Tag: canned laughter

By the mid 1960’s, Douglass’ laugh tracks were eminent; shows like The Brady Bunch and My Three Sons are practically showcases of his work. But even at the time, the use of laugh tracks was derided by some creatives. Bob Unger told Billboard Magazine in 1955 that laugh tracks were a “necessary evil”, as at-home audiences still expected live studio audiences for their favorite shows. But as the years have gone by and comedy has continued to evolve, most of us now see canned laughter as an oft-grating relic of the past, representing a bygone era of comedy. So why do some shows still use it?