Stuff You Should Know Short Stuff: Laugh Tracks
Sep 21, 2022
Dive into the intriguing history of laugh tracks, invented by a controversial sound engineer in the 1950s. Discover how these curated bursts of laughter shaped iconic sitcoms and enhanced viewer engagement. Explore their nostalgic value, especially in classics like Scooby-Doo, and the debates they sparked between executives and audiences over the years. Finally, learn how the absence of laugh tracks alters humor perception and the creative ways they're being reimagined in modern media.
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Laugh Track Debut
- Charlie Douglas's first laugh track debuted in 1950 on "The Hank McKeown Show".
- It was a rudimentary attempt, using spliced-together recordings of real laughter.
The Laugh Box
- Charlie Douglas built a "laugh box" to control the laughter, not just splicing tape.
- The machine resembled a filing cabinet, built with household appliance parts and vacuum tubes.
Laugh Track Reception
- Studio executives loved the laugh track, as it solved problems with live audiences.
- However, most others viewed it as phony or corny.