Dean Hargrove

Writer / Producer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Dean Hargrove talks about his early years, and his first television writing job, on the 1961-62 version of The Bob Newhart Show. He recalls working with greats like Bill Dana and Bob Hope, and landing a writing job on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. He discusses writing for The NBC Mystery Movie Wheel, including the series Columbo and McCloud, as well as McCoy, starring Tony Curtis. Hargrove recounts the several series he created and produced with Fred Silverman, including a new series of Perry Mason movies, Matlock, Jake and the Fatman, Diagnosis Murder, and Father Dowling Mysteries. He details creating the shows around and working with Raymond Burr, Tom Bosley, William Conrad, Dick Van Dyke, and Andy Griffith. He speaks of the craft of writing, and his involvement with the Writers Guild of America. Amy Harrington conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Writers Guild Foundation on March 6, 2019 in Brentwood, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I call it 'getting out of the corner' because you’re going to get out and you’re going to get knocked down. You have to have the ability to get back up and come out again. I think perseverance is really the single greatest attribute that you can have as a writer. Even when you have the talent, you’re going to get knocked down a lot, no matter how good you are or how good the project is, and you have to be able to get up and get out of the corner again."

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Highlights

Dean Hargrove on being nominated for an Emmy Award for The Bob Newhart Show (which aired 1961-62)

01:41

Dean Hargrove on learning to write for several different genres, and on writing for The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

06:37

Dean Hargrove on writing for the NBC Mystery Movie wheel series for Columbo and McCloud

02:38

Dean Hargrove on working with Robert Vaughn as "Napoleon Solo" and David McCallum as "Illya Kuryakin" in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

02:38

Dean Hargrove on working with Fred Silverman producing the Perry Mason movies

07:35

Dean Hargrove on advice to aspiring writers and producers

02:16

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on his early interest in movies and television; on writing for Bob Hope

On writing for The Bob Newhart Show (which aired from 1961-62); on being nominated for an Emmy Award for The Bob Newhart Show; on getting into writing feature films

On writing for Bill Dana; on working with producer Roland Kibbee on The Bob Newhart Show; on learning to write for several different genres, and on writing for The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Chapter 2

On the importance of setting the tone on The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and on executive producer Norman Felton; on how having multiple show runners impacted The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; on the elements that make a great television character

On the scripts for The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; on the cast of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; on the legacy of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

On writing for It Takes a Thief ; on becoming a producer on The Name of the Game; on writing for the NBC Mystery Movie wheel series for Columbo and McCloud

On working with Peter Falk as "Columbo" on Columbo; on his duties as executive producer of Columbo, and on dividing duties with Roland Kibbee on the show; on how working on McCloud differed from working on Columbo

Chapter 3

On writing and producing McCloud; on writing and producing McCoy starring Tony Curtis; on the feature "The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery"

On executive producing several Perry Mason movies in the 1980s; on getting Raymond Burr to reprise his role of Perry Mason for the series of television movies; on working with Fred Silverman on producing the Perry Mason movies

On the first Perry Mason movie, Perry Mason Returns; on working with Barbara Hale as "Della Street" on the Perry Mason movies; on William Conrad appearing on Jake and the Fatman and Dick Van Dyke on Diagnosis Murder

On the decision to make the Perry Mason revival movies instead of a regular series; on writing legal dramas like Perry Mason; on the end of the Perry Mason movies, and on the death of Raymond Burr

On producing Matlock, starring Andy Griffith, with Fred Silverman; on his team of writers on Matlock; on the popularity of mystery shows like Matlock

On Matlock starting on NBC and switching networks to ABC; on the legacy of Matlock; on Jack and the Fatman spinning off from Matlock

On creating Father Dowling Mysteries starring Tom Bosley; on juggling five different television shows on the air at the same time; on the older demographics of mystery series

On working with Joyce Burditt on Diagnosis Murder; on working with Dick Van Dyke and his son Barry Van Dyke on Diagnosis Murder; on the longevity of Diagnosis Murder

On the work he did for Sony International; on the craft of writing; on the Writers Guild of America

On the value of oral history projects like The Interviews; on advice to aspiring writers and producers; on career achievements and regrets

On producing and directing the documentary "Tap World"; on how he would like to be remembered

Shows

Bob Newhart Show, The (1961-62)

