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.

Director/Producer Dwight Hemion has Died -- Archive Interview Online

We've just learned that legendary director/producer Dwight Hemion passed away on Monday, January 28th. In his prolific career, he garnered 47 Emmy nominations in his career and won 18. He is best-known for producing specials with such legends as Julie Andrews, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Frank Sinatra, and Barbra Streisand.

Click here to access Dwight Hemion's 5-part oral history interview.

Interview description:
In his 5-part oral history interview conducted in July of 2001, director Dwight Hemion talks about his early television career at ABC in the late 1940’s. He discusses in detail the beginnings of the ABC network and his early directing work on the television series Rootie Kazootie and The Tonight Show with Steve Allen. Hemion later discusses his collaboration with Gary Smith on Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall and their subsequent company collaborations in producing and directing television musical variety specials including Baryshnikov on Broadway. Hemion finishes the interview discussing the stars of his many specials, particularly Barbra Streisand. The Archive also recorded a joint session with Hemion and Gary Smith, where they discussed their longtime working collaboration.