Mildred Fierce

"Mildred Pierce" gets the send-up, in this hilarious tribute to the 1945 Joan Crawford film. Carol Burnett, Vicky Lawrence, Tim Conway and Harvey Korman shine at their best.
I do not own any of the footage or music featured. All rights are reserved and belong to their respective copyright owners. No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

[@karlakor]

I seem to remember seeing an interview with Carol Burnett in which she said that after this sketch aired, Joan Crawford called her and said how much she enjoyed it. Crawford also joked that Carol Burnett spent more on this sketch than Warner Brothers did on the entire movie.

[@whyohwhyohwhy10000]

It's in Carol's book This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection. Carol is the funniest!

[@cmcb09]

Joan didn't enjoy Torchy Song on the other hand at all, Torch Song was to be her big comeback film after a career slump. Not so much.

[@CharlieChilders-wm9gb]

@@whyohwhyohwhy10000 you're right! Joan loved Mildred Pierce and told Carol. Carol then said she's preparing torchy's song and Joan was excited. Later when Joan saw torchy's song she became upset and said it was done in bad taste. She replied ,"I did more in that movie than just show my legs!"😠

[@travisjames3517]

I’m glad that Crawford saw the sketch! Lol!

[@farrellmcnulty909]

@@cmcb09 It makes me wonder if a spoof of a great movie would be a great sketch, like with Pierce, and if a parody of a notso-great movie would be a not-so-great sketch...it depends on what you're given to work with.

[@Nanetteb]

Carol does the Joan Crawford impression amazingly.

[@65wiseman]

To her credit, the real Joan Crawford loved this sketch -

[@rockynards9963]

Carol is perfect doing Joan's "shoulder walk".

[@poorthing]

Omg. The hair. The shoes. The eyebrows. The big-shoulder Fur coat.

[@Darrigrande]

Exactly like the real movie. They did a very good job.

[@dreadstheheart]

These costumes are pretty spot on too

[@jennifersman7990]

You can't help but giggle as soon as Harvey Korman shows up, he was so good at playing oily-types like Monty Slick

[@WWZenaDo]

Remember him in "Blazing Saddles"? That movie wouldn't have been nearly as good without him as the villain.

[@TheSaltydog07]

He was good at everything. RIP

[@mrsbluesky8415]

I remember this skit vividly as a kid. For some reason it stuck with me. It was years later when I watched the real Mildred Pierce on TCM and realized what a genius CB was.

[@donspringstead1649]

Yeah I saw it too. Joan called Carol and told her how much she liked it.

[@jayfrank1913]

I vaguely remember it from childhood. Every time I heard "Mildred Pierce," I thought, "Mildred Fierce?" For a while I thought it was from SNL, but Carol Burnett was much funnier than anything SNL did!

[@infonut]

Im glad I scrolled through these posts and found this because I was gonna post the same thing. To a 'T'. I just became a teenager and at this time all I ever knew about Joan Crawford was Baby Jane.

[@miapdx503]

I've watched Mildred Pierce about ten times. This is hilarious. One of the best spoofs of a movie, ever. Carol is a legend. 🌹 Those eyebrows, like two hairy catapillars! 🤣

[@aaronc4899]

The eyebrows are 90% of that performance.

[@665kk]

Joan phoned Carol personally to tell her how much she loved this LOL love them both

[@markwhitman72]

Again Vicki nailed this; in the movie I hated that Veda brat and Vicki is so spot on hilarious with her characterization!!

[@infonut]

and QUICK with her delivery.

[@kellyhope8004]

So brilliant... Carol has always said in interviews that her absolute favorite part of the variety show was when they did these movie parodies... I can see why... it looks like they were having SO MUCH FUN! :) She's such a great lady :)

[@emmaduncan2991]

nobody did movie pardoies better then Carol and company...

[@bookerjones8123]

+emma duncan Nobody. I think it's because they loved those old movies but also saw the cliches in the stories and the dated mannerisms and knew how to exaggerate them just right.

[@willyboy6126]

You got that right, Emma! Pure comedy brilliance from the whole cast, especially Carol. :)

[@kumada84]

French & Saunders, guys. French & Saunders. (You can thank me later. ♥)

[@LaDayna04]

emma duncan you said it correctly there. I miss them.

