About
"I knew we were doing something very good. When writers would come to work for me, I'd read their scripts, they would be full of slang and I'd tell them, 'Fellas, don't use slang of the day. In reruns, five years down the line, we don't want to hear somebody say, 'He took out his gat.'"
In his four-hour interview, Carl Reiner (1922-2020) discusses his career from his stage work during his years in the service, to his television roles on classics like Your Show of Shows, Caesar's Hour, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He recalls his film work and his days on the Universal lot, describes the origins of The 2000 Year Old Man, and talks at length about his sketch comedy work with Sid Casear. He chronicles the creation of his first sitcom, Head of the Family, starring himself as the lead: a program that was later recast with Dick Van Dyke in the principal role in the reincarnated version known as The Dick Van Dyke Show. He comments on the Hollywood Blacklist, his admiration for fellow writers and for family members, and on whether or not he really wishes he had worn his hair for his first Emmy win. Morrie Gelman conducted the interview on March 25, 1998 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the seed of the idea for the "2,000 Year Old Man" from something seen on TV interview series We, the People, and how it was first "performed" by he and Mel Brooks when the two worked together on Your Show of Shows
Carl Reiner on appearing as Alan Brady on Mad About You
Carl Reiner on Sheldon Leonard and the path to The Dick Van Dyke Show
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on working with Sid Caesar
Carl Reiner on keeping The Dick Van Dyke Show in black and white
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the early days of Your Show of Shows
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years and influences
On WPA free acting classes, summer theater and touring revues
On meeting his wife and getting drafted into World War II
Chapter 2
On his early stage work during his World War II service
On his first jobs after World War II
On his early work in television
Chapter 3
On The Fashion Story; on his early stage work
On his path to and work on Your Show of Shows and on Caesar's Hour
Chapter 4
On Your Show of Shows
On Caesar's Hour
On life after working with Sid Caesar, and on writing his own show, Head of the Family, which would later be reincarnated as The Dick Van Dyke Show
Chapter 5
On "the 2000 Year Old Man"; on The movie The Thrill of it All with Doris Day and James Garner, and on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
On The Dick Van Dyke Show
On relocating to the West Coast
Chapter 6
On The Dick Van Dyke Show and The New Dick Van Dyke Show
On his film work after The Dick Van Dyke Show
On The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Chapter 7
On producing The New Dick Van Dyke Show and legacy of The Dick Van Dyke Show
On his greatest accomplishment (The Dick Van Dyke Show) and on showrunners he admires - David E. Kelley, Susan Harris, Jerry Seinfeld; on what makes a great comedy
On his favorite programs today and his thoughts on several people he's worked with - Woody Allen, Sheldon Leonard and Larry Gelbart
Chapter 8
On some of the people he worked with over the years
On his family
Chapter 9
Shows
Admiral Broadway Revue
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on his path to Your Show of Shows
Caesar's Hour
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on how Carol Burnett would watch the rehearsals of Caesar's Hour
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on working with Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows and on Caesar's Hour
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the end of Your Show of Shows and the beginning of Caesar's Hour
Celebrity Game, The
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on hosting the game show Celebrity Game
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Carl Reiner on creating and producing The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on producing The Dick Van Dyke Show
Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The
Carl Reiner on co-writing The Dinah Shore Chevy Show with Charlie Isaacs
Fashion Story, The
Performer Carl Reiner on his experience as a regular on The Fashion Story on ABC and how he managed to get to Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet at CBS' studio even though it followed directly afterward on live TV
Good Heavens
Carl Reiner on working on the TV show Good Heavens
Head of the Family
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the impetus to write his own show, Head of the Family, later reincarnated as The Dick Van Dyke Show
Hot in Cleveland
Carl Reiner on the cast of Hot in Cleveland; from the red carpet at the Television Academy
I Spy
Carl Reiner on how his son Rob is responsible for bringing Bill Cosby onto I Spy
Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet
Performer Carl Reiner on his experience as a regular on The Fashion Story on ABC and how he managed to get to Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet at CBS' studio even though it followed directly afterward on live TV
Kraft Television Theatre
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Kraft Television Theater's "Forty Weeks of Uncle Tom," directed by George Roy Hill
Mad About You
Carl Reiner on appearing as Alan Brady on Mad About You
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The
Carl Reiner on how The Mary Tyler Moore Show may have been born out of The Dick Van Dyke Show
New Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Carl Reiner on The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on how an argument with the network over The New Dick Van Dyke Show made him not want to write any more shows for CBS
