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.

Interview with Larry Auerbach - Now Online

Larry Auerbach was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours in Beverly Hills, CA. Auerbach detailed his 47-year association with the William Morris Agency, where he started part-time in the mailroom. He talked about his move out of the mailroom and his work booking talent in small nightclubs and theaters. He described his booking of musical talent on early television shows, including such talents as Sam Cooke, Sammy Davis Jr., and Elvis Presley. Auerbach described fully the circumstances by which he got Presley his first television exposure on the series Stage Show. He discussed representing Alan Freed and how the payola scandals ruined Freeds career. He also talked about the packaging of the unusual Mitch Miller series Sing Along With Mitch that featured on-screen lyrics for sing-alongs and was a big commercial hit. He talked about representing such television figures as Alan Alda, Beatrice Arthur, Agnes Nixon, and Aaron Spelling. Finally, he described in great detail the creation and packaging of the 1980s sitcom hit The Cosby Show. Auerbach then talked about his second career teaching at USC. The interview was conducted by Dan Pasternack on May 21, 2003.


You can view his entire interview online here, or visit emmytvelgends.org to see other interviews.

Robert Culp's Interview is Now Online

Iconic actor Robert Culp's Archive interview is now available online! For I,Spy fans, here's a short segment from his interview:



Click here to watch the entire 3-hour interview.

Full Interview Description:
Robert Culp was interviewed for three hours in Los Angeles, CA. Culp talks about his childhood interests and how he aspired to be an animator for Disney when he grew up. He talks about his acting training and his move to New York City. He explains how he was able to get work in television as an indirect result of the Hollywood Blacklist: since he was a newcomer. He discusseshis early experiences in Los Angeles as a struggling actor and describes his first role as a series regular on the series Trackdown, which he calls a “western Dragnet.” He describes some of the roles he had in a variety of the popular TV genres of the day— western, detective, medical, sci-fi— including his memorable parts on the classic sci-fi anthology The Outer Limits. He then speaks in great detail about the role and the series for which he is most closely associated: “Kelly Robinson” on I, Spy. For this series he talks about the on-location shooting, working with co-star Bill Cosby (and the controversial casting of an African-American lead), and talks about some of the series’ episodes that he wrote as well as acted in. He then discusses two other series for which he memorably appeared: The Greatest American Hero and Everybody Loves Raymond. The interview was conducted by Stephen J. Abramson on November 6, 2007.

Sherman Hemsley's Interview Is Now Online

Sherman Hemsley's Archive Interview is now online. Forever "George Jefferson" in the minds of TV fans, Hemsley also had a hit with the highly-rated sitcom Amen.

Click here to view Sherman Hemsley's three part Archive Interview.


Interview Description:
During his interview, Mr. Hemsley spoke of his early career as a stage actor (while continuing to work a day-job at the post office) and his rise to fame as “George Jefferson” on All in the Family. Hemsley spoke of his being cast for the role and the subsequent long-running spin-off, The Jeffersons. Hemsely then spoke about creating the character of "Deacon Ernest Frye" on Amen. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on August 17, 2003.

Click here for a link to Jeffersons co-star Isabel Sanford's interview.

Cinematographer Joseph M. Wilcots Interview Now Online

Joseph M. Wilcots' full Archive interview has now been posted online. Wilcots, who is currently at work on several projects, was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for Roots. He was interviewed on December 5, 2007.

Click here to access the full 4-part interview.

Interview Description:

Wilcots spoke about his early interest in photography as a teenager and his filmmaking experiences while serving in the Navy. He described his work, following the service, at the Westheimer Optical House, in particular the creative work being done for the special effects on the original Star Trek series. He related how he became the first African-American member of the camera operators union and identified the slow shift in adding other African-American members into the union over the years. He talked about his work in independent filmmaking and reminisced about some of the people he worked with including director Gordon Parks and cinematographer Robert Surtees. He spoke in great detail about the two projects for which he is most associated, the miniseries: Roots and Roots: The Next Generations in which he served as Directory of Photography. He talked about his approach to the Roots shows (“I wanted to make the audience smell the dirt”), meeting and working with Alex Haley (“Everything he wrote was shootable”), and working with actor Marlon Brando (he says he took 200 pounds off him using a fireplace as the key light). He noted the impact of Roots and what working on the miniseries meant to him. He acknowledged his work on the Alex Haley/Norman Lear series Palmerstown U.S.A. Lastly, he gave his impressions of three individuals for whom he worked for extensively: actor/director George Stanford Brown, Bill Cosby, and Michael Jackson.

