About
“As a writer there’s a great advantage: you’re never out of work. You can always sit down at the typewriter or computer.”
In his two-hour interview, Bernie Orenstein talks about his early life in Canada and moving to New York City to write for Candid Camera. He discusses writing for The Hollywood Palace and the first project he worked on with his writing/producing partner Saul Turteltaub: the pilot of The Pat Boone Show. Orenstein then details the shows that he and Turteltaub wrote and produced: That Girl, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show before discussing Sanford and Son, which he and Turteltaub wrote and produced from 1974 to 1977. He goes on to talk about creating What’s Happening!! and his and Turteltaub’s later work, producing and consulting on Kate & Allie and Cosby. He concludes by giving advice to aspiring writers and producers, discussing his connection with the Writers Guild, and sharing how he would like to be remembered. Adrienne Faillace conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Writers Guild Foundation on June 2, 2016 in New York, NY.
Highlights
Bernie Orenstein on collaborating with his writing/producing partner Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on working with Carl Reiner on The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Bernie Orenstein on advice for aspiring writers
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub's responsibilities as producers of That Girl and what they looked for in staff writers
Bernie Orenstein on the Writers Guild
Bernie Orenstein on editing his television shows over the years
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on moving to the United States from Canada and writing for Candid Camera and The Les Crane Show
On writing for The Hollywood Palace; on writing the pilot of The Pat Boone Show with Saul Turteltaub
On producing That Girl with Saul Turteltaub; on producing The New Dick Van Dyke Show
On writing for The Monkees; on producing The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show
On producing Sanford and Son with Saul Turteltaub; on specific Sanford and Son episodes; on the popularity of the show and its legacy
Chapter 2
On forming Toy Productions and creating What's Happening!!; on One of the Boys
On creating E/R; on Kate & Allie and Cosby; on Chicken Soup starring Jackie Mason
On his decision to leave American television; on teaching writing and the history of television; on his opinion of then-current television
On his writing process; on the Writers Guild
On his admiration for his writing/producing partner Saul Turteltaub; on advice to aspiring writers and producers; on how he would like to be remembered
Shows
Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show, The
Bernie Orenstein on producing The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show with Saul Turteltaub
Candid Camera
Bernie Orenstein on his first writing job in the United States, on Candid Camera, and being paired up with Joan Rivers, who was also on the writing staff
Cosby
Bernie Orenstein on consulting on Cosby
Bernie Orenstein on Cosby being the last American television show he worked on
E/R
Bernie Orenstein on creating E/R
Foley Square
Bernie Orenstein on producing Foley Square with Saul Turteltaub, which was created by Diane English
Hey Landlord!
Bernie Orenstein on writing Hey Landlord! with Saul Turteltaub and the contributions of Garry Marshall
Hollywood Palace, The
Bernie Orenstein on getting a job writing on The Hollywood Palace after The Les Crane Show was cancelled
Kate & Allie
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub deciding that Marlo Thomas' That Girl character should get married, and his regrets over this because it led to the end of the show and how this same thing happened later on when they produced Kate & Allie
Bernie Orenstein on producing Kate & Allie, and his regret over having the character of "Allie" get married, which led to the demise of the series
Bernie Orenstein on working with Susan Saint James on Kate & Allie
Bernie Orenstein on working with writers and directors on Kate & Allie
Les Crane Show, The
Bernie Orenstein on writing for The Les Crane Show
Monkees, The
Bernie Orenstein on writing for The Monkees
New Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Bernie Orenstein on producing The New Dick Van Dyke Show with Saul Turteltaub
Pat Boone Show, The
Bernie Orenstein on writing the pilot for The Pat Boone Show with Saul Turteltaub
Sanford and Son
Bernie Orenstein on producing Sanford and Son with Saul Turteltaub and working with Redd Foxx
Bernie Orenstein on hiring writers on Sanford and Son and working with the cast
Bernie Orenstein on the dynamic between Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson as "Fred Sanford" and "Lamont Sanford" on Sanford and Son
Bernie Orenstein on issues with Standards and Practices on Sanford and Son
Bernie Orenstein on the Sanford and Son episodes, "Steinberg and Son" and "Fred Meets Redd" and working with Redd Foxx
Bernie Orenstein on why he thinks Sanford and Son was so successful (his answer: Redd Foxx) and Foxx's input on the show's scripts
Bernie Orenstein on why Sanford and Son ended
Bernie Orenstein on the legacy of Sanford and Son
That Girl
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub becoming the producers of That Girl
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub's responsibilities as producers of That Girl and what they looked for in staff writers
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub deciding that Marlo Thomas' That Girl character should get married, and his regrets over this because it led to the end of the show and how this same thing happened later on when they produced Kate & Allie
Bernie Orenstein on working with Marlo Thomas on That Girl
Bernie Orenstein on working with Ted Bessell on That Girl and another story about Bessell
Bernie Orenstein on the lack of network interference on That Girl and the show's theme song
Bernie Orenstein on the legacy of That Girl: representing feminism on television
What's Happening!!
