Sonny and Cher

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (1971–1974)

In 1971, Sonny and Cher had stopped producing hit singles. Cher's first feature film, Chastity (film)|Chastity, was not a success, and the duo decided to sing and tell jokes in nightclubs across the country. CBS head of programming Fred Silverman saw them one evening and offered them their own show. The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour was originally supposed to be a summer replacement series, but high ratings gave Silverman sufficient reason to bring it back later that year, with a permanent spot on the schedule. The show was taped at CBS Television City in Hollywood.

The show was a Top 20 hit in the ratings for its entire run. Each episode would open with the show's theme song, which would segue into the first few notes of "The Beat Goes On". Every episode, Sonny would exchange banter with Cher, who was usually very proficient in one-liners, allowing Cher to put down Sonny in a comic manner. Comedy skits would follow, mixed in with musical numbers. One of the regular cast members was a young Teri Garr who danced and acted in various comedy sketches. At the end of each episode, Sonny and Cher would sing their hit "I Got You Babe" to the audience, sometimes, with daughter Chastity Bono in tow.

The show was scheduled to return for a fourth season in October 1974. However, Sonny and Cher separated that fall, resulting in the cancellation of the show.

Directed by Art Fisher

Starring Sonny and Cher

Theme music composer Sonny Bono

Opening theme "The Beat Goes On"

Ending theme "I Got You Babe"

Country of origin United States

Language(s) English

No. of seasons 4

No. of episodes 63

Production

Producer(s) Chris Bearde

Allan Blye

Running time 60 mins.

Broadcast

Original channel CBS

Original run August 1, 1971 – May 29, 1974

Chronology

Followed by The Sonny & Cher Show