60 Years Ago-- "We, the People" Ushered in the Radio-Television Simulcast

In the early days of television as radio remained the dominant medium and television looked to make its foothold, several early shows were done as simulcasts on both mediums. We, the People was the first (on June 1, 1948) followed soon thereafter by such top radio radio shows as Arthur Godfrey Time. As described in Arthur J. Singer's Arthur Godfrey: The Adventures of an American Broadcaster, Godfrey said at the top of his first simulcast (November 23, 1948): "This morning, we've got lights all around this place... and they're driving us crazy. They said, 'We'll come in, Arthur, and you won't even know we're there.' [He makes a face, thumbs his nose at the camera. The audience laughs. Then he addresses the radio audience.] For a penny postcard I'll explain that laugh to you folks."

We, the People began as a radio show in the 1930s known for its unusual testimonials of real people. When the show made its historic "first" as a radio-television simulcast, Variety, noted that the broadcast was preceded by a ten-minute ceremony in which CBS President Frank Stanton and reps from the advertising agencies that sponsored the show, cited the historic first of the simulcast. But, Variety griped: "In terms of depicting for home viewers how a radio show is run off, it could probably be classed as a success. But to call it a television show is a complete misnomer. With the single exception of a visual commercial midway in the program, no attempt was made at all to give the radio show a much needed TV Look."

Archive interviewee James Sheldon talks about directing We, the People (six minutes into part two of his interview). He describes how he staged the radio show and Ralph Levy directed the television portion and how, eager to make the show better for television, Levy taught Sheldon how to stage a show for TV.

Click here to view James Sheldon's entire six-part Archive interview.


James Sheldon's Interview Description:

Sheldon spoke about breaking into the business as an NBC page, and after a few years in advertising, turning his attentions to directing for television. He described his work on several shows from the 1950s including such diverse fare as: sitcom Mr. Peepers, daytime variety series The Eddie Albert Show, military anthology West Point Story, and drama The Millionaire. He also spoke in great detail about working with then-budding actor James Dean in two “live” television productions of Armstrong Circle Theater and Robert Montgomery Presents. He discussed his work on the anthology series The Twilight Zone, for which he directed such classic episodes as “It’s A Good Life” starring Billy Mumy. Other series he discussed included Family Affair and My Three Sons.

Incidentally, Carl Reiner talks about how We, the People inspired the "2,000 Year Old Man" sketch on Your Show of Shows (at the end of part three of his Archive interview)!

"It's Saturday Night Live..." Don Pardo Interview Posted

The third season of Saturday Night Live comes out on DVD today. The Archive interviewed long-time announcer Don Pardo, whose voice has been closely associated with the show since its debut in 1975.


Click here to view Don Pardo's entire eight-part interview.




Interview description:

Pardo talked about joining NBC in 1944 and defined his duties as a staff announcer. He listed several of the radio and early television series on which he worked and described his trademark announcing style. He talked about his long association with several game shows including the original The Price Is Right, Choose Up Sides (where he appeared on-camera as “Mr. Mischief”), and the original Jeopardy! (that launched the pop culture catchphrase: “Don Pardo, tell her what she’s won!”). Lastly, Pardo spoke in great detail about the series for which he is most closely associated, Saturday Night Live. He then acknowledged leaving his post as staff announcer at NBC having held the position for a record 60 years and 6 months.

Mike Wallace is 90 Today!

The Archive of American Television wishes Mike Wallace a happy birthday as the veteran newsman turns 90. Wallace spent his early years as an announcer and actor in radio and television. In the early 1950s he often appeared as an actor in the dramatic anthologies of the day including Suspense and Studio One. When he began to do the nightly news for the Du Mont network and then his subsequent Night Beat interview program, he solidified his reputation as a probing journalist that he brought most famously to 60 Minutes.

The Archive interviewed Mike Wallace for three hours in 1998. Click here to access his complete Archive interview.

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame Honorees 2008 Are Announced

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame Committee has selected Beatrice Arthur, Dan Burke, Larry Gelbart, Merv Griffin, Thomas Murphy and Sherwood Schwartz to be inducted into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame, it was announced yesterday by John Shaffner, Chairman/CEO of the Television Academy.

Link to press release.

The Archive of American Television has conducted interviews with Beatrice Arthur, Larry Gelbart, Thomas Murphy, and Sherwood Schwartz. Click on the links below to watch their full Archive interviews.



Click here to access the full five-part interview with Beatrice Arthur.

