About
"The Golden Age of Television was bound to happen because all the young writers at the time were thinking they were playwrights, and then suddenly this medium came along where you could do the same thing in two weeks and there was an audience for it. There was a market for it."
In his two-hour interview, David Shaw (1916-2007) discusses his prolific career as a television writer. He talks of his start in TV with the 1949 ABC "live" dramatic anthology series Actors Studio. He details his work on the series Philco-Goodyear Playhouse, comments on several of his individual teleplays (he contributed the most teleplays of any writer), and talks about working with legendary producer Fred Coe. Shaw describes knowing and working with other figures of the Golden Age of Television, such as director Delbert Mann, writer Paddy Chayefsky, and actress Eva Marie Saint. He discusses several series for which he served as a story editor including Mr. Peepers and The Defenders. He describes his teleplays for Producers' Showcase (including his Emmy-nominated adaptation of Our Town) and the six shows he wrote for Playhouse 90. B-roll consists of a headshot from the 1960s and a photo of Shaw behind the scenes on his Tony award-winning musical Redhead, starring Gwen Verdon. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on August 31, 2004 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights
David Shaw on the directors and actors of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist
David Shaw on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show
David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement
David Shaw on how he'd like to be remembered
David Shaw on writing the Broadway musicals "Redhead" and "Tovarich"
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his activities during World War II; on writing the story for the Billy Wilder feature "The Foreign Affair" and getting into television
On writing for the series Actors Studio and Prudential Family Playhouse; on writing for The Hartmans; on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Chapter 2
On the production of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and writing the musical "Redhead" for Gwen Verdon; on writing "The Huntress" for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse starring Judy Holliday; on the process of writing scripts for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
On the producer's relationship with the sponsor on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse going live on-air; on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show
On Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "Rescue" and "The Lantern Copy"; on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production of "Double Jeopardy"; on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "The Recluse," "Nothing to Sneeze At," and "The New Process"
Chapter 3
On the directors and actors of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on "Kitchen Sink Dramas" and leaving Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on writing for Studio One and Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
On the Hollywood Blacklist; on writing for Mr. Peepers
On writing for Bonino; on writing for Producers' Showcase
Chapter 4
On writing "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase; on writing for Playhouse 90; on writing various episodes of Playhouse 90
On becoming involved with The Defenders; on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist; on the cast and storylines of The Defenders
Chapter 5
On writing for The Defenders and Shane; on writing the Broadway musicals "Redhead" and "Tovarich"; on writing the special Mirror, Mirror Off the Wall for George C. Scott
On writing the feature "If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium"; on writing for various series; on the Golden Age of Television
On advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement; on how he'd like to be remembered
On B-roll pictures from his career- with Gwen Verdon, a head shot from 1962, and others
Shows
Actors Studio
David Shaw on writing for the series Actors Studio
Bonino
David Shaw on writing for Bonino
Defenders, The
David Shaw on becoming involved with The Defenders
David Shaw on working with Reginald Rose on The Defenders
David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist
David Shaw on the cast of The Defenders
David Shaw on the storylines of The Defenders
David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane
Hartmans, The
David Shaw on writing for The Hartmans
Mister Peepers
David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers
Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on writing for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on the production of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and writing the musical "Redhead" for Gwen Verdon
David Shaw on writing "The Huntress" for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse starring Judy Holliday
David Shaw on the process of writing scripts for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on the producer's relationship with the sponsor on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse going live on-air
David Shaw on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show
David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "Rescue" and "The Lantern Copy"
David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production of "Double Jeopardy"
David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "The Recluse," "Nothing to Sneeze At," and "The New Process"
David Shaw on the directors and actors of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on "Kitchen Sink Dramas" and leaving Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Playhouse 90
David Shaw on writing for Playhouse 90
David Shaw on writing various episodes of Playhouse 90
Producers' Showcase
David Shaw on writing for Producers' Showcase
David Shaw on writing "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase
Prudential Family Playhouse
David Shaw on writing for Prudential Family Playhouse
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars aka Celebrity Playhouse
David Shaw on writing for Schlitz Playhouse of Stars and The Autobiography of Grandma Moses
Shane
David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane
Studio One
David Shaw on writing for Studio One
Topics
Advice
David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement
Historic Events and Social Change
David Shaw on his activities during World War II
Hollywood Blacklist
David Shaw on the Hollywood Blacklist
David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
David Shaw on the Hollywood Blacklist
David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist
Television Industry
David Shaw on the Hollywood Blacklist
David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist
David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement
TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)
David Shaw on the Golden Age of Television
War
David Shaw on his activities during World War II
World War II
David Shaw on his activities during World War II
Professions
Writers
David Shaw on the process of writing scripts for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
David Shaw on writing for the series Actors Studio
David Shaw on writing for Prudential Family Playhouse
David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on writing various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on writing for Philco-Goodyear Playhouse
David Shaw on writing for Studio One
David Shaw on writing for Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
David Shaw on writing for Producers' Showcase
David Shaw on writing "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase
David Shaw on writing for Playhouse 90
Comedy Series
David Shaw on writing for The Hartmans
David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers
David Shaw on writing for Bonino
Legal Dramas
David Shaw on writing for The Defenders
David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane
Western Series
David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane
People
Paddy Chayefsky
David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Fred Coe
David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
David Shaw on Fred Coe
Wally Cox
David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers starring Wally Cox and Tony Randall
Judy Holliday
David Shaw on writing "The Huntress" for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse starring Judy Holliday
Delbert Mann
David Shaw on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show
Tony Randall
David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers starring Wally Cox and Tony Randall
Robert Reed
David Shaw on the cast of The Defenders - Robert Reed
Reginald Rose
David Shaw on working with Reginald Rose on The Defenders
George C. Scott
David Shaw on writing the special Mirror, Mirror Off the Wall for George C. Scott
Gwen Verdon
David Shaw on the production of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and writing the musical "Redhead" for Gwen Verdon
Billy Wilder
David Shaw on writing the story for the Billy Wilder feature "The Foreign Affair" getting into television