The Sid Caesar – Imogene Coca Split…What Really Happened?

It’s amazing that at the height of their popularity as co stars of ‘Your Show Of Shows’, anyone would even think about tinkering with that kind of success, but…it happened. I’m not sure, but I think this may have been Robert Sarnoff’s handiwork.

In this clip (which starts on this topic) Sid Caesar tells us how NBC essentially raided the show in an attempt to create three entities. NBC’s new Color Spectaculars needed a producer and Max Liebeman would be pressed into service, Coca would be given her own show and Caesar would have a new show…’Caesar’s Hour’.

‘The Imogene Coca Show’ lasted only a single season and it’s failure was mostly due to the fact that it was a half hour situation comedy which greatly limited Coca. Now she had to become a “character” and could not be the versatile and imaginative comedian she had been with Caesar in their variety show. Coca’s show air from 9-9:30 Saturday night from The Century Theater starting in September of 1954.

Below left is Coca watching the playback of Kinescope of a prior episode as they are continuing on that theme in this episode. Center is the great team together. At the right is a shot from ‘Caesar’s Hour’ which also came from the Century Theater on Monday nights from 8-9, starting September 27, 1954. The sketch is one of the many “Commuters” pieces that was kind of like their own Honeymooners, show within a show.

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