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1 | Credits Carol Burnett as her mentor and best friend. |
2 | Is Surrogate daughter of Carol Burnett. |
3 | Was responsible for one of the most infamous bloopers of the entire run of the Carol Burnett Show. During a Mama's Family sketch where the characters were playing Password, Tim Conway improvised a comical story about elephants for several minutes, making Vicki, Carol, and Dick Van Dyke, who had replaced Harvey Korman, crack up uncontrollably. After Tim had finished his improvisation, Carol Burnett continued with the scene, prompting Vicki to say her next line. In character and without missing a beat, Vicki said, "Are you sure that little asshole is through?", making Tim, Dick, Carol, and the entire audience explode into laughter. (The offensive word was of course bleeped before the sketch was broadcast on national television.). |
4 | Her acting mentor is comedian Carol Burnett. |
5 | In one episode of Mama's Family her fictional family appeared on the game show Family Feud, over 30 years later she appeared on the celebrity version of the game with her real family. |
6 | Elvis Presley was a big fan of hers. |
7 | Is a huge Elvis Presley fan. |
8 | Vicki's paternal grandfather, Simon Axelrad, was an Austrian Jewish immigrant, and Vicki's paternal grandmother, Anna Irmas, was born in Illinois, to German Jewish parents. Vicki's father was raised in Christian Science. |
9 | Was discovered by Comedian Carol Burnett in November, 1966 when Vicki was just age 17 and still a Senior in High School. |
10 | Shares the same birthday with and is friends with Martin Short. |
11 | Her children call close friend and mentor Carol Burnett Aunt Carol. |
12 | Carol Burnett often referred to Vicki by the nickname Wicks and Wicki. |
13 | Can play the piano. |
14 | Is good friends with Actress Angie Dickinson. |
15 | Cites her mentor Carol Burnett and actress Betty White as her idols. |
16 | Her children, Courtney and Garret, used to hang around Carol Burnett and would often go to her house especially when living in Hawaii. |
17 | Is a registered Democrat. |
18 | Comedian Carol Burnett wrote an endorsement for her album The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. |
19 | After The Carol Burnett Show (1967) Vicki was not doing much beside guest appearances and game shows and even thought of retiring, this did not sit well with her Mentor Carol Burnett that Burnett commission to do a TV movie 'Eunice (TV movie 1982)' (That would also star Harvey Korman, Ken Berry, and Betty White) after it was filmed, Carol Burnett invited some of the cast to her house for viewing of the movie, using this film after the credits rolled. Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman and Carol's Husband jump on Vicki to do Mama's Family (1983). Carol eventually sat Vicki down and told her "You really have to do this" this lead to Vicki finally agreeing to do the show and the creation to the successful spin off sitcom Mama's Family (1983) was created. |
20 | A couple of months after her first meeting with Comedian Carol Burnett, Lawrence heard that Carol gave birth to her second Daughter Jody. Being brave she thought that she would try to go to the hospital, to give Carol flowers and try to see her. Using Burnett's married name Hamilton, the nurses at the hospital mistook Vicki as Carol's Sister and excitedly escorted Vicki to Carol's room. Where most celebrities might consider this pushy (which Lawrence even jokes about today) Carol Burnett was very amused by this and loved this gesture that she told Vicki that she didn't forget her and that she will get in touch once she gets back in shape and sure enough Vicki got a call to auditions months later. |
21 | Never minded being in her mentor Carol Burnett's shadow. |
22 | Her song The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia reached number 11 overall for the year 1973. |
23 | She is member of The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Actors' Equity Association. |
24 | Was in a relationship with Singer and Actor Bobby Sherman in 1969. |
25 | Is a yacht-racing enthusiast. |
26 | Met her husband Al Schultz when he was hired to be the head make-up artist in the early 1970s on The Carol Burnett Show (1967). But they did start going together romantically until 1974, Vicki has stated that they fell in love when the show were filming in Sydney, Australia. |
