About
"I never felt that the writing stage by itself is everything. I tell the kids I’m teaching now, you’re not writing something literary -- you’re writing an instruction book. The instructions are going to tell somebody how to make this TV show or this movie. And I like seeing it get realized."
In the nearly two-hour solo portion of his interview, Dan Wilcox (1941-2024) talks about his early years, and his first job writing for television, on Captain Kangaroo. He describes going to work as a writer on Sesame Street, where he worked closely with producer Jon Stone, and wrote sketches and stories for both the human cast and for Jim Henson’s Muppets. He recounts his time as a writer on Fernwood 2 Night, and working with star Martin Mull on that show. He discusses writing for various other series, including Newhart, FM, and The Jeff Foxworthy Show. Wilcox recalls his involvement with the Writers Guild, and dealing with the writers strike of 2007. He outlines his own writing process, and how he deals with having writer's block. He concludes by detailing what he likes about writing, providing advice to an aspiring writer, and saying how he’d like to be remembered.
In the twenty-minute joint portion of their interview, Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford talk about how they met and became a writing team, as well as writing for That’s My Mama and Roots: The Next Generations. They recall being on the writing staff of M*A*S*H later in its run, and helping to write the finale to the series, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.” Nancy Harrington conducted the interviews in a joint venture with the Writers Guild Foundation on April 20, 2016 in Tarzana, CA.
Highlights
Dan Wilcox on working with Jim Henson on Sesame Street, and on writing for the Muppets
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the M*A*S*H finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Dan Wilcox on helping bring the Writers Guild into Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on being in the "peanut gallery" as a child on Howdy Doody
Dan Wilcox on how he came to write for Fernwood 2 Night, and on working with Alan Thicke and Martin Mull on the show
Dan Wilcox on career achievements and regrets, and how he'd like to be remembered
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on television he watched as a child
On going to work on Captain Kangaroo; on the writing process on Captain Kangaroo, and writing the characters for the show; on leaving Captain Kangaroo for Sesame Street
On how he started writing for Sesame Street, and on what made it unique; on working with executive producer Jon Stone on Sesame Street; on the writing process of Sesame Street
On working with Jim Henson on Sesame Street, and on writing for the Muppets and the ensemble cast; on writing for Pete Seeger when he appeared on Sesame Street, and on the music of the show; on winning an Emmy for the Sesame Street, and on leaving it
On writing for Fernwood 2 Night; on working with Martin Mull and Alan Thicke on Fernwood 2 Night
Chapter 2
On being supervising producer for Newhart and working with Bob Newhart; on his favorite episodes of Newhart; on the final episode of Newhart and on leaving the show
On co-creating and writing the series FM with Allan Burns; on directing an episode of FM, and on the show only lasting one season; on writing for The Jeff Foxworthy Show
On his involvement with the Writers Guild; on the television writers strike of 2007; on his writing process and dealing with writers block
On what he likes about writing and advice to an aspiring writer; on career achievements and regrets, and how he'd like to be remembered
Chapter 3
START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH DAN WILCOX AND THAD MUMFORD: On how they met and became a writing team; on writing for That's My Mama; on writing the fifth installment of Roots: The Next Generations
On writing for M*A*S*H; on writing the M*A*S*H finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Shows
Captain Kangaroo
Dan Wilcox on going to work on Captain Kangaroo
Dan Wilcox on the writing process on Captain Kangaroo
Dan Wilcox on writing the characters of Captain Kangaroo
Dan Wilcox on leaving Captain Kangaroo for Sesame Street
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Dan Wilcox on winning a Daytime Emmy for his work on Sesame Street
Fernwood 2 Night
Dan Wilcox on how he came to write for Fernwood 2 Night, and on working with Alan Thicke, who was the executive producer
FM
Dan Wilcox on co-creating and writing the series FM with Allan Burns
Dan Wilcox on directing an episode of FM, and on the show only lasting one season
Howdy Doody
Dan Wilcox on being in the "peanut gallery" as a child on Howdy Doody
Jeff Foxworthy Show, The
Dan Wilcox on writing for The Jeff Foxworthy Show
M*A*S*H
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for M*A*S*H
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the M*A*S*H finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the M*A*S*H finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Newhart
Dan Wilcox on being supervising producer for Newhart and working with Bob Newhart
Dan Wilcox on his favorite episodes of Newhart
Dan Wilcox on the final episode of Newhart and on leaving the show
Newhart: "The Last Newhart"
Dan Wilcox on the final episode of Newhart and on leaving the show
Roots: The Next Generations
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the fifth installment of Roots: The Next Generations
Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on how he started writing for Sesame Street and what made the show unique
Dan Wilcox on working with executive producer Jon Stone on Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on the writing process of Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on working with Jim Henson on Sesame Street, and on writing for the Muppets
Dan Wilcox on writing for the ensemble cast of Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on writing for Pete Seeger when he appeared on Sesame Street, and on the music of the show
Dan Wilcox on winning a Daytime Emmy for his work on Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on leaving Sesame Street, and on the legacy of the show
That's My Mama
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for That's My Mama
Topics
Advice
Dan Wilcox on what he likes about writing and advice to an aspiring writer
Emmy Awards
Dan Wilcox on winning a Daytime Emmy for his work on Sesame Street
Industry Crossroads
Dan Wilcox on the television writers strike of 2007
Industry Strikes
Dan Wilcox on the television writers strike of 2007
Television Industry
Dan Wilcox on helping bring the Writers Guild into Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on his involvement with the Writers Guild
Dan Wilcox on what he likes about writing and advice to an aspiring writer
Dan Wilcox on the television writers strike of 2007
Professions
Producers
Dan Wilcox on how being a writer impacted his producing style
Writers
Dan Wilcox on the writing process on Captain Kangaroo
Dan Wilcox on the writing process of Sesame Street
Dan Wilcox on writing the characters of Captain Kangaroo
Dan Wilcox on his writing process and dealing with writers block
Dan Wilcox on what he likes about writing and advice to an aspiring writer
Genres
Children's Programming
Dan Wilcox on writing for Captain Kangaroo
Dan Wilcox on writing for Sesame Street
Comedy Series
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for That's My Mama
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for M*A*S*H
Dan Wilcox on writing for Fernwood 2 Night
Dan Wilcox on being supervising producer for Newhart
Dan Wilcox on co-creating and writing the series FM with Allan Burns
Dan Wilcox on writing for The Jeff Foxworthy Show
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the fifth installment of Roots: The Next Generations
People
Allan Burns
Dan Wilcox on co-creating and writing the series FM with Allan Burns
Jim Henson
Dan Wilcox on working with Jim Henson on Sesame Street, and on writing for the Muppets
Bob Newhart
Dan Wilcox on being supervising producer for Newhart and working with Bob Newhart
Pete Seeger
Dan Wilcox on writing for Pete Seeger when he appeared on Sesame Street, and on the music of the show
Jon Stone
Dan Wilcox on working with executive producer Jon Stone on Sesame Street
Alan Thicke
Dan Wilcox on how he came to write for Fernwood 2 Night, and on working with Alan Thicke and Martin Mull on the show
