Asaad Kelada

Director

View Full Interview

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In his three-hour Archive interview, Asaad Kelada discusses how he began his long and successful career as a TV director. He speaks of serving as an apprentice on the sitcom Rhoda and recalls how the show led to working on other popular comedies such as The Tony Randall Show, Phyllis and The Hogan Family ( aka Valerie). He details his experience working on the hit shows The Facts of Life, Who's the Boss? and Family Ties and outlines the impact these shows had upon him and audiences. Kelada also talks about his contributions to Dharma and Greg, Everybody Loves Raymond, Two and a Half Men and The Office, among others. He then describes his current projects and passions, discusses the craft of directing, and offers advice to aspiring TV directors. Nancy Harrington conducted the interview in North Hollywood, CA on March 7, 2012.

"I'm a director … I'm directing, I'm aiming, I'm guiding. It is my responsibility to make sure that I bring out the best that these people have to offer, or make it possible for them to bring out the best that they can offer."

Highlights

Asaad Kelada on directing special guest star Frank Sinatra, on Who's the Boss?

03:05

Asaad Kelada on James Burrows assistance to him at the beginning of his career

00:48

Asaad Kelada on advice given to him by Jay Sandrich while working on the show Phyllis

07:12

Asaad Kelada on directing Valerie Harper on the shows Rhoda and The Hogan Family

02:21

Asaad Kelada on his process of working with actors

04:30

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on meeting filmmaker Youssef Chahine; on his first movie role in the film, Cairo Station

19:06

On teaching at Antioch College; on apprenticing on the show Rhoda; on directing his first episode of the show

18:44

On the differences between directing for theater vs. TV; on working with Valerie Harper and other cast and crew members on Rhoda

06:27

On observing the production process of Rhoda; on his experience working on the show Phyllis; on his experience working on The Tony Randall Show

15:25

Chapter 2

On his memories working as a director while working on The Tony Randall Show; on the premise of the show; on directing WKRP in Cincinnati and The Last Resort

16:07

On directing The Facts of Life; on the addition of "Jo" to the cast; on his creative input on the show; on what a typical production week was like on the show

13:07

On working with the cast of The Facts of Life; on his favorite episode of The Facts of Life; on directing the two-hour special, The Facts of Life Goes to Paris

15:51

On directing the pilot for Family Ties and working with the cast; on guest directing on the show every year; on the focus of the show

12:24

Chapter 3

On his time directing Who's the Boss?; on the premise of the show; on his creative involvement in the show; on the dynamic between characters, "Tony" and "Angela"

14:31

On the popularity and appeal of Who's the Boss?; on directing Valerie, Karen's Song, and an episode of Day By Day featuring The Brady Bunch

09:40

On directing George, Sister, Sister, and Dharma & Greg; on his work on The Michael Richards Show; on directing two episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond

13:02

On directing Two and a Half Men; on directing an episode of The Office; on his work on Ruby and the Rockits; on current projects

08:29

On his process of working with actors; on how he prepares to direct an episode; on advice to aspiring TV directors; on the highlight of his career

10:14

Shows

Day by Day

Asaad Kelada on directing an episode of Day By Day featuring The Brady Bunch

01:55

Dharma & Greg

Asaad Kelada on directing Dharma & Greg

04:17

Everybody Loves Raymond

Asaad Kelada on directing two episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond

01:38

Facts of Life, The

Asaad Kelada on directing The Facts of Life

28:58

Asaad Kelada on working with the cast of The Facts of Life

03:11

Asaad Kelada on his favorite episode of The Facts of Life

02:06

Family Ties

Asaad Kelada on directing the pilot for Family Ties and future episodes of the show and working with Michael J. Fox

12:24

Hogan Family, The aka Valerie

Asaad Kelada on directing The Hogan Family (aka Valerie)

02:37

Last Resort, The

Asaad Kelada on directing The Last Resort

07:00

Office, The

Asaad Kelada on directing an episode of The Office

02:51

Phyllis

Asaad Kelada on his experience working on the show Phyllis

05:55

Rhoda

Asaad Kelada on apprenticing on the show Rhoda

06:08

Asaad Kelada on directing his first episode "Rhoda Goes to Paris" on the show Rhoda

04:43

Sister, Sister

Asaad Kelada on directing Sister, Sister

01:34

Tony Randall Show, The

Asaad Kelada on his experience working on The Tony Randall Show

02:18

Asaad Kelada on his memories working as a director while working on The Tony Randall Show

04:24

Two and a Half Men

Asaad Kelada on directing episodes of Two and a Half Men

04:00

WKRP in Cincinnati

Asaad Kelada on directing WKRP in Cincinnati

04:43

Who's the Boss?

Asaad Kelada on his time directing Who's the Boss?

16:28

Topics

Diversity in Television

Asaad Kelada on challenges breaking into the TV industry

03:57

Emmy Awards

Asaad Kelada on directing "The Dinner Party," an Emmy-winning episode of The Office

02:51

Fame & Celebrity

Asaad Kelada on working with the young cast of The Facts of Life and how they handled fame

01:49

Industry Crossroads

Asaad Kelada on how "The Dinner Party," an episode of The Office was delayed due to the Writers' Strike

02:51

Industry Strikes

Asaad Kelada on how "The Dinner Party," an episode of The Office was delayed due to the Writers' Strike

02:51

Minorities

Asaad Kelada on challenges breaking into the TV industry

03:57

Pop Culture

Asaad Kelada on the theme song for Family Ties

00:28

TV Theme Songs

Asaad Kelada on the theme song for Family Ties

00:28

Television Industry

Asaad Kelada on working with the young cast of The Facts of Life and how they handled fame

