About
"I always maintained what I hoped was a very loving set -- a very calm and quiet set. My essence of what I learned and what I loved as a director was working with actors, working with the writers on the script, and essentially working with actors to interpret and to stage and to make changes as necessary. ... It was a wonderful way to work."
In his four-hour interview, Delbert Mann (1920-2007) talks about studying at the Yale School of Drama and his transition to television following his service in the Air Force during World War II. He speaks of his days during the war and his further inspiration to pursue theater after seeing various productions at the Old Vic in London. He talks about joining NBC in the summer of 1949 as a floor manager and describes working as a director for the first time on the series Theater of the Mind. Mann relates how his experiences as a pilot during the war prepared him for television, comparing piloting a B-24 to sitting in the hot seat of a live television show. He speaks in great detail about working with producer Fred Coe and their association on Philco-Goodyear Playhouse, one of the preeminent live television anthologies of the day. He describes his celebrated production of "Marty," written by Paddy Chayefsky, originally produced for Philco and later made into an Academy Award-winning feature film. He comments on several of the actors he worked with in television, including Grace Kelly, E. G. Marshall, and Laurence Olivier. Lastly, he discusses several of his most notable made-for-television movies including David Copperfield and All Quiet on the Western Front. B-roll consists of photos from Philco-Goodyear Playhouse, Jane Eyre, Producer's Showcase: "Our Town," David Copperfield, and All Quiet on the Western Front. Morrie Gelman conducted the interview on May 20, 1997 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's inspiration for writing "Marty"
Delbert Mann on the response to Paddy Chayefsky's production "Marty" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on his on-set demeanor on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on how he decided to go into theater
Delbert Mann on differences between directing for live television and for film - TV as mainly a producer's medium and film as a director's medium
Delbert Mann on working with Grace Kelly
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on his interest in theater in high school; on acting and being head of the drama club; on how he decided he wanted to be a director; on attending Yale Drama School
On growing up during the Depression; on FDR; on the Nashville Community Playhouse and his mentors there; on learning directing techniques from Fred Coe
On his college years at Vanderbilt; on meeting his wife at Vanderbilt; on entering World War II and his recollections of Pearl Harbor; on getting married; on gaining weight so he could enlist in the Air Force; on wanting to be a pilot, but not being a very good one
Chapter 2
On serving in the Air Force during World War II; on flying B24s in the 8th Air Corps; on intelligence work during the war; on getting to see theater in London during the war; on British theater still thriving during World War II; on how he decided to go into theater
On the quality of the theater productions he saw in Great Britain; on D-Day, V-E Day, and V-J Day; on seeing special service troops perform
On starting at Yale Drama School (thanks to the GI Bill); on Fred Coe helping to set up a directing job for him
Chapter 3
On classmates and professors at Yale Drama School; on Fred Coe recommending him for a job at NBC; on his first NBC directing job on Theater of the Mind; on assisting and directing on Mary Kay and Johnny and Lights Out
On rehearsals for live television; on Fred Coe bringing him on as an alternating and then full-time director on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on the television studios he worked in and talent coming from radio and theater
On the panicked atmosphere of early live television; on where he lived in New York; on his on-set demeanor on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on the talented writers of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Chapter 4
On his respect for actors and how he sets the tone on set; on his impressions of early television; on how working in television differed from working in theater; on sponsor and network involvement on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on Fred Coe as a boss
On how many episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he'd direct each year; on directors Gordon Duff and Vincent Donahue; on Fred Coe's stamp as producer on his shows; on weekly preparations for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Chapter 5
On a typical production week on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, contd.; on meeting and working with Paddy Chayefsky; on the response to Paddy Chayefsky's production "Marty" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
On Paddy Chayefsky's inspiration for writing "Marty"; on casting Rod Steiger and Nancy Marchand for "Marty"; on also directing the film version of Marty; on winning the Academy Award for directing Marty
On his feelings on awards; on returning to Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on Producers' Showcase; on his second movie, Bachelor