Mama's Family gave Harvey Korman the chance to be a director

Harvey Korman was a man of many talents— you could say he had a variety of showbiz skills. Whether it was dancing, acting, directing, writing, or just being a funny guy, Korman left behind a legacy few could match.

He is best known for his time in variety shows, including The Carol Burnett Show, but when variety shows disappeared, it stranded Korman, one of history's funniest sketch comedians.

He was a master of a dying art, and once that art faded away, he was left wondering what his next big step would be. Fortunately, it was Korman’s versatility and his ability to play just about any character that helped pull him through.

Luckily, his time on The Carol Burnett Show opened the door to a major opportunity. Rather than hold out for increasingly rare guest appearances on variety shows or sitcoms, he turned his creative talents to directing NBC’s Mama’s Family, which premiered in 1983.

Mama's Family was a spinoff of "The Family" sketches from The Carol Burnett Show, in which Korman played the role of Ed Higgins.

While he would’ve preferred to continue acting, Korman was realistic about the fading variety format and turned his attention to his "family" on Mama’s Family.

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"Look, variety could be like vaudeville," Korman said in a 1983 interview with The Naples Daily News. "It may never come back. I can’t wait around. I have a reputation as a sketch comic. Now that’s gone. Where do I go? What do I do?"

"Higgins isn’t interesting enough to sustain for a half hour week after week," Korman added. 

Korman transitioned into directing smoothly. While he may have taken a pay cut, it was a stable, fulfilling job.

According to the interview, he believed it was the right move for the time, and he got to stay close to his Carol Burnett Show cast, including leading star Vicki Lawrence. He and Lawrence shared great chemistry onscreen and off.

"The real star of the show now is Vicki Lawrence," Korman said. "I think she will become a superstar. She’s absolutely brilliant— in her early 30s playing a woman in her 60s."

Where most actors might've hated working behind the camera after years in front of it, Korman embraced the change. According to the interview, he had to work on his patience, since his timing and pacing didn’t always match those of the actors.

Still, directing Mama’s Family gave him the comfort and creative freedom he needed.

"The anonymity of directing doesn’t bother me," Korman said. "I don’t feel any ego loss. I don’t need acknowledgment for seeing my ideas work out for another actor, and it’s not any less fulfilling for me."

"In fact, I get a bigger kick out of getting something to work well for another performer than I did for myself." Korman added.