Playhouse 90
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on his work on Playhouse 90
Carl Reiner on working with Ernie Kovacs on Playhouse 90
Sid Caesar Invites You
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Sid Caesar Invites You
Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special, The
Carl Reiner on The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Show
We, The People
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the seed of the idea for the "2,000 Year Old Man" from something seen on TV interview series We, the People, and how it was first "performed" by he and Mel Brooks when the two worked together on Your Show of Shows
Your Show of Shows
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on initially becoming involved with Your Show of Shows as the interviewer in "the Professor" sketches
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the writing staff of Your Show of Shows— which started with Mel Tolkin, Lucille Kallen, and Mel Brooks
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows producer Max Liebman
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on getting into the writer's room on Your Show of Shows, when he suggested a foreign movie parody
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the early days of Your Show of Shows
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows and on Caesar's Hour
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows co-star Imogene Coca (and her working relationship with Sid Caesar)
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on a favorite sketch from Your Show of Shows for which he did an elaborate "fall"
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows co-star Howard Morris
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the seed of the idea for the "2,000 Year Old Man" from something seen on TV interview series We, the People, and how it was first "performed" by he and Mel Brooks when the two worked together on Your Show of Shows
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on knowing and working with writer Mel Brooks (on Your Show of Shows)
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on how writers Mel Tolkin and Lucille Kallen set the tone for Your Show of Shows
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on lone female Your Show of Shows writer Lucille Kallen
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the Center Theater, where Your Show of Shows was broadcast until it was torn down
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on the end of Your Show of Shows and the beginning of Caesar's Hour
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Carl Reiner on censorship on Caesar's Hour
Carl Reiner on problems from Standards & Practices regarding an episode of The New Dick Van Dyke Show in which the daughter walks in on her parents making love
Carl Reiner on difficulty from Standards & Practices regarding an episode of The New Dick Van Dyke Show about a daughter who walks in on her parents making love
Comedy-Variety
Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Carl Reiner on his love of radio and film comedies
Emmy Awards
Carl Reiner on winning his first Emmy on Casear's Hour
Carl Reiner on Emmy awards for The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on wishing he had worn his hair for his first Emmy win
Hollywood Blacklist
Carl Reiner on blacklisted writer, Frank Tarloff and his own experience with the Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Carl Reiner on blacklisted writer, Frank Tarloff and his own experience with the Blacklist
Technological Innovation
Carl Reiner on how his decision to rerun episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show led to the show's rise in popularity
Carl Reiner on Desi Arnaz's revolutionary 3 camera system used on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on keeping The Dick Van Dyke Show in black and white
Television Industry
Carl Reiner on censorship on Caesar's Hour
Carl Reiner on blacklisted writer, Frank Tarloff and his own experience with the Blacklist
TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)
Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour
Professions
Actor
Carl Reiner on wanting to be an actor
Carl Reiner on playing Alan Brady on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Directors
Carl Reiner on his work as a director
Producers
Carl Reiner on being head writer and producer on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on producing The Dick Van Dyke Show
Writers
Carl Reiner on being head writer and producer on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on being a writer
Genres
Comedy Series
Carl Reiner on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour
People
Woody Allen
Carl Reiner on his admiration of Woody Allen
Fred Allen
Carl Reiner on his Fred Allen impression - of a man great on radio who didn't make it in television, inspired by Frank Sinatra
Morey Amsterdam
Carl Reiner on how Rose Marie cast Morey Amsterdam for The Dick Van Dyke Show
Desi Arnaz
Carl Reiner on Desi Arnaz's revolutionary 3 camera system used on The Dick Van Dyke Show
James T. Aubrey
Carl Reiner on CBS President James T. Aubrey
Jerry Belson
Carl Reiner on Jerry Belson as a writer on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Edgar Bergen
Carl Reiner on his love of Edgar Bergen on radio
Mel Brooks
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on knowing and working with writer Mel Brooks (on Your Show of Shows)
Carol Burnett
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on how Carol Burnett would watch the rehearsals of Caesar's Hour
Red Buttons
Carl Reiner on going to high school with Red Buttons