Bernie Orenstein on creating What's Happening!! with Saul Turteltaub, which was based on the film "Cooley High"
Bernie Orenstein on casting What's Happening!!
Bernie Orenstein on Mabel King leaving What's Happening!!, and issues he and co-creator Saul Turteltaub had with her and other cast members on the show
Bernie Orenstein on the end of What's Happening!! and trouble with the writer of the screenplay of "Cooley High" (the movie upon which the show was based)
Topics
Advice
Bernie Orenstein on advice for aspiring writers
Bernie Orenstein on advice for aspiring producers
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Bernie Orenstein on issues with Standards and Practices on Sanford and Son
First Big Break
Bernie Orenstein on how he got his start in show business: he dropped out of college after appearing in a University of Toronto show called "The All Varsity Revue"
Bernie Orenstein on how his first writing job on a Canadian variety show produced by Norman Jewison led to his moving to New York City and writing for Candid Camera
Pivotal Career Moments
Bernie Orenstein on how he got his start in show business: he dropped out of college after appearing in a University of Toronto show called "The All Varsity Revue"
Bernie Orenstein on how his first writing job on a Canadian variety show produced by Norman Jewison led to his moving to New York City and writing for Candid Camera
Representation on Television
Bernie Orenstein on the legacy of That Girl: representing feminism on television
Bernie Orenstein on lectures he gives on the influence of African Americans in television
Television Industry
Bernie Orenstein on issues with Standards and Practices on Sanford and Son
Bernie Orenstein on his opinion of then-current television
Bernie Orenstein on advice for aspiring writers
Bernie Orenstein on advice for aspiring producers
Underrepresented Voices
Bernie Orenstein on lectures he gives on the influence of African Americans in television
Women
Bernie Orenstein on the legacy of That Girl: representing feminism on television
Professions
Editor
Bernie Orenstein on editing his television shows over the years
Post-Production Professionals
Bernie Orenstein on editing his television shows over the years
Producers
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub's responsibilities as producers of That Girl and what they looked for in staff writers
Bernie Orenstein on advice for aspiring producers
Writers
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub's responsibilities as producers of That Girl and what they looked for in staff writers
Bernie Orenstein on collaborating with his writing/producing partner Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on his writing process when writing a novel or play
Bernie Orenstein on the process of writing for television
Bernie Orenstein on the process of writing for television
Bernie Orenstein on his writing process when writing a novel or play
Bernie Orenstein on advice for aspiring writers
Genres
Comedy Series
Bernie Orenstein on his first writing job in the United States, on Candid Camera and being paired up with Joan Rivers, who was also on the writing staff
Bernie Orenstein on writing Hey Landlord! with Saul Turteltaub and the contributions of Garry Marshall
Bernie Orenstein on producing That Girl with Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on producing The New Dick Van Dyke Show with Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on writing for The Monkees
Bernie Orenstein on producing Sanford and Son with Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on creating What's Happening!! with Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on creating E/R
Bernie Orenstein on producing Foley Square with Saul Turteltaub, which was created by Diane English
Bernie Orenstein on producing Kate & Allie
Bernie Orenstein on consulting on Cosby
Bernie Orenstein on Cosby being the last American television show he worked on
Bernie Orenstein on other shows he and Saul Turteltaub created: Condo, This Week in Nemtin, A Touch of Grace, and The Super Comedy Bowl
Late Night
Bernie Orenstein on writing for The Les Crane Show
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Bernie Orenstein on getting a job writing on The Hollywood Palace after The Les Crane Show was cancelled
Bernie Orenstein on producing The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show with Saul Turteltaub
Reality TV
Bernie Orenstein on his first writing job in the United States, on Candid Camera and being paired up with Joan Rivers, who was also on the writing staff
