Do you remember those nights when everything felt just right—when laughter came easy, and we all gathered around to watch something so funny it left us gasping for air? Here’s a hidden comedy treasure, a sketch that feels like a time machine, transporting you back to the golden era of humor—just waiting to be rediscovered.
Set during lunchtime at the grand Croft mansion, the scene is brimming with Victorian-era drama.
Harvey Korman and Vicki Lawrence portray Lance and Evelyn, a married couple locked in a hilariously over-the-top dispute about loyalty, dance lessons, and, naturally, the absurd behavior of their servants. Tim Conway and Carol Burnett take on the roles of the butler and maid, who quickly find themselves unwilling participants in their employers’ ridiculous antics. What begins as a composed, professional demeanor soon unravels as they’re ordered to argue, slap, and act out every outrageous whim thrown their way.
With a lineup of comedy legends, Butler and the Maid is a nonstop laugh riot. The sketch kicks off with Evelyn confronting Lance over rumors of his infidelity, delivering her accusations with dramatic flair, while Tim Conway’s ever-composed butler attempts to maintain his stoic presence. As tensions rise between the couple, it’s actually the servants—Louella and Benchley—who steal the spotlight with their brilliantly timed reactions to every theatrical outburst.
More than just background characters, they become entangled in a battle of egos, their deadpan delivery elevating the chaos to another level. Louella scrambles to fix Evelyn’s makeup, spoon-feeding her like a child, and dutifully carrying out every absurd order with an air of elegance, making the whole situation even funnier. This sketch is a masterful send-up of Victorian melodrama and over-the-top opulence, but what truly makes it unforgettable is the effortless comedic genius of Burnett and Conway.