Beatrice Arthur Interview description:

Beatrice Arthur begins the interview talking about the origins of her stage name and how she started out in plays, off and on Broadway. She then talked about her first movie roles and her appearances on The George Gobel Show and Caesar’s Hour. She described her other early appearances on television in The Seven Lively Arts, Omnibus, Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall and Star Trek and her role in the play and feature film Mame (with Angela Lansbury and Lucille Ball, respectively). She talked about her appearances on All in the Family as the liberal cousin Maude. She described her role as Maude, her relationships with Jean Stapleton, Carroll O’Connor and Norman Lear. She then discussed the controversial issues and topics that the series Maude tackled, (such as alcoholism, abortion, death, infidelity and feminism). Arthur also talked extensively about working with Norman Lear on All in the Family and Maude, watching the show 20 years after it first aired and why she eventually left the show. She then briefly talked about her series Amanda’s. Arthur talked affectionately about The Golden Girls. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on March 15, 2001.



Click here to access the full eight-part interview with Larry Gelbart.

Larry Gelbart Interview description:

Larry Gelbart told the story of how he met Danny Thomas, who ultimately gave him his first job in the business. He talked about working with Thomas, as well as writing for Bob Hope, Red Buttons, Danny Kaye, and Sid Caesar for Caesar's Hour. Gelbart spoke of working in the Caesar's Hour writer's room with such greats as Mel Tolkin, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, and Woody Allen. He also talked about his successful years writing for M*A*S*H and working with producer Gene Reynolds and Alan Alda. The interview was conducted by Dan Harrison on May 26, 1998.

Click here to access the full three-part interview with Thomas Murphy.



Thomas Murphy Interview description:

Murphy began his career as a broadcaster in 1954 at WROW-TV in New York. Ten years later, he was appointed the CEO of Capitol Cities, and has since overseen the ownership of many television stations, dozens of cable-TV systems and acquisition of the ABC network. In his interview, Murphy described the balance of business between the station owners, networks and viewers, and the ever-changing telecommunications business. The interview was conducted by Donald West on October 22, 1998.

Click here to access the full twelve-part interview with Sherwood Schwartz.



Sherwood Schwartz Interview description:

Sherwood Schwartz described the creation of his classics, Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch, Mr. Schwartz candidly described writing for comedic legends Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Red Skelton, and others. The interview was conducted by Dan Pasternack on September 17, 1997.

"The Price Is Right" Is On DVD; Show Creator Bob Stewart's Archive Interview Now Online

The Price Is Right has c'mon on out on DVD— 26 classic episodes. The Archive interviewed host and game show legend Bob Barker in 2000.

The Archive additionally interviewed the creator of The Price Is Right and many other classic game shows, Bob Stewart.

Click here to access Bob Stewart's entire seven-part interview.

Interview Description:
Stewart spoke about his transition from radio to television, and his first television show, Songs for Sale. Stewart looked back on his association with producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman (Goodson-Todman), which began in 1955. He talked about creating the game shows To Tell the Truth, The Price is Right and Password. He discussed the quiz show scandals and its impact on future game shows. Stewart commented on his continued success with his show The $10,000 Pyramid, which was later re-titled The $100,000 Pyramid. He discussed the importance of game show host selection, the qualities of a perfect contestant, and the key to creating a fun and successful game show.

"Love Boat" on DVD, Charles Fox Interview Online

The Love Boat has finally made it to DVD and just hearing the theme song brings back memories of Saturday nights and the Love Boat/Fantasy Island pairing.

The Archive has interviewed several of the creative team behind the series, including composer Charles Fox, who was responsible for many of TV's most memorable theme songs.




Click here to watch the entire 7-part interview with Charles Fox.

Interview description:

Fox talked about his musical education, which included studying with Nadia Boulanger in Paris from 1959-61. He spoke about breaking into composing for television, writing transition material for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as well as the bold and energetic theme song for ABC’s Wide World of Sports. He spoke in great detail about Love American Style, a series for which he wrote the theme song and scored music for the entire series run. He described other series for which he both scored the theme song and created libraries for track music. He described his work on Laverne & Shirley, including details about the pilot presentation and the creation of the theme song and main title. Additionally he talked about his work on the series: Happy Days, Wonder Woman, The Love Boat, and The Paper Chase. He also discussed his work in television movies (including Victory at Entebbe) and feature films (including The Other Side of the Mountain and Foul Play), as well as composing other popular songs. B-roll consisted of Fox performing a medley of his television theme songs as well as “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on June 29, 2004.

Jack Larson, TV's Jimmy Olsen, Turns 75 Today!

Jack Larson played everyone's favorite cub reporter from 1952-58 on the syndicated The Adventures of Superman, which starred George Reeves. He recently made a cameo appearance in the 2006 big screen Superman Returns. Last year, Larson attended the Archive's 10th Anniversary Party, which honored the Archive's first 500 interviewees (photo, left).

