Chris Bearde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Bearde
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Bearde in 1963
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| Born | Christopher D. F. Beard 18 June 1936 Richmond, London, England |
| Died | 23 April 2017 (aged 80) Westlake Village, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, producer and director |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Notable works | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In The Gong Show |
| Notable awards | Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Writers Guild of America Award |
| Website | |
| Official website: http://www.chrisbearde.com | |
Chris Bearde (born June 18, 1936 – died April 23, 2017) was a talented British-born writer, producer, and director. He was famous for his work in comedy, especially for writing on the popular TV show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Chris Bearde also helped create and produce TV specials for many big stars like Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Sonny & Cher, Bill Cosby, and Steve Martin. He even came up with the idea for the original Gong Show, a fun talent show.
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Chris Bearde's Early Career
Chris Bearde started his career in the 1950s in Sydney, Australia, which became his new home. He worked in radio and spent two years in the Australian Army. When he was 23, he became the host of a children's TV show called Smalltime.
People noticed his appearances on Smalltime and his writing for other Australian comedy shows. Soon, producers from Canada and America offered him a job. In the early 1960s, Chris Bearde was hired by the Canadian TV network CTV to write a comedy series called Network. He also created two shows for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: Front and Centre and Nightcap, which was Canada's first late-night show that made fun of politics.
Moving to Hollywood: Big TV Shows
After working in Canadian TV and radio for four years, Chris Bearde was signed by the William Morris Agency, a big company that represents actors and writers. He then moved to Hollywood, where he created ideas for many special TV shows for NBC and ABC. Chris Bearde was known for mixing silly comedy (called slapstick) with jokes about politics. This style made him a main writer for the original Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.
While working on Laugh-In, Chris Bearde teamed up with producer George Schlatter. Together, they created ideas for specials like Dinah Shore's Like Hep! and The Grammy Awards. In 1968, he partnered with Canadian producer Allan Blye. They created the idea for the 1968 TV special Singer Presents... Elvis, also known as the "'68 Comeback Special'".
Bearde and Blye also produced several specials for Andy Williams and worked on The Andy Williams Show for two years (1969-1971). They also created a summer show called The Who Is Ray Stevens Show, which was the first time Steve Martin appeared on TV. Blye and Bearde also created and produced one of the first TV shows about a Black family, a comedy called That's My Mama, for ABC.
After he stopped working with Allan Blye, Chris Bearde created the idea for The Bobby Vinton Show. He also produced it with Chuck Barris. Then, they created The Gong Show, which was one of the first big talent reality TV shows. Chris Bearde later sold his part in the 1970s version of The Gong Show. However, his company brought the show back for one season in 1988. He also produced The Bob Hope Christmas Show and went back to Australia to produce Texaco Presents Bob Hope in Australia.
Chris Bearde then partnered with Robert Wood, a former CBS president. They created pilot shows (try-out episodes) and a children's series called The W.A.C.K.O. Show for CBS. Chris Bearde also directed a comedy movie called Hysterical in 1983, which starred The Hudson Brothers.
He later formed a long partnership with Dick Clark. They produced The Half Hour Comedy Hour, which was the first time Arsenio Hall hosted a national TV show. Clark and Bearde also produced Chris Bearde's popular show Puttin' on the Hits in 1985. This show featured people pretending to sing along to popular songs (called lip sync).
Chris Bearde also worked with Vin Di Bona, who produced America's Funniest Home Videos. Together, they created and produced Night Rap for HBO, a show that made fun of TV news. They also created Sherman Oaks, a comedy hit for Showtime. Di Bona and Bearde produced several other special shows for CBS.
Later Years: Comedy Hall of Fame
In 2005, Chris Bearde moved his work to Las Vegas. He came up with an idea for "Chris Bearde's International Comedy Hall of Fame." This was planned to be a large entertainment center with a restaurant and an exhibit honoring comedy. He also planned to have TV specials each year for comedy awards and inductions.
Chris Bearde won an Emmy Award and a Writers Guild of America Award for his work. In 2007, he started The Chris Bearde School of Comedy in Las Vegas, which later moved to Los Angeles in 2008. The school is still helping people learn about comedy today.
His Final Years
Chris Bearde passed away at his home in Westlake Village, California, on April 23, 2017, at the age of 80. He died from a heart attack. He is remembered by his wife Carolyn Stonecloud, his six children, two stepchildren, and seven grandchildren.
