Happy New Year 2010!

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve reaches its 38th annual edition with the Dec. 31, 2009- January 1, 2010 special. Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest will host the special starting at 10:00 p.m. (ET & PT) from New York (with Fergie as Las Vegas co-host). Dick Clark spoke about his first New Year's special in 1959 and his inauguration of New Year's Rockin' Eve in 1972 (competing with Guy Lombardo who at that time “owned” New Year’s Eve on TV), when he was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on July 29, 1999.

Music legend Paul Shaffer's Archive interview is online

Watch the Archive's fun and informative interview with David Letterman and early-SNL music guru Paul Shaffer. Among our favorite moments: he plays an impromptu theme song for his new memoir (see the clip below):



Interview description:
In his Archive interview, Paul Shaffer talks about serving as a musician/performer on Saturday Night Live , as well as his long association with David Letterman as music director of Late Night with David Letterman and The Late Show with David Letterman. Paul Shaffer was interviewed in New York, NY on June 24, 2009; Dan Pasternack conducted the three-and-a-half-hour interview.

Sid Caesar on "Your Show of Shows," and "Caesar's Hour"

Sid Caesar's Archive of American Television Interview is now fully catalogued. Caesar is a seminal figure in early TV comedy and one of the first recipients of the Emmy Award for Best Actor (in 1952).

Interview description:
Sid Caesar emphasizes the challenge of doing live TV in the early days of the medium: “Doing a show live on television is a different animal altogether than doing TV today. I mean on tape, that's like relaxing. That's like going on vacation!” He recounts his early years as a performer, including his time writing and acting in shows for the Armed Forces. He notes how his first series, Admiral Broadway Revue was launched, that gave way to the now classic Your Show of Shows. He speaks about the phenomenon of “live” TV and the pressures and rewards of helming an hour-and-a-half weekly variety series. Caesar speaks about NBC’s decision to separate the network’s Your Show of Shows commodities by having producer Max Liebman do TV “spectaculars” and giving Caesar and co-star Imogene Coca their own shows. He expresses how surprised he was that Your Show of Shows was ending: “I said we've got a winning combination. What are you breaking things up for? Four years. That's it?” Caesar then discusses his next successful venue, the variety series Caesar’s Hour, with Nanette Fabray filling the void left by Imogene Coca. From both Your Show of Shows and Caesar’s Hour, Caesar chronicles such famous sketches as “The Professor,” “The Hickenloopers” and “The Haircuts.” He also humorously recounts many of the gaffes that occurred on “live” television, including the time he forgot the name of the guest star during the show’s introduction, when he was dressed in the wrong costume seconds before going on, and when his make-up pencil broke during his Pagliacci take-off (leading to one of his most-famous ad-libs). He then frankly discusses his bout with alcoholism and his decision to get sober. Lastly, he give his impressions of the many talented collaborators he worked with over the years, including: writers Larry Gelbart and Mel Brooks, and performers Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris. Sid Caesar was interviewed in Beverly Hills, CA on March 14, 1997; Dan Pasternack conducted the three-hour interview.

The Archive Features "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

The Archive has now posted a page for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, featuring animation producer/director Chuck Jones and the voice of Cindy Lou Who herself, June Foray. The perennial TV special first aired on CBS on December 18, 1966. Sponsored by the Foundation for Commercial Banks, Variety noted, "one can wonder at whom [the] sponsor... was making that quiet pitch." Variety raved apropos to the times: "Christmas kiddie programming on the networks somewhat resembles a Christmas truce in the Vietnam war [with] a literate half-hour... right there in primetime on Sunday night."

As posted on the Archive's How the Grinch Stole Christmas page, Chuck Jones talks about the translation of the Dr. Seuss classic to the screen, including the invention of Max, the Grinch's dog. Additionally, animator Phil Roman talks about the cartoon's legacy, June Foray does the voice of "Cindy Lou Who," and producer-director Ron Howard talks about his big-screen version that required the approval of Dr. Seuss' widow.

Tiny Tim Married Miss Vicki on "The Tonight Show" 40 Years Ago Today

A pop culture moment in TV occurred when singer Tiny Tim married Victoria Mae "Miss Vicki" Budinger on December 17, 1969 on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Tiny Tim had gained prominence for his odd appearance and falsetto voice, playing the ukulele and singing such songs as "Tiptoe Through the Tulips." When he mentioned to Johnny Carson that he was engaged, Carson casually suggested that he should get married on the show. In what certainly came off as a publicity stunt, the two were married in front of an audience of millions of TV viewers.

Watch the wedding and hear announcer/Carson sidekick Ed McMahon recount how it all came about at the Archive's The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson page.

Roy E. Disney Dies at Age 79-- Archive Interview Online

Interview Description:
Roy E. Disney was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours plus in Burbank, CA. He described the early history of the Disney company and the role that his father, Roy O. Disney, and uncle Walt Disney, had in its creation and early years. He related his childhood recollections of some of Disney’s work including the company’s first feature-length animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He talked about his first job out of college, in guest relations at NBC. He then described his work as an editor, starting with his apprenticeship on the 1950s television police drama Dragnet. He chronicled his work from assistant editor to producer/director of Disney’s “True-Life Adventures” series, explaining the approach to these documentary films. He recalled the opening of the Disneyland theme park and its coverage for television. He outlined Disney’s entrance into television series with Disneyland on ABC, and touched on a number of the projects he worked on under the show’s banner. He described the turmoil in the executive suites at Disney in the 1980s and the company’s return to glory in animation movies, for which he played a large part. He talked about his efforts in 2003 to change the direction the studio was headed and the 2005 appointment of Robert A. Iger as President and CEO. Finally, he expressed his views of both his father and Walt Disney’s legacy to the Walt Disney Company. The interview was conducted by Jennifer Howard on November 5, 2007.