Click here to watch his entire Archive Interview.




Interview description:
Larson spoke in great detail about the role for which he is most associated, that of Daily Planet cub reporter “Jimmy Olsen” in the 1950s television series The Adventures of Superman. He discussed the ways he played the character, the kinds of comedy and stunts he did for the series, the one-take filming schedule, and his work with the regular cast and guest stars. He also discussed the popularity of “Superman” and why he thinks it has become a franchise phenomenon. Larson spoke candidly about the difficulties he had coping with instant celebrity and his struggles later on when he found that he was typecast. Additionally, he talked about his earlier career, screen testing for the feature film Fighter Squadron and landing a contract with Warner Brothers, as well as his work in “live” television in New York. Finally, Larson talked about his guest appearances in recent years on such series as Lois & Clark— The New Adventures of Superman.

Shirley Jones joins "Days of Our Lives" -- Archive Interview is Now Online

Iconic actress Shirley Jones has joined the cast of daytime soap Days of our Lives. She's playing Colleen Brady (complete with Irish brogue), the "supposedly dead" great-aunt of Sami Brady. According to published reports, she'll be on the the show throughout February.

Ms. Jones was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on December 7, 2005. Click here to access Ms. Jones' 5-part interview.


Shirley Jones Interview Description:
Actress Shirley Jones speaks about her early career, her discovery by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and her television debut on Playhouse 90, which lead to her casting in her Academy Award-winning role in "Elmer Gantry". She discusses working on the film "The Music Man" and other features. She talks in depth about her first series role as Shirley Partridge on The Partridge Family and discusses working with her stepson and co-star, David Cassidy. She then talks about the many made-for-television movies she has made including: The Children of An Lac, There Were Times Dear and Hidden Places. She also discusses her work on The Drew Carey Show, where she played Drew’s love-interest for three episodes.

In honor of her return to series television (this is her first soap role), we're including the entire 25-minute pilot episode of The Partridge Family, which premiered in September of 1970. As far as pilots go, it's one of the best!

It's a known fact that Lincoln loved mayonnaise! -- "The Odd Couple" Season 3 is on DVD

Season Three of The Odd Couple is now available on DVD and includes a number of the series' most well-remembered episodes including "Let's Make A Deal," "The Odd Monks" (Felix and Oscar go to a retreat at an upstate Mission), and, possibly the most famous (but you knew that from this post's title quotation): "Password." The Archive of American Television interviewed several of the cast and crew behind the series; Tony Randall discusses the genesis of the "Password" episode in part four of his interview.



Click here to access Tony Randall's entire four-part Archive interview.

Tony Randall Interview Description:
Randall explained that it was his role on television's Mr. Peepers that launched his career. He recalled his early years in live television and his association with comedian Wally Cox and producer Fred Coe. He talked extensively about working on The Odd Couple and his enduring friendship with Jack Klugman. He also talked about his favorite, but short lived series, Love, Sidney, as well as The Tony Randall Show. The interview was conducted by Matt Roush on April 30, 1998.

Actress Suzanne Pleshette has died - Archive Interview Online

We're sad to report that Archive interviewee Suzanne Pleshette, the actress best known for her role as Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show, died last night (Saturday, January 19th) at the age of 70. She was interviewed in February, 2006 and the interview is now available online.


Click here for her full San Jose Mercury News obituary.

Click here to view a special TV Land Online video featuring Archive interviews with Suzanne Pleshette & Bob Newhart talking about The Bob Newhart Show.

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences online Suzanne Pleshette obituary.

Click here to access Suzanne Pleshette's Archive interview.

Interview description:
In her 5-part oral history interview, actress Suzanne Pleshette talks about her early years as an actress in film (The Geisha Boy), television (Playhouse 90, One Step Beyond), and Broadway (“The Miracle Worker”). She discusses her friendship with Alfred Hitchcock that began on the feature film The Birds. She spoke candidly and in detail about her television work, including The Bob Newhart Show, in which she played Newhart’s wife “Emily Hartley,” including her surprise re-appearance in the series finale of Newhart. She talks about several of her other appearances on television including Columbo, Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean (in which she played the title role), and 8 Simple Rules and recounted, with honesty, the personalities of many of the people she worked with throughout her career.

Producer David Wolper Turns 80 Today

Legendary producer (and Archive of American Television co-founder) David L. Wolper is 80 years old today. Wolper's name is most associated with documentaries, such as Race for Space and The Making of a President as well as miniseries such as Roots. He also produced such feature films as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; sitcoms Welcome Back, Kotter and Chico and the Man; and special events such as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. Wolper was interviewed by the Archive about his life and career in 1998.