Dean Hargrove on writing for The Bob Newhart Show

03:21

Dean Hargrove on being nominated for an Emmy Award for The Bob Newhart Show

01:41

Dean Hargrove on working with producer Roland Kibbee on The Bob Newhart Show

05:13

Columbo

Dean Hargrove on writing for the NBC Mystery Movie wheel series for Columbo (for which he won an Emmy Award) and McCloud

02:38

Dean Hargrove on working with Peter Falk as "Columbo" on Columbo

04:04

Dean Hargrove on his duties as executive producer of Columbo, and on dividing duties with Roland Kibbee on the show

02:42

Diagnosis Murder

Dean Hargrove on Dick Van Dyke on Diagnosis Murder

01:48

Dean Hargrove on working with Joyce Burditt on Diagnosis Murder

01:56

Dean Hargrove on working with Dick Van Dyke and his son Barry Van Dyke on Diagnosis Murder

01:47

Dean Hargrove on the longevity of Diagnosis Murder

02:31

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Dean Hargrove on being nominated for an Emmy for The Bob Newhart Show (which aired 1961-62)

01:41

Dean Hargrove on writing for the NBC Mystery Movie wheel series for Columbo (for which he won an Emmy) and McCloud

02:38

Father Dowling Mysteries

Dean Hargrove on creating Father Dowling Mysteries, starring Tom Bosley

06:38

It Takes a Thief

Dean Hargrove on writing for It Takes a Thief

04:14

Jake and the Fatman

Dean Hargrove on William Conrad on appearing on Jake and the Fatman

02:46

Dean Hargrove on Jack and the Fatman spinning off from Matlock

01:39

Man From U.N.C.L.E., The

Dean Hargrove on writing for The Man From U.N.C.L.E

03:44

Dean Hargrove on the importance of setting the tone on The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and on executive producer Norman Felton

04:19

Dean Hargrove on how having multiple show runners impacted The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

03:29

Dean Hargrove on the scripts for The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and on Ian Fleming coming up with the "Napoleon Solo" character

03:44

Dean Hargrove on working with Leo G. Carroll as "Alexander Waverly" on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

00:52

Dean Hargrove on working with Robert Vaughn as "Napoleon Solo" and David McCallum as "Illya Kuryakin" on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

02:38

Dean Hargrove on the end of The Man From U.N.C.L.E

01:15

Dean Hargrove on the legacy of The Man From U.N.C.L.E

01:31

Matlock

Dean Hargrove on producing Matlock, starring Andy Griffith, with Fred Silverman

02:18

Dean Hargrove on his team of writers on Matlock

02:03

Dean Hargrove on the popularity of mystery shows like Matlock

01:38

Dean Hargrove on Matlock starting on NBC and switching networks to ABC

01:30

Dean Hargrove on the legacy of Matlock

01:26

Dean Hargrove on Jack and the Fatman spinning off from Matlock

01:39

McCloud

Dean Hargrove on writing for the NBC Mystery Movie wheel series for Columbo (for which he won an Emmy Award) and McCloud

02:38

Dean Hargrove on how working on McCloud differed from working on Columbo

00:36

Dean Hargrove on writing and producing McCloud

01:03

McCoy

Dean Hargrove on writing and producing McCoy, starring Tony Curtis

07:53

Dean Hargrove on directing an episode of McCoy and the feature "The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery"

04:03

Name of the Game, The

Dean Hargrove on working with this brother Phillip Hargrove on The Name of the Game

00:45

Dean Hargrove on becoming a producer on The Name of the Game, and on the duties of a producer

04:58

Perry Mason

Dean Hargrove on executive producing several Perry Mason movies in the 1980s

03:12

Dean Hargrove on getting Raymond Burr to reprise his role of "Perry Mason" for the series of Perry Mason television movies

01:59

Dean Hargrove on working with Fred Silverman producing the Perry Mason movies

07:35

Dean Hargrove on the first Perry Mason movie, Perry Mason Returns

01:08

Dean Hargrove on working with Barbara Hale as "Della Street" on the Perry Mason movies

01:37

Dean Hargrove on the decision to make the Perry Mason revival movies instead of a regular series

00:48

Dean Hargrove on writing legal dramas like Perry Mason

00:38

Dean Hargrove on the end of the Perry Mason movies, and on the death of Raymond Burr

01:08

Topics

Advice

Dean Hargrove on advice to aspiring writers and producers

02:16

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Dean Hargrove on mentors in his career