27 | Sang with the Young Americans musical group from 1965 to 1967. When she got discovered by Comedian Carol Burnett, the director pulled her over telling her this is shot in a dark and if she leaves the group she can't come back and that he will not hold her spot if things don't work out, Vicki decided to take the chance and left the group to starred in the acclaimed show The Carol Burnett Show (1967), which Vicki will receive Emmy for. |
28 | As of 2013 her net worth is estimated to be $8 million. |
29 | Comedian Carol Burnett took her under her wing since she was age 17, their friendship has lasted for over 40 years so far. |
30 | She ranked #70 on VH1's Top 100 One-Hit Wonders for her song The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. |
31 | She performed for troops in Vietnam and was a pin-up girl for the service men. |
32 | She sang a duet in the early 1990s with Country singer Reba McEntire on Vicki's hit song "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia". |
33 | Her mentor Carol Burnett guest starred on her own talk show in the 1990s more than any other celebrity with at least five appearances. Friend and Actress Betty White appeared four times. |
34 | She had a total of three singles which made the Billboard Hot 100 US charts from 1973-1975. |
35 | She wrote lyrics to the Mama's Family (1983) theme song "Bless My Happy Home," though the producers chose to use an instrumental version over the credits instead. |
36 | She lives with her husband Al Schultz in Long Beach, California. |
37 | Her being mentored by Comedian Carol Burnett is in The Mentor Hall of Fame in 2013. |
38 | She was planning on becoming a dental hygienist before being discovered by Carol Burnett. |
39 | Took part in honoring and paying tribute to her Mentor Carol Burnett in the 1982 All-Star Party for Carol Burnett (1982) and in 2013 when honoring Carol for her Mark Twain Prize. |
40 | Goes around the country doing her two women show where she does the first half as herself and the second half as Mama. |
41 | Fan of Modern Family (2009), The Good Wife (2009), and Mad Men (2007). |
42 | Big Fan of the soap opera All My Children (1970). |
43 | She still hangs out with her Mentor Carol Burnett. |
44 | In a All-Star Party for Carol Burnett (1982) she copied her Mentor Carol Burnett breakout song I Made a Fool of Myself over John Foster Dulles that Carol first performed on The Jack Paar Tonight Show (1957) in 1957. |
45 | Is a dog lover and has multiple dogs as pets. |
46 | Took dance classes growing up, she was the most trained dancer on The Carol Burnett Show (1967) than the other cast members. |
47 | In the 2012 reunion of The Carol Burnett Show (1967) she successfully copied her mentor Carol Burnett's famous Tarzan Yell. |
48 | Made Appearances in Laverne & Shirley (1976), The Love Boat (1977), Murder, She Wrote (1984), Roseanne (1988), Major Dad (1989), Diagnosis Murder (1993), Yes, Dear (2000), and Hannah Montana (2006). |
49 | She has guest starred five times in the classic TV Show Laverne & Shirley (1976) as Sergeant Plout and guest starred six times as Mawma in Hannah Montana (2006). She guest star on Yes, Dear (2000) with her friend Tim Conway. |
50 | Her mentor Carol Burnett told her to do summer stock in between seasons of The Carol Burnett Show (1967) so it could give her more acting experience. |
51 | Executive Producer Joe Hamilton of The Carol Burnett Show (1967) offered Vicki a spin off show of the popular The Family Sketches after the eighth season, but she turned it down as she was not sure she wanted to play an old lady every week and she did not want to leave her mentors Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman. Carol Burnett was said to have been happy about this. Vicki did not agree to do a spin off of The Family until 1983 when her mentor Carol Burnett talked her into doing it. |
52 | In the beginning of The Carol Burnett Show (1967) Vicki Lawrence would mostly do the Carol and Sis sketches and a few musical numbers because of her inexperience, when she felt that she was ready, she finally ask her mentor Carol Burnett if she could do other things when she started branching out into other sketches. |
53 | Is a fan of country singers Blake Shelton. Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, and Little Big Town. |
54 | Has said that meeting her mentor Carol Burnett to be the best moment of her life. |
