"The reason I stayed away from movies is they take it away from the producer and it's all about the director. In TV, it's still about producers. Although that's beginning to soften up. Except in my case."

    About This Interview

    In his three-and-a-half-hour interview, David Gerber (1923-2010) talks about his start in television working as a television supervisor and as a packager at Famous Artists Agency. He describes becoming familiar with network and agency executives and the importance of making those vital career connections. He details his tenure as senior vice president of television at General Artists Corporation (GAC), working with such television luminaries as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. He describes his move to 20th Century Fox where he worked as vice president in charge of television packaging. He recalls working with producer Irwin Allen on his many science-fiction series. Gerber relates how he became affiliated with Columbia Pictures Television, and then became president (and explains how he suggested that the name of the division be changed from "Screen Gems" to "Columbia Pictures Television"). He recounts the creation, issues covered, and production of the 1970s drama series Police Story. He speaks in detail about spin-off series Police Woman and the highly-rated miniseries Beulah Land (and the controversy surrounding its production). He talks about becoming the president of MGM Television and discusses the series he oversaw including thirtysomething (and his initial excitement over the pilot script and fight to get the series financed) and In the Heat of the Night (and working with star Carroll O'Connor). B-roll consists of stills from Born Free, Police Story, Nanny and the Professor, The Adventures of Sinbad, and The Lost Batallion. Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 13, 2006 in Bel Air, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of David Gerber

    David Gerber on facilitating Lucille Ball's return to television and representing Desilu Studios for Ball and Desi Arnaz

    04:33
    Thumbnail of David Gerber

    David Gerber on getting into producing

    05:35
    Thumbnail of David Gerber

    David Gerber on being President of Columbia Pictures Television 

    03:41
    Thumbnail of David Gerber

    David Gerber on shepherding thirtysomething  for MGM

    09:15
    Thumbnail of David Gerber

    David Gerber on advice to an aspiring producer

    04:17
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his early life and influences; on his interest in radio and the movies as a child; on his experience in World War II; on studying journalism and drama in college

    13:44

    On going to work in television advertising as the television supervisor; on early television he watched and thinking he had a future in the television business; on working at Famous Artists Agency

    14:32

    Chapter 2

    On what a television packager does and shows he packaged at Famous Artists Agency; on becoming Vice President of Television at General Artists Corporation; on the first shows he produced 

    13:27

    On facilitating Lucille Ball's return to television and representing Desilu Studios; on doing television deals at 21 and The Polo Lounge; on making money from television packaging deals; on packaging the series Felony Squad  

    17:16

    Chapter 3

    On going to work for 20th Century Fox Television; on approving Batman as head of 20th Century Fox Television; on selling Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; on selling Lost in Space and working with Irwin Allen

    11:56

    On getting into producing; on producing the ABC After School Special  "Follow the North Star" and getting involved in the editing process; on going to work for Columbia Pictures Television and producing Police Story

    17:18

    Chapter 4

    On producing Police Story; on the look and production of Police Story

    14:38

    On producing Police Woman; on producing Joe Forrester; on producing David Cassidy: Man Undercover  and Medical Story

    16:00

    Chapter 5

    On producing Medical Story;  on being President of Columbia Pictures Television; on his management style; on changing the name of Screen Gems to Columbia Pictures Television; on shepherding productions for Columbia Pictures Television 

    15:43

    On shepherding That's My Mama  for Columbia Pictures Television; on producing Gibbsville  and Beulah Land;  on producing The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

    15:00

    Chapter 6

    On producing Quark; on going to work for MGM and shepherding George Washington

    11:44

    On shepherding thirtysomething for MGM 

    09:15

    On shepherding In the Heat of the Night starring Carroll O'Connor

    07:56

    Chapter 7

    On shepherding In the Heat of the Night; on his legacy at MGM and producing Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; on going to work for All American Television

    10:43

    On producing various made-for-television movies in his later career; on producing Flight 93 

    09:20

    On then-current projects; on his proudest career achivements

    08:20

    Chapter 8

    On advice to an aspiring producer; on his sales ability; on his wife, Lorraine; on how he'd like to be remembered 

    09:44

    On b-roll pictures from his career- on the set of Born Free; the cast of Police Story; on the set of Nanny and the Professor; filming the pilot for Police Story; at the Emmy Awards, having won for Police Story; on the set of Sinbad; on location for Born Free; on the set of The Lost Battalion

    04:30

    ABC Afterschool Specials

    David Gerber on producing the ABC After School Special  "Follow the North Star" and getting involved in the editing process