Talk Shows
Bernie Orenstein on writing the pilot for The Pat Boone Show with Saul Turteltaub
People
Ted Bessell
Bernie Orenstein on working with Ted Bessell on That Girl and another story about Bessell
Marcy Carsey
Bernie Orenstein on working with producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on Chicken Soup, starring Jackie Mason
Dana Carvey
Bernie Orenstein on One of the Boys, starring Mickey Rooney, Nathan Lane, and Dana Carvey
Bing Crosby
Bernie Orenstein on writing a song for Bing Crosby when he appeared on The Hollywood Palace
Phyllis Diller
Bernie Orenstein on producing The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show with Saul Turteltaub and working with Phyllis Diller
Diane English
Bernie Orenstein on producing Foley Square, which was created by Diane English
Redd Foxx
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub being hired to produce Sanford and Son by Norman Lear, and Redd Foxx almost dropping out of the show before they started
Bernie Orenstein on how much he and Saul Turteltaub enjoyed working with Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son, and how Foxx protected them when people criticized them for being white writers on an African American show
Bernie Orenstein on the dynamic between Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson as "Fred Sanford" and "Lamont Sanford" on Sanford and Son
Bernie Orenstein on why he thinks Sanford and Son was so successful (his answer: Redd Foxx) and Foxx's input on the show's scripts
Allen Funt
Bernie Orenstein on his first writing job in the United States, on Candid Camera and being paired up with Joan Rivers, who was also on the writing staff and who was eventually fired by Allen Funt
Susan Saint James
Bernie Orenstein on working with Susan Saint James on Kate & Allie
Norman Jewison
Bernie Orenstein on his first television writing job, which was on an early Canadian variety show produced by Norman Jewison called The Barris Beat
Hope Lange
Bernie Orenstein on working with Hope Lange on The New Dick Van Dyke Show and meeting her then-boyfriend, Frank Sinatra
Norman Lear
Bernie Orenstein on he and Saul Turteltaub being hired to produce Sanford and Son by Norman Lear, and Redd Foxx almost dropping out of the show before they started
Garry Marshall
Bernie Orenstein on writing Hey Landlord! with Saul Turteltaub and the contributions of Garry Marshall
Jackie Mason with Emerson College
Bernie Orenstein on working with producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on Chicken Soup, starring Jackie Mason
Lorne Michaels
Bernie Orenstein on hiring Lorne Michaels as a writer on The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show
Bill Persky
Bernie Orenstein on Jane Curtain and Susan Saint James missing Bill Persky, who had helmed Kate & Allie before Orenstein and Saul Turteltaub came on
Carl Reiner
Bernie Orenstein on working with Carl Reiner on The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Joan Rivers
Bernie Orenstein on his first writing job in the United States, on Candid Camera and being paired up with Joan Rivers, who was also on the writing staff and who was eventually fired by Allen Funt
Mickey Rooney
Bernie Orenstein on One of the Boys, starring Mickey Rooney, Nathan Lane, and Dana Carvey
Garry Shandling
Bernie Orenstein on Garry Shandling writing for Sanford and Son
Frank Sinatra
Bernie Orenstein on working with Hope Lange on The New Dick Van Dyke Show and meeting her then-boyfriend, Frank Sinatra
Marlo Thomas
Bernie Orenstein on working with Marlo Thomas on That Girl, and his discomfort at the time with having a woman as his boss (a feeling which he now regrets)
Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on writing the pilot for The Pat Boone Show with Saul Turteltaub and writing sitcom pilots together at night
Bernie Orenstein on writing Hey Landlord! with Saul Turteltaub and the contributions of Garry Marshall
Bernie Orenstein on collaborating with his writing/producing partner Saul Turteltaub
Bernie Orenstein on his admiration for his writing/producing partner Saul Turteltaub
Dick Van Dyke
Bernie Orenstein on working with Dick Van Dyke on The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Tom Werner
Bernie Orenstein on working with producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on Chicken Soup, starring Jackie Mason
Demond Wilson
Bernie Orenstein on the dynamic between Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson as "Fred Sanford" and "Lamont Sanford" on Sanford and Son