CBS lands Burnett library

The Carol Burnett Show first aired in 1967

CBS Television Distribution (CTD) has struck a deal with entertainer Carol Burnett to acquire digital multicast rights to all 11 seasons of Emmy-winning The Carol Burnett Show.

The move comes as the show celebrates its 50th anniversary and sees CTD taking rights to more than 276 hours of the classic comedy, many episodes of which have not been aired since their original broadcast.

The series, which starred Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, Tim Conway and the late Harvey Korman, was recently honoured by CBS with a two-hour anniversary network special that was shot on the show’s original Stage 33 at CBS Television City in LA.

The special drew an audience of 17.18 million, making it the most watched entertainment special since the 2017 Oscars.

The Carol Burnett Show premiered in September 1967 and consistently ranked among the top shows on TV through its 11-year run, winning 25 Primetime Emmys and eight Golden Globes.

In December 1972, when the show moved to Saturday nights, it anchored a CBS line-up that also included All in the Family, MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show.

In addition to this acquisition, CTD produces or distributes 10 first-run series, including Judge Judy, Dr Phil, Entertainment Tonight and Wheel of Fortune. Off-net shows on its slate include CSI, NCIS and Star Trek.