Soundbites from the interview.

On his philosophy of filmmaking:

I [devised] my philosophy of filmmaking, making the Race For Space and I never changed it from that first show. I want to entertain and inform, not just inform and not just entertain. I want to do both in the same piece. Because I remember, I saw a film in school once. And I came home and told my father. You know I saw this film in school, it was terrific. And my father said well you probably didn't learn anything. I said no dad, I learned more today because it was terrific. I enjoyed it, I did learn a lot. He said how can you learn a lot just watching film? That sort of reminded me. And when I did the Race For Space I wanted to get that entertainment.

On Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory:

Roald Dahl had a book. Mel Stewart, who has worked for my company, said his son read a book and really liked it called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I thought it was terrific. About that time, Quaker Oats was sponsoring one of my shows. And Quaker Oats was coming out with a candy and they said maybe it's a good idea if we do a television thing on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And I said well why don't you do a feature film, why don't you do a theatrical picture and get it out all over the theaters and the time you release the candy is the same time the movie comes out. So they put up the money to make the movie. They changed it to Willy Wonka because the name of the candy was going to be Willy Wonka. They changed it to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We made the movie. It's a big hit. And the candy melts on the counter, they had the wrong formula and all the candy, they had to recall back all the candy.

On selling Welcome Back, Kotter:

We're going to New York and it's the selling season. Everybody goes to New York to sell the shows as a program. Everybody is trying to see the heads of the network, you know, this and this and this. So I [thought] I wonder when Fred Pierce is flying back to New York, the head of ABC, one of the top people. So I knew his secretary because I had done a lot of business with ABC. I said when is Freddy flying back. She said well he's flying back Wednesday. What flight is it? You know the seat number? Yes. Thank you. I called up the airline and I said I have to have this seat, this flight. Well somebody's there. Move him to another seat, I want seat 6 on flight 225. Just think, I'm going to be all the way to New York with Freddy Pierce sitting next to me and I'm going to sell him Welcome Back Kotter. And we get on the plane and I say oh Freddy, isn't that a coincidence. So I sit down. I talk about Welcome Back, Kotter subtly, you know. ...And "Welcome Back, Kotter," blah, blah, blah. By the time we got to New York I knew in my heart that they were going to buy Welcome Back, Kotter. And everybody is hustling, how do we get that guy? I need two minutes of your time Freddy. And I had four hours of him on the way to New York.

On meeting Roots author Alex Haley:

I negotiated the deal and bought the property from Alex Haley. The book had not been written. I hadn't met Alex Haley. So Alex Haley comes out to California. We have a little luncheon. Myself and some of the people in my company and in about ten minutes we're the table was won over. This man mesmerized us in a ten to twenty minute conversation, we were [mouth agape]. I went home from the lunch and said my god, this man is unbelievable.


On his favorite shows:

Well my favorite shows, they all have something to do with turning points in my life [A] favorite [documentary] was The Making of the President in 1960. I was once called "Mr. Documentary." Then I was in the miniseries and my favorite obviously is Roots. So now all of sudden I’m "Mr. Miniseries." Then I do the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games that... it was even worldwide. So everybody thinks I’m [Mr.] outdoor spectaculars, you know. But really, you know, my real love is the documentary.

The entire 11-part interview can be accessed here.

Interview description:
David Wolper was interviewed for nearly five-and-a-half hours in Los Angeles, CA. Wolper talked about forming his first company, Flamingo Films, with father and son friends Joe and Jim Harris. He discussed many of his documentaries, including the Race For Space, Hollywood: The Golden Years, and The Making of a President, among others. Wolper fondly recalled working with his long time friend Mike Wallace, as well meeting and working with oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau. He talked about two classic sitcoms, Chico and the Man and Welcome Back, Kotter, as well as the many television movies and specials he produced. Wolper also discussed in great detail his three highly acclaimed ABC mini-series, Roots, The Thorn Birds, and North and South. The interview was conducted by Morrie Gelman on May 12, 1998.

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.

Archive Celebrates Fran Allison's Centennial

The Archive celebrates the centennial of Fran Allison (1907-89), born on November 20. Fran Allison was the host of the classic television series Kukla, Fran, and Ollie (in photo with puppeteer Burr Tillstrom). The series is called by the Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Television as, "the first children's show to be equally popular with children and adults." The series was done live and the dialogue was unscripted. The series began locally in Chicago in 1947 and went on NBC's midwest network in 1948 opening to the east coast in 1949 and the West Coast in 1951. As described in the Encyclopedia of Television, "Allison acted as 'straight man' to [the puppets], but her role was much more. A quick wit in her own right who could maintain the pace set by Tillstrom, Allison served simultaneously, according to Tillstrom, as 'big sister, favorite teacher, baby-sitter, girlfriend, and mother.'"


