Emmy-Winning Writer Bob Illes on Comedy, Chaos, and Classic TV

Update: 2025-07-21

Description

Before Bob Illes was writing for The Carol Burnett Show, Smothers Brothers, and Silver Spoons, he was just a kid trying to climb inside his black-and-white TV.

In this wildly funny and revealing conversation, Bob shares the misadventures, backstage feuds, celebrity run-ins (hello, Groucho Marx and Peter Sellers), and ridiculous showbiz politics that shaped his decades-long career in TV comedy. From bombing in front of Joey Bishop to being snubbed by Steve Martin (but in a friendly way), it's a behind-the-scenes rollercoaster full of laughs and jaw-dropping moments.

Episode Highlights:

What it's like to write comedy for Cosby, Carol Burnett, and Fred Willard
Bob's college radio show that accidentally became a star-studded madhouse
The truth behind Jason Bateman getting booted from Silver Spoons
Why Groucho Marx had to keep his cigar wrapped in plastic
Pitching a gay bar storyline to Sanford & Son… in 1973

You're going to love my conversation with Bob Illes

- IMDB

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Thanks for checking out Classic Conversations! Dive into pop culture nostalgia with comedian Jeff Dwoskin as he hosts the best TV and film interviews. Hear inspiring stories from actors, comedians, musicians, and pop culture icons about the road to success. Part comedy, part drama—always entertaining.