Bob Claver

Producer
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In his nearly two-hour Archive interview, Bob Claver (1928-2017) talks about breaking into television in Chicago and his move to New York, where he worked as a writer on various children's shows. He speaks in detail about working with Bob Keeshan as a writer-producer for five years on Captain Kangaroo. He then talks about his work with Four Star Playhouse and his subsequent employ at Screen Gems. He discusses such Screen Gems properties as The Farmer's Daughter, the pilot of Gidget and Occasional Wife. Claver details the creation of The Partridge Family, for which he served as executive-producer and occasional director. Finally, he talks about his work as a freelance director on such series as Welcome Back, Kotter and Gloria. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 11, 2004 in Chicago, IL.

"People forget that nobody tunes in a television show to see producers. So, if sometimes you have to step back a little bit, that's OK."

Interviewee(s)
Bob Claver
Highlights
Bob Claver on his directing style
Bob Claver on working with the kids of The Partridge Family  and how they dealt with celebrity
Bob Claver on the early Captain Kangaroo  broadcasts
Bob Claver on directing one season of Welcome Back, Kotter
Bob Claver on advice to an aspiring television director
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on the first time he saw television and his interest in theater; on early television-related jobs and meeting Bob Keeshan
On how he came to write Captain Kangaroo; on the early Captain Kangaroo broadcasts and coming up with ideas for the show; on the different elements of the Captain Kangaroo broadcasts
On a typical work week on Captain Kangaroo; on Bob Keeshan on the set of Captain Kangaroo; on the guest stars and legacy of the show
On associate-producing Four Star Playhouse and directing Ensign O'Toole; on deciding to go into directing

Chapter 2
On directing Four Star Playhouse and going to work for Screen Gems; on producing The Farmer's Daughter, The Second Hundred Years, Gidget, The Girl with Something Extra, Occasional Wife, Here Come the Brides, and The Interns
On producing and directing The Partridge Family; on casting The Partridge Family; on the characters of The Partridge Family and the musical aspects of the show
On the opening sequence and theme song of The Partridge Family; on The Partridge Family bus; on working with the kids of The Partridge Family and how they dealt with celebrity

Chapter 3
On his duties on The Partridge Family, the addition of Rick Segall to the cast, and the end of the show; on his favorite episodes of The Partridge Family and the show being a product of its time; on the questions he gets asked about the show and its continuing popularity
On working with Grant Tinker at MTM; on directing All's Fair; on directing one season of Welcome Back, Kotter
On directing one season of Mork & Mindy; on directing The Facts of Life; on the craft of directing television
On directing Gloria

Chapter 4
On directing Gloria, Small Wonder, and The New Leave it to Beaver; on directing T he New Love, American Style, The Munsters Today, Automan, and Charles in Charge
On the way sitcoms have changed since he started and things he wanted to do as director but couldn't; on moving back to Chicago in 1993 and then-current activities; on advice to an aspiring television director
On choosing what projects he wanted to direct; on career highlights and regrets and his mentors Hy Averback and Jackie Cooper; on his directing style and how he'd like to be remembered 
Shows

All in the Family

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Bob Claver on directing Gloria

All's Fair

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Bob Claver on directing All's Fair

Captain Kangaroo

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Bob Claver on how he came to write Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on the early Captain Kangaroo broadcasts
Bob Claver on writing early Captain Kangaroo and coming up with ideas for the show
Bob Claver on Hugh Brannum as "Mr. Green Jeans" on Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on the puppets of Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on Alan Rafkin, stage manager for Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on a typical work week on Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on the cartoons of Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on Bob Keeshan on the set of Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on the guest stars of Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on the legacy of Captain Kangaroo
Bob Claver on leaving Captain Kangaroo

Charles in Charge

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Bob Claver on directing Charles in Charge

Ensign O'Toole

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Bob Claver on associate producing Four Star Playhouse and directing Ensign O'Toole

Facts of Life, The

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Bob Claver on directing The Facts of Life

Farmer's Daughter, The

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Bob Claver on producing The Farmer's Daughter starring Inger Stevens

Four Star Playhouse

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Bob Claver on associate producing Four Star Playhouse and directing Ensign O'Toole
Bob Claver on directing Four Star Playhouse

Gidget

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Bob Claver on producing the pilot of Gidget

Girl With Something Extra, The

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Bob Claver on the problems of producing The Girl with Something Extra 

Gloria

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Bob Claver on directing Gloria
Bob Claver on directing Gloria

Here Come the Brides

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Bob Claver on producing Here Come the Brides

Interns, The

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Bob Claver on producing and directing The Interns

Mork & Mindy

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Bob Claver on directing one season of Mork & Mindy

Munsters Today, The

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Bob Claver on directing The Munsters Today and Automan

New Leave it to Beaver, The

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Bob Claver on directing The New Leave it to Beaver

New Love American Style, The

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Bob Claver on directing The New Love, American Style

Occasional Wife

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Bob Claver on producing Occasional Wife