The Archive of American Television interviewed director Lewis Gomavitz, who spoke about about Kukla, Fran & Ollie in parts 2-5 of his interview.

Click here to access the entire nine-part interview with Lewis Gomavitz.


The Archive of American Television interviewed NBC stage manager Lynwood King, who spoke about Fran Allison ("Fran had a very quick wit, very fast thinking") and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie ten minutes into Part 2 of his interview.

Click here to access Lynwood King's entire six-part interview.

Lewis Gomavitz Interview Description:

Lewis Gomavitz described his involvement in the Chicago experimental station, W6XBK during World War II. After the war, he was hired on to the station, renamed WBKB, and served as a stage manager until he was tapped to direct a new show starring Burr Tillstrom's puppets and Fran Allison. The show, originally called Junior Jamboree, evolved into the classic, Kukla, Fran and Ollie. Gomavitz directed the show for ten years, until it went off the air. After that, he moved to Los Angeles where he directed and associate-produced various specials. In the 1970s, he worked as the prop master on Sanford and Son until the show went off the air. Mr. Gomavitz retired in the late 1980s. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on February 2, 2000.

Lynwood King Interview Description:

Lynwood King talked about breaking into television in 1949 at Chicago’s WNBQ. He described the famous “Chicago School” of broadcasting pioneered by such legends as Dave Garroway and Studs Terkel. King talked about his work as a stage manager on such network series (originating from Chicago) as Studs’ Place; Garroway at Large; Zoo Parade; and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. He recalled working as a director on such series as Hawkins Falls and, in New York, Tonight! America After Dark: the late night series that ran in between the Steve Allen and Jack Paar Tonight shows. King also talked about his work in public broadcasting and on such documentary series as Project 20. King spoke in great detail about his work as a director on the Today show, which reunited him with Dave Garroway. King also discussed his later freelance work on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and on soap operas, including Ryan’s Hope and One Life to Live. The interview was conducted by Jeff Kisseloff on November 20, 2002.

What are your memories of Kukla, Fran, and Ollie?

"Mary Kay and Johnny," American Network TV's First Sitcom, Celebrates its 60th Anniversary! Archive Interviews Now Online

Mary Kay and Johnny was a live domestic comedy that centered around a young couple that lived in Greenwich Village: he worked at a bank and she was a homemaker. It debuted on November 18, 1947. Mary Kay and Johnny (1947-50) originally ran on the Du Mont network (for nearly a year), then (except for a brief stint on CBS) spent the rest of its run on NBC.

Among the true-to-life storylines used on the show: Mary Kay got stuck in an elevator; Mary Kay left the apartment with a cake in the oven, leaving the "culinary-challenged" Johnny to finish the task; and, most importantly, Mary Kay's pregnancy and birth to son Christopher William (on December 19, 1948: that night's episode was done thirty minutes after his birth and showed an "expectant" Johnny Stearns pacing the waiting room floor). At the age of ten days, Christopher William made his debut on the show, and became a regular, years before there was a "Little Ricky."

Variety's October 13, 1948 review opined: "Much of the show's charm is traceable directly to the femme half of the team, who displayed a pleasant personality that prototyped the average conception of a young American housefrau.... Storyline picked them up with Mary Kay making plans for her first baby, which is due in a couple months, and her difficulties in buying the right baby carriage. It was that simple, but also that good. Whether the gal is actually going to have a baby wasn't made clear, but it would be a neat idea for the series..."

The Archive of American Television interviewed both Johnny Stearns (creator/writer/co-star) and Mary Kay Stearns (co-star) of this pioneering program. Click here to view their entire 4-part joint-interview (parts 1 through 4).

Interview Excerpts:

Mary Kay on breaking into television:

I went back to New York to start looking for work, and I got a call from an agent saying that there was a television job that I should go and see about. And of course, at that time, I didn’t know that much about television. But you know, a job is a job. So, I went down into the garment neighborhood of New York, and had an appointment with a man named J. Jostle, who owned a junior dress company. And he said, “yes, I’ll-- it’s fine, you can do it.” And I said, okay, so I went at the appointed time to Du Mont studio, which was downtown in New York, in what was Wannamaker’s Department Store... And so it was a fifteen minute program [modeling dresses] and during the 15 minutes, I think we had something like five dresses so it was quite hectic.

