Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girls' "Blanche" & Maude's Best Friend "Viv," Has Died

Rue McClanahan's forty year TV career began with a regular role on soap opera Another World and guest roles on such series as All in the Family and Mannix. She's best known for her work on the series Maude, Mama's Family, and The Golden Girls. She won the Emmy Award in 1987 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as "Blanche Devereaux" on The Golden Girls.

Click here for Rue McClanahan's entire May 4, 2006 Archive of American Television interview.




Interview Description:
Rue McClanahan was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours in New York, NY. McClanahan talked about her acting start on the stage and touched on some of her feature films from the 1960s. She discussed her first regular role in television as scheming nurse “Caroline Johnson” on Another World. She recalled how, when her character tries unsuccessfully to poison the mother of the twins she is caring for, she received a fan letter recommending a better poison. She spoke in great detail about her role as “Vivian Cavender” best friend to Bea Arthur on the television sitcom Maude. She described her character, talked about working with the ensemble cast, and commented on memorable series episodes. She then talked about her work as series regular “Aunt Fran” on Mama’s Family. Lastly, she discussed at length the production of the classic 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls and her role of “Blanche Devereaux.” She talked about the casting process, working with the series production personnel, and the transition of the show into The Golden Palace. The interview was conducted by Jim Colucci.

In this excerpt from her interview, she discusses how different The Golden Girls actresses were from their characters:

Art Linkletter, TV Legend and "Pied Piper to Kids" Has Died

Art Linkletter became a television icon in the 1950s, for his famed interactions interviewing children, and as the host of a string of successful series including Art Linkletter's House Party and People Are Funny. Linkletter has died at the age of 97.

Art Linkletter was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on September 15, 1997; his full interview can be viewed at emmytvlegends.org.

Interview Description:
Art Linkletter discusses his early years in radio and his business partnership with John Guedel which resulted in many popular programs including Groucho Marx's You Bet Your Life. He talks about his start, in 1950, in his first television series, Life with Linkletter. Linkletter then recounts some of his most memorable stories from the two television series he is most associated with, Art Linkletter's House Party and People Are Funny. For these series, he talks about the shows' universal appeal and his humorous interviews with over twenty-seven thousand children. He also discusses his notable appearance as host of the opening of Disneyland (Walt Disney was a family friend) on the live televised broadcast in July of 1955. The three-hour interview was conducted in Bel Air, California by Sam Denoff.

Soap Star Helen Wagner, Matriarch of "As the World Turns," Dies at Age 91- Archive Interview Online

Helen Wagner, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for her long-running performance as Nancy Hughes on As the World Turns since the show debuted in 1956, has died. She sadly misses the the series' final episode by just a few months-- its planned for a September 17th airdate. Her TV series career began with roles on several early-to-mid '50s shows, including soap The Guiding Light, sitcom The World of Mr. Sweeney, and soap Valiant Lady. Once she landed in Oakdale though, it became her mainstay for 54 years.

Helen Wagner was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on October 6, 2004, viewable in its entirety at emmytvlegends.org.

Interview description:
Helen Wagner was interviewed for nearly two hours in Mt. Kisco, NY. Wagner described breaking into acting on the New York stage and in experimental television. She talked about her appearance as a regular on the short-lived Charlie Ruggles sitcom The World of Mr. Sweeney. She then discussed the role for which she is most associated, that of “Nancy Hughes” on As the World Turns, a role she has played for nearly fifty years, the longest running character to date in the history of television. She described the production of As the World Turns including its transition from “live” to tape, story plot lines, and working with her longtime co-stars. She talked about various moments from the show from uttering the series very first line (“Good morning dear, what would you like for breakfast?”) to playing a scene “live” while unbeknownst to her CBS broke in to announce the shooting of President Kennedy. She talked about her continued work on the series and how the show has evolved over the years. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on October 6, 2004.

"Dynasty" Star John Forsythe Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

John Forsythe, best known as oil tycoon Blake Carrington on the '80s prime time soap Dynasty, has died at the age of 92. Forsythe's TV career dates back to the 1940s, and baby boomers will remember his first regular series role as the single dad on the series Bachelor Father (1957-62). Forsythe's other major TV claim-to-fame is providing the voice to the unseen "Charlie" in the '70s hit Charlie's Angels.

John Forsythe was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on July 24, 2000; his interview is currently available online.

Interview Description:
John Forsythe was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours in Los Olivos, CA. During his interview, Mr. Forsythe spoke of his extensive live television work and his series role as Bentley Gregg on Bachelor Father. He then chronicled his work on two other series, The John Forsythe Show and To Rome with Love, as well as numerous made-for-television movie roles. He also spoke about his voice-only role as "Charlie" on Charlie’s Angels and his role as Blake Carrington, the patriarch of the popular long-running series, Dynasty, opposite actresses Linda Evans and Joan Collins. The interview was conducted by Don Carleton.