"The Simpsons" At 20

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of The Simpsons. The Christmas-themed special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," was the first show to air (following the Simpsons earlier appearances on The Tracey Ullman Show), after which the series resumed on January 14, 1990, to become the longest-running American primetime entertainment series.

The current Emmy magazine (Issue #6, 2009) features a cover story celebrating The Simpsons' 20th. Within Emmy magazine's pages you'll find a listing of several of the writers-producer's favorite episodes over the series long run to-date. What is "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening's favorite episode? Groening chose "Lisa the Skeptic" from season 9 (airdate: 11/23/97). To see what other episodes were chosen, pick up a copy of Emmy magazine, currently on newsstands.

Go to the Archive's The Simpsons page to watch James L. Brooks' interview in which he discusses the development of the show.

Carl Reiner Makes an Historic Appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Conan O'Brien"

Carl Reiner was Conan O'Brien's guest on The Tonight Show yesterday and as he was introduced Conan noted that Reiner had been on all the major versions of The Tonight Show with previous hosts Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, and Jay Leno.

Find a link to Carl Reiner's appearance with Conan on the Archive's Carl Reiner interview page, and watch Reiner's interview where he discusses his legendary career in television which dates back to the late 1940s.

Technical Director Heino Ripp Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

Technical Director Heino Ripp, who worked at NBC for several decades, and served on such classic series as Your Show of Shows and The Perry Como Show, has died at the age of 84.

Interview Description:
Heino Ripp was interviewed for three hours in Lake Hopatcong, NJ. Ripp recalled his earliest days at NBC in the NBC Development Group, working alongside engineers who were creating the modern television system. He discussed his transition to working as a technical director, and explained the duties he carried out in that position. He also spoke about some of the programs that he worked on in this capacity, including The Howdy Doody Show, Admiral Broadway Revue, Your Show of Shows, dozens of Max Liebman “Spectaculars” and, especially, The Perry Como Show. He also talked briefly about working on the first two television specials starring entertainer Barbra Streisand, and being on the job during the Apollo space launches. Finally, he discussed his work on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, and later on working as a director on The New Show. The interview was conducted by Michael Rosen on October 23, 2000.

Irma Kusely, Lucille Ball's Hairstylist, Has Died at Age 95-- Archive Interview Online Soon

The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild periodical The Artisan reports that Ms. Kusely died on July 29, 2009. The Guild notes that she was the first hair stylist to receive screen credit on television, for I Love Lucy. Kusely spent several decades with Lucille Ball, working on her series The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy, and Life with Lucy.

Interview Description:
Irma Kusely was interviewed for three hours in Burbank, CA. Ms. Kusely described her early work as a wig stylist at MGM. She spoke about her friendship with Lucille Ball and Danny Thomas, which ultimately led to a job at Desilu, where she was the hairstylist on I Love Lucy as well as other Desilu shows. After I Love Lucy went of the air, Kusely worked almost exclusively with Lucille Ball, following her through her three subsequent television shows, and traveling with Ms. Ball for all public appearances. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on June 14, 2001.

CBS Cancels "As the World Turns" Ending its Over 50-Year Run

Variety announced today that As the World Turns will end its run in September 2010. When Guiding Light aired its last episode on September 18, 2009 after a 57-year run on television, As the World Turns, which debuted on April 2, 1956, was the inevitable successor of the title "longest-ever soap opera"-- but will now fall short of that "all-time" record. When As the World Turns goes off the air, General Hospital will replace it as the oldest soap on TV (GH debuted on April 1, 1963).

Both Guiding Light and As the World Turns were created by Irna Phillips, a pioneer of the form in radio and television. One of the driving creative forces behind As the World Turns was producer/director Ted Corday (later co-creator, with his wife Betty, of Days of Our Lives). In her Archive interview, actress Ruth Warrick one of As the World Turns's first cast members described Ted Corday's philosophy: "[he] used to say the art soap opera is to tie the most knots in the shortest piece of string. And everybody needs to be involved with everybody else. So you would be in a room and there are six people and somebody makes a statement, and you cut from face to face, and [with] each face you know what they’re thinking."

"Murder, She Wrote" Silver Anniversary

One of the most highly-rated shows of the '80s/early '90s, Murder, She Wrote has endured in syndication and on DVD. Murder, She Wrote made its debut on September 30, 1984 and became a Sunday night fixture following 60 Minutes. Screen star Angela Lansbury played mystery novelist turned amateur detective Jessica Fletcher and was nominated for an Emmy Award for all twelve seasons of the show.

Watch Archive interviews with star Angela Lansbury as well as co-creator William Link, and others in the cast and crew at the Archive's new Murder, She Wrote page. Hear the behind-the-scenes stories of Jean Stapleton's original casting, how Angela Lansbury insisted on a longer shooting schedule, and the changes made when Lansbury became the show's executive producer.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Archive has posted an interview with Producer-Director Bill Melendez, who is best know for his work on the classic "Peanuts" specials. Take a look at Melendez's interview and find a link for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on his Archive page.

Interview Description:
Bill Melendez (1916-2008) was interviewed for four hours in Los Angeles, CA. Melendez spoke about his beginnings at Walt Disney Studios and later at Warner Bros., where he animated cartoons featuring popular characters including Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. He also discussed his work for United Productions of America and John Sutherland Productions. Next, Mr. Melendez described his early collaboration with comic strip artist Charles M. Schulz on commercials featuring the Peanuts characters, and explained how that became a career-long partnership on over fifty animated Peanuts television specials. He discussed in detail some of those projects, including A Charlie Brown Christmas and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. He also touched on the various Peanuts feature films and television series, including the animated miniseries This is America, Charlie Brown. Finally, Mr. Melendez spoke of other projects he has produced through his production company, including the animated The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, as well as animated specials featuring comic strip characters Garfield and Cathy. The interview was conducted by Jennifer Howard on June 23, 2001.

