Tim Conway and Harvey Korman: The Comedy Duo Who Turned Breaking Character Into an Art Form
They tried to keep it together.
They failed.
And television history was made.
Few comedy partnerships have ever matched the unpredictable brilliance of Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on The Carol Burnett Show. What made their moments unforgettable wasn’t elaborate slapstick or scripted punchlines it was the electric tension of not knowing what would happen next.
Because when Tim Conway decided to go off script, even Harvey Korman didn’t stand a chance.
The Perfect Opposites
Harvey Korman was disciplined, classically trained, and meticulous. He respected structure. He trusted rehearsal. He needed precision.
Tim Conway? He treated a script like a polite suggestion.
Where Harvey brought control, Tim brought chaos. And somehow, that imbalance created some of the most iconic comedy sketches of the 1970s.
Behind the scenes, Harvey reportedly begged Tim before tapings to “stick to the script.” Tim would promise sweetly, sincerely and then completely abandon that promise the moment cameras rolled.
And that’s where the magic lived.
The Moment the Script Died
You can see it happen in sketches like the legendary “Dentist” routine.
There’s always a moment a flicker in Tim’s eyes when he decides to go rogue. A pause stretches too long. A line is delivered sideways. A prop becomes something it was never meant to be.
Harvey, seated helplessly in a chair, senses it instantly.
The audience laughs at the joke.
But what they really love is what comes next.
Harvey trying and failing not to laugh.
The Look That Broke Television
Harvey once said, “Tim is the only person who can destroy me with a look.”
And it’s true.
Tim didn’t just perform for the audience. He performed for Harvey.
He would turn slightly, make a subtle face meant only for his co-star, and wait. The silence would stretch. Harvey would press his lips together, stare upward, grip his hands — fighting for composure.
Eventually, the inevitable happened.
He broke.
He buried his face in his hands. He shook with laughter. He surrendered.
And the audience loved him more for it.
Why Their Comedy Still Works Today
Some critics once labeled breaking character as unprofessional. But viewers knew better.
What they were watching wasn’t a mistake.
It was trust.
Harvey trusted Tim enough to let the moment unfold. Tim trusted Harvey to follow him anywhere — even into complete chaos. That authenticity made each sketch feel alive, unpredictable, and impossible to replicate.
In today’s era of tight edits and polished performances, that kind of danger is rare. There’s something thrilling about knowing a scene could collapse at any second and somehow become even better because of it.
More Than Comedy It Was Friendship
When we watch those classic clips today grainy footage of Harvey wiping tears from his eyes while Tim stands there, innocent and mischievous — we’re not just watching a comedy sketch.
We’re witnessing genuine friendship.
Two men who delighted in surprising each other.
Two performers who trusted each other completely.
And two legends who proved that sometimes the funniest moments happen when the script falls apart.