Chet Simmons, the First President of ESPN, Has Died

Chet Simmons, who served as ESPN's first President when the network started in 1979, has died at the age of 81. Simmons began in sports programming in the 1950s and was instrumental in the development of ABC's Wide World of Sports in the 1960s. He became the first President of NBC Sports in 1977. The Archive of American Television Chet Simmons on December 16, 2008; the interview is not yet available online, below is an excerpt.



Interview description:
Chet Simmons was interviewed for four hours in Atlanta, GA. Simmons spoke about his early interest in following sports, on radio and in print. He noted his work selling time to small radio stations in the Southwest, meeting Edgar Scherick at this job. He described working in television mentored by Scherick (who taught him the business) and Jack Loubelle (who taught him television production), for their company Sports Programs, Inc.— working as a jack-of-all-trades production assistant, at first on big ten basketball. He talked about the expansion of the company under their exclusive deal with ABC and spoke frankly about Scherick’s difficult personality (and abrupt depature from the company), yet complimented his successes. He related a story of how the company, under Scherick, was able to get the rights for college football away from NBC in the mid-60s. He also described the working methods of Roone Arledge and his growing stature as a legendary figure in television. He outlined the concept of ABC’s Wide World of Sports and described how the show launched Jim McKay as a major sports announcer. He recounted how he came to work for NBC, spoke about his colleagues, and acknowledged how he became the first President of NBC Sports— the title created in 1977 for the first time. He spoke about his disappointment in losing college basketball to CBS due to disinterest internally and how this was the beginning of NBC’s loss of dominance in sports. He recalled hearing about a “sports-all-the-time” network that was being bandied about and the call he received to hire him to run this new Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (EPSN). He outlined the idea of the network by Bill Rasmussen (and his embracing of newly developed satellite technology) and spoke openly about how he was responsible for Rasmussen’s leaving the network. He talked about the contribution of Getty Oil executive Stuart Evey to early ESPN as well as NBC veteran Scotty Connal’s contribution to getting the network on the air. He described getting the sports coverage necessary to fulfill the network’s (eventual) mandate of 24-hour sports. He looked back on the first day’s programming and the emotions he felt, comparing it to the birth of a child. He outlined the kinds of sports the network showed and noted their breakthrough in programming with college basketball. He commented on the network’s location in Bristol, CT; described his management style; spoke about the network’s Sportscenter; and described how he came to leave the network. Lastly, he talked about his appointment as the Commissioner of the United States Football League. The interview was conducted by Paul Leone.

Producer-director Ira Skutch ("Match Game," "Philco Television Playhouse") Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

Ira Skutch, a producer-director and a television historian, has died at the age of 88. Skutch worked as a stage manager on some of the earliest regularly scheduled shows on NBC, including the landmark variety series Hour Glass (1946-47), the first hour-long entertainment series produced for network television. Moving up the ladder, he became a director on Philco Television Playhouse (helming the live commercials, and a few of the full productions themselves) and a producer-director on such series as Disc Magic, which featured popular songs played "live." Ira Skutch is best known for his tenure at Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions, producing such series as Match Game. Skutch contributed to TV scholarship with The Days of Live and The Du Mont Television Network: What Happened? (co-written with Ted Bergmann) and worked with such directors as Delbert Mann on interview-style autobiographies.

The Archive of American Television interviewed Ira Skutch on January 29, 2004 and the interview is currently available online.

Interview description:
Ira Skutch was interviewed for nearly three hours in Los Angeles, CA. Skutch talked about his early years as a page and later manager of guided tours at NBC in the mid-1940s. He described in detail the layout of the NBC building, listing the various studios and the radio series that were produced in each, as well as which were modified to bring in television production. Skutch talked about his work as a stage manger on NBC’s earliest television series including NBC Television Theater, You Are an Artist, Face to Face, Kraft Television Theater, and the big budget variety series Hour Glass. Skutch discussed his work in technique and production as a director of “live” television commercials for television series as well as the 1952 political conventions. He chronicled his work as a director on such shows as Disc Magic (a 1946 precursor to music video), The Swift Home Service Club (one of network television first daytime series), and Philco TV Playhouse. Lastly Skutch talked in detail about his 26-year tenure as director, then producer at Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions, where he worked on such series as Beat the Clock, Play Your Hunch, and Match Game. The interview was conducted by Gary Rutkowski.