"Daniel Boone"-- Fess Parker's Picks Out on DVD Today

Daniel Boone is getting a special release today: Fess Parker's favorites, featuring eight series episodes. Following Fess Parker's success as "Davy Crockett" on ABC's Disneyland, he starred as Daniel Boone, which ran from 1964-70 on Thursdays on NBC at 7:30-8:30 PM for its entire run. Trivia: Did you watch Daniel Boone? What four series had Daniel Boone as a lead-in during its run? (answer below).

Click on the Archive's Daniel Boone page to hear executive William Self and star Fess Parker describe how Disney's objection to Parker continuing Davy Crockett with another company led to the "creation" of Daniel Boone.

Answer to trivia above: The four series that followed Daniel Boone (at 8:30 PM) during its run were Dr. Kildare [1964-65 season], Laredo [1965-66 season], Star Trek [1966-67 season], and Ironside [1967-70 seasons].

"Studs' Place" 60th Anniversary

A classic example of the "Chicago School of Broadcasting," which featured intimate, improvisational entertainment in the early days of TV, Studs' Place starred Studs Terkel as the proprietor, with his, as The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows puts it, "garrulous, philosophical ramblings the center of attention." The comedy-variety style show also featured a considerable amount of music, especially jazz performed by notable talents. In its Nov. 30, 1949 review of the show, Variety raved: "It proves that simple talk and straight pianologging can make topflight TV, where there's an understanding of people and a feeling for authentic jazz." The series ran from 1949-52 until Studs Terkel found himself a victim of the McCarthy era and the Hollywood blacklist.

Click here for the Archive's new page on Studs' Place to coincide with the show's 60th anniversary on November 26, 1949.

"Wagon Train" Season One now out on DVD-- Classic Western Series

Wagon Train was the #2 series from 1958-61 (behind Gunsmoke each of these seasons), and featured an array of Hollywood guest stars. In season one alone, Ernest Borgnine, Linda Darnell, Ricardo Montalban, Agnes Moorehead, and Cesar Romero were among the guest stars. The series, starring Ward Bond as Wagonmaster from 1957-61 and Christopher Hale from 1961-65, was one of the five nominees in the one year (1958-59) that the Emmys gave an Award for Best Western Series.

The Archive's Wagon Train page features stories from actors Leonard Nimoy (who appeared on the season 3 episode "The Estaban Zamora Story") and Ann B. Davis (who appeared on season 3 episode "The Countess Baranof Story").

Take a look at the Archive's other TV westerns pages at this link.

Cast and Creators Appear at the TV Academy's "Funnybone of the '80s"

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences hosted "Funnybone of the '80s" last night with the cast and creators of some of the great sitcoms of the 1980s— Cheers, Designing Women, Murphy Brown, and Night Court.

The Archive spoke to a few of the guests on the press line, including cast members Ted Danson (Cheers), Kelsey Grammer (Cheers), Joe Regalbuto (Murphy Brown), and Charles Robinson (Night Court).

Seven New Inductees Into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame Committee has selected Candice Bergen, Charles Lisanby, Don Pardo, Gene Roddenberry, Tom and Dick Smothers and Bob Stewart to be the next inductees into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame, Television Academy Chairman-CEO John Shaffner announced today.

The new group of inductees will be honored at a special ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Producing the Hall of Fame Gala are Lee Miller and Kevin Hamburger.

"Each year, the Television Academy has the privilege of honoring television greats that have contributed to the development and success of this ever-evolving medium," Shaffner said. "This year's inductees have challenged and shaped popular culture, changed television for the better and entertained us royally while doing so. We are very pleased to be able to induct them into the Hall of Fame for their many achievements."

Hall of Fame candidates are submitted from the Television Academy's membership and the industry at large to the Hall of Fame selection committee, chaired by Mark Itkin, partner, William Morris Endeavor. This year’s committee includes Mike Darnell, president, alternative entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company; Brian Graden, president, programming, for MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo; renowned television producer-director Lee Miller: Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and President, Disney – ABC Television Group; and Thomas Walsh, award-winning production designer and current president of the Art Directors Guild.

More from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Press Release.

The Archive of American Television has conducted interviews with several of the new inductees, click on the links below.


Charles Lisanby - Art Director


Don Pardo - Announcer


Tom and Dick Smothers - Performers


Bob Stewart - Game Show Creator/Producer

See also the Archive's newly posted pages on actress Candice Bergen and show creator/producer Gene Roddenberry.

Charles Van Doren Admitted the Truth about "21"— 50 Years Ago Today

Charles Van Doren, the Columbia professor who was at the center of the quiz show scandal of the 1950s, appeared before a congressional committee on November 2, 1959 to admit he'd been given questions and answers in advance when he appeared on the quiz show 21. In a story for the New Yorker last year, Van Doren broke a long silence and wrote about the experience ("All the Answers").

The Archive of American Television interviewed Herbert Stempel (who was "beat" by Van Doren on 21), as well as 21 producer Albert Freedman.

Lon Chaney, Jr. in "Frankenstein" on "Tales of Tomorrow" -- Famed "Live" Production that Chaney thought was the Dress Rehearsal

Tales of Tomorrow (1951-53) is described by the Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows as "one of TV's earliest adult science-fiction series." These days, the series is known for early performances by such up-and-coming stars as James Dean and Leslie Nielsen, and later performances by such Hollywood legends as Boris Karloff and Sylvia Sidney.