55 | Appeared many times with friend and actress Betty White on many games shows, both ladies were big game players. She also appeared many times with her mentor Carol Burnett including on Super Password when they both dress up as Mama and Eunice. |
56 | Known mostly for her Mama character and being Carol Burnett comedic partner. |
57 | For several decades, she was an active Republican who supported the unsuccessful presidential campaign of Elizabeth Dole. Prior to the 2000 Presidential Election she switched from Republican to Democrat and endorsed Al Gore. From 2004 onward, she has donated much of her time and money to many liberal political causes and is an honorary member of the Democratic National Committee. |
58 | Is a fan of Comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. |
59 | The late Actress Yvonne De Carlo cited Vicki as her favorite actress. |
60 | During the first couple seasons of The Carol Burnett Show (1967) admitted that she idolized and looked up to Carol Burnett so much, even stating that she had Carol on a Pedestal that she could barely say two words to her at first. She still admires Carol Burnett. |
61 | Has said that actress Yvonne De Carlo was her childhood television heroine. |
62 | Hobbies include cooking and Sailing. During The Carol Burnett Show (1967) she used to be a big at knitting. |
63 | Was good friends with actor/comedian Bob Hope, she often toured with him during his USO tours. |
64 | Friends with: Martin Short, Shirley Jones, Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner, Bob Mackie, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Dick Clark, Ken Berry, Dick Van Dyke, Tom Kennedy, Chuck Barris, Bob Eubanks, Alex Trebek, Monty Hall, Angie Dickinson, Bert Convy, Allen Ludden, Bill Cullen, Wink Martindale, Jayne Meadows, Barbara Billingsley, Phyllis Diller, Bob Barker, Richard Dawson, Dorothy Van, Mickey Rooney, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin. |
65 | Mentor Carol Burnett gave her a Trip to Hawaii as a wedding gift, when she married husband Al Schultz in 1974. |
66 | Mentor Carol Burnett was known to bring the writers on set of her show if she felt they did not give Vicki enough funny lines. Vicki recalled that one time Carol did this and ask the writers to come down to give Vicki more funny lines and Vicki asked her "I do?" And Carol responded, "Hush Now yes you do." Carol also helped make a Emmy show for her and Vicki won a Emmy for it in 1976. This coined the term when Vicki said on her own TV Show in 1990s in response to Robert Wagner if she had someone who influence her and Vicki said "we all know who took me under her wing.". |
67 | Harvey Korman taught her to do the accents on The Carol Burnett Show (1967) because he was the master of them. |
68 | After ending of The Carol Burnett Show (1967) Vicki moved to Hawaii. She lived across the street from her best friend and Mentor Carol Burnett who moved to Hawaii shortly after Vicki did. Vicki moved back to California first because of boredom and Carol also moved back to California shortly after Vicki did. Actor Jim Nabors was also a neighbor. |
69 | Very good friends with Comedian and Co-Star Tim Conway. |
70 | She was considered the baby of the family on The Carol Burnett Show (1967), She was 21 years younger than Harvey Korman, She was 16 years younger than Carol Burnett and Tim Conway and she was 14 years younger than Lyle Waggoner. |
71 | Carol Burnett was originally suppose to play Mama in The Family Sketches on The Carol Burnett Show (1967), but Carol felt more connected to Eunice and wanted her protégée Vicki to play Mama. The role would become Vicki's most iconic character and her trademark. |
72 | Carol Burnett surprised her with Gold record for The Night the Light Goes Out in Georgia on the last show of the sixth Season on The Carol Burnett Show (1967). |
73 | She travels all over the country speaking to charity groups about her life, career and women's health. Her efforts to protect women's rights were recognized in 1988 when she was the first woman to be honored as "Person of the Year" by the Coalition of Labor Union Women. Recently Lawrence was invited to join The Board of Trustees for Miller Children's Hospital at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, one of only eight children's hospitals in the state. She also hosts the annual Walk for the Cure in her hometown, where all the proceeds go to breast and ovarian cancer research at Long Beach Memorial Center. |