"I Spy" Star Robert Culp Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

Robert Culp, an Emmy nominee for both writing and starring in I Spy, has died at the age of 79. Culp's considerable TV credits include the classic sci-fi anthology The Outer Limits, the comedy-adventure series The Greatest American Hero, and the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.

The Archive of American Television interviewed Robert Culp on November 6, 2007 and the interview is currently available online.

Interview description:
Robert Culp was interviewed for three hours in Los Angeles, CA. Culp talked about his childhood interests and how he aspired to be an animator for Disney when he grew up. He talked about his acting training and his move to New York City, breaking into theater and television. He explained how he was able to get work in television as an indirect result of the Hollywood Blacklist: since he was a newcomer, he had no affiliations. He talked about his early experiences in Los Angeles as a struggling actor and described his first role as a series regular on the series Trackdown, which he called a “western Dragnet.” He spoke fondly of working with Dick Powell, whose Four Star Productions produced this series. He described 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 spoke 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 talked about the on-location shooting, working with co-star Bill Cosby (and the controversial casting of an African-American lead), and talked about some of the series’ episodes that he wrote as well as acted in. He then spoke about 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.

TV's Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone— Fess Parker, Has Died— Archive Interview Online

Fess Parker became a TV star portraying "Davy Crockett" in a series of adventures that aired on the anthology series Disneyland, earning him an Emmy nomination as Most Outstanding New Personality in 1955. Parker had a rare second act in American TV stardom, as Daniel Boone, on the NBC series that ran from 1964-70.

The Archive of American Television interviewed Fess Parker on July 24, 2000, currently available online.

Interview description:
Fess Parker was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours at his inn in Los Olivos, CA. Mr. Parker talked about his childhood in Texas and his eventual journey to Hollywood after visiting there during his military service in World War II. He discussed his early roles in filmed westerns and his early television roles including Dragnet and Annie Oakley. In 1954, he was hired by Disney to play the lead in Davy Crockett, a limited series. The program was so popular, and spawned such a merchandising craze, that Parker’s Crockett was brought back for two more limited series. After the series ended, Parker worked on many other series as a guest star, before launching into the short lived 1962 series, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. In 1964, Parker triumphed as the lead in (and occasional director of) the series, Daniel Boone, which ran for six years. With his success with Daniel Boone, Parker semi-retired and acquired real estate, resorts and wineries. The interview was conducted by Don Carelton on July 24, 2000.

"Days of Our Lives" Matriarch Frances Reid Has Died

Frances Reid, who played "Alice Horton" on Days of Our Lives from its inception in 1965, has died at the age of 95. She also starred in the soap opera Portia Faces Life in 1954 and was an early cast member of the long-running soap As the World Turns. Reid was awarded a Daytime Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in 2004.

Frances Reid was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on August 13, 2003. Her one-and-a-half hour Archive interview is currently available online.



Interview Description:
Frances Reid talked about her early career working in live television, and her first experiences working on daytime dramas, on programs such as Portia Faces Life and As the World Turns. She described in detail her longtime role as matriarch "Alice Horton" on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives. She discussed her many co-stars throughout the years on the show, notably Macdonald Carey, who portrayed her character's husband "Tom Horton." Reid explained the production process on a daytime drama, and touched on some of the memorable storylines featured on the show throughout the years. Finally, she briefly described her involvement in the actors union AFTRA.

"Andy Griffith Show" Producer Aaron Ruben Has Died

Aaron Ruben, who produced The Andy Griffith Show and was Emmy-nominated for Sanford and Son, has died at the age of 95. Ruben began his career as a writer in radio, transitioning to television with series and specials that included Caesar's Hour; in his early career he also directed for television, notably for The Phil Silvers Show. One of his last producing credits was the sitcom Too Close for Comfort. In his later years, Ruben was a court appointed children's advocate.

Aaron Ruben was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on February 25, 1999. His four-and-a-half hour Archive interview is currently available to view online.

"I'm certainly proud to have been at the beginnings of The Andy Griffith Show. Andy gives me more credit than I deserve because he's quoted about how I set the style for that show. I don't know. I'm just glad I was there and was an important part of the structuring of the show. I nurtured it and nursed it and I thought I took really good care of it. It was five of the best years of my life in the business."

Interview Description
Aaron Ruben was interviewed for four-and-a-half hours in Beverly Hills, CA. Ruben discussed his start as a radio writer for many popular stars including Dinah Shore, Burns and Allen, Fred Allen, Henry Morgan, and Milton Berle. He talked about the first time he worked in television on The Sam Levenson Show with Selma Diamond, and his television directorial debut on The Phil Silvers Show. He spoke about his transition to producing, starting with the now-classic series The Andy Griffith Show. Mr. Ruben talked about other television shows he produced including Gomer Pyle, USMC; Sanford and Son; CPO Sharkey; and Matlock.