With biopic Amelia currently in theaters, take a look at Veronica Lake as lost aviatrix "Paula Bennett" on Tales of Tomorrow: "Flight Overdue" (airdate: 3/28/52). Lake made over two dozen appearances on TV in the early 1950s as her Hollywood career waned. On this episode of Tales of Tomorrow, she appears as a short-haired brunette-- a switch from her blond 'peek-a-boo curl' image.

One of the series' most notable shows was Lon Chaney, Jr. in "Frankenstein" (airdate: 1/18/52). Chaney gives an excellent performance as the Monster, despite the fact that he notoriously thought that the "live" show was the dress rehearsal and at times doesn't destroy breakaway chairs-- saving them for the "real" show. Moments can be seen at 12:01 (where he makes a comment right at the camera during his exit) and at 14:47 ("miming" how he would break a chair). Below, from the Internet Archive, is the infamous production.



Lighting Director Imero Fiorentino, who began his career at ABC in the early '50s, recalled in his Archive of American Television interview another incident that occurred on Tales of Tomorrow in a "live" broadcast, during one of the show's famed openings.



Link to the Internet Archive's extensive collection of Tales of Tomorrow episodes (41 of the 84 series episodes).

The Barbara Stanwyck Show Now on DVD

“She had grit, sex appeal and vulnerability, in spades. No one played a saucy dame better.”

-People Magazine

E1 ENTERTAINMENT AND THE ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN TELEVISION BRING A CLASSIC, EMMY® AWARD-WINNING ANTHOLOGY SERIES TO DVD FOR THE FIRST TIME -- THE BARBARA STANWYCK SHOW: VOLUME 1

3-DVD Set Includes 15 Memorable Dramas Featuring All-Star Ensemble Casts that Include Stanwyck as well as Guest Stars Ralph Bellamy, Milton Berle, Julie London, Lee Marvin, Vic Morrow, Michael Rennie, Robert Strauss, Anna May Wong and More

Buy Now: The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Vol. 1

E1 Entertainment and the Academy of Television Arts & Science’s Archive of American Television proudly debut THE BARBARA STANWYCK SHOW: VOLUME 1, the latest release under The Archive of American Television Presents banner, a partnership with the collaborative mission to present culturally and historically significant productions from the Golden Age of Television on DVD. Originally broadcast from 1960-61 on NBC, the star-studded anthology series was hosted by and featured the multi-talented actress Barbara Stanwyck, the American Film Institute’s “11th Greatest Female Star of All Time,” alongside a rotating roster of talented actors in each week’s installment. The 3-DVD set, THE BARBARA STANWYCK SHOW: VOLUME 1 features 15 of the series’ most memorable half-hour dramas – all which have not been seen since their original broadcast nearly fifty years ago – including “The Key to the Killer” with Vic Morrow, “The Miraculous Journey of Tadpole Chan” with Ralph Bellamy, “Night Visitor” with Julie London, “Size 10” with Robert Strauss, “Dragon by the Tail” with Anna May Wong, “Dear Charlie” with Milton Berle, “The Sisters” with Michael Rennie and “Confession” with Lee Marvin. A must-own for aficionados of classic film and television.

Throughout her illustrious career, Barbara Stanwyck enraptured Hollywood, starring in nearly 100 films (including Double Indemnity and Sorry, Wrong Number) and capturing four Oscar® nominations. After conquering the silver screen, Barbara took on the world of television as star of “The Barbara Stanwyck Show” in 1960. Thirty-six half-hour episodes aired, in which she starred in all but four of the dramas and earned an Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series.” Stanwyck went on to earn two additional Emmys for her roles in “The Big Valley” and “The Thorn Birds.”

To this first volume of 15 dramas, E1 Entertainment adds the unaired pilot episode “Sponsor’s Theatre,” Barbara Stanwyck’s 1961 Emmy acceptance speech, and a 20-page booklet with written contributions by film historian Robert Osborne and the Archive of American Television.

About The Edelman Family Partnership

The Edelman Family Partnership is the copyright holder of “The Barbara Stanwyck Show” and through their worldwide distributor, SFM Entertainment LLC, has joined with E1 Entertainment to bring this Award-winning series to ‘Missy’s’ (Barbara Stanwyck’s family nickname) loyal fans and a new generation of viewers. The Edelman Family Partnership also holds copyrights for other iconic television series including “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp”, “The Joey Bishop Show”, “Make Room for Daddy” and, is currently in production on a major motion picture version of the Barbara Stanwyck Emmy® Award-winning series – “The Big Valley”.

About “The Archive of American Television Presents”

"The Archive of American Television Presents" is a partnership between E1 Entertainment and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. The collaborative mission is to present culturally and historically significant productions from the Golden Age of Television on DVD, restored and re-mastered from the best-quality sources. The Television Academy Foundation and its Archive of American Television does not own or represent any of the programs being released under this partnership.

About the Archive of American Television

Since 1997, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s Archive of American Television has produced hundreds of videotaped oral history interviews with broadcasting’s greatest pioneers and legends in all professions. These full life-histories – spanning influences, career highlights, professional philosophy and current projects – are the stories behind what we see on the screen. These unique videos are made available worldwide so that today’s and future generations can understand how electronic media presents and reflects world-changing events, pop culture origins, technological innovations and artistic mastery. For more information about the collection, visit http://www.emmytvlegends.org

About E1 Entertainment U.S.

E1 Entertainment U.S. (formerly KOCH Vision) is the U.S. home video label of E1 Entertainment (AIM: ETO), a leading independent entertainment content owner that acquires film, television and music rights and exploits these rights in all media in more than 190 countries. Boasting a diverse library of feature films, television series, award-winning children’s programs, live music concerts and more, E1 Entertainment U.S. is the home of such notable properties as Soundstage, McLeod’s Daughters, Wire in the Blood, Popular Mechanics for Kids, Faerie Tale Theatre, The Best Years, Ballet Shoes starring Emma Watson and Nickelback Live at Sturgis. For more information on these and other releases from E1 Entertainment U.S., please visit www.e1homevideo.com.