74 | Has appeared in numerous productions, including "Send Me No Flowers;" "No, No Nanette;" "My Fat Friend;" "Chapter Two;" "Annie Get Your Gun," and, live from the Grand Ole Opry, "Nunsense 3: The Jamboree," which aired on TNN. Most recently she appeared in "The Vagina Monologues.". |
75 | Was extremely shy as a kid and even up to the beginning of her career. Carol Burnett stated this many times and most recently always shows a clip of this during Q&A period on reunion shows, when during the first season, when Vicki was so nervous getting asked questions that she was almost buried into Carol. |
76 | Her and Carol Burnett often get mistaken for sisters because of their close resemblance. |
77 | Is an avid Animal Lover and donates to number of animal charities. |
78 | She was a Cheerleader in high School and was voted the most likely to Succeed. |
79 | Was Valedictorian of her high School Class. |
80 | Comedian Actress Jane Lynch cites her as one of her idols. |
81 | Attended UCLA while she was on The Carol Burnett Show (1967). But was forced to drop out because of missing classes due to her work on the TV show. |
82 | Cites Mentor Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman as her biggest influences in her career. |
83 | Was good friends with actress Rue McClanahan, Barbara Billingsley, Phyllis Diller, Dorothy Van, and Richard Dawson. |
84 | Is best friends and very close to her mentor Carol Burnett. |
85 | Is very close friends with Actress Betty White. |
86 | Her acting mentors were Comedians Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman. |
87 | Was discovered at the age of 17 by Mentor and Comedian Carol Burnett and became her protégée. |
88 | Was good friends with Dick Clark, Allen Ludden, Bert Convy, and Bill Cullen. |
89 | Still dresses up as Mama when performing to this day. |
90 | While a member of the singing group The Young Americans, a journalist reviewing a concert mentioned Lawrence's resemblance to Carol Burnett. Students at her high school also mentioned her resemblance to the comedian. Lawrence wrote Burnett a fan letter at her mother urging saying she would like to meet her someday and sent her clippings of the contest she was in. A pregnant Burnett had a feeling about her, decided to look up Lawrence's Father's number and called Vicki asking to attend her contest of The Miss Fireball Contest in which Lawrence was appearing in, which Lawrence won and crowned by Burnett. After a small conversation Burnett told her they will stay in touch and would discuss Lawrence career. Months later Lawrence was subsequently hired to play Burnett's kid sister in The Carol Burnett Show (1967) and became Carol Burnett's protégée. |
91 | With the exception of Eric Brown (Buzz), Karin Argoud (Sonja), and Allan Kayser (Bubba), she was the youngest of the regularly-appearing actress and if counting the grand kids she was the 4th youngest, overall, in the cast of Mama's Family (1983), even though the character she played was the oldest. Ken Berry (Vinton), Dorothy Lyman (Naomi), Beverly Archer (Iola), Rue McClanahan (Aunt Fran), Betty White (Ellen), Carol Burnett (Eunice), late actor, Harvey Korman (Ed), were all older. |
92 | She is the older sister of make-up artist, Joni Lawrence. |
93 | She is a huge game show fan and guest-starred on many game shows including The $10,000 Pyramid (1973), Super Password (1984), and Match Game 73 (1973). She also hosted the daytime edition of Win, Lose or Draw (1987) for NBC and on her TV show Mama's Family (1983), Mama was a contestant on Jeopardy! (1984) She did a salute to game shows and their hosts on her talk show Vicki! (1992). |
94 | Hit #1 in Australia in 1973, with "He Did With Me", written by Harry Lloyd and Gloria Sklerov. |
95 | Daughter, Courtney Allison Schultz, born May 5th, 1975 Son, Garrett Lawrence Schultz, born July 3rd, 1977 |
96 | Her former husband, Bobby Russell, wrote the popular tunes, "Little Green Apples" and Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey." |
97 | Her recording of then husband Bobby Russell's song "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" was number one on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart for two weeks in April of 1973, reached the Top 40 of Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, and earned a Gold Record. |
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