Branson, Missouri, the Live Entertainment Capital of the Midwest, has quite a rich history in many different areas. Hideout for outlaws? Check. World famous theme park that starting out as a way to entertain spelunkers? In the books. World famous fishing? You got it. Branson has a history for generally being awesome – and they’ve even got a long standing reputation for being on TV, or hosting television famous celebrities! Check out some highlights of the Branson TV history that has happened here in town below.
The Beverly Hillbillies: Many folks have fond memories of watching the classic television show ‘The Beverly Hillbillies,’ an on air comedy written about a backwoods family who strikes it rich when the neigShowtimering oil well offers to buy them out – with their newfound wealth, Jed Clampett and his family set out to move into Beverly Hills, California – where they are a bit out of place at times! – in this comical rags to riches show. In the late 1960’s, five episodes of the eighth season of The Beverly Hillbillies were filmed in Branson, Missouri, at the world famous theme park, Silver Dollar City. The publicity that surrounded the filming and airing of these five episodes of the popular show actually prompted many folks from out of town to come visit Branson, and Silver Dollar City!
Yakov: Many people are familiar with Yakov’s hilarious but still patriotic live entertainment show in Branson. But you may not know that Yakov used to be a TV personality! Born in the Soviet Union, Yakov immigrated to the United States in 1977. He went right to work performing as a stand-up comic, and in the 1980’s, he caught a few breaks performing in films and television shows. He was first given a small role in the movie ‘Moscow on the Hudson’ with Robin Williams, and began to frequently appear on ‘The Night Show.’ This led to his own TV show, a comedy called ‘What a Country,’ that featured him acting as a Russian immigrant that was constantly confused and delighted by life in the United States. Yakov still continues to make people laugh wherever he goes, and makes him a popular Branson TV star that the town is thrilled to host!
The Price Is Right: The Price Is Right is a game show that folks have loved for years, and in 2014, this well-known show became a part of Branson TV history! Hosted by TV personalities Jerry Springer and JD Roberto, folks from Branson and the surrounding areas had the chance to come on stage and play favorite games like Plinko, The Big Wheel, Cliffhanger and others for cash, home appliances, vacation packages, and even cars!
These are just a few of the Branson TV history moments and stars that the Live Entertainment Capital of the Midwest has played host to. Branson is also home to the RFD-TV Theater, where live entertainment programming is produced and performed. Be sure to watch your screen for more glimpses of Branson, Missouri!
