Mama’s Family’ Reunion: Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett ‘Reconnect’ After Feud
“Mama’s Family” star Vicki Lawrence recently opened up about her relationship with Carol Burnett.
The actresses co-starred on the hit variety/sketch comedy TV series “The Carol Burnett Show” for 11 seasons, from 1967 to 1978.
However, the two who are close, had a fight when “The Carol Burnett Show’s” the spinoff series “Mama’s Family” was taping. On Screen Rant, Lawrence continued to reveal how they really were able to close up the gap and explained that they have gotten closer over the years.
“I’m glad we are so close now,” Lawrence said. “We’re closer than we ever have been, really.”
Burnett began with a steady position on the “Mama’s Family” series, which boasts Lawrence as Thelma “Mama” Harper, a role that she launched on “The Carol Burnett Show.”
But Burnett ceased her appearances on the spinoff series during her split with Joe Hamilton, an executive producer on both “Mama’s Family” and “The Carol Burnett Show.”
“I’m glad we are so close now,” Lawrence said. “We’re closer than we ever have been, really.” — Vicki Lawrence
Burnett and Hamilton, who died in 1991, got married in 1963 and have three daughters- Carrie, Jodie, and Erin. Burnett married and divorced her former lover Hamilton in 1984, which was a year after “Mama’s Family” aired.
Lawrence to Screen Rant : Burnett started keeping distance from the “Mama’s Family” cast during her bitter split from Hamilton.
“She went through a horrible divorce,” Lawrence recalled. “So, it was almost … for a while there, it was almost like she divorced all of us who were involved with [Hamilton] at all. I know it was tough for her. She spent a long time …
“She talked to my husband one night,” the actress continued. “She called it was early in the ‘Mama’s Family’ run. I was making dinner. My son answered the phone, and she said, ‘Can I talk to your dad?’ And I said, ‘Who is it?’ And my son said, ‘It’s Carol.’ I said, ‘Does she want to talk to me?’ And he said, ‘No, she wants to talk to dad.’ And it kind of broke my heart.”.
“But she did say to Al, my husband, ‘I promise I’ll be back. I promise.’ and when she was back, she was fully back,” Lawrence recalled. “But I know it was a really tough time for her. It was more sad than anything.”
Lawrence was married to makeup artist Al Schultz for nearly 50 years until he died, aged 82, in June. Al worked as a makeup artist on “The Carol Burnett Show” and other hits like “All in the Family” and “Good Times.” The couple shares daughter Courtney and son Garett.
In 2019, Lawrence credited Burnett with introducing her to her future spouse in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Carol found my husband for me,” Lawrence said. “Al had just gotten into the makeup union. And Carol was sitting in her dressing room, and Al walked by. She told her secretary that he was adorable and wanted him on the show. Carol has been largely responsible for most everything in my adult life.”
Speaking with Screen Rant, Lawrence observed that Burnett had indeed gone through many tough times in her life. Burnett and Hamilton’s daughter Carrie had struggled with drug addiction during her adolescence years. She remained sober since she was 15 years old, although she did relapse, when at 17 years old for a short time.
Burnett and Hamilton finally went public with her daughter’s problems in hopes of helping other families and ultimately became fundraisers for the center where Carrie was being treated, according to the Los Angeles Times. According to reports, the former couple also stated that Carrie’s addiction problems were part of the reasons that led to their divorce.
Carrie died of cancer in 2002 at age 38. Burnett and Hamilton’s daughter Erin also has battled drug addiction. In 2020, Burnett and her third husband, Brian Miller, gained temporary legal guardianship of Erin’s teenage son Dylan due to Erin’s issues with substance abuse.
“I feel bad for her for all she’s been through,” Lawrence said of Burnett.
“You know, she hasn’t had an easy time. Carol, God love her,” she continued. “She loves what she does, and she’s the best in the world at it. But behind the scenes, as I think it is with many big performers, her personal life hasn’t been the easiest, you know?
Speaking with Screen Rant, Lawrence also commented on the influence Burnett had in her career. Burnett discovered Lawrence when she was just an 18-year-old aspiring actress, and promoted that the newcomer join the cast of “The Carol Burnett Show” at the time as a relative unknown.
She made Lawrence a friend, and besides, seven-time Emmy Award winner Carol Kane was Lawrence’s mentor and also gave her her first lead role in “Mama’s Family,” much to Lawrence’s chagrin.
“I think the most important thing I learned from Carol is how the business of show business should run,” Lawrence said. “It should be fun, and if it’s not fun, you’re doing it wrong.”.
“It’s just gotten to be such a hard business,” she added. “I was just so lucky to be raised on ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ by the best teachers in the world. So, what happened to me just doesn’t happen to anybody else.”
She and Lawrence will co-star onscreen when he was cast in a supporting role in the second season of the Apple+ TV show “Palm Royale,” which stars Burnett.
“I shot a few scenes, but I haven’t shot with Carol yet,” Lawrence said Screen Rant. “But they said that I will.”
