"The Glen Campbell Good-time Hour" was exactly what the title states... an hour of 'good-time' (a.k.a. light on the brain 'fluff') with Glen Campbell. Already a main-stream staple with such hits as "Wichita Lineman" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", feel-good country star Campbell got a shot at hosting his own variety show in a one hour format on CBS. The explosive boom with the world's sudden interest in variety shows would not actually take off until the mid-1970's when everyone from The Osmonds, The Jacksons, Helen Reddy and Tony Orlando hosted their own enterprises, including the more successful Sonny & Cher combination and Carol Burnett.
So I suppose you could actually call Glen Campbell one of the first pioneers when it comes to discussing 'variety shows'. Of course, people like Flip Wilson and Ed Sullivan were already big at the time, but each one had a different theme. Glen Campbell and his 'country' themed hour was one of the first to cross over to the mainstream audience and much to everyone's delight, he came off as a likeable person. Lacking the comedic wit and chemistry with his guest stars as other hosts did such as Carol Burnett and Sonny & Cher, Campbell managed to provide the best entertainment with his singing talents.
Opening the show with a two-minute (and usually abridged) song, he would introduce the guests who would be on the show and a huge brown sun entangled in small white Christmas tree lights would lower down behind him (think of the orange and black caricatures of Sonny & Cher). I remember on one particular episode, Campbell managed to book John Wayne, Tim Conway, Three Dog Night and a special appearance by Carol Burnett on the one show! Where else could you find John Wayne exchanging a 'peace' sign with Three Dog Night (who would perform "Joy To The World" on the show)! Also, it was amusing to see Carol Burnett plugging her 'new' show which would premiere that week - the infamous "CAROL BURNETT SHOW"! Albeit, hers would last a great deal longer than Glen's, it was quite amusing to see a relative unknown at the time getting her start in the biz.
I remember seeing other episodes with Raymond Burr, Neil Diamond, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles. Unfortunately, the show would only last three seasons due to fading popularity, Glen Campbell did manage to get a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Actor (but lost to Dan Dailey for "The Governor & J.J."). Campbell later struck gold when he jumped on the disco bandwagon of the late 70's with his hit single, "Southern Nights", but disappeared later into the usual Las Vegas circuit along with fellow singers of his ilk.
"The Glen Campbell Good-time Hour" is nostalgic viewing at its best. While at the time, a rather forgettable entry into the variety show era of the 70's, it could probably be thought of as un-mined gold today. Try and catch this gem if you ever manage to get your hands on it, and especially for fans of Glen Campbell's music, there is one episode where he performs a wonderful rendition of "Autumn Leaves".
