About
"The changes at NBC since I started in 1952 are unbelievable. It turned from a family thing to a factory thing. The atmosphere is entirely different. The friendliness is gone. Everybody looks at each other and they're scared of each other. They're afraid to get fired."
In his three-and-a-half-hour interview, Al Borden (1904-2001) gives a fascinating perspective on working with many great performers, including Eddie Cantor, Milton Berle, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Bob Hope -- with whom he worked for 42 years. He details his years working on various Bob Hope shows, including touring with Hope and the USO. He recalls his years on The Colgate Comedy Hour, speaks of the many luminaries who appeared on the show, and discusses some of the mishaps that occurred with his props on live television. He recalls working with all of the hosts of The Tonight Show, up to and including Jay Leno, who would often use him in on-air bits. Sunny Parich conducted the interview on September 24, 1997 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights

Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life

Al Borden on working with Lou Costello on The Colgate Comedy Hour

Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show

Al Borden on the countries they visited on Bob Hope's USO tours

Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on getting into theater at an early age; on moving to New York to work in theater
On working on Broadway as a propmaster for a show starring Bob Hope; on his early experience with television; on doing prop work for feature films
Chapter 2
On being propmaster for various shows on ABC and NBC; on being propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour; on a typical production week for The Colgate Comedy Hour
On some of the "tricks" he used as propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour; on the budgets of The Colgate Comedy Hour; on the hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Chapter 3
On working with Lou Costello and Jimmy Durante on The Colgate Comedy Hour; on problems with props and guest stars on The Colgate Comedy Hour; on working with the writers on The Colgate Comedy Hour and the gags on the show
On mishaps involving props on The Colgate Comedy Hour; on being propmaster for Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle; on the impact of technological advances on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Chapter 4
On working with Danny Thomas; on directors with whom he worked
On working with Wally Cox on The Bob Hope Chevy Show; on working with Bob Hope behind the scenes
Chapter 5
On Bob Hope's USO specials
On the countries they visited on Bob Hope's USO tour; on getting caught in crossfire on Bob Hope's USO tour; on working with the performers on Bob Hope's shows
Chapter 6
On Bob Hope's various guest stars; on working with Jack Paar and Steve Allen; on working on The Tonight Show
On how the industry has changed over the years; on career highlights and advice to aspiring propmasters; on various people he worked with in his career
Chapter 7
On people he has worked with in his career; on final thoughts on Bob Hope
On B-roll pictures from his career - with Bob Hope; Eddie Cantor; dressing Bob Hope for a Christmas special; in Berlin with the USO; creating a coconut prop; with Bob Hope's overseas crew; with Dick Welsh; with Tom Sarnoff; with Grant Tinker; with Lucille Ball; with co-workers from NBC; with Jay Leno and the crew of The Tonight Show; with Donald O'Connor; plaque from the Television Academy; with his plaque for service from NBC; with Dolores Hope
Shows
Bob Hope Chevy Show, The
Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Al Borden on working with Wally Cox on The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Al Borden on working with Bob Hope behind the scenes
Bob Hope Specials
Al Borden on Bob Hope's various guest stars
Al Borden on Lucille Ball appearing on Bob Hope's specials
Al Borden on Bob Hope's USO specials
Al Borden on the countries they visited on Bob Hope's USO tours
Al Borden on getting caught in crossfire on Bob Hope's USO tours
Al Borden on the then-head of the USO, General Rosie O'Donnell
Al Borden on working with the performers on Bob Hope's USO shows
Colgate Comedy Hour, The
Al Borden on being propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on a typical production week for The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on some of the "tricks" he used as propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on the budgets of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on the hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on Donald O'Connor hosting The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on working with Lou Costello on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on working with Jimmy Durante and Tallulah Bankhead on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on problems with props and guest stars on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on working with the writers on The Colgate Comedy Hour and the gags on the show
Al Borden on mishaps involving props on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on leaving The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on the impact of technological advances on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Texaco Star Theater
Al Borden on being propmaster for Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The
Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The
Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno
Tonight Starring Jack Paar aka The Jack Paar Show
Al Borden on working with Steve Allen and Jack Paar
You Bet Your Life
Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life
Topics
Advice
Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters
Bloopers
Al Borden on problems with props and guest stars on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on mishaps involving props on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Historic Events and Social Change
Al Borden on his experience in World War II and living through the Great Depression
Al Borden on his service in World War II
Television Industry
Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters
Al Borden on how being a propmaster has changed over the years
War
Al Borden on his experience in World War II and living through the Great Depression
Al Borden on his service in World War II
World War II
Al Borden on his experience in World War II and living through the Great Depression
Al Borden on his service in World War II
Professions
Designers
Al Borden on how being a propmaster has changed over the years
Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters
Al Borden on some of the "tricks" he used as propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour
Prop Master
Al Borden on how being a propmaster has changed over the years
Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters
Al Borden on some of the "tricks" he used as propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour
Genres
Game Shows
Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Al Borden on being propmaster on Bob Hope's specials
Al Borden on being propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on being propmaster on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Al Borden on being propmaster for Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle
Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Al Borden on being propmaster Bob Hope's USO specials
People
Steve Allen
Al Borden on working with Steve Allen and Jack Paar
Lucille Ball
Al Borden on Lucille Ball appearing on Bob Hope's specials
Tallulah Bankhead
Al Borden on working with Jimmy Durante and Tallulah Bankhead on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Milton Berle
Al Borden on working with George Burns and Milton Berle
Al Borden on being propmaster for Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle
Les Brown
Al Borden on Les Brown
George Burns
Al Borden on working with George Burns and Milton Berle
Johnny Carson
Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Lou Costello
Al Borden on working with Lou Costello on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Wally Cox
Al Borden on working with Wally Cox on The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Fred de Cordova
Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Al Borden on Fred De Cordova
Phyllis Diller
Al Borden on Bob Hope's various guest stars
Jimmy Durante
Al Borden on working with Jimmy Durante and Tallulah Bankhead on The Colgate Comedy Hour
Ernest D. Glucksman
Al Borden on Ernest D. Glucksman
Bob Hope
Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career
Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Al Borden on his final thoughts on Bob Hope
Dolores Hope
Al Borden on Dolores and Linda Hope
Mort Lachman
Al Borden on Mort Lachman
Jerry Lewis
Al Borden on the hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Fred MacMurray
Al Borden on Fred MacMurray
Dean Martin
Al Borden on Bob Hope's various guest stars
Al Borden on the hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour
Groucho Marx
Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life
Harpo Marx
Al Borden on working with Harpo Marx
Donald O'Connor
Al Borden on Donald O'Connor hosting The Colgate Comedy Hour
Jack Paar
Al Borden on working with Steve Allen and Jack Paar
Thomas W. Sarnoff
Al Borden on Tom Sarnoff
Dinah Shore
Al Borden on Dinah Shore
Red Skelton
Al Borden on Red Skelton
Danny Thomas
Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career
Al Borden on working with Danny Thomas
John Wayne
Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career
Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver
Al Borden on Pat Weaver
Ed Wynn
Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career