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THE BARBARA STANWYCK SHOW: VOLUME 1
Street date: October 27, 2009 Genre: Classic TV

Rating: N/A SRP: $39.98

Running Time: 390 minutes Catalog #: E1E-DV-6693
Format: 3-DVD Set

Archive Interviewee Soupy Sales has died

Soupy Sales was interviewed by the Archive in 2002. Click here to read highlights from his interview.



Detailed Interview Description:
Soupy Sales (1926-2009) was interviewed for one hour at the Friar’s Club in New York City by Charles Salzberg. Sales talked about breaking into television in 1950 at local station WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, with The Soupy Soda Show, a teenage dance show. He talked about other local markets where he worked including Cleveland’s WXEL-TV where his show Soup’s On provided him the opportunity for getting the first pie in his face— which would become his trademark gag. Sales talked about his several year run with WXYZ-TV Detroit’s Lunch with Soupy Sales, a children’s show, which also had an adult following. Sales described the series in detail including the look of the set and the characters who appeared (including lion puppet “Pookie” and dog puppet “White Fang,” whose great white hairy arm was all that was seen). Sales described his network break, with a replacement series at ABC in the mid-50s. He talked about his work as host/ performer on The Soupy Sales Show that ran on ABC, first originating in Detroit, then in Los Angeles. He also described his show’s second primetime incarnation on ABC in 1962. Sales detailed the celebrities who appeared on his show, which famously included Frank Sinatra. Finally, Sales described reviving his series at WNEW in New York (and talked about the incident which got him suspended— when he told children to send money to him care of the station).

TV Theme Composer Vic Mizzy has died

Composer Vic Mizzy died on Saturday at age 87. Mizzy composed the theme songs for "The Addams Family" and "Green Acres", possibly two of the most recognizable theme songs of all time. He was interviewed by Karen Herman for the Archive in 2004. You can view an excerpt from his interview, here.

Interview Description:
Vic Mizzy was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours in Bel-Air, CA. Mizzy described composing two of the most recognizable television themes songs of all time, for the series The Addams Family and Green Acres. For The Addams Family, Mizzy talked about directing the main title sequence and writing motifs for the characters. He talked about meeting Charles Addams and working with the actors and producer David Levy. For Green Acres, Mizzy talked about the conception of the opening titles and working with the lead actors and creator Jay Sommers. Mizzy also talked about his early years as a songwriter with Irving Taylor and later Mann Curtis. He spoke about and sang some of the lyrics for several of his hits including “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time.” Mizzy also talked about his other work in television including the series Shirley Temple’s Storybook, Kentucky Jones, and The Pruitts of Southampton. Additionally, he talked about working on feature films such as the Don Knotts comedy vehicles of the ‘60s and 70s, and his work with William Castle. B-roll consisted of two photos (Mizzy at MGM and on the set of Green Acres) and a Charles Addams cartoon, as well as Mizzy in person playing his two well-known theme songs at his organ. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on March 29, 2004.

Tom Fontana's interview is now online!

Show creator, writer, and producer Tom Fontana was interviewed by the Archive in June, 2009. His full interview is available for the first time online, here!

Interview Description:
In his Archive interview, Tom Fontana talks about his work as an Emmy Award-winning writer of St. Elsewhere , as well as the writer/producer of such series as Homicide: Life on the Street and Oz . Tom Fontana was interviewed in New York, NY on June 30, 2009; Karen Herman conducted the three-hour interview.

"The Twilight Zone" Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary

The Twilight Zone debuted on October 2, 1959 and has become one of the crown jewels of classic television over the last fifty years. Series creator Rod Serling won two Emmy Awards for the series, for which he wrote a staggering 92 episodes.

The Archive of American Television has interviewed many of the contributors to The Twilight Zone, including writers Richard Matheson, Earl Hamner, Jr., and George Clayton Johnson; associate producer Del Reisman; directors Lamont Johnson, Richard L. Bare, Richard Donner, and James Sheldon; actors Cliff Robertson, William Shatner, George Takei, and Maxine Stuart.

To ring in the Zone's 50th, the Archive premieres new pages for Rod Serling and classic episodes "Eye of the Beholder" and "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" to our website, http://emmytvlegends.org, featuring clips from the Archive's interviews.

Click on the links below to access our new pages:

Rod Serling page









The Twilight Zone: "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" page







The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder" page

New Interviews Posted at EmmyTVLegends.org!

New interviews are up today on emmyTVlegends.org with Marla Gibbs, Marion Ross, and Tom Bosley!

Keep checking back for more updates!

From the Collection: Robert Culp on "I Spy"

Actor/Writer Robert Culp on the creation of I Spy.



Click here to watch the premiere episode, "So Long, Patrick Henry" (airdate: 9/15/65; written by Robert Culp) and other season one episodes of I Spy at You Tube's Classic Shows.

I Spy at the Museum of Broadcast Communications' Encyclopedia of Television.

I Spy page on Wikipedia.

I Spy on IMDb.

Longtime Publicist Frank Liberman Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

Frank Liberman, who represented Bob Hope and Nat King Cole, among others during his long career, died at age 92. He was interviewed for the Archive by Reba Merrill, in a joint venture with the Publicists’ Guild of America, on February 21, 2001.

Click here to view Frank Liberman's entire four-part Archive of American Television Interview.

Interview Description:
Mr. Liberman chronicled his early career at the New York Daily News and then at Warner Bros. in New York and Chicago where he began in the publicity department. He talked about moving to Hollywood, where he left Warner Bros. and began his own publicity firm. Among his most loyal clients were Bob Hope, who he handled for 41 years and Phyllis Diller, who he handled for 32 years. Mr. Liberman also talked about the craft of publicity and defined some of the components that go into successful publicity campaigns.