Johnny Stearns on convincing the sponsor of Mary Kay's previous show to consider a sitcom:

So I want up to this garment district and up in the elevator, and met J. Jostle, a very nice man, and he said, “you know,” he said, “we're all madly in love with your wife. She’s the cutest thing we ever saw. But I’m going to get out of TV, because the only sets in New York City are in bars, and I don’t think I’m going to sell too many J. J. Junior dresses to fellows drinking beer in a bar.” And I said, well, I think you’re absolutely right. And I said, however, if you’re going to go off of the air, how about letting us have one performance, because there’s something I’d like to try. And he said, “what is it?” I said, well, in radio, there’s a great many domestic comedies and comedies, I mean, The Jack Benny Show, and The Easy Aces and Henry Aldrich, and you know, all of these... but there’s never been anything like it on TV. So, I’d like to try it. He said, “well, I’ll tell you what. I have a friend who manufactures compacts that have a flashlight in them so that women can powder their nose in the dark.” And he said, “I’m going to give you 200 of those.” And if you can do anything you want to on the air, and just offer these to the viewers, and if you can get rid of all 200 of them, give them away free, maybe I’ll continue.” So, we went home to our little apartment, and I wrote a script about a young married couple-- well, we hadn’t been married very long. And so we did the program, and at the end of the 15 minutes, Mary Kay said, “and now, in honor of our first performance of the Mary Kay and Johnny show, we want to give you these--” And then we went home and prayed all night, because we thought, how embarrassing it’s going to be if no one likes them. And about 11 o’clock the next day I called up Mr. Jossel and I said, are you getting mail? And he said, “come on down.” And I said, but did you get any-- and he said, “come on down.” Wouldn’t tell me, so I went down there, climbed up to the office in the warehouse district, and he had something like 8000 letters, telegrams, over night mail, and a contract this long for Mary Kay and Johnny show, to sign. And which flabbergasted us. And I said this was the start of Mary Kay and Johnny show.

Johnny Stearns on the show's plotlines:

I can remember an episode that we did, and the reason I remember it, I also used it as an audition for U.S. Steel when they were considering hiring us. And it consisted of the two of us in the living room. I was reading the paper and Mary Kay was at a writing desk, writing a letter. And she said: “Darling.” And I’m lost in the paper. She said, “Darling.” I said, “hum?” Not looking up, the paper’s around. She said, “how do you spell ‘scrumptious?’” And I said, ‘scrumptious’? Just they way it sounds.” And Mary Kay went, “No, that isn’t one of the words you can do that. How do you spell it?” I said, “s-c-r-u-m-p-- shush.” And she says, “shush?” And I said, “yes.” And she said, “are you sure that’s right?” And I put down the paper and I said, would I have any reason to lie to you?” And she said, “well, I’ll take your word for it. It looks funny, but I’ll take your word for it.” I said, “well, you are you writing to?” She said, “I’m writing to the president of U.S. Steel.” And I said, “oh, how long have you two been carrying on a correspondence?” She said, “Not long. This is my first letter.” I said, “well, what are you writing him about?” And she said, I’m writing about our stainless steel flatware that we just bought.” And I said, “well, what are you saying?” She said, “I’m saying it’s ‘scrumptious’.” And, you know, it went on kind of-- so this was kind of little bit of the flavor of the thing that ah-- generally the situation was that because of Mary Kay’s big generous heart, she would create a situation that would put me in a real bind, but then by the time the half hour was over, she either intentionally, or unintentionally would get me out of the bind. That was kind of basically what would happen. But there were all sorts of things done.

Johnny Stearns on getting revenge on a critic:

I remember one we did where I was returning some glasses to a neighbor across the hall because we had had a party. And Mary Kay said, “be very, very quiet, because I’ve finally gotten Christopher asleep. So I went out the door, to return the glasses, and when I came back, she inadvertently had put the chain on the door. So I you know, “Mary Kay, Mary Kay,” which obviously she couldn’t hear, and Christopher couldn’t hear. So I was stuck. I was outside, couldn’t ring the bell. So went down the hall and climbed out a window and went along a ledge, you know, a little tiny ledge and we had-- this was on film, so you could shoot all this kind of thing. It’s perfectly safe, but it looked great, and while this was going on, Mary Kay had the radio on very low, and an announcer was saying, “there’s a cat burglar in such and such an area of New York, has been spotted, so we just want to warn people. So at this point, I was pulling the window up from the outside, and Mary Kay was, you know-- so she got a vase, and as I-- because the room was dark. And she got a vase, and as I came in, she hit me over the head, and boom, I went down. And so Mary Kay ran to the phone and asked information, the number for the police station. And at this point I began groaning, and so she said to the information, “oh, hold the line a minute,” she went back and hit me again.” And finally, she got off the phone and she turned on the light, and she said, “oh, it’s you, darling.” Well, we had gotten a bad review from a columnist by the name of Harriet Van Horn. And you know, when someone writes a bad review, there’s no way you get back. You can’t write a bad review about them. So when Mary Kay said, “oh, it’s you, darling.” I said, who were you expecting, Harriet Van Horn?