    05:39

    Batman

    David Gerber on approving Batman as head of 20th Century Fox Television 

    03:54

    Beulah Land

    David Gerber on producing Beulah Land

    07:21

    David Cassidy: Man Undercover

    David Gerber on producing David Cassidy: Man Undercover

    01:34

    Felony Squad

    David Gerber on packaging the series Felony Squad  

    04:05

    George Washington

    David Gerber on going to work for MGM and shepherding George Washington

    09:11

    Gibbsville

    David Gerber on producing Gibbsville

    03:40

    In the Heat of the Night

    David Gerber on shepherding In the Heat of the Night starring Carroll O'Connor

    07:56

    David Gerber on shepherding In the Heat of the Night

    01:58

    Joe Forrester

    David Gerber on producing Joe Forrester 

    03:13

    Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, The

    David Gerber on producing The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

    02:14

    Lost in Space

    David Gerber on selling Lost in Space and working with Irwin Allen

    02:24

    Medical Story

    David Gerber on producing Medical Story

    02:15

    David Gerber on producing Medical  Story 

    02:36

    Police Story

    David Gerber on going to work for Columbia Pictures Television and producing Police Story

    05:56

    David Gerber on producing Police Story 

    07:41

    David Gerber on the look and production of Police Story

    06:57

    Police Woman

    David Gerber on producing Police Woman

    07:32

    Quark

    David Gerber on producing Quark

    02:30

    That's My Mama

    David Gerber on shepherding That's My Mama  for Columbia Pictures Television

    01:42

    Thirtysomething

    David Gerber on shepherding thirtysomething for MGM

    09:15

    Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

    David Gerber on selling Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

    02:46

    9/11

    David Gerber on producing Flight 93 

    05:22

    Advice

    David Gerber on advice to an aspiring producer

    04:17

    Historic Events and Social Change

    David Gerber on his experience in World War II

    06:12

    David Gerber on producing Flight 93 

    05:22

    Pivotal Career Moments

    David Gerber on getting into producing

    05:35

    Television and the Presidency

    David Gerber on going to work for MGM and shepherding George Washington

    09:11

    Television Industry

    David Gerber on what a television packager does and shows he packaged at Famous Artists Agency

    06:43

    David Gerber on making money from television packaging deals

    04:28

    David Gerber on doing television deals at 21 and The Polo Lounge

    02:47

    David Gerber on advice to an aspiring producer

    04:17

    War

    David Gerber on his experience in World War II

    06:12

    World War II

    David Gerber on his experience in World War II

    06:12

    Executives

    David Gerber on his management style

    05:55

    Producers

    David Gerber on his management style

    05:55

    David Gerber on advice to an aspiring producer

    04:17

    David Gerber on his sales ability

    01:46

    Television Executive

    David Gerber on his management style

    05:55

    Adventure/Espionage Series

    David Gerber on approving Batman  as head of 20th Century Fox Television 

    03:54

    David Gerber on selling Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

    02:46

    Comedy Series

    David Gerber on shepherding That's My Mama  for Columbia Pictures Television

    01:42

    David Gerber on producing Quark

    02:30

    Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

    David Gerber on going to work for Columbia Pictures Television and producing Police Story

    05:56

    David Gerber on producing Police Story

    14:38

    David Gerber on producing Police Woman

    07:32

    David Gerber on producing Joe Forrester 

    03:13

    David Gerber on producing David Cassidy: Man Undercover

    01:34

    David Gerber on shepherding In the Heat of the Night  starring Carroll O'Connor

    07:56

    David Gerber on shepherding In the Heat of the Night

    01:58

    Drama Series

    David Gerber on producing the ABC After School Special  "Follow the North Star" and getting involved in the editing process

    05:39

    David Gerber on shepherding thirtysomething  for MGM

    09:15

    Medical Dramas

    David Gerber on producing Medical Story

    02:15

    David Gerber on producing Medical  Story 

    02:36

    Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

    David Gerber on selling Lost in Space  and working with Irwin Allen

    02:24

    TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

    David Gerber on producing Gibbsville

    03:40

    David Gerber on producing Beulah Land

    07:21

    David Gerber on producing The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

    02:14

    David Gerber on going to work for MGM and shepherding George Washington

    09:11

    David Gerber on producing Flight 93 

    05:22

    Irwin Allen

    David Gerber on selling Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

    02:46

    David Gerber on selling Lost in Space  and working with Irwin Allen

    02:24

    Desi Arnaz

    David Gerber on facilitating Lucille Ball's return to television and representing Desilu Studios for Ball and Desi Arnaz

    04:33

    Lucille Ball

    David Gerber on facilitating Lucille Ball's return to television and representing Desilu Studios for Ball and Desi Arnaz

    04:33

    David Cassidy

    David Gerber on producing David Cassidy: Man Undercover

    01:34

    Carroll O'Connor

    David Gerber on shepherding In the Heat of the Night starring Carroll O'Connor

    07:56

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