New Interviews Posted at EMMYTVLEGENDS!

New interviews are up today with LeVar Burton, Bill Dana, Bob McGrath, Rue McClanahan, John Moffitt, Ted Turner... and many more! Check back often as we'll be adding more interviews every week!

Also check out Emmy Nominees and winners from this year's Creative Arts Emmys:
Ernest Borgnine, Michael J. Fox, Sheila Nevins, Betty White, and this year's Emmy Awards producer, Don Mischer!

EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG is LIVE!

BIG NEWS

The Archive of American Television has officially launched http://EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG, the new online home of the Archive's interview collection.

Visit the free site to see many interviews in the collection presented in a new way -- searchable, linked, and cross-referenced.

Best of all, the Archive is adding new content regularly, so check back often.

Archive Interviewees Ernest Borgnine and Betty White at the Academy's Creative Arts Awards

Ernest Borgnine was nominated for guest actor in a drama for ER and Betty White was nominated for guest actress in a comedy for My Name Is Earl. Here they both are at the Academy's Creative Arts Awards' Governor's Ball (with the Archive's Jenni Matz and Gary Rutkowski).

"M*A*S*H" Creator Larry Gelbart Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

Larry Gelbart, whose career in television spans from the Golden Age to award-winning television movies on HBO, has died at the age of 81. Gelbart was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in December 2008.



Interview Description:
On his reputation as a writer with deep social conscience, Gelbart says "I was very lucky. It is not everybody that gets a vehicle like M*A*S*H, in which for four straight years you can be on a soap box and hopefully not abuse that position." Larry Gelbart is an Emmy-award winning writer, producer, and director, whose career began with the Golden Age of radio, but is perhaps best-known for being the mastermind behind the television series M*A*S*H. His father's barbershop was a gathering place for many comics including Danny Thomas, who agreed to give the young Gelbart a huge break in his career while he was still in high school, writing for Thomas on the radio. On hearing his words performed in front of an audience for the first time, Gelbart recalls "I remember that rush of hearing a couple of hundred people laugh" and was hooked. He talks about the structure of how the writers would put together Bob Hope's monologues, and touring with the comedian during his USO tours. Gelbart was there for the transition from radio to television in the early '50s, leaving the "Bob Hope Radio Show" to work for Red Buttons, and says of the change in his writing style "It was working with Red that I really found out that a sketch had to have some progression, that it really had a structure. And that was invaluable." He then talks about the Caesar's Hour writer's room, working with such comedy greats as Mel Tolkin, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, and Sid Caesar. He talks briefly about his time in London, his successful play "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", the Marty Feldman Comedy Machine, and the difference between television in the UK and the US. Gelbart talks at length about his successful years co-producing and writing for M*A*S*H, and specifically working with producer Gene Reynolds and series star Alan Alda. He talks about some of the battles with Network Standards & Practices, and how they managed to win some (like finally getting the word "virgin" on air) but lose others (like the use of a laugh track, which CBS wanted). He chronicles the filming of the episode "Abyssinia, Henry" in which a main character dies, and his decision to keep the ending a secret from the cast and crew. He also discusses his work in feature films and Broadway plays, including ”Mastergate”, and his return to television with United States:a comedy series about marriage and divorce. He acknowledges that while he is very proud of his AfterMash series, that the formula did not work as a comedy. He talks briefly about the Writer's Guild Strike in 1985, during which time he was the writer of the Academy Awards, and his feelings about the union. He credits HBO with giving him much support over his TV movie projects Barbarians at the Gate and Weapons of Mass Distraction. He talks about his memoir, Laughing Matters, and his advice to young writers. On what represents to him the "best" of television, Gelbart says "When it unites us, as it has in the past, I think it serves a tremendous function-- turning the country into a family." Larry Gelbart was interviewed in Los Angeles, CA on May 26, 1998; Dan Harrison conducted the three-and-a-half-hour interview.

Longtime Grammy Awards Producer Pierre Cossette Has Died-- Interview Online Soon

Cossette died at the age 85. The Archive's two-hour interview with Pierre Cossette was conducted by Bonnie Datt on June 4, 2008.



Interview Description:
Pierre Cossette talked about his early career as an agent at MCA, where he quickly gained a reputation for booking clients at colleges across the country. He described his relationship with agency head Lew Wasserman and how Wasserman assigned him to booking clubs in Las Vegas. He spoke about starting his own record label with Lou Adler (and others) called Dunhill records and his independent representation of musical talents, including Ann-Margaret and Jose Felliciano (booking them on such television programs as The Andy Williams Show). He spoke in great detail about his long association as executive-producer of the Grammy Awards from 1971-2005. For the Grammys, he described selling the show to the networks, transferring ownership of the show to NARAS, and working with longtime producer Ken Enrlich and director Walter C. Miller. Additionally, he related behind-the-scenes stories about the show including when host Kenny Rogers came down with laryngitis, his early difficulties booking Billy Joel, and his objection to opening one of the Grammys shows with Alicia Keyes. Throughout the interview, Cossette defined his philosophy of producing and what abilities he felt made him a successful producer.

From the Collection: Leonard Nimoy on the creation of the "Vulcan Salute" on "Star Trek"

From the Archive of American Television's Interview collection, Leonard Nimoy describes inventing the "Vulcan Salute," first seen on the original series episode "Amok Time."



"The Vulcan Salute" page on Wikipedia.

Watch "Amok Time" on YouTube's Classic TV Shows (look for the Vulcan Salute at 27:45).