00:36

Emmy Awards

Dean Hargrove on being nominated for an Emmy for The Bob Newhart Show (which aired 1961-62)

01:41

Dean Hargrove on writing for the NBC Mystery Movie wheel series for Columbo (for which he won an Emmy) and McCloud

02:38

Pivotal Career Moments

Dean Hargrove on mentors in his career

00:36

Television Industry

Dean Hargrove on how the industry has changed since he started

01:25

Dean Hargrove on advice to aspiring writers and producers

02:16

Professions

Producers

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Dean Hargrove on juggling five different television shows on the air at the same time

03:09

Dean Hargrove on the work he did for Sony International

06:03

Dean Hargrove on his producing style

01:39

Dean Hargrove on advice to aspiring writers and producers

02:16

Writers

View Profession

Dean Hargrove on learning to write for several different genres, and on writing for The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

06:37

Dean Hargrove on the elements that make a great television character

03:29

Dean Hargrove on what he enjoys about writing

05:46

Dean Hargrove on his writing process and his routines

03:14

Dean Hargrove on advice to aspiring writers and producers

02:16

Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

Dean Hargrove on writing for The Man From U.N.C.L.E

03:44

Dean Hargrove on writing for The Man From U.N.C.L.E

22:02

Comedy Series

Dean Hargrove on writing for The Bob Newhart Show (which aired 1961-62)

05:02

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

Dean Hargrove on writing for It Takes a Thief

04:15

Dean Hargrove on writing for the NBC Mystery Movie wheel series for Columbo and McCloud

10:04

Dean Hargrove on the older demographics of mystery series

01:49

Dean Hargrove on writing and producing McCloud

01:03

Dean Hargrove on writing and producing McCoy

11:46

Dean Hargrove on executive producing several Perry Mason movies

22:43

Legal Dramas

Dean Hargrove on executive producing several Perry Mason movies

22:43

People

Andy Griffith

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Dean Hargrove on producing Matlock, starring Andy Griffith, with Fred Silverman

02:16

Bill Dana

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Dean Hargrove on writing for Bill Dana

02:33

Bob Hope

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Dean Hargrove on writing for Bob Hope

01:53

Bob Newhart

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Dean Hargrove on writing for The Bob Newhart Show (which aired 1961-62)

03:21

Dean Hargrove on being nominated for an Emmy Award for The Bob Newhart Show (which aired 1961-62)

01:41

David McCallum

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Dean Hargrove on working with Robert Vaughn as "Napoleon Solo" and David McCallum as "Illya Kuryakin" in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

02:39

Dick Van Dyke

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Dean Hargrove on Dick Van Dyke on Diagnosis Murder

01:48

Dean Hargrove on working with Dick Van Dyke and his son Barry Van Dyke on Diagnosis Murder

01:47

Fred Silverman

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Dean Hargrove on working with Fred Silverman producing the Perry Mason movies

07:35

Dean Hargrove on producing Matlock, starring Andy Griffith, with Fred Silverman

02:16

Leo G. Carroll

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Dean Hargrove on working with Leo G. Carroll as "Alexander Waverly" on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

00:51

Norman Felton

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Dean Hargrove on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. executive producer Norman Felton

03:18

Peter Falk

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Dean Hargrove on working with Peter Falk as "Columbo" on Columbo

04:04

Raymond Burr

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Dean Hargrove on getting Raymond Burr to reprise his role of "Perry Mason" for the series of Perry Mason television movies

01:59

Dean Hargrove on the end of the Perry Mason movies, and on the death of Raymond Burr

01:08

Robert Vaughn

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Dean Hargrove on working with Robert Vaughn as "Napoleon Solo" and David McCallum as "Illya Kuryakin" in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

02:38

Roland Kibbee

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Dean Hargrove on working with producer Roland Kibbee on The Bob Newhart Show (which aired 1961-62)

05:13

Dean Hargrove on his duties as executive producer of Columbo, and on dividing duties with Roland Kibbee on the show

02:42

Tom Bosley

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Dean Hargrove on creating Father Dowling Mysteries, starring Tom Bosley

06:36

Tony Curtis

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Dean Hargrove on writing and producing McCoy, starring Tony Curtis

07:53

William Conrad

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Dean Hargrove on William Conrad on appearing on Jake and the Fatman

02:46