An Archive Christmas Special: Andy Williams

To celebrate the season, the Archive has posted our interview with Andy Williams. Williams hosted his network primetime variety series from 1958-71. The best-known version ran on NBC from 1962-71 and featured "Moon River" as its theme song. Through his variety series, Williams began hosting a series of Christmas specials. From these specials and his many renditions of Christmas standards, he's become closely associated with the holiday.

Listen to Andy Williams talk about his work in television in his 3-part Archive Interview. And be sure to visit this link to TV Land to see a special video, Andy Williams and America's Favorite Christmas Show, featuring excerpts from the interview.

....AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT THE ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN TELEVISION!

Interview Description:
Andy Williams discusses his early career working in his brothers’ singing group on stage and in radio, before embarking on a solo career. He spoke about his early appearances on television, including being cast as a regular singer on Steve Allen’s Tonight show. He then spoke in great detail about hosting his own series The Andy Williams Show. For this series he talked about the production schedule, some of his favorite guest stars (including the Osmond Brothers, whom he is credited with discovering), and the show’s segue into a series of Christmas specials. In conclusion, he discussed the establishing of his own theater in Branson, Missouri.

Composer Mike Post's Archive of American Television Interview is Online!

Mike Post, who composed the theme songs for Hill Street Blues, The Greatest American Hero, and L. A. Law, and many others spoke about his long and distinguished career in music composition. Post was one of the featured composer's last night at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences evening "Another Opening Another Show" which celebrated TV Theme Music. Among the other composers in attendance were Archive interviewees Earle Hagen and Vic Mizzy (to be posted online soon).

Click here to watch Mike Post's 3-hour Archive of American Television interview (in 6 parts).

Interview Description:
Mike Post was interviewed for nearly three hours in Burbank, CA. Post talked about his early interests in music and his formative years as a studio musician. He discussed his first big break in television as the musical director of the newly revamped The Andy Williams Show (1969-71), making him the youngest person to have that title at the time. He discussed his longtime partnership with Pete Carpenter and their collaborative efforts on many of the major dramatic shows of the 1970s and ‘80s. He spoke about his chance meeting with Stephen J. Cannell that led to his extensive work with Cannell and his colleagues Dick Wolf and Steven Bochco. He described the work of a television composer as someone who layers their art on another’s in a true spirit of collaboration. He outlined his compositions and memorable theme songs for such series as The Rockford Files, Hill Street Blues, The Greatest American Hero, L.A. Law, Cop Rock (theme by Randy Newman) and Law & Order. He was interviewed on May 25, 2005 by Stephen J. Abramson.