Columnist and Red Carpet Fixture Army Archerd Has Died at Age 87-- Interview Online

Daily Variety's Army Archerd wa seen in print and on television as part of the Hollywood scene for over 50 years.

Below is Archerd's entire 5-part Archive interview.




Interview Description:
Army Archerd described his early years in New York and his initial desire to be an actor. After his service in World War II, he got a job in the Parmount mail room, which led to a job for Associated Press. He left there to become a “legman” for Harrison Carroll. In 1953, he joined the staff of Daily Variety, where he covers entertainment in his column to this day. Mr. Archerd discussed the changes within the entertainment industry and how the process of publicity has changed. He also discussed the nuts-and-bolts of getting a story as well as keeping in contact with celebrities. Along with his work chronicling entertainment news, Mr. Archerd spoke of his work in front of the camera as a host for various shows, including the pilot of Entertainment Tonight and his work on the red carpet for awards shows. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on February 25, 2003.

Archive Interviewee Jerry Lewis Discusses the MDA Telethon

The 44th annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association will be broadcast live from the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas, beginning at 9 p.m. ET Sunday, September 6th.

For the first time, social media followers of MDA’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube sites will be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the show during the broadcast.

“I’ll never wave the white flag in the fight against muscular dystrophy and other muscle-wasting diseases,” Lewis has said. “Not only is the Telethon a chance to help put an end to these debilitating diseases, but it’s also a way to inform and educate the public, while having a darn good time.” Last year's telethon ended with a record-setting $65 million in donations and pledges. Jerry Lewis was interviewed in October 2000 by the Archive of American Television where he talked about his long association with the annual event.

On doing a telethon with Dean Martin in 1949:
We did a telethon for two hours with the mail carriers in 1949. Then we went to Carnegie Hall in 1950. He did the six-hour telethon with me there… We did MDA from ‘50 to ‘52, and then there was a hiatus. I didn’t do another one till after we split up. But he was very helpful and he understood it was something I had to do and he was very supportive.

On going national with the telethon:
In 1950, Dean and I did the first telethon out of WNEW New York. That was the flagship. The flagship meaning they also had stations in New Jersey and Connecticut… Then we were on hiatus from ‘53 to about ‘57. And in that, in the interim Dean and I had split up, and then I was doing the telethon local New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut from ‘57, ‘58, ‘59. Then in 1960 I started to travel to get stations, because we were on three stations, New York and two, whatever that was. By 1960 I was already getting seventy stations, ninety stations. ‘61, ‘62, I’m into a hundred and four stations. ‘66, we went national. I had taken those years to put everybody in place and then finally get them to go with us, when we went national. So we were the first telethon to ever go in color, the first telethon to go coast-to-coast, and by the time we went into 1970 I had 213 stations. We moved the telethon in 1973 to Las Vegas for the first time. And this last year [1999] was my fiftieth year. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been doing it for 50 years. But the thing that is so magnificent is that the television medium helped me generate a billion seven hundred million dollars in these last 38 years, because twelve years I didn’t raise two hundred thousand dollars.

On the hope for a cure:
And God-willing, again, because of television, we’re going to find a cure. We’re into DNA now, we’re into genetic engineering, which is certain to give us information. And now I’m being told by the clinicians and the researchers and the lab people, you’re going to see the cure in your lifetime. I mean, it’s incredible.

On special moments on the telethon through the years:
Jack Benny came on and destroyed the audience. I had introduced him and he walked on and he looked right in the camera and he thought for a minute, he looked in the camera again. He looked around, and he said, "I don’t guarantee that I’m going to make a pledge." And we were destroyed! Everybody was hysterical. And he leaned on that for about another minute of just staring. I’ll never forget what that man did with one thought. “Cheapest man in the world,” he’s not going to make a pledge. The Ritz Brothers came on and did the act that they did in vaudeville forty years before, and it was spectacular… I had the hundred and twenty Russian Bolshoi ballet. A hundred and twenty coming right at the center camera, one at a time. One at a time. And about after a hundred and three I was in it. I did my thing. I’ll tell you one thing that I could never ever forget. Mary Passalacqua was a victim of neuromuscular disease, and I went to the hospital to see her in San Francisco, hoping that she would be better. And she was, she was skeleton-like. She was dying so badly. And we funded a thing called plasmapheresis, which flushes the bad blood out and puts new blood in, and she had been given the last rights when I arrived there. When I arrived there she was the epitome of what hero worship is, because she saw me and she, she practically came alive. And then I left, I said good-bye, never though I’d see her again, and then I get a letter from her two months later. Thanks so much for visiting me: it made the difference. I’m doing well. I’m fine. And P.S. my dream is to one day dance with you. I read the letter on television in front of eighty million people. And then I pointed to the curtain and there she came. She walked out and she and I danced dead center of that stage. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. She’s alive and well because of our funding the plasmapheresis syndrome. And that’s probably one of the most unforgettable things, because I was trembling so, trying to dance and be cool. It was so important to her and to everyone else that was a victim. It was a special moment for people in trouble.

On his 1976 reunion with Dean Martin on the telethon:
The other great moment that’s pretty close emotionally was when Frank [Sinatra] decided to bring Dean on and have us embrace, and stop the twenty years of silence, because it was twenty years we hadn’t talked. And Frank worked it out. He worked it out so that everyone in that studio, every member of my staff— nobody knew Dean was coming on. The only one that knew it was Ed McMahon. So I could never have heard about it. It was such a total surprise. And when you look at the footage and you see the look on my face and the look on his face you see two men that love one another. It was an incredible moment. It was great television.

