as the monster has his way with her and she sings in an operatic voice. “Sweet mystery of life, at last I found you…”
By Buh- Bye on 05/27/2008 8:50 pm
Buh- Bye
Here it is on YouTube. It still makes me howl today. http://youtube.com/watch?v=OP_NKCV_Dn0
By Buh- Bye on 05/27/2008 8:54 pm
Liza D 08 .... beta
Thank you for the link. I loved that movie! And Madeline Kahn is most beautiful! I’m engaged! FUNNY!
By Liza D 08 .... beta on 05/27/2008 9:37 pm