Dave Caesar
Carl Reiner on working with Dave Caesar, brother of Sid
Sid Caesar
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on working with Sid Caesar
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on his impressions of Sid Caesar
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows co-star Imogene Coca (and her working relationship with Sid Caesar)
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Sid Caesar on Caesar's Hour
Eddie Cantor
Carl Reiner on his love of Eddie Cantor on radio
Imogene Coca
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows co-star Imogene Coca (and her working relationship with Sid Caesar)
Bill Cosby
Carl Reiner on how his son Rob is responsible for Sheldon Leonard bringing Bill Cosby onto I Spy
Richard Deacon
Carl Reiner on Richard Deacon's casting on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Sam Denoff
Carl Reiner on the great writers on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Selma Diamond
Carl Reiner on working with writer Selma Diamond
Jose Ferrer
Carl Reiner on working with Jose Ferrer on the TV show Good Heavens
Bob Finkel
Carl Reiner on Bob Finkel, producer of The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Bob Fosse
Carl Reiner on Bob Fosse's role in the stage play, "Call Me Mr. Wizard"
Kid Gavilan
Carl Reiner on his earliest memories of television - watching Kid Gavilan box
Larry Gelbart
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Larry Gelbart and the other writers on Caesar's Hour
Carl Reiner on television writer Larry Gelbart
Jack Gilford
Carl Reiner on his admiration for Phil Leeds, Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel
Cary Grant
Carl Reiner on his bungalow on the Universal Lot next to Cary Grant
Ann Morgan Guilbert
Carl Reiner on working with Ann Morgan Guilbert
Buddy Hackett
Carl Reiner on Buddy Hacket's role in the stage play, "Call Me Mr. Wizard"
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Buddy Hackett's behavior
Susan Harris
Carl Reiner on his admiration for Devid E. Kelley, Susan Harris, and Jerry Seinfeld
George Roy Hill
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on his role on Kraft Television Theater's "Forty Weeks of Uncle Tom," directed by George Roy Hill
Lucille Kallen
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on lone female Your Show of Shows writer Lucille Kallen
David E. Kelley
Carl Reiner on his admiration for Devid E. Kelley, Susan Harris, and Jerry Seinfeld
Ernie Kovacs
Carl Reiner on working with Ernie Kovacs
Stanley Kramer
Carl Reiner on his work on It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Hope Lange
Carl Reiner on Hope Lange's role as the wife on The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Peter Lawford
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on how Peter Lawford (and Joe Kennedy) funded Head of the Family
Phil Leeds
Carl Reiner on his admiration for Phil Leeds, Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel
Sheldon Leonard
Carl Reiner on Sheldon Leonard and the path to The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on the legacy of Sheldon Leonard
Carl Reiner on how his son Rob is responsible for Sheldon Leonard bringing Bill Cosby onto I Spy
Max Liebman
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows producer Max Liebman
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows producer Max Liebman
Allen Ludden
Carl Reiner on friend and television host Allen Ludden
Rose Marie
Carl Reiner on Rose Marie on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Garry Marshall
Carl Reiner on Garry Marshall as a writer on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Steve Martin
Carl Reiner on working with Steve Martin
Larry Matthews
Carl Reiner on working with Larry Matthews
Mary Tyler Moore
Carl Reiner on Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on Mary Tyler Moore at the end of the first season of The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on Mary Tyler Moore's stage and film career taking off after The Dick Van Dyke Sho w
Howard Morris
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Your Show of Shows co-star Howard Morris
Zero Mostel
Carl Reiner on his admiration for Phil Leeds, Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel
Jerry Paris
Carl Reiner on working with actor/director Jerry Paris
Bill Persky
Carl Reiner on the great writers on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Estelle Reiner
Carl Reiner on his wife, Estelle Reiner
Rob Reiner
Carl Reiner on the birth of his son, Rob, and taking him on the road while Carl performed in the stage show, "Call Me Mr. Wizard"
Carl Reiner on his son, Rob Reiner
John Rich
Carl Reiner on television director John Rich
Lee Rich
Carl Reiner on Proctor & Gamble's Lee Rich and The Dick Van Dyke Show
Jerry Seinfeld
Carl Reiner on his admiration for Devid E. Kelley, Susan Harris, and Jerry Seinfeld
Dinah Shore
Carl Reiner on working with Dinah Shore
Frank Tarloff
Carl Reiner on blacklisted writer, Frank Tarloff
Danny Thomas
Carl Reiner on how Danny Thomas wanted Mary Tyler Moore for The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on one of The Dick Van Dyke Show's producers, Danny Thomas
Grant Tinker
Carl Reiner on Grant Tinker's enjoyment of The Dick Van Dyke Show and Tinker's relationship with Mary Tyler Moore
Mel Tolkin
Performer/writer Carl Reiner on Mel Tolkin, head writer on Caesar's Hour
Lily Tomlin
Carl Reiner on working with Lily Tomlin
Dick Van Dyke
Carl Reiner on how Dick Van Dyke was selected by Sheldon Leonard to replace Reiner as lead actor on what would become The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner on Dick Van Dyke's film career taking off after The Dick Van Dyke Show
Henry Winkler
Carl Reiner on working with Henry Winkler