Anne Nelson

In her three-hour interview, Anne Nelson (1922-2009) talks about her early life, and her first job at CBS in the sales department, starting in 1942. She describes working at CBS Radio in the 1940s, and working with chairman William S. Paley as the first female executive at the network. She recounts putting together some of the first television contracts ever drawn up, for stars including Jack Benny and Ed Wynn, and how her department was organized. Nelson talks about her involvement in the business end of many early CBS shows, including Gunsmoke, I Love Lucy, and Perry Mason, as well as having to deal with the Hollywood Blacklist. She outlines rising through the ranks in business affairs at CBS, eventually becoming a vice president, while dealing with powerhouse talent like Norman Lear, Judy Garland, Carol Burnett, and her friend Red Skelton. She sums up with advice to aspiring executives and shares how she would like to be remembered. Henry Colman conducted the interview on July 25, 1999 in Los Angeles, CA.