01:49

Asaad Kelada on how "The Dinner Party," an episode of The Office was delayed due to the Writers' Strike

02:51

Professions

Directors

View Profession

Asaad Kelada on apprenticing on the show Rhoda

06:08

Asaad Kelada on directing his first episode "Rhoda Goes to Paris" on the show Rhoda

04:43

Asaad Kelada on how he prepares to direct an episode

01:00

Asaad Kelada on directing an episode of The Office

02:51

Genres

Comedy Series

Asaad Kelada on apprenticing on the show Rhoda

06:08

Asaad Kelada on directing his first episode "Rhoda Goes to Paris" on the show Rhoda

04:43

Asaad Kelada on his experience working on the show Phyllis

05:55

Asaad Kelada on his experience working on The Tony Randall Show

02:18

Asaad Kelada on his memories working as a director while working on The Tony Randall Show

04:24

Asaad Kelada on directing WKRP in Cincinnati

04:43

Asaad Kelada on directing The Last Resort

07:00

Asaad Kelada on directing The Facts of Life

28:58

Asaad Kelada on directing the pilot for Family Ties

12:24

Asaad Kelada on his time directing Who's the Boss?

16:28

Asaad Kelada on directing The Hogan Family (aka Valerie)

02:37

Asaad Kelada on directing an episode of Day By Day featuring The Brady Bunch

01:55

Asaad Kelada on directing Sister, Sister

01:34

Asaad Kelada on directing Dharma & Greg

04:17

Asaad Kelada on directing two episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond

01:38

Asaad Kelada on directing Karen's Song

03:11

Asaad Kelada on directing George

03:17

Asaad Kelada on directing episodes of Two and a Half Men

04:00

Asaad Kelada on directing an episode of The Office

02:51

People

Meredith Baxter-Birney

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on directing Meredith Baxter-Birney on the pilot for Family Ties

01:19

Allan Burns

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on working with the producers on Rhoda

02:59

James Burrows

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on James Burrows assistance to him at the beginning of his career

00:48

Steve Carell

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Steve Carell and the rest of The Office cast

02:51

Tony Danza

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on his experience working with Tony Danza on Who's the Boss?

16:28

Asaad Kelada on Tony Danza producing the show George

03:17

Dave Davis

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on the support he received from Dave Davis, Valerie Harper and Grant Tinker while working on the show, Rhoda

02:11

Patty Duke

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Patty Duke and Lewis Smith on Karen's Song

03:11

Jenna Elfman

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Jenna Elfman on Dharma & Greg

04:17

Michael J. Fox

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Michael J. Fox on the pilot for Family Ties

06:15

Gary David Goldberg

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on directing Gary David Goldberg on The Tony Randall Show

04:24

Asaad Kelada on working with Gary David Goldberg on The Last Resort

07:00

Asaad Kelada on working with Gary David Goldberg on the pilot for Family Ties

12:24

Asaad Kelada on working with Gary David Goldberg on an episode of Day By Day

01:55

Michael Gross

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Michael Gross on the pilot for Family Ties

00:25

Valerie Harper

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on the support he received from Dave Davis, Valerie Harper and Grant Tinker while working on the show, Rhoda

02:11

Asaad Kelada on directing Valerie Harper on the shows Rhoda and The Hogan Family

02:21

Asaad Kelada on working with Valerie Harper and Jason Bateman on The Hogan Family

02:37

Teri Hatcher

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Teri Hatcher on her first series, Karen's Song

03:11

Katherine Helmond

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on his experience working with Katherine Helmond, Alyssa Milano, and Danny Pintauro on Who's the Boss?

03:30

Geri Jewell

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on directing Geri Jewell on The Facts of Life

02:29

Julie Kavner

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on directing Julie Kavner on the show Rhoda

00:50

Cloris Leachman

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Cloris Leachman on the show Phyllis

03:08

Asaad Kelada on working with Cloris Leachman on Two and a Half Men

01:46

Judith Light

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on his experience working with Judith Light on Who's the Boss?

03:30

Chuck Lorre

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Chuck Lorre on Dharma & Greg

04:17

Asaad Kelada on working with Chuck Lorre on Two and a Half Men

04:00

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on an episode of Day By Day

01:55

Nancy McKeon

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on what Nancy Mckeon's character "Jo" brought to The Facts of Life

02:04

Alyssa Milano

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on his experience working with Katherine Helmond, Alyssa Milano, and Danny Pintauro on Who's the Boss?

03:30

Danny Pintauro

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on his experience working with Katherine Helmond, Alyssa Milano, and Danny Pintauro on Who's the Boss?

03:30

Tony Randall

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on his experience working on The Tony Randall Show with Tony Randall

02:18

Asaad Kelada on directing Tony Randall on The Tony Randall Show

04:24

Jay Sandrich

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on advice given to him by Jay Sandrich while working on the show Phyllis

07:12

Charlie Sheen

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men

01:46

Frank Sinatra

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with special guest star Frank Sinatra on Who's the Boss?

08:05

Susan Sullivan

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on how Susan Sullivan was instrumental in his directing episodes of Dharma & Greg

04:17

Grant Tinker

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on the support he received from Dave Davis, Valerie Harper and Grant Tinker while working on the show, Rhoda

02:11

Nancy Walker

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on directing Nancy Walker on the show Rhoda

00:38

Ed. Weinberger

View Person Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Ed Weinberger on the show Phyllis

00:47

Hugh Wilson

View Interview Page

Asaad Kelada on working with Hugh Wilson on WKRP in Cincinnati and on The Tony Randall Show

09:07