Alan A. Armer

Producer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Alan A. Armer (1922-2010) talks about his early years growing up during the Great Depression. He acknowledges winning a World's Fastest Talker contest, while a teenager, speaking 617 words in 57 seconds. He speaks about his studies in speech and drama and his practical experience as an announcer in radio. He describes his years in local television in Los Angeles at KNBH (now KNBC) where he worked in many capacities and developed the series Lights, Camera, Action, a showcase for new young acting talent. He chronicles his work as a producer at 20th Century Fox in series television, where he produced My Friend Flicka and Broken Arrow. With Broken Arrow's production falling during the era of the Hollywood Blacklist, Armer reveals that the series' original writers could not be hired, rejected by the sponsor (but that he later employed them on The Fugitive). He speaks in great detail about his association as executive producer with the classic crime series The Untouchables. For this series, he comments on the controversy that arose due to the show's portrayal of Italian Americans, the necessity to tone down the show's depiction of violence, and Robert Stack's performance as Eliot Ness. He then talks about his work with Quinn Martin on the series The Fugitive. For The Fugitive, he gives his impressions of the cast, comments on the series highly-rated finale, and notes the series' Emmy win for Best Drama Series. He also touches on the later Quinn Martin-produced series The Invaders and Cannon. Finally, he talks about serving as Chairman of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the early 1970s, and the increase in membership and creation of the Film Group screenings during his tenure. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on July 15, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"It was a pattern we used successfully in The Untouchables, where the framework for the series would be 'the fugitive' running from the law and there would be a human-dimensional story about the characters 'the fugitive' would become involved with. That's really what made the series work."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Alan A. Armer on how he came to produce The Untouchables
11:09
Alan A. Armer on The Fugitive possibly being based on real-life events, and on series producer Roy Huggins
03:06
Alan A. Armer on producing The Invaders with Quinn Martin, starring Roy Thinnes as "David Vincent"
09:09
Alan A. Armer on working with producer Quinn Martin on The Fugitive
02:52
Alan A. Armer on his involvement with the Television Academy
09:02
Alan A. Armer on moving over to 20th Century Fox and producing My Friend Flicka
08:48
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on entering a "fast talking contest" as a kid; on his education, and on being a disc jockey
On his early experience with television; on his radio career; on creating and producing Lights, Camera, Action!
On appearing in commercials; on working with director Walter Grauman on Lights, Camera, Action!; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On moving over to 20th Century Fox and producing My Friend Flicka ; on producing Broken Arrow; on producing Man Without a Gun

Chapter 2

On how he came to produce The Untouchables; on what was attractive about the characters on The Untouchables, and on audiences rooting for the bad guys
On the historical accuracy of The Untouchables and on the events it was based on; on the violence on The Untouchables, and on the ratings of the show
On how The Fugitive came about; on The Fugitive possibly being based on real-life events, and on series producer Roy Huggins; on the ending of The Fugitive, and on working with series producer Quinn Martin

Chapter 3

On the legacy of The Fugitive; on his producing style; on winning an Emmy Award for The Fugitive, and on the end of the show
On producing The Invaders with Quinn Martin, starring Roy Thinnes as "David Vincent"; on the end of The Invaders; on producing Cannon with Quinn Martin
On producing Lancer; on his involvement with the Television Academy; on becoming a teacher, and on producing Westside Medical
On becoming a teacher, and on producing Westside Medical; on career achievements and regrets; on advice to aspiring producers, and on what makes a story work; on how he would like to be remembered
Shows

Broken Arrow

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Alan A. Armer on producing Broken Arrow
05:11

Cannon

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Alan A. Armer on producing Cannon with Quinn Martin
03:44

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Alan A. Armer on winning an Emmy for The Fugitive
00:43

