Noriyuke "Pat" Morita's interview is now online. Best known on television for his role of "Arnold" on Happy Days, this interview provides a fascinating account of his life and career. Click here to access all 7 segments.Interview Description:Pat Morita (1932-2005) talks about his early years, including his childhood internment in a camp in California for Japanese-Americans during World War II. He discusses turning to comedy performance at the age of 30, and his quick rise to his television debut on Hollywood Palace. He reminisces about landing a regular role on Happy Days as Arnold and working with the cast. He also discusses appearing on Sanford and Son and speaks fondly of his mentor, the late Redd Foxx. He also speaks of his work on the “Karate Kid” feature films. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on October 13, 2000.
The Archive celebrates the 100-year anniversary of Sheldon Leonard's birth today. Sheldon Leonard (1907-97) was one of the first people interviewed when the Archive of American Television began its pilot project in 1996.Although his interview is not yet online, here's a preview of part 3 ofSheldon's Leonard's Archive of American Television interview. In thisportion, Dick Van Dyke Show writer-producer Sam Denoff interviewsLeonard about The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Spy. PRESS THE PLAY ARROW IN THE PLAYER ABOVE TO WATCH THE SEGMENT NOW. Leonard was the executive producer of such classic television series as The Danny Thomas Show/Make Room for Daddy, The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and I Spy. He won two Emmy Awards— as director of Make Room for Daddy in 1961 and as producer of My World, and Welcome To It in 1970. In 1995 he was named an Honorary Life Member of the Directors Guild of America for his long-time services to the DGA as treasurer.Carl Reiner (Creator, The Dick Van Dyke Show) Sheldon was a great pedagogue, a great teacher. He had taught more people how to handle themselves as producers, writers, executives on television… everybody who ever came in Sheldon’s purview, they loved him because he was so good. If you talk to any of the people who ever worked with him, they’ll all have the same thing to say.Aaron Ruben (Producer-Director, The Andy Griffith Show)Sheldon Leonard was an actor, turned director, turned writer, turned producer, turned entrepreneur. He started on Broadway and appeared always as a gangster and in films… he was always a gangster because he talked out of the side of his mouth, even though he was very well educated and very articulate. Grant Tinker once said about Sheldon Leonard and the way he talked, he said he talks like a New Jersey longshoreman, using the words of William Buckley and it's true.Grant Tinker (Television Executive)Sheldon Leonard, who was a brilliant guy, instantly recognizable from playing sort of a Brooklyn tough guy in many movies and television shows, but off camera a very bright, creative director/writer. He didn’t actually sit at a typewriter and write but he contributed a great deal to the shows that he was involved with.Andy Griffith (Actor)I remember the first day [on The Andy Griffith Show]… Sheldon was a very bright astute man. The first day they shot with three cameras and the first day was always spent on the script. So that day I didn't have much to say at all. Artie Stander, Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard yelled at one another all day. I asked Sheldon if I could talk to him at the end of the day and he walked me to the gate. I said, if this is what television is, I don't think I can handle it. He said, "Andy, the, the star dictates what the attitude will be on the set. Danny likes to yell so we all yell [on The Danny Thomas Show]. If you don't want to yell, nobody will yell." That's the way it was.
Sheldon was a great pedagogue, a great teacher. He had taught more people how to handle themselves as producers, writers, executives on television… everybody who ever came in Sheldon’s purview, they loved him because he was so good. If you talk to any of the people who ever worked with him, they’ll all have the same thing to say.
Sheldon Leonard was an actor, turned director, turned writer, turned producer, turned entrepreneur. He started on Broadway and appeared always as a gangster and in films… he was always a gangster because he talked out of the side of his mouth, even though he was very well educated and very articulate. Grant Tinker once said about Sheldon Leonard and the way he talked, he said he talks like a New Jersey longshoreman, using the words of William Buckley and it's true.
Sheldon Leonard, who was a brilliant guy, instantly recognizable from playing sort of a Brooklyn tough guy in many movies and television shows, but off camera a very bright, creative director/writer. He didn’t actually sit at a typewriter and write but he contributed a great deal to the shows that he was involved with.
I remember the first day [on The Andy Griffith Show]… Sheldon was a very bright astute man. The first day they shot with three cameras and the first day was always spent on the script. So that day I didn't have much to say at all. Artie Stander, Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard yelled at one another all day. I asked Sheldon if I could talk to him at the end of the day and he walked me to the gate. I said, if this is what television is, I don't think I can handle it. He said, "Andy, the, the star dictates what the attitude will be on the set. Danny likes to yell so we all yell [on The Danny Thomas Show]. If you don't want to yell, nobody will yell." That's the way it was.
We're always on the lookout for the latest and greatest TV books, recently a 2003 publication we had missed, crossed our desks....
