The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
The Porter Wagoner Show #71 with special guest Stringbean.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Introduction to Porter Wagoner show #71. Program opens with Wagoner and Wagonmasters Speck Rhodes, Don Warden, and George McCormick plus Norma Jean onscreen singing "Howdy Neighbor Howdy." Over title card decorated with drawing of Wagoner, announcer Hairl Hensley introduces Wagoner and The Wagonmasters, show regulars Speck Rhodes and Norma Jean, and "your favorite songs and stars of the Grand Ole Opry!" Wearing rhinestone-studded two-tone Nudie suit, Wagoner welcomes audience, then plays guitar and sings "Jimmy Brown The Newsboy" backed by The Wagonmasters. Medium shots of always-smiling Mack Magaha on fiddle and Buck Trent on guitar.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Wagoner introduces future Hee Haw regular Stringbean (David Akeman), who enters wearing his traditional costume of long striped nightshirt and short pants designed to make him look extra tall and skinny. Porter and Stringbean do corny comedy routine where Wagoner reads a newspaper story and String gives him a short punch line version of the story.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Accompanied by Wagonmasters, Stringbean plays banjo and sings "Little Liza Jane." Includes nice wide shot that shows off Stringbean's tall, lanky frame.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Mack Magaha's happy-feet dancing is spotlighted as Mack saws away on an instrumental breakdown, backed by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Wagoner reads an apparently real newspaper clipping about a family who buries their cat, and the last song played at the memorial service is "Go Cat Go." And what do you know -- that's the title of a song by Norma Jean! Jean plays guitar and sings the song (heard on her 1965 LP "Pretty Miss Norma Jean") , accompanied by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Wagoner and The Wagonmasters whip through a verse and a chorus of a song from Porter's "Thin Man From West Plains" LP, "(All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
"Now for another chapter in the interesting life of Doctor Speck Rhodes" says Wagoner, introducing the gap-toothed comedian. Rhodes makes call on old-time crank telephone wearing his trademark checkered suit with bow tie and bowler hat. Rhodes chats with fictional operator/girlfriend Sadie. Rhodes tells series of corny old-fashioned jokes. Don Warden pitches the show's latest souvenir program, available for only fifty cents by mail.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Wagoner answers a request for one of the old-time sacred songs by playing guitar and singing "Old Camp Meeting Time," accompanied by The Wagonmasters. MS Buck Trent guitar.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Wagoner reintroduces Stringbean saying that String lives the life everyone wants: hunting, fishing, doing what he loves to do. "How sweet it is" String replies in his best mock-Jackie Gleason. They talk about Stringbean playing "Pretty Polly" a few days prior at the University of Chicago, then String plays banjo and sings the number backed by The Wagonmasters. MS camera tilts up Stringbean, revealing entire costume, then pulls out to wide shot.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Wagoner asks Stringbean to duet with Buck Trent, and the two of them break it down like gangbusters on "Cripple Creek," backed by The Wagonmasters. String tells Trent "You hotter than a 'tater, boy."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 71
Wagoner wraps up show as Wagonmasters play instrumental show outro and announcer signs off. Wagoner shakes hands with Norma Jean and Stringbean, waves goodbye as Magaha dances and fiddles us off the air. End title super reads: "A Show Biz Production" over great shot of Stringbean's dancing.