Partridge Family, The

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Bob Claver on producing and directing The Partridge Family
Bob Claver on casting The Partridge Family
Bob Claver on the characters of The Partridge Family and the musical aspects of the show
Bob Claver on the opening sequence and theme song of The Partridge Family
Bob Claver on The Partridge Family bus 
Bob Claver on working with the kids of The Partridge Family and how they dealt with celebrity
Bob Claver on his duties on The Partridge Family, the addition of Rick Segall to the cast, and the end of the show
Bob Claver on his favorite episodes of The Partridge Family and the show being a product of its time
Bob Claver on meeting President Richard Nixon during the run of The Partridge Family
Bob Claver on the questions he gets asked about The Partridge Family and the continuing popularity of the show
Bob Claver on the Partridge Family spin-off Getting Together

Second Hundred Years, The

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Bob Claver on producing The Second Hundred Years

Small Wonder

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Bob Claver on directing Small Wonder

Welcome Back, Kotter

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Bob Claver on directing one season of Welcome Back, Kotter
Topics

Advice

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Bob Claver on advice to an aspiring television director
Bob Claver on advice to aspiring television producers

Characters & Catchphrases

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Bob Claver on the characters of The Partridge Family  and the musical aspects of the show

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Bob Claver on his mentors Hy Averback and Jackie Cooper

Fame and Celebrity

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Bob Claver on working with the kids of The Partridge Family  and how they dealt with celebrity

Pop Culture

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Bob Claver on the characters of The Partridge Family  and the musical aspects of the show
Bob Claver on the opening sequence and theme song of The Partridge Family
Bob Claver on The Partridge Family  bus

TV Theme Songs

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Bob Claver on the opening sequence and theme song of The Partridge Family

Television Industry

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Bob Claver on working with the kids of The Partridge Family  and how they dealt with celebrity
Bob Claver on the way sitcoms have changed since he started
Bob Claver on advice to an aspiring television director
Bob Claver on advice to aspiring television producers
Professions

Directors

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Bob Claver on the craft of directing television 
Bob Claver on advice to an aspiring television director
Bob Claver on choosing what projects he wanted to direct
Bob Claver on his directing style

Producers

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Bob Claver on advice to aspiring television producers
Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

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Bob Claver on directing The Munsters Today  and Automan

Children's Programming

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Bob Claver on working on Time for Fun  with Bob Keeshan
Bob Claver on writing for Captain Kangaroo 

Classic Anthology Series

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Bob Claver on associate producing Four Star Playhouse  and directing Ensign O'Toole
Bob Claver on directing Four Star Playhouse

Comedy Series

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Bob Claver on associate producing Four Star Playhouse  and directing Ensign O'Toole
Bob Claver on producing The Farmer's Daughter  starring Inger Stevens
Bob Claver on producing The Second Hundred Years
Bob Claver on producing the pilot of Gidget
Bob Claver on the problems of producing The Girl with Something Extra 
Bob Claver on producing Occasional Wife
Bob Claver on producing Here Come the Brides
Bob Claver on producing and directing The Partridge Family
Bob Claver on writing and directing The Partridge Family (Part 2)
Bob Claver on directing All's Fair
Bob Claver on directing one season of Welcome Back, Kotter
Bob Claver on directing one season of Mork & Mindy
Bob Claver on directing Gloria
Bob Claver on directing Gloria ( Part 2)
Bob Claver on directing Small Wonder
Bob Claver on directing The New Leave it to Beaver
Bob Claver on directing The New Love, American Style
Bob Claver on directing The Munsters Today  and Automan
Bob Claver on directing Charles in Charge

Medical Dramas

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Bob Claver on producing and directing The Interns
People

Hy Averback

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Bob Claver on his mentors Hy Averback and Jackie Cooper

Danny Bonaduce

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Bob Claver on casting The Partridge Family: Danny Bonaduce 

Hugh Brannum

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Bob Claver on Hugh Brannum as "Mr. Green Jeans" on Captain Kangaroo

David Cassidy

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Bob Claver on casting The Partridge Family: David Cassidy

Jackie Cooper

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Bob Claver on his mentors Hy Averback and Jackie Cooper

Susan Dey

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Bob Claver on casting The Partridge Family: Susan Dey

Sally Field

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Bob Claver on producing the pilot of Gidget starring Sally Field

Shirley Jones

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Bob Claver on casting The Partridge Family: Shirley Jones

Gabe Kaplan

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Bob Claver on directing one season of Welcome Back, Kotter  starring Gabe Kaplan

Bob Keeshan

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Bob Claver on working on Time for Fun with Bob Keeshan
Bob Claver on Bob Keeshan on the set of Captain Kangaroo

David Madden

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Bob Claver on casting The Partridge Family: David Madden

Alan Rafkin

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Bob Claver on Alan Rafkin, stage manager for Captain Kangaroo

Ben Stein

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Bob Claver on directing All's Fair  on which Ben Stein was a political consultant 

Inger Stevens

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Bob Claver on producing The Farmer's Daughter starring Inger Stevens

Grant Tinker

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Bob Claver on working with Grant Tinker at MTM

John Travolta

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Bob Claver on directing one season of Welcome Back, Kotter  starring John Travolta

Robin Williams

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Bob Claver on directing one season of Mork & Mindy  starring Robin Williams

All Interviews

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