Legendary comedian Tim Conway finally made his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1977, 16 years after Johnny started hosting the long-running, late-night program.

Comedy is an art form. Yes, talent and hard work are both involved in making people laugh themselves silly. But true comedic geniuses seem to have a knack for knowing what works and what does not. People like Robin Williams, Bill Murray, Steve Martin and Carol Burnett seemed to possess this unteachable ability to quickly read a room and have the audience cracking up minutes later. 

The late Tim Conway fit into that exclusive group of people skilled in the comedic arts. He showed his gift for funny time and again as a cast member of The Carol Burnett Show. In his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Tim talked about The Carol Burnett Show, overcoming stage fright, causing Harvey Korman to break character on the show and being the father of six.

Early in the clip, Johnny mentions that after 16 years, Tim was finally on the show. He doesn’t ask directly, but Johnny clearly wants an explanation for Tim’s absence from his show. Of course, Tim responds the only way he can: with lightning-quick wit and excellent comedic timing.

“Well, I didn’t know you did this,” Tim says. “No, that’s true. We’ve known each other for what? Four or five years? And you never said what you do.”

Later in the clip, Johnny comments about how Tim and Harvey Korman are always causing one another to break character and laugh during skits on The Carol Burnett Show. Once again, Tim hilariously answers how Harvey’s laughter on the show during skits helped to provide Tim’s children with an education.

“We had a $50 bet going that if I could break him up, he’d give me $50,” Tim said. “And if he could break me up, I’d give him $50. And he put three of my kids through school.”

Proverbs 17:22 “A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.”