Interview descriptions:

John ("Johnny") Stearns (1916-2001) talked about growing up with a theatrical background, as his mother founded the “Petersborough Players,” in Petersborough, New Hampshire. This town was the model for Thorton Wilder’s “Our Town” and Stearns described how Wilder staged “Our Town” there himself, making this theatre the first summer theatre to do the play after its Broadway run. Stearns described his days in the theatre on the New York stage and his entrance into television on the experimental Philadelphia station WPTZ-TV. He described his work on stage and in film (Boomerang) with Elia Kazan. Stearns described how he became the creator, writer, producer, and star (along with his wife) of the very first television situation comedy, Mary Kay and Johnny (1947-50). He described the week by week production of the show, storylines used, and a description of its run on three different networks (Dumont, NBC, CBS). He also talked about his several year stint in the 1950s as the spokesperson (along with his wife) for U.S. Steel, appearing in commercials during the U.S. Steel Hour. He talked about other series he produced and directed such as: The Steve Allen Show (the WNBC show which would later become the Tonight show), Faye and Skitch (1953-54), Make Me Laugh (1958), Music Bingo (1958-59), and Seven Keys (1961-64). He also described in detail producing the long running agricultural program AG, USA, which began in 1961.


Mary Kay Stearns described her stage debut at age 2 and a half at the Pasadena Playhouse in California. She talked about her appearances on stage and in film on the West Coast before moving to New York to appear on Broadway. She described her television debut on the Dumont network on a show called J.J. Juniors, in which she modeled junior fashions. The timeslot was then taken by the Mary Kay and Johnny show (1947-50), television’s first situation comedy in which she described her co-starring role with her husband. She later found herself on television in Mary Kay’s Nightcap, in which, from 1951-52, she “signed-off” for NBC by telling the viewers what would be on television the following day and doing occasional interviews. She talked about appearances on “live” television shows such as the Armstrong Circle Theatre and Kraft Television Theatre. She also talked about her several year stint in the 1950s as the spokesperson (along with her husband) for U.S. Steel, appearing in commercials during the U.S. Steel Hour.

"Meet the Press" Celebrates 60 Years on Television

Network television's oldest show, Meet the Press, debuted on NBC on November 6, 1947. The guest on this first show was James A. Farley, former postmaster general under Franklin D. Roosevelt and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee; the show was created by Laurence E. Spivak and Martha Roundtree (who served as moderator). Meet the Press made its radio debut in 1945. The series moved around the week in its first few years but since 1950 has been a Sunday staple, as Tim Russert's tagline suggests: "If it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press."

The Archive of American Television has interviewed several members of the team responsible for the show over the years and we're happy to highlight two of these interviews:


Tim Russert was interviewed for a half-hour on the set of Meet the Press in Washington, D.C. Russert spoke about his early years growing up in Buffalo, NY and his decision to go to law school. He then spoke about his transition to television news, joining NBC News in 1984 as vice president -- working very closely with his mentor, NBC president Lawrence Grossman. In 1988, he became the Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief of NBC News and in 1991 he joined Meet the Press as its moderator. He spoke about his meeting with Meet the Press co-creator Lawrence Spivak and outlined his philosophy for moderating a news interview show. He also spoke about what he considered the biggest news story of his career to-date, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America.


Betty Cole Dukert was interviewed for four-and-a-half hours. Dukert spoke of her early interest in journalism and her brief production experience in local radio and television. She spoke in great detail about her tenure at Meet the Press, which spanned five decades, for which she ultimately served as executive producer. Dukert offered a history of the show from its earliest years as well as discussing her personal experiences behind-the-scenes. She chronicled her overseas trips, guests who appeared on the show, and the relationship between the series and the world’s political leaders. Additionally, she described the working methods of the moderators who served on the show during her years including: Ned Brooks, Lawrence Spivak, Bill Monroe, Marvin Kalb, Roger Mudd, Chris Wallace, Garrick Utley, and Tim Russert.