Fugitive, The

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Alan A. Armer on how The Fugitive came about
06:31
Alan A. Armer on The Fugitive possibly being based on real-life events, and on series producer Roy Huggins
02:16
Alan A. Armer on the finale of The Fugitive, and on how it was received
02:03
Alan A. Armer on working with producer Quinn Martin on The Fugitive
02:52
Alan A. Armer on David Janssen as "Dr. Richard Kimble" on The Fugitive
04:47
Alan A. Armer on the rest of the cast of The Fugitive
09:34
Alan A. Armer on the legacy of The Fugitive, and on what he looked for in a writer
06:21
Alan A. Armer on winning an Emmy Award for The Fugitive
00:43
Alan A. Armer on the end of The Fugitive
01:37

Invaders, The

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Alan A. Armer on producing The Invaders with Quinn Martin, starring Roy Thinnes as "David Vincent"
09:09
Alan A. Armer on the end of The Invaders
03:49

Lights, Camera, Action!

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Alan A. Armer on creating and producing Lights, Camera, Action!
02:53
Alan A. Armer on working with director Walter Grauman on Lights, Camera, Action!
06:52

Untouchables, The

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Alan A. Armer on how he came to produce The Untouchables
11:09
Alan A. Armer on the popularity of The Untouchables, which he produced
01:37
Alan A. Armer on what was attractive about the characters on The Untouchables, and on audiences rooting for the bad guys
02:53
Alan A. Armer on the historical accuracy of The Untouchables, and on the events it was based on
08:00
Alan A. Armer on the violence on The Untouchables, and on the ratings of the show
07:48
Topics

Advice

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Alan A. Armer on advice to aspiring producers, and on what makes a story work
04:27

Characters & Catchphrases

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Alan A. Armer on David Janssen as "Dr. Richard Kimble" on The Fugitive
04:47

Classic TV series episodes

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Alan Armer on the finale of The Fugitive, and on how it was received
02:03

Criticism of TV

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Alan A. Armer on the violence on The Untouchables and on the ratings of the show
07:48

Drama

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Alan Armer on the finale of The Fugitive, and on how it was received
02:03

Emmy Awards

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Alan A. Armer on winning an Emmy for The Fugitive
00:43

Hollywood Blacklist

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Alan A. Armer on the Hollywood Blacklist
03:16

Industry Crossroads

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Alan A. Armer on the Hollywood Blacklist
03:16

Pop Culture

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Alan A. Armer on David Janssen as "Dr. Richard Kimble" on The Fugitive
04:47
Alan Armer on the finale of The Fugitive, and on how it was received
02:03

Sex & Violence

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Alan A. Armer on the violence on The Untouchables and on the ratings of the show
07:48

Television Industry

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Alan A. Armer on the Hollywood Blacklist
03:16
Alan A. Armer on the violence on The Untouchables and on the ratings of the show
07:48
Alan A. Armer on advice to aspiring producers, and on what makes a story work
04:27
Professions

Producers

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Alan A. Armer on his producing style
02:22
Alan A. Armer on advice to aspiring producers, and on what makes a story work
04:26
Genres

Commercials

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Alan A. Armer on appearing in commercials
04:00

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

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Alan A. Armer on producing The Fugitive
11:03
Alan A. Armer on producing Cannon with Quinn Martin
03:44
Alan A. Armer on producing Lancer
01:48

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

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Alan A. Armer on producing The Invaders
12:58
People

David Janssen

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Alan A. Armer on David Janssen as "Dr. Richard Kimble" on The Fugitive
04:47

Quinn Martin

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Alan A. Armer on working with producer Quinn Martin on The Fugitive
02:52
Alan A. Armer on producing The Invaders with Quinn Martin, starring Roy Thinnes as "David Vincent"
09:09
Alan A. Armer on producing Cannon with Quinn Martin
03:44

Roy Huggins

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Alan A. Armer on The Fugitive possibly being based on real-life events, and on series producer Roy Huggins
03:06

Roy Thinnes

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Alan A. Armer on producing The Invaders with Quinn Martin, starring Roy Thinnes as "David Vincent"
09:09

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