Tim Conway intended to be a part of a movie duo— but not with Don Knotts

Hollywood, it seems, had other plans.

Shout! Factory, LLC

If you're a fan of classic comedy feature films, chances are you've seen Tim Conway and Don Knotts paired up together. After historic success on television, each man set his sights on the big screen.

Knotts left Mayberry for the big screen, and in between seasons of The Carol Burnett Show, Conway was cinema-bound as well. Together, the twosome starred in movies like The Apple Dumpling Gang, and The Private Eyes. Their pairings are remembered as some of the high points of each actor's career. 

However, despite his accomplishments with Knotts, Tim Conway originally intended to link up with a different comedy legend.

In an interview with the New Castle News in '77, Conway revealed plans for a new movie he'd written. Specifically, the film was going to be a prison spoof, and Conway had a former co-star in mind when he set about penning the project.

"I'd love to do something with [Harvey] Korman," Conway said of his fellow Carol Burnett Show alum.

"It depends where Harvey's at by that time. He's been out of television now, and that may be good for him. Harvey is one of the great comic actors, but he does everything so well that audiences accept him as an extension of the Burnett TV series and what he did on it. He's so good, people never identified him with what he is, but rather with what he played."

Fortunately for comedy fans, we all got the best of both worlds. Conway continued his lucrative partnership with Don Knotts for the sequel The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, leaving behind a few charming, well-remembered projects that saw the two stars onscreen together. But, he also reunited with Harvey Korman in the 1986 movie The Longshot, a movie about horse betting.

No matter who he teamed up with onscreen, Conway was a hit with audiences, because he was willing to risk his dignity for a laugh.

"There are not too many clowns willing to make idiots of themselves— which I am willing to do," he said.

"We don't have the likes of Harold Loyd, and Buster Keaton or W.C. Fields, whose personalities were strong enough to carry a movie. I believe I can do it."


Watch The Carol Burnett Show on MeTV!

Weeknights at 11 PM
Sundays at 10:30 PM

*available in most MeTV markets
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Close

15 Comments

JERRY6 7 days ago
All I know is Tim Conway makes me laugh in almost every show I have seen him in . Have to make sure I'm not drinking or eating while I watch him
sagafrat69 13 days ago
I think most people remember the pairing of Conway and Korman because of "The Carol Burnett Show". I do remember going to see "The Apple Dumpling Gang" with the family. A very funny movie for sure. Knotts and Conway both did great work in both movies and television. Conway's son does a radio show here in Los Angeles. He on occasion tells us behind the scenes stories of his father's home and professional life and what it was like growing up as the son of a great comic. One in a million funny man indeed.
LalaLucy 14 days ago
Loved both pairings. Each was a very talented comedian in their own way.
Jon 14 days ago
They both appeared in Disney's movie "Gus" but had no scenes together. Knotts played the head coach & Conway played a crook alongside Tom Bosley.
NancyEddy 14 days ago
I always said that Conway was the only comic I know of that could turn a second banana into a top banana. Proof of that was both Don Knotts and Harvey Korman. Loved watching them
Colorado80235 14 days ago
I remember when Harvey did a comedy single in a movie when he played, "Hedley LaMar" (pun) in Mel Brooks movie "Blazing Saddles"
bradyguy Colorado80235 13 days ago
Wait. WHAT?? That was a pun??
cperrynaples bradyguy 11 days ago
Fun Fact: the real Heddy Lamarr ALMOST sued Mel Brooks! He must have foreseen it because there's even a joke in the movie!
JHP 15 days ago
comparing don to tim is comparing porterhouse(tim) to don (white castle or mc'ds burger) . Don's fame was soon followed by a laugh track
Bapa1 15 days ago
Didn't they do a Diagnosis Murder episode together?
cperrynaples Bapa1 15 days ago
I think they did, it had Vicki but not Carol! And they left out The Prize Fighter! I'll always remember when the boxer used Tim's face as a speedbag...LOL! Don's expression was priceless!
JHP Bapa1 14 days ago
hope not with Jerry Van Dyke (yikes!)
bradyguy Bapa1 13 days ago
Well...now we're confusing our comedy duos. Your "they" is not very specific, given the other comments and the subject(s) of the article...

Conway and Korman did DM together....playing a not-subtle version of themselves.

Conway and Knotts did NOT do DM.

bradyguy cperrynaples 13 days ago
Again...if we're talking about Conway and Korman?? Yes. they did an ep of DM together.

But Vicki wasn't in it..Ms. Lawrence had been in an earlier ep...
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?