Template:Laugh Track
 |
Comic 1: Why did the chicken cross the road? —(Enormously loud blast of screaming laughter from audience).
|
 |
|
See? The laugh track tells you what's funny. You don't even need to think!
—Granddad, The Boondocks
|
|
Closed-captioning for the humor-impaired.
In the early days of television, comedies were "traditionally" performed essentially as short plays in front of a live Studio Audience, broadcast live or with minimal editing (see Three Cameras). However, as television production grew more sophisticated in the late 1940s and early 1950s, there was at least a partial shift from live performances to productions that were filmed movie-style in a closed sound stage. The latter gave the director more freedom in selecting shots and angles, as well as the luxury of multiple takes. However, there was no longer an audience to provide instant feedback on the humor.