About
"At HBO I was part of the team that developed a new way of approaching television. The making of it and the marketing of it. It's a formula that other people emulated and has been proven successful. And I share that legacy with a lot of other people who worked with me."
In his over two-hour interview, Chris Albrecht talks about his early life and stand-up comedy career, and explains how he became manager of The Improv in New York City. He recalls making the transition to agent at ICM in Los Angeles, and he speaks of his many clients at the agency. He discusses moving over to HBO in the programming department and subsequently being promoted to head of HBO Independent Productions where he oversaw Roc, The Ben Stiller Show, and Everybody Loves Raymond. Albrecht outlines his ascension to president of original programming and later to CEO of HBO, where he programmed the classic shows Oz, The Sopranos, The Wire, Real Time with Bill Maher, Entourage, Six Feet Under, and Da Ali G Show. He talks about his legacy at HBO and his then-current position as CEO of Starz, and offers his advice to aspiring television executives. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on October 7, 2013 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights
Chris Albrecht the process of programing shows as President of Original Programming at HBO
Chris Albrecht on programming The Sopranos
Chris Albrecht on programming Band of Brothers
Chris Albrecht on programming Entourage
Chris Albrecht on digital distribution for Starz
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on television he watched growing up; on his stand-up comedy career
On becoming manager of The Improv in New York City; on becoming an agent at ICM; on becoming a programmer at HBO
On Comic Relief on HBO; on The Larry Sanders Show; on being head of HBO Independent Productions
On his involvement in the shows created by HBO Independent Productions; on becoming President of Original Programming at HBO; on the process of programming shows for HBO
Chapter 2
On programming Oz, Sex and the City, and The Sopranos
On the end of The Sopranos; on programming Curb Your Enthusiasm and Six Feet Under; on programming Band of Brothers
On being promoted to Chairman and CEO of HBO; on programming Angels in America, The Wire and Da Ali G Show; on HBO documentaries
On programming Deadwood, Real Time with Bill Maher and Entourage; on his legacy at HBO; on becoming CEO of Starz
Chapter 3
On digital distribution for Starz; on the Starz series Boss and Spartacus; on career highlights, advice to aspiring television executives, and his then-future
Shows
Angels in America
Chris Albrecht on programming Angels in America
Band of Brothers
Chris Albrecht on programming Band of Brothers
Comic Relief Specials
Chris Albrecht on Comic Relief on HBO
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Chris Albrecht on programming Curb Your Enthusiasm
Deadwood
Chris Albrecht on programming Deadwood
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Chris Albrecht on The Sopranos winning Emmys
Entourage
Chris Albrecht on programming Entourage
Larry Sanders Show, The
Chris Albrecht on The Larry Sanders Show
Oz
Chris Albrecht on programming Oz
Sex and the City
Chris Albrecht on Sex and the City
Six Feet Under
Chris Albrecht on programming Six Feet Under
Sopranos, The
Chris Albrecht on programming The Sopranos
Chris Albrecht on allowing The Sopranos to be filmed in New York and New Jersey rather than Los Angeles and allowing David Chase to shoot the pilot
Chris Albrecht on The Sopranos getting Emmy Awards
Chris Albrecht on the ending of The Sopranos
Chris Albrecht on the legacy of The Sopranos
Sopranos, The: "Made in America"
Chris Albrecht on the ending of The Sopranos
Wire, The
Chris Albrecht on programming The Wire
Topics
Advice
Chris Albrecht on advice to aspiring television executives
Classic TV Series Episodes
Chris Albrecht on the ending of The Sopranos
Drama
Chris Albrecht on the ending of The Sopranos
Emmy Awards
Chris Albrecht on The Sopranos winning Emmys
First Big Break
Chris Albrecht on becoming President of Original Programming at HBO
New Media
Chris Albrecht on digital distribution for Starz
Pivotal Career Moments
Chris Albrecht on becoming President of Original Programming at HBO
Pop Culture
Chris Albrecht on the ending of The Sopranos
Television Industry
Chris Albrecht on digital distribution for Starz
Chris Albrecht on advice to aspiring television executives
Professions
Executives
Chris Albrecht on how his experience managing a comedy club helped him later as a television executive
Chris Albrecht the process of programing shows as President of Original Programming at HBO
Chris Albrecht on advice to aspiring television executives
Television Executive
Chris Albrecht on how his experience managing a comedy club helped him later as a television executive
Chris Albrecht the process of programing shows as President of Original Programming at HBO
Chris Albrecht on advice to aspiring television executives
Genres
Drama Series
Chris Albrecht on programming The Sopranos
People
Alan Ball
Chris Albrecht on programming Six Feet Under
David Chase
Chris Albrecht on programming The Sopranos
Chris Albrecht on allowing The Sopranos to be filmed in New York and New Jersey rather than Los Angeles and allowing David Chase to shoot the pilot
Billy Crystal
Chris Albrecht on Comic Relief on HBO
Larry David
Chris Albrecht on programming Curb Your Enthusiasm
Tom Fontana
Chris Albrecht on programming Oz
Whoopi Goldberg
Chris Albrecht on Comic Relief on HBO
Robin Williams
Chris Albrecht on Comic Relief on HBO
Bob Zmuda
Chris Albrecht on Comic Relief on HBO