I remembered a story about a classic pair that was surprized on This is your Life.
In the early 50s, Laurel and Hardy's movie career had faded, but they weren't forgotten.
Laurel and Hardy were staying at a nearby hotel, as they were touring and doing stage shows featuring new L&H material. The surprise was really more of a shock. The camera crew literally barged into their hotel room, and Oliver Hardy, thinking he was going to be mugged, covers his shirt pocket to protect his wallet.
As Ralph explained to "the boys" that they were on TV, they exited the hotel, and walked to the studio.
What followed was Ralph filling 10 minutes of time. Apparently, neither Stan or Ollie really liked the idea of going infront of the cameras unprepared, and with Ollie's large frame, it took him longer than anticipated to walk to the studio. Also, neither of them were paid for their appearance. They eventually made it to the studio, but it was evident that neither of them looked too comfy.
Betty White also was surprised on a special presentation in 87. Amongst the highlights were the entire MTM cast entering in the same huddle (minus MTM, who appeared via satellite, and Ted Knight, who passed on not long before) that they were in during the last episode of MTM. Also, Betty was presented with a star belonging to the late Allen Ludden, and was told his star would be placed next to hers.