[@annetteparker3471]

Carol and comedy partners are brilliant. [e-mail]

[@ChellesClips]

She's got Crawfords eye expressions down!

[@megaswenson]

Now that you mention it, she really DOES!

[@srbdirector]

Such a perfect parody by the best. From "shabby shoes" to "I am Mildred's Fatburgers" to "Not my hunk of it." to Vicki Lawrence's spot on Veda, Harvey Korman's perfect Monty Slick, Tim Conway's funny Irish cop and, of course, Carol Burnett's wonderful Joan Crawford impersonation. Carol's double take is priceless after Harvey hilariously says, "And I can also make indecent, pretty decent." Such wonderful memories! Such a talented cast! "Here's $50,000. That ought to hold you for a day or two."

[@Chutney1luv]

This was the best show ever! Vicki and Carol and Harvey, imitating Mildred Pierce Perfectly! No one will ever do it better.! ⭐⭐🏆⭐⭐

[@thewanderingmenstrual9127]

"... But I think you'd better skip the prom." LOL This is pure gold!

[@kellyhope8004]

+The Wandering Menstrual hahaha, that nearly had me in tears!

[@emmaduncan2991]

+The Wandering Menstrual her love of these old movies is so apparent.

[@bookerjones8123]

+The Wandering Menstrual Then Veda's pouting "Oh Mom!" and Mildred's stern "Vedaaaa..." Funniest exchange in the skit.

[@fredf7457]

The way she swang her shoulders as she walked, and the ending scene left a deep impression on my mind since my teenage years.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

The "Good recipe" line is one of the best little ones.

[@prithvijeetsinha379]

Ms. Carol is so astute in immersing herself in the very persona of the great Joan Crawford. This sketch parodies the melodrama as well as raises this great talent to further heights. Thank you for your gifts, Ms. Burnett.

[@markwhitman72]

I know Vicki won an Emmy but she should have won for this and Went with the Wind! Brilliant acting!

[@MaskedMan66]

She won five Emmys, and they were for her work on this show, and those two roles were part of her work on the show, so yeah, her Emmys were for those as well as everything else she did.

[@rachelfreeman8455]

"It's just as much your fault as it is mine; I didn't spoil me rotten!" So true for so many.

[@farrellmcnulty909]

@Flenif2247 The daughter is OVER 50????

[@coolsweetgroovy]

Thumbs up 4 this kind of Tv Carol and company is still the best

[@liaadavis9686]

Watching the spoofs on her show made me watch the real movies

[@TheNancypoo]

Me too!!!

[@mzmaryd6452]

I loved Harvey he was amazing. To me he was the funny man on this show. RIP Harvey ❤️

[@trapperjohnson261]

Vicki was just as funny as Carol is some of these skits. Harvey was her equal on the show.

[@LATVERIAN1]

I agree. All three were incredibly gifted. They had great chemistry together. A time where humor didn't have to be filthy to be funny. I sure miss those bygone days. But at least we can still look back and enjoy them.

[@arkady714]

As a kid, never having seen Mildred Pierce, I still found this skit funny as hell. Once I finally saw the film, I couldn't keep from laughing since I'd seen this skit first. Oh, and there's a line here that I learned that I use to this day... "Marry this joker, quick, before he gets a real good look at you!" LOL!

[@anaisdossantosbarroso6793sghh]

NBz

[@Breeze0911]

Named my Daughter, Tara after seeing Gone With Wind atabout age 7. Plantation Tara.

[@akrenwinkle]

Good thing you weren't seeing "Bonanza." They lived on the Ponderosa.

[@arkady714]

@@akrenwinkle Out of curiosity, I tried siting through a rerun episode of that show. It bored the daylights out of me.

[@akrenwinkle]

@@arkady714 It was #2 in the ratings at one time, right after The Beverly Hillbillies. So that tells us about Americans' taste at that time.

