Changes

''TV Guide'' [[magazine]], which placed Raye on its cover for its January 15, 1954, edition, described her comic antics as "boisterous, rowdy affairs, full of slapstick, wild plot lines and fantastic mugging - with appropriate crossed eyes, crooked arm and other contortionist business. But she's one of only a handful of clowns who can pull it off."<ref name=raye>{{cite web |author=Jim Davidson|publisher=Classic TV Info |url=http://www.classictvinfo.com/MarthaRayeShow/ |title=The Martha Raye Show |date=August 12, 2007 |accessdate=January 25, 2020}}</ref> ''Variety'' dubbed  Raye "the funniest femme in television," at a time when her competitors included [[Lucille Ball]], Eve Arden,  Gracie Allen,  and Joan Davis.<ref name=raye/> Raye would be less remembered over the years than the other comedians because their work was shown in repeated rebroadcasts of their television series.<ref name=raye/>​

''TV Guide'' [[magazine]], which placed Raye on its cover for its January 15, 1954, edition, described her comic antics as "boisterous, rowdy affairs, full of slapstick, wild plot lines and fantastic mugging - with appropriate crossed eyes, crooked arm and other contortionist business. But she's one of only a handful of clowns who can pull it off."<ref name=raye>{{cite web |author=Jim Davidson|publisher=Classic TV Info |url=http://www.classictvinfo.com/MarthaRayeShow/ |title=The Martha Raye Show |date=August 12, 2007 |accessdate=January 25, 2020}}</ref> ''Variety'' dubbed  Raye "the funniest femme in television," at a time when her competitors included [[Lucille Ball]], Eve Arden,  Gracie Allen,  and Joan Davis.<ref name=raye/> Raye would be less remembered over the years than the other comedians because their work was shown in repeated rebroadcasts of their television series.<ref name=raye/>​

Most ''Martha Raye Show'' episodes opened with a song-and-dance number performed by the Danny Daniels Dancers and later the Herb Ross Dancers. Known thereafter as Herbert Ross, the choreographer, would later be involved in such pictures as ''The Sunshine Boys'' and ''Steel Magnolias]].'' Hiken and writer Billy Friedberg left at the end of the 1953-1954 transitional season, and were replaced by Norman Lear and Ed Simmons, both formerly of ''The Colgate Comedy Hour.'' Lear and Simmons largely followed the route that Hiken had blazed, and ''The Martha Raye Show'' lasted ran for two additional seasons.<ref name=raye/>

Most ''Martha Raye Show'' episodes opened with a song-and-dance number performed by the Danny Daniels Dancers and later the Herb Ross Dancers. Known thereafter as Herbert Ross, the choreographer, would later be involved in such pictures as ''The Sunshine Boys'' and ''Steel Magnolias.'' Nat Hiken and writer Billy Friedberg left at the end of the 1953-1954 transitional season, and were replaced by Norman Lear and Ed Simmons, both formerly of ''The Colgate Comedy Hour.'' Lear and Simmons largely followed the route that Hiken had blazed, and ''The Martha Raye Show'' lasted ran for two additional seasons.<ref name=raye/>

In the episode which aired on September 20, 1955, guest star Tallulah Bankhead, a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], and Raye, a [[Republican Party|Republican]],  welcomed Gloria Lockerman, a 12-year-old [[African American]] girl who had been a winner on CBS's ''The $64,000 Question.'' Bankhead and Raye hugged and kissed the girl. Many protest letters came, and ''TV Guide'' claimed ''The Martha Raye Show'' lost popularity because of the incident.<ref name=raye/>​

In the episode which aired on September 20, 1955, guest star Tallulah Bankhead, a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], and Raye, a [[Republican Party|Republican]],  welcomed Gloria Lockerman, a 12-year-old [[African American]] girl who had been a winner on CBS's ''The $64,000 Question.'' Bankhead and Raye hugged and kissed the girl. Many protest letters came, and ''TV Guide'' claimed ''The Martha Raye Show'' lost popularity because of the incident.<ref name=raye/>​