Pioneering Female TV Director Frances Buss Buch Has Died

Frances Buss Buch, the first woman director at CBS, died at the age of 92 on January 19. She was an on-camera assistant on the very first TV game show— CBS Television Quiz— and also assisted with Richard Hubbell's CBS newscast, which included the announcement of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Among Frances Buss Buch's TV credits as a director were: game show The Missus' Goes-A-Shopping, interview show Vanity Fair (also producer), cooking show To the Queen's Taste with Dione Lucas (also producer), and children's show The Whistling Wizard. She was a producer on the talk show Mike and Buff, featuring then husband-and-wife team Mike Wallace and Buff Cobb. She is also credited as a director who contributed to the first commercial TV show that was broadcast in color— the June 25, 1951 special Premiere. Her Archive of American Television interview was conducted on June 16, 2005.



Interview description:
Frances Buss Buch was interviewed for two hours plus in Hendersonville, NC. She described how a two-week summer job at CBS led to an over decade-long association with the network, and her historic role as CBS’ very first female director. She detailed her work at CBS before and after broadcasting was interrupted during World War II. She talked about her assistance creating maps for the news program on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. She described several of the earliest commercial broadcasts on CBS which featured her on-camera, including The Country Dance, a monthly dance program by the American Country Dance Society; Children’s Story, in which a story was read to a child, “illustrated” by an artist on camera; and the CBS Television Quiz, which featured such games as “Peanuts in the Bottle” in which a contestant attempted to spoon peanuts into an empty milk bottle that they held on their head. She talked about some of her earliest directorial efforts such as Sorry Wrong Number, an adaptation of the famed radio show. Buch talked about several of the key creative talent at CBS at the time including Worthington Miner and Gilbert Seldes. She spoke in great detail about other early CBS series including The Missus Goes A-Shopping, To the Queen’s Taste with Dione Lucas, The Whistling Wizard, and Mike and Buff. She also talked about CBS’ color experimentation and her role as a director with the first color broadcast for the network on June 25, 1951. She also discussed "Telecolor Clinics," a series of television documentaries done for the American Cancer Society. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on June 16, 2005.

Trailblazing Cinematographer Joseph M. Wilcots Has Died

The first African American to join the International Cinematographers Guild, Joseph Wilcots was nominated for an Emmy for his work on Roots. The Archive of American Television interviewed Wilcots on December 5, 2007; his over three-hour Archive interview is now online.

Link to his L.A. Times obituary.

Interview description:
Joseph M. Wilcots was interviewed for three hours plus in Los Angeles, CA. 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. The interview was conducted by Gary Rutkowski on December 5, 2007.

TV Producer and Studio Executive David Gerber has Died

Archive interviewee David Gerber passed away Saturday at the age of 86. His prolific TV work includes overseeing such classic series as Police Woman, Batman, Room 222, and thirtysomething. A multiple Emmy Award nominee, he won the Emmy as the producer of Police Story in 1976. His interview will be placed online soon.

Obituary at TheWrap.com

Interview Description:
David Gerber was interviewed for nearly three-and-a-half hours in Bel Air, CA. Gerber talked about his start in television working at advertising agency BBDO as a television supervisor (on such accounts as Burgermeister beer) and as a packager at Famous Artists Agency. He talked about becoming familiar with network and agency executives and the importance of making vital career connections. He described his tenure as Senior Vice President of Television at General Artists Corporation (GAC) working with such television luminaries as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. He described his move to 20th Century Fox where he worked as Vice President in charge of television packaging. He talked about working with producer Irwin Allen on his many science-fiction series. He then related how he became affiliated with Columbia Pictures Television, and became Executive Vice President (and explained how he suggested that the name of the division be changed from “Screen Gems” to “Columbia Pictures Television”). He described the creation, issues covered, and production of the 1970s drama series Police Story. He also spoke in detail about spin-off series Police Woman (and working with star Angie Dickinson), and the highly-rated miniseries Beulah Land (and the controversy surrounding its production). He talked about becoming the President of MGM Television and discussed the series he oversaw including thirtysomething (and his initial excitement over the pilot script and fight to get the series financed) and In the Heat of the Night (and working with star Carroll O’Connor). He also talked about later series and television movies he produced. Throughout the interview, he noted his managerial style of expecting the best from people, his personal interest in the post-production process, and offered advice to aspiring producers. The interview was conducted by Karen Herman on September 13, 2006.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.