On the instituting of “ You’ll Never Walk Alone” as the telethon’s closing song:
In 1950 I had the occasion to go to Chicago and visit a twelve-year-old little boy who was suffering from spinal atrophy. And they had operated on him and put a shunt in his spine so he could sit up. And when he saw me he said, I got to tell you something. I just love what you do, and, and you know, you should have a theme song. Twelve years old. I said, what do you mean, a theme song? You should have a song for all of us kids. Your kids. I said, a song like what? He said, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” And it was like I was hit between the eyes with a bullet. What? Of course, I know that lyric, I know where he’s coming from. But he was a very bright twelve-year-old little boy. Speaking for all of the kids that were in trouble. I dedicated it to him on Telethon ‘50. I’ve done it for fifty years.

Link to information about the 2009 MDA telethon.

The entire five-part Archive of American Television interview can be viewed by clicking here.

Additionally, Archive interviewee Eddie Foy III also spoke about working with Jerry Lewis on the MDA Telethons (six minutes into part 10 of his interview).

Interview Description:

Jerry Lewis was interviewed for nearly two-and-a-half hours in San Diego, CA. Mr. Lewis described his rise to stardom and his work on early television, including hosting The Colgate Comedy Hour with his partner, Dean Martin. Mr. Lewis spoke of his many accomplishments in the entertainment industry and his major work in television, including his annual telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The interview was conducted by Sam Denoff.

Former TV Academy President Dick Berg Has Died at Age 87-- Interview Online Soon

Dick Berg served as the president of the Television Academy's Hollywood Chapter in the mid-60s; he distinguished himself in the industry as a writer and producer starting in the Golden Age of Television and as a three-time Emmy nominee for Bob Hope Presents the Chryler Theatre, Wallenberg: A Hero's Story, and Space.

Dick Berg's two-hour Archive interview was conducted by his son, biographer A. Scott Berg on December 10, 2008.

Interview Description:
Dick Berg spoke about his early interest in athletics, dramatics, and music (becoming a part of a three-piece jazz band). He related his arrival in Hollywood in 1943 and becoming a third assistant director in westerns at Republic Studios. He talked about his return back east to hone his craft as a writer (while running an art gallery), with such initial projects as an unrealized pilot for a series to star Claude Rains, whom he got to meet. He talked about some of his early writing for television, becoming “a hot property” when he began writing for the “live” anthology Studio One, establishing himself with the original teleplay “The Drop of a Hat.” He spoke about moving back to Los Angeles where he began to work on such prestige television series as Playhouse 90. He described the genesis of the John Cassavetes’ starrer Johnny Staccato, for which Berg had written the pilot, under the aegis of Universal executive Jennings Lang. He acknowledged his transition to producing for television, beginning with the detective series Checkmate, in which he revealed that he delivered each show in just five production days. He described the presentation he filmed in order to get Universal’s bid for a new anthology series picked up by NBC— they ended up taking two anthologies— one of which became Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, with Berg as producer, which needed to get off the ground within just a few months (“it was some challenge”). He commented on the writers, directors, and stars that worked on Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre and related a couple production stories. He commented on acclaimed miniseries he produced (and wrote) notably The Martian Chronicles and Space. Other television projects he spoke about included: anthology series Alcoa Premiere, two-part television movie Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story, and the unrealized miniseries of Norman Mailer’s The Deer Park. He also acknowledged his tenure as the President of the Hollywood Chapter of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Longtime Agent Berle Adams has Died at Age 92

Berle Adams, interviewed by the Archive in 2003, was an agent for many years at MCA, created a sports department at the William Morris Agency, and later distributed the Emmy Awards show internationally.

Interview excerpt:



Interview description:

Berle Adams talked about his early career in the music industry as a band booker, working with artists such as Louis Jordan, and then as a founding executive at Mercury Records. He described in detail his work as a Hollywood talent agent at MCA, first as a band booker and then later in the television department. He talked about working with MCA heads Jules Stein and Lew Wasserman, and described MCA’s rise to dominance in the entertainment industry. He spoke of MCA’s famous “uniform” for executives, and it’s methods for signing top-level clients. Adams explained the process of packaging clients with television shows and his technique in structuring a deal. He recalled many of the programs he represented, including The Jack Benny Program, This Is Your Life, The Ford Show, and The Colgate Comedy Hour. He spoke about his career after his acrimonious departure from MCA, creating a sports department at the William Morris Agency, and later distributing the Emmy Awards show internationally.

Dominick Dunne Dies at Age 83-- Archive Interview Online Soon

Known for his journalism in such publications as Vanity Fair, Dunne's early career was spent in "live television" in New York and Los Angeles and later filmed TV and feature films.

Dunne' Archive interview was conducted by Allan Neuwirth on May 3, 2006 and will be posted soon.


Interview Description:

Dominick Dunne talked about his formative years during which he made associations with such notable figures as Gore Vidal and Anais Nin. He described his first job in television as a stage manager at NBC. He reminisced about working with the children on Howdy Doody, calling out “One minute Mr. Montgomery” for the opening of Robert Montgomery Presents, and working on such notable Producers Showcase productions as “The Petrified Forest” and “Our Town.” He also recounted the story of how the stage managers were all sent to help pull people from lifeboats when the Italian liner Andrea Dorea sank in 1956. He talked about his move to Los Angeles, where he joined the staff of the prestigious CBS anthology series Playhouse 90. He discussed his work as a producer at 20th Century Fox where he made the series Adventures in Paradise and talked about knowing Marilyn Monroe, the “queen of the lot” in those days. He defined his role as a Vice-President of Four Star Company and identified the participants of the company. He talked about his shift to feature films in the 1970s and commented on a few of the movies he produced including The Boys in the Band, The Panic in Needle Park, and Ash Wednesday. He spoke about the tragic murder of his daughter and his subsequent work as a chronicler of courtroom trials, notably the O.J. Simpson case. Lastly he touched on the Court TV series Power, Privilege, & Justice, for which he serves as host and narrator.