Bob Vila

Host

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his one-and-a-half-hour Archive interview, television host and "grandfather of home improvement" Bob Vila discusses growing up in Miami and Havana, studying architecture in college and graduate school, and serving in the Peace Corps before starting his own business renovating brownstones and converting them into condominiums. He describes his unintentional foray into television as the featured guest on the local Boston show House Calls -- a program that soon morphed into This Old House and aired nationally on PBS with Vila as host. He explains how the program was a natural pairing of his passion for restoration and construction and his easy-going demeanor. Vila details his departure from This Old House, the creation of his own program, Bob Vila's Home Again, and shares his thoughts on Home Improvemen t - a television sitcom that may have been based on Mr. Vila himself. Karen Herman conducted the interview in New York City on June 10, 2010.

"From the point of view of the personality coming into your living room, I think I've always had the ability to help people just kind of kick back and relax and listen. Or watch. I've been approachable and the subject matter has been well received. I think that's one of the most important things."

People Talking About ...

Bob Vila

Highlights

Bob Vila on his childhood fascination with buildings

Bob Vila on being telegenic and creating This Old House

Bob Vila on advice to people renovating their homes

Bob Vila on his longevity in television

Bob Vila on being the forefather of home improvement shows

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his childhood and living in Havana for 3 years; on his early influences

On college; on serving in the Peace Corps; on rekindling his interest in architecture, pursuing a graduate degree and starting R.J. Vila Design Build

On getting into television and the beginnings of This Old House

On the first episode of This Old House; on going national on PBS and the production schedule

On being forced out of This Old House; on creating his own show, Bob Vila's Home Again; on partnering with Sears Craftsman Tools

On the contractors at This Old House and his favorite projects on the show; on television parodies of This Old House

Chapter 2

On Bob Vila's Home Again and its middle class target audience; on traveling for the program

On losing Sears as a sponsor and changing the title of the show to Bob Vila

On the projects that meant the most to him; on Bob Vila going off the air

On going green; on serving as a correspondent for Today and The CBS Early Show

On bobvila.com; on Home Improvement; on (then) current projects and advice to home renovators and to aspiring television hosts; on how he'd like to be remembered

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