[@timothymcdonald6913]

Carol Burnett's show was a staple part of TV for my family back in the day. To this day I still very much appreciate the show and have enjoyed looking back here on youtube to watch what I missed as well as seeing the old familiar again. Much thanks to all of you folks that have posted these episodes. Thank You.

[@christinanielsen1917]

My Greek born and raised mother's English wasn't very good but she was hysterical from laughing so hard when we watched every Saturday night. She didn't need to comprehend English she looked at those faces carol Burnett did and couldn't stop laughing.

[@64dethray]

"I was eeking out a small but meager living." "Eeking."

[@scarymantra]

You just know that was Tim ad libbing

[@michaelbaughman4017]

He always did 😜✌🏻

[@Themanwhocameback2]

An absolute riot. And Joan loved it. Harvey And Carol are so damn funny!

[@trixiebbeldon7413]

Carol's facial expressions just kill me! I 'm laughing so hard my stomach hurts!

[@bdinchi]

I LUV IT!! This & "Went with the Wind" have to be the funniest spoofs from Carol Burnett's old show.

[@fliplinefungus]

Yes, and Rancid Harvest. That one was gold- I was giggling all the way through.

[@fearless7989]

I agree on these two and also "Nora Desmond at a Restaurant" ~ definitely one of the most lol's

[@unchainyourbrain3312]

I was just thinking about that one,with those window curtains.Carol Burnett was hilarious.😆

[@joannehines7806]

The legendary, comedic theatrics of Harvey Korman!! RIHP Comedic.King!!

[@loverofgoodmusic23]

This skit has been a favorite of my Dad's. He will turn 80 later this month and it has been years since he has seen this. I cannot thank you enough for posting it!

[@jackiejns983]

Genius Carol Burnett. WONDERFUL movie parodies

[@rw5562]

I lose it every time when she starts the story about the "shabby shoes."

[@WWZenaDo]

I love her shoes! Good reproduction of the 1940's - 50's vampy shoes.

[@Catlover2016]

I have a pair of shoes much like hers!

[@TurnerLaraine]

I'm with you, Cacrol. I love the older movies. Can hardly watch any of the new ones anymore.

[@craigbeasley1]

The jokes she staged were legendary! Mildred Pierce won Joan her only Oscar.

[@Mike-fp5rc]

"That's right, marry this joker quick ... before he gets a good look at ya~" .... LoLoL

[@cyndiebirkner704]

"If you step over to the express desk, i can take your confession now. "

[@charlesamitchem3487]

"You're going to have to lay low for a while. Here's fifty thousand dollars: that should hold you over for a couple of days." 🤣🤣🤣

[@forestkaatprescott8429]

The movie skits were always my favorites - this one was one of the top 5.

[@skinnycat3899]

I wish I had that Mildred's Fatburgers sign...

[@raymondescobar1702]

Carrol Burnett was fabulous

[@pattigee1]

The writing for this skit and everyone and everything else is absolutely brilliant!!

[@call2872]

Although it's just a skit, I like how they tried to capture the essence of the film. Especially with the hairstyle, costumes (Mildred's shoulder pads), and the posture of Mildred (how Carol mimicked Joan's walk). Brilliant.

[@MaskedMan66]

"Just a skit?" The best spoofs get as close as they can.

[@AstralPixie]

This is my favorite from Carol Burnett. "No hanky, no panky". "That's like shooting a bear for catching salmon, a cow for giving milk, a compass for pointing north" Hilarious.

[@janedoe805]

The brick falling on her head was hysterical.

[@xaocfrau]

"I've seen the ocean, Chum." "Not my hunk of it." lol

[@MrsJustify]

This was always my all time favorite Carol Burnett sketch!! Vicki Lawrence as the incorrigible Veda

[@msgigirogers1559]

Wish that as the ending in the movie!! Love all of carol's parodies

[@Tesiay]

Seeing Vicky with that gun made me think of The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia.

[@cristabelle1207]

that's exactly how Monty talked too

[@WCaron23001]

Absolutely, spot on.

[@mmjhcb]

Close your eyes and you'd swear you were hearing Zachary Scott. Korman is sooooooo good.

