CHER

Across the road from the CBS Television City studios in Hollywood is a sprawling farmers’ market with gourmet grocers, taco stalls and an ice-creamery that serves cabernet sauvignon-flavoured sorbet. It was here, in 1971, that producers from the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour bribed shoppers with a free meal to attend the first taping of the show. “At that time, no-one really cared about Sonny and Cher,” says producer Allan Blye of the married musical duo most famous for their 1965 track “I Got You Babe”. “We begged people to come across the street and sit for the taping.”

During that show – in which Sonny and Cher wore matching fringed outfits – something miraculous happened. The soundstage echoed with hoots of laughter and claps of applause from the audience. Even more miraculous? They weren’t bribed to do either. “After the very first show aired, we never had to bribe another audience [to come