The Andy Williams Show

Lore & Background

The Andy Williams Show began as a summer replacement on ABC in 1958 and on CBS in 1959. The weekly year-round series premiered on NBC in 1962, where it ran until 1967, when Williams reduced his workload to three specials a year. He returned to having a weekly series from 1969 through 1971. At the beginning of the weekly series, The New Christy Minstrels were the backup singers, but on December 20, 1962, The Osmond Brothers appeared on the show and became the regular backup performers for the rest of the series run. In 1967 Williams decided to cut back to three specials per year, but two years later he returned to weekly television in a revised format that included rock and roll acts and psychedelic lighting. Starting with the 1969 season, more emphasis was placed on comedy. Hungarian acrobat and stuntman Janos Prohaska began appearing in a bear costume, asking for cookies; the bear never got any cookies in the series, but fans began mailing baked goods to Prohaska. Five years after his second weekly run at NBC had ended, Williams hosted a half-hour syndicated weekly variety show with Wayland Flowers and orchestra leader George Wyle.

Reader's Guide

The revival of The Andy Williams Show as a syndicated series in 1976 marked a return to television for the host five years after his second NBC weekly run ended. The syndicated show featured Wayland Flowers and orchestra leader George Wyle, continuing the variety format. The original series was notable for its regular performers, including The Osmond Brothers, who became the backup singers after appearing in December 1962, and Jonathan Winters, who appeared in two separate periods. The show's later years incorporated comedy more heavily, with Janos Prohaska's Cookie Bear character becoming a fan favorite, prompting viewers to mail cookies to Prohaska. The revival extended the show's reach beyond network television into syndication, allowing a new audience to see Williams' variety show.

Did You Know?

• The Andy Williams Show alternated during the summer of 1970 with Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens.
• The Osmond Brothers became regular backup performers after appearing on December 20, 1962.
• Janos Prohaska's Cookie Bear character never received cookies on the show, but fans mailed baked goods to Prohaska.