[@sisterhazel3831]

Spot on

[@Eurafrican]

Carol Burnett is fantastic sending up Joan Crawford!!! Especially the voice... Best of her Hollywood Grand Dame pisstakes I've seen so far- loving it ;)

[@fob1xxl]

Love this movie ! It premiered the day I was born ! Classic skit by the most talented cast on TV !

[@lizaelliott6862]

Carol actually talks kind of Ike Joan Crawford if you listen carefully 😄👏🏼

[@MaskedMan66]

Yeah, I kinda think that was deliberate.

[@johnn.5033]

This and Went with the Wind might be the best thing Carol ever did. She was LIVING as Joan Crawford and yet hitting the humor on point!

[@johnn.5033]

Why did they have Carol wearing a black wig, now that I think about it? Do you think that's just how Carol felt she remembered Joan Crawford back then?

[@farrellmcnulty909]

@@johnn.5033 Joan's hair looked black. Since Mildred Pierce is a black and white movie, they probably thought her hair was really black.

[@donspringstead1649]

Joan Crawford was still alive when this aired. She thought it was hilarious. She called Carol and told her about it too. Joan Crawford, the best actress from her time, maybe still the best. This junk they're turning out now is like really had, at least I think so

[@ElizabethBrewster-cw4mx]

I was with you until you started trashing today's movies. Do you feel self righteous? Feel you're better than others? That trash line wasn't needed--and YOU were trash for saying it. Just praise Carol and say you loved it. Period. The trash talk did not add anything. Keep your prejudices out of tnis.

[@itstheburnz]

I remember my friends in high school and my parents talking about this.. how she looked like Joan..the eyebrows ala Carol..and how funny and cleaver.. loved the show..

[@reneebraxton1032]

I loved when Carol & Company did these spoofs on old movies! Especially Bette Davis & Joan Crawford movies.

[@jciutube724]

This sketch is by far the best sketch on the Carroll Burnett Show.

[@strawberryjones7193]

I love her movie parodies.. they are hysterical..

[@RexGanymede]

_I was born in a small town,_ indeed. 😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@amr_12_]

The lady who played Joan Crawford is pitch-perfect!

[@markwhitman72]

Hilariously laughing again at this skit and tears are running! Good lord Vicki and Carol are a scream!

[@JudgeJulieLit]

And the late Harvey Korman, and Tim Conroy.

[@markwhitman72]

Yes! Kudos to them also!

[@markwhitman72]

Carol Burnett is a true gem in everything she does but Vicki is just hilarious in this skit as well as the "Went with the wind" skit! LOL at the end when she calls Mildred a low life lassie then gets shot! This is comedy at it's classic best.

[@tampanativeson]

+Mark Whitman Compared to this nothing today is funny. Carol and her cohorts was as good as it gets.

[@michaelkadunce3155]

Mark Whitman.

[@dalehoward3704]

I wonder what Ann Blyth(Veda) thought of this skit 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👏❤️

[@MaskedMan66]

I don't know, but I understand that Joan Crawford called Carol Burnett personally to say how much she loved it.

[@born2lateboohoo]

Thank you SO MUCH for this! It is my favorite spoof she ever did, next to "Went with the Wind." Vicki Lawrence is so incredibly talented (and so funny in this). I'm so glad Carole found her and hired her. It was SO meant to be.

[@juliemitchell3794]

One of my absolute favorites

[@debfan74]

Even though the clothes Carol is wearing are meant for the 40's, I must admit, she is wearing them well and looks great dressed in that fashion

[@cp2410]

Eric Springer Was somewhat puzzled also by beautiful, but odd, clothes until my late mom (living during World War Two) explained gov't restrictions on clothing materials during War: shoes were cork clogs (leather shoes were rationed); skirt had slit (gov't regs limited how much material could be used in clothing), etc.

[@colecoley3473]

Chris Petersen thank you for sharing that info ♡

[@ncfeline1959]

"She's such a treasure!"

[@foxibot]

Lol. I laughed on that one too.

[@gdwriter]

Finally! I've been looking for this for ages! 500 ft. to Mildred's Fat Burgers. Come on in and strap on the feedbag! Second only to Gone with the Wind for Carol Burnett movie spoofs.

