For 11 years, Tim Conway was one of the defining performers on The Carol Burnett Show, helping turn its sketches into some of the most memorable comedy moments of their era. Long before Saturday Night Live transformed television sketch comedy, The Carol Burnett Show was already a major force on TV, and Conway became an essential part of its ensemble alongside Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman and Vicki Lawrence.

Conway had a rare ability to make even the simplest scene unpredictable. His understated delivery, impeccable timing and mischievous approach to comedy often made his characters seem completely sincere—even when everything around them was falling apart.

Although Conway passed away at 85, his work continues to find new audiences online. Many of the most popular Carol Burnett Show sketches remain available through the show’s official YouTube channel, giving longtime fans a chance to revisit them and younger viewers an opportunity to discover what made him such a beloved performer.

Here are several sketches that capture Conway at his best.

“The Dentist”

One of Conway’s most famous collaborations with Harvey Korman features him as a nervous dentist on his first day at work.

Rather than confidently treating his patient, Conway’s character seems increasingly eager to convince Korman that the appointment might be a bad idea. His polite, well-intentioned manner only makes the escalating disaster funnier.

It is a classic example of Conway’s ability to play an utterly incompetent character without ever making the performance feel forced.

“Sleep No More My Lady”

Conway’s comedy was never limited to dialogue. He was also a gifted physical performer, and this sketch puts that talent front and center.

As he attempts to quietly prepare breakfast, one small problem after another turns the seemingly ordinary task into a spectacular failure. Conway’s careful movements and understated reactions make the physical comedy even more effective.

“Vacuum Salesman”

In this sketch, Conway plays a seemingly helpless door-to-door vacuum salesman who manages to convince Vicki Lawrence to do much of his work for him.

His character’s apparent ineptitude hides a surprisingly effective ability to manipulate the situation. By the end, he has even managed to keep the change.

The sketch demonstrates how Conway could combine physical comedy, acting and subtle character work in the same performance.

“Tough Truckers”

Conway and Korman were an especially effective comedy pairing, and “Tough Truckers” is another example of why their chemistry worked so well.

The two play divorced men attempting to project an exaggerated image of toughness and masculinity. Their macho posturing gradually gives way to misery, creating plenty of opportunities for both performers to play off one another.

Their ability to shift effortlessly between bravado and desperation makes the sketch particularly memorable.

“Airline Security”

Long before airport security became associated with the TSA, Conway was already finding comedy in the frustrations of air travel.

Here, he plays an exceptionally slow and confused airline security guard opposite an increasingly exasperated Korman. Conway barely needs to raise his voice to get laughs; his deliberate, deadpan delivery does most of the work.

One of the sketch’s memorable bits involves him having to stamp a ticket one letter at a time for “Los Angeles,” turning a routine procedure into an absurdly drawn-out ordeal.

“Mrs. Wiggins: The Vacation”

The recurring “Mrs. Wiggins” sketches are centered on Burnett’s secretary character, but Conway frequently became the scene-stealer as her Romanian boss, Mr. Tudball.

In “The Vacation,” Mr. Tudball attempts to teach Wiggins how to play blackjack before her trip to Las Vegas. As might be expected, his efforts do not exactly produce the results he wants.

The character gave Conway another opportunity to demonstrate his gift for creating larger-than-life personalities while maintaining his trademark understated style.

“The Interrogator”

Conway takes on a very different role in this lengthy sketch, playing a Nazi interrogator who is neither particularly intimidating nor particularly competent.

Instead of dominating the interrogation room, he repeatedly creates problems for himself and damages the environment around him. The comedy comes from the contrast between the seriousness of the setting and Conway’s deliberately ineffectual performance.

Lyle Waggoner even breaks character partway through the sketch, adding another layer of comedy. On The Carol Burnett Show, performers losing composure was hardly unusual—and those moments often became part of the show’s charm.

“The Oldest Man: The Captain”

Among Conway’s many characters, the Oldest Man is arguably the one most closely associated with his legacy.

The character allowed Conway to combine broad physical comedy with a surprisingly restrained performance. He could turn ridiculous situations and elaborate physical gags into something that felt completely natural.

That was perhaps Conway’s greatest comedic gift. Even when a scene was deliberately absurd, he rarely played it as though he knew how ridiculous it was. Instead, he committed completely to the character, making the unbelievable feel ordinary.

That combination of sincerity, precision and physical comedy helped make Conway’s performances endure long after The Carol Burnett Show left its original television run.

Source: Compiled from various sources