"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."

    About This Interview

    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.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Al Borden

    Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life

    01:34
    Thumbnail of Al Borden

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

    02:02
    Thumbnail of Al Borden

    Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show

    04:56
    Thumbnail of Al Borden

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

    06:20
    Thumbnail of Al Borden

    Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters

    00:42
    Play 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 

    15:09

    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

    13:34

    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

    17:28

    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

    12:59

    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

    13:45

    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

    05:31

    Chapter 4

    On working with Danny Thomas; on directors with whom he worked 

    13:28

    On working with Wally Cox on The Bob Hope Chevy Show; on working with Bob Hope behind the scenes

    15:22

    Chapter 5

    On Bob Hope's USO specials

    12:07

    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

    16:22

    Chapter 6

    On Bob Hope's various guest stars; on working with Jack Paar and Steve Allen; on working on The Tonight Show

    16:18

    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

    13:47

    Chapter 7

    On people he has worked with in his career; on final thoughts on Bob Hope

    15:11

    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

    10:35

    Bob Hope Chevy Show, The

    Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show

    01:07

    Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show

    04:56

    Al Borden on working with Wally Cox on The Bob Hope Chevy Show

    08:41

    Al Borden on working with Bob Hope behind the scenes

    06:41

    Bob Hope Specials

    Al Borden on Bob Hope's various guest stars

    02:41

    Al Borden on Lucille Ball appearing on Bob Hope's specials

    02:17

    Al Borden on Bob Hope's USO specials

    12:07

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

    06:20

    Al Borden on getting caught in crossfire on Bob Hope's USO tours

    05:51

    Al Borden on the then-head of the USO, General Rosie O'Donnell

    01:16

    Al Borden on working with the performers on Bob Hope's USO shows

    02:19

    Colgate Comedy Hour, The

    Al Borden on being propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour

    05:25

    Al Borden on a typical production week for The Colgate Comedy Hour

    08:10

    Al Borden on some of the "tricks" he used as propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour

    01:43

    Al Borden on the budgets of The Colgate Comedy Hour

    01:03

    Al Borden on the hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour

    04:32

    Al Borden on Donald O'Connor hosting The Colgate Comedy Hour

    05:41

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

    02:02

    Al Borden on working with Jimmy Durante and Tallulah Bankhead on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    03:14

    Al Borden on problems with props and guest stars on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    02:10

    Al Borden on working with the writers on The Colgate Comedy Hour and the gags on the show

    06:15

    Al Borden on mishaps involving props on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    03:36

    Al Borden on leaving The Colgate Comedy Hour

    00:34

    Al Borden on the impact of technological advances on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    05:31

    Texaco Star Theater

    Al Borden on being propmaster for Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle

    03:22

    Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The

    Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    04:20

    Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The

    Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno

    01:08

    Tonight Starring Jack Paar aka The Jack Paar Show

    Al Borden on working with Steve Allen and Jack Paar

    02:30

    You Bet Your Life

    Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life

    01:34

    Advice

    Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters

    00:42

    Bloopers

    Al Borden on problems with props and guest stars on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    02:10

    Al Borden on mishaps involving props on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    03:36

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Al Borden on his experience in World War II and living through the Great Depression

    01:24

    Al Borden on his service in World War II

    01:48

    Television Industry

    Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters

    00:42

    Al Borden on how being a propmaster has changed over the years

    00:46

    War

    Al Borden on his experience in World War II and living through the Great Depression

    01:24

    Al Borden on his service in World War II

    01:48

    World War II

    Al Borden on his experience in World War II and living through the Great Depression

    01:24

    Al Borden on his service in World War II

    01:48

    Designers

    Al Borden on how being a propmaster has changed over the years

    00:46

    Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters

    00:42

    Al Borden on some of the "tricks" he used as propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour

    01:44

    Prop Master

    Al Borden on how being a propmaster has changed over the years

    00:46

    Al Borden on advice to aspiring propmasters

    00:42

    Al Borden on some of the "tricks" he used as propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour

    01:44

    Game Shows

    Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life

    01:34

    Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

    Al Borden on being propmaster on Bob Hope's specials

    04:58

    Al Borden on being propmaster for The Colgate Comedy Hour

    26:34

    Al Borden on being propmaster on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    17:55

    Al Borden on being propmaster for Texaco Star Theater  with Milton Berle

    03:22

    Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show

    25:38

    Al Borden on being propmaster Bob Hope's USO specials

    28:29

    Steve Allen

    Al Borden on working with Steve Allen and Jack Paar

    02:01

    Lucille Ball

    Al Borden on Lucille Ball appearing on Bob Hope's specials

    02:17

    Tallulah Bankhead

    Al Borden on working with Jimmy Durante and Tallulah Bankhead on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    03:14

    Milton Berle

    Al Borden on working with George Burns and Milton Berle

    02:15

    Al Borden on being propmaster for Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle

    03:22

    Les Brown

    Al Borden on Les Brown

    01:08

    George Burns

    Al Borden on working with George Burns and Milton Berle

    02:15

    Johnny Carson

    Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    04:20

    Lou Costello

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

    02:01

    Wally Cox

    Al Borden on working with Wally Cox on The Bob Hope Chevy Show

    08:41

    Fred de Cordova

    Al Borden on working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    04:20

    Al Borden on Fred De Cordova 

    00:40

    Phyllis Diller

    Al Borden on Bob Hope's various guest stars

    02:41

    Jimmy Durante

    Al Borden on working with Jimmy Durante and Tallulah Bankhead on The Colgate Comedy Hour

    03:14

    Ernest D. Glucksman

    Al Borden on Ernest D. Glucksman 

    03:12

    Bob Hope

    Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career

    01:56

    Al Borden on being propmaster for The Bob Hope Chevy Show

    01:08

    Al Borden on his final thoughts on Bob Hope

    01:21

    Dolores Hope

    Al Borden on Dolores and Linda Hope

    09:41

    Mort Lachman

    Al Borden on Mort Lachman

    00:35

    Jerry Lewis

    Al Borden on the hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour

    04:32

    Fred MacMurray

    Al Borden on Fred MacMurray 

    01:43

    Dean Martin

    Al Borden on Bob Hope's various guest stars

    02:41

    Al Borden on the hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour

    04:32

    Groucho Marx

    Al Borden on being propmaster for You Bet Your Life

    01:35

    Harpo Marx

    Al Borden on working with Harpo Marx

    02:14

    Donald O'Connor

    Al Borden on Donald O'Connor hosting The Colgate Comedy Hour

    05:41

    Jack Paar

    Al Borden on working with Steve Allen and Jack Paar

    00:29

    Thomas W. Sarnoff

    Al Borden on Tom Sarnoff 

    01:15

    Dinah Shore

    Al Borden on Dinah Shore

    00:31

    Red Skelton

    Al Borden on Red Skelton

    00:45

    Danny Thomas

    Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career

    01:56

    Al Borden on working with Danny Thomas

    03:10

    John Wayne

    Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career

    01:56

    Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver

    Al Borden on Pat Weaver

    00:51

    Ed Wynn

    Al Borden on various stars he worked with in his career

    01:56

    All Interviews

    Loading Interviews...