[@nichellepeters5195]

"Mother, forthright does not buy a Ferrari!" 🤦🏾‍♀️🤣 Boy did I love watching her as a kid she was and is hilarious! A real class act in comedy. I found this cuz I needed to laugh. And Mildred Pierce is a great, classic film to poke fun at.

[@CapricornDavo]

1975 I think. Joan called Carol and told her she got a big kick out of it.

[@trippytrellis7033]

Mildred Fierce! Carol and company never fails to entertain.😂😂😂

[@dvlaries]

Crawford herself loved this; Bob Thomas, her biographer, reported so in his book on her.

[@wms72]

Saw Anne Blythe in a pro-life procession in church on the Feast of the Holy Innocents in the 1980s. She wore a modest, two-piece red suit (skirt and jacket) was still just as beautiful!

[@sevadaj]

Vita was such a grateful daughter!!! LOL!!!!!

[@MaskedMan66]

Veda.

[@ericacooper336]

Mildred Pierce was the movie.That Vida was one evil little witch.Very good cast in the movie.I bet I have seen it at least 20 times.They should do a remake.Who could paly Mildred and who could play Vida?

[@lindaa.auerbach8397]

There was a 3-part remake done about 10 years ago starring Kate Winslet. Available on DVD. That remake adheres very closely to the original James Cain novel, and it's very much worth seeing. I had had no idea that the original with Joan Crawford bore almost no relation to the Cain novel, which I hadn't read at that point. But both versions are quite good.

[@ItWILLbeWONDERFUL_THERE]

*"Oh mommy, wu gotta help me. Monty fall down, go boom."* No Vida. Monty fell down because you went *'Boom"* 🔫 "I didn't spoil me rotten, you did!" Great line!

[@joannehines7806]

Veda to Mildred: " Thanks a lot, Big mouth!!" Carol & Vicki are NATIONAL COMEDIC TREASURES!! So glad I found this on KZbin!! Legendary!!

[@megaswenson]

You know, I saw Carol Burnett's version of Sunset Boulevard first, and I've gotta say: Nora Desmond (Burnett) had Norma Desmond beat by a mile.

[@tomsmith2013]

GREAT parody of a GREAT film!

[@JoanDavisChannel]

Absolute perfection!

[@MrReggieLew]

Ah, the shabby shoes. I suppose there was a time when we all wore them (with pride).

[@GROOVYJOJO]

Lewis Moorehead i still wear em lol

[@miapdx503]

Yes, we did, and we didn't shame each other for it either.

[@Thunder-acro]

The over exaggerated portrayals of Mildred and Veta convey exactly how fans of the movie see these 2 characters, kudos to The Carol Burnett show for nailing it!

[@georgediederich2035]

Carol Burnett is an absolute classic. I love this.

[@MadHatter-zn3bt]

“Excuse me, I’d like to confess to a murder.” Police officer: “Wait your turn over there, please.” 🤣😂

[@tapeduk]

Vicki as Veda.......such a treasure

[@terrydu1895]

I love this my fav by Carol my fav female comedian

[@glorianafranco7669]

Vicki Lawrence a natural born comedienne funny she is no pretense with her

[@farrellmcnulty909]

I don't think Vicki Lawrence ever thought of herself as a star. She seems to always be gushing on thie inside "I'm doing a really great movie parody with my tv idol!!!!"

[@Brn2Snap1]

Her damn Joan Crawford impression is phenomenal. SOOOOO DAMN FUNNY

[@StaunchComic]

In Carol new book 2013 she has a story about Joan Crawford that slayed me! I was crying, laugh out loud funny!

[@JoshieDoozie]

I love the one she did for soupy tales, it's short and sweet, and oh, so hilarious! The whole mildred junior, her hatred of men, her whole falling in and out of love within one minute. Hilarity.

[@christinaarcher3341]

Wonderful parody! Carol is so good.

[@pouchfreeman]

I dont need a brick to fall on my head

[@love4myclarks7]

well said MPL029- I think you can tell that by her approach to each character and the outcome of those shows- Each person she satires has the essence of that star. All her impersonations were like a tribute and honor by way of comedy.