Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, hosts of Laugh-In (NBC, 1968 to 1973) Rowan and Martin were a nightclub double act of the most traditional kind: Rowan the exasperated straight man, Martin the dim guy who derailed every introduction with misunderstandings and tangents. Their genius was putting that old-fashioned anchor at the center of the fastest, most fragmented show on 1960s television, where gags, catchphrases and one-liners flew past in seconds. The hosts' segments give the chaos a rhythm to return to. Start with any early episode and wait for the sign-off, Rowan's "Say good night, Dick" and Martin's "Good night, Dick!"