9-1-1's Peter Krause's TV Acting Debut Was On A Forgotten Carol Burnett Comedy Show

Few actors can say that their very first TV role involved working with a bona fide legend, but "9-1-1" and "Line of Fire" star Peter Krause can. At the beginning of his career, Krause joined the cast of Carol Burnett's comedy show, "Carol & Company," which aired on NBC from 1990 to 1991. Although the show didn't share the success or longevity of Burnett's famed "Carol Burnett Show," the series starred greats such as Richard Kind, Jeremy Piven, and Terry Kiser, and produced 34 episodes across two seasons.

Krause played a variety of skit characters on "Carol & Company," and the job ended up having a profound impact on his career trajectory. Early in his acting journey, which included getting into NYU's MFA acting program, his parents hadn't been completely on board with his dreams. However, landing a job with Burnett helped to smooth things over. "They were really relieved when I was on TV with Carol Burnett," he told Backstage. "She was my first, wonderful boss, and so supportive. Carol helped my parents accept what I was doing."

In particular, Krause's dad was apparently surprised when Krause was able to pay for their lunch tab from his work on "Carol & Company." "I finally got to take my dad out for lunch, and grabbed the check and signed the bill," Krause later told Investing. "He looked at me and said, 'Well, this is different.'"

Peter Krause has often spoken about working with Carol Burnett over the years, and it's clear that he holds his former boss and co-star in high esteem. He even name-dropped her (along with another Hollywood legend) when Mpls.St.Paul magazine asked if Tiny Tim, who he'd worked with on "Blood Harvest," was his "greatest co-star." "Uh, I did work with Carol Burnett," he replied. "And I'm currently working with Angela Bassett. So, I think I'm going to have to take a false on that."

Of course, it's not surprising that Krause seems to have stationed Burnett so highly — but what exactly does Burnett think about him? When speaking with Backstage, she had nothing but positive things to say about him. "Peter came in to audition, I read with him, and we said, 'That's it,'" she told the publication. "Right away, we knew he had good comedy chops." She added: "A show is only as good as the people you cast, and he didn't disappoint."

Overall, it sounds like Krause and Burnett were a match made in TV heaven — even if "Carol & Company" didn't quite have the saying power of Krause's best TV shows.