The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
The Porter Wagoner Show #223 featuring special guest Archie Campbell.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Promo for The Porter Wagoner Show #223 featuring special guest Archie Campbell. Spot opens with Porter and Dolly singing "The Last Thing On My Mind." Camera pulls out to reveal Mel Tillis, who announces Campbell and regulars and invites us to tune in. Fade out over art card with colorful illustration of Porter.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Opening of Porter Wagoner show #223. Standard pre-recorded opening begins with CU of Porter s shiny red boots walking down hallway, which cuts to rear view of Wagoner s garish green Nudie suit festooned with rhinestone wagon wheels and cacti. Montage of smiling Porter happily walking through WSM-TV studio as stage hands and technicians prep show. Don Howser s voice over reads: "Direct from Nashville Tennessee, here s The Porter Wagoner Show!" Quick shots of regulars as Howser announces them: "Starring Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Mel Tillis, Speck Rhodes, Don Howser, The Wagonmasters, and today s special guest star." Momentary pause in VO (presumably left for Howser to read the guest star s name on air), then prerecorded segment ends with Howser s "and now, here s Porter." Cut to live portion as Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner (in white Nudie suit) duet on "The Last Thing On My Mind'" backed by Wagonmasters Buck Trent, Don Warden, Mack Magaha, George McCormick, Jack Little and Speck Rhodes (all except Speck wearing matching red white & blue western outfits). Not nearly as nervy and invigorating a performance as on show #148, but the contrast in Porter & Dolly's clowning around is appealing (and indicative of their easy rapport), and the Hank Snow impression Porter sneaks in is pretty amusing too.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Porter asks Dolly to introduce "The Stutterin' Lad" Mel Tillis, and she does, saying "I hope it doesn't take me as long to introduce him as it takes him to introduce me." Dolly calls him "Miss Mel Tillis" and no one seems to notice. Tillis plays unaccompanied acoustic guitar and sings "Who's Julie?" Halfway through the second verse Porter walks in with Speck's double bass and makes like he's fixing to fiddle around, prompting Tills to direct the rest of the song to Porter, singing it as "Who's Dooley?" Afterwards Porter comes back and says the actual record sounds a bit different and you should buy a copy; Tillis says the only thing that could keep it from going #1 is "Kaw-Liga and the New York Jets."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Buck Trent plays us out of the commercial break on a zippy banjo instrumental version of "Orange Blossom Special," backed by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Porter introduces Dolly Parton, who plays guitar and sings "Your Ole Handy Man" backed by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Porter introduces Archie Campbell, who in turn introduces his son Philip. Together they do a comedy routine with Speck Rhodes where Philip is the owner of a restaurant, interviewing Archie as a potential waiter. Speck is along for the ride as Archie's shill/straight man. Basically, the bit is this: Philip calls out the name of a food, and Archie changes its name into its hillbilly moniker (i.e. two eggs on toast = two cackle berries on a shingle).
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Porter introduces Wagonmasters Buck, George, and Mack as "the second string trio, Ike, Mike and Spike." The three of them perform "Goin' Down This Road Feelin' Bad."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Porter introduces gap-toothed hayseed comedian Speck Rhodes, who enters wearing his trademark black and yellow checkered suit and red bowler hat. Speck tells a couple corny jokes about girls with Porter as the straight man. Then Speck sings the novelty song "Shindig In The Barn" backed by The Wagonmasters.
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Backed by The Wagonmasters, Porter plays guitar and sings/ recites his maudlin story about a down-and-out former country music star, "Skid Row Joe."
The Porter Wagoner Show No. 223
Porter enlists Archie Campbell to sing "Make Friends" backed by The Wagonmasters as the show runs out. Wide shot of entire cast as Don Howser signs off, the credits roll, and Mack fiddles and dances us off the air.