Quinn Martin, Producer: A Behind-the-Scenes History of QM Productions and Its Founder by Jonathan Etter (ISBN 0-7864-1501-0, 232 pages, $39.95) gives a brief personal history of Quinn Martin (nee Irwin Martin Cohn) (1922-1987) and then provides full chapters on many of his most memorable series including: The Fugitive, The FBI, The Invaders, Dan August, Barnaby Jones, The Untouchables, The Streets of San Francisco, Banyan, Tales of the Unexpected, and Cannon (and a few pilots and movies). The book highlights his specific contributions to the series (In terms of writing, casting and editing), as well as his dealings with the networks and other behind-the-scenes goings-on.
If you're a fan of Martin's many series, you'll enjoy the inside information culled from the interviews Etter did with many of the shows' personnel.
Dr. Robert Adler, who died at age 93, was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on October 11, 2004. His two-and-a-half hour oral history interview can be viewed at Television Academy Headquarters in North Hollywood.Interview description:Dr. Adler spoke in great detail about his pioneering work as the developer of the first practical wireless television remote control (co-invented with fellow Zenith engineer Eugene Polley). Adler talked about his long association with Zenith, which began shortly after he emigrated to the United States in 1940. He discussed the evolution of the remote control’s invention at Zenith, which began with an attached remote box and cable. He talked about the impractical light-activated wireless versions that preceded his ultrasonic (and practical) version. He described the theory behind his invention as well as its technical specifications. Adler then discussed other key innovations in television for which he contributed. He also talked about the research department at Zenith and detailed its makeup and functions. He then talked about his involvement in current technologies, including touch screen and HDTV. B-roll consisted of cover shots and illustrations from journal articles regarding some of his most significant work.UPDATE: 12/01/2007 Dr. Robert Adler's full Archive of American Television interview is now online. Click here to access.UPDATE: 12/29/2007 The life of Dr. Robert Adler is recounted in The New York Times Magazine's year-end special, "The Lives They Lived." Click here to access John Gertner's excellent profile (which includes a mention of his Archive interview).
Harvey Korman— Carol Burnett Show regular, Mel Brooks films ensemble player, and The Flintstones' Great Gazoo— turns 80 years old today.The Archive asks: What are your favorite comedy moments from Harvey Korman's career? Click here to access the Archive of American Television Interview with Harvey Korman.Click here to access the Archive of American Television Interview with Harvey Korman and Tim Conway discussing their work together.
Peter Ellenshaw, a matte artist whose work was seen in many projects for Walt Disney, has died at age 93. Mr. Ellenshaw's interview can be viewed at Television Academy headquarters in North Hollywood.Interview description:Mr. Ellenshaw described his long association with the Walt Disney Studios where he became a preeminent matte artist. He discussed the craft of the matte artist and how a matte is incorporated into a film. He talked about Disney’s foray into television with the Disneyland series, and mentioned his work on such segments of the show as Davy Crockett. B-roll consisted of Ellenshaw voicing-over descriptions of mattes done for various projects, as well as a few photos from his Disney years. Additionally, a 30-minute interview was conducted with his son, Harrison Ellenshaw, who talked about his father as well as the work that he has done as a special effects artist in his own right, which includes the feature film Star Wars. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on September 11, 2003.Link to Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw's website.
Glen & Les Charles (along with James Burrows) are best known for creating the classic sitcom Cheers. Their 8-part Archive of American Televison Interview is now available for viewing online. The Charles brothers were interviewed separately about their early years and influences and jointly about their contributions to television as writer-producers. "Take a break from all your worries" and click here to access their complete interview.Interview description:The writing-partner brothers talked about their early years growing up near Las Vegas, Nevada and their decision in the mid-70s to try their hand at freelance writing for television. They talked about selling their first script (to M*A*S*H) and their break into staff writing at MTM Productions where they worked as writer-producers on Phyllis and the final season of The Bob Newhart Show. They talked about other writing assignments on such series as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Betty White Show. They detailed working with the cast and crew on the hit series Taxi, for which they produced (and wrote for) the ABC run [the show would run a final season on NBC]. The two chronicled their creation (with James Burrows) of the series Cheers for which they served as producers and later executive producers during the show’s entire eleven year run. The interview was conducted by Gary Rutkowski on December 8, 2003.
Director David Pressman was one of the key directors on the early anthology series Actors Studio which was the first dramatic series awarded the Peabody Award.Actors Studio featured many of the young "method" actors who would come to prominence in later years including Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, and Julie Harris. Pressman himself appeared as an actor in the series very first production— Tennessee Williams' "Portrait of a Madonna" starring Jessica Tandy and directed by Hume Cronyn.Click here to access David Pressman's entire 7-part interview.
Noriyuke "Pat" Morita's interview is now online. Best known on television for his role of "Arnold" on Happy Days, this interview provides a fascinating account of his life and career. Click here to access all 7 segments.
