1970-1974

In 1970, Sonny and Cher starred in their first television special, The Sonny and Cher Nitty Gritty Hour. A mixture of slapstick comedy, skits and live music, the appearance was a critical success, which led to numerous guest spots on other television shows.

Sonny and Cher caught the eye of CBS head of programming Fred Silverman while guest-hosting The Merv Griffin Show, and Silverman offered the duo their own variety show. The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuted in 1971 as a summer replacement series. The show returned to prime time later that year and was an immediate hit, quickly reaching the Top 10. The show received 15 Emmy Award nominations during its run, winning one for direction.

Among the many guests who appeared on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour were Chuck Berry, Carol Burnett, George Burns, Glen Campbell, Dick Clark, Tony Curtis, Bobby Darin, Phyllis Diller, Merv Griffin, The Jackson Five, Jerry Lee Lewis, Liberace, Steve Martin, Ronald Reagan, Burt Reynolds, Neil Sedaka, Dinah Shore, The Supremes, Sally Struthers, The Righteous Brothers and Racquel Welch.

The duo also revived its recording career, releasing four more albums for Kapp Records and MCA Records that included two more Top 10 hits: All I Ever Need Is You (#7, 1971) and A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done (#8, 1972).


The performance of Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.Now 25, Cher continued to establish herself as a solo recording artist, enlisting the help of hit producer Snuff Garrett. Her first solo number-one hit was Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (1971). Released in September 1971, the album of the same name peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200, and remained on the chart for 45 weeks. Another single from the album, The Way of Love (1972) peaked at #7 in February 1972.

Cher scored her second number one with Half-Breed (1973) which became a signature song from the gold-certified album Half-Breed. In 1974, Cher had her third #1 solo hit with Dark Lady (1974), also from the album of the same name. Cher's first Greatest Hits album was released in 1974.

By the third season of the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, the marriage of Sonny and Cher was falling apart; the duo separated later that year. The show imploded, while still in the top 10 of the ratings. What followed was a nasty, very public divorce (finalized on June 27, 1975). Cher won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour in 1974.

Bono launched his own show, The Sonny Comedy Revue, in the fall of 1974 while Cher also announced plans to host and star in a new variety TV series of her own. Bono’s show was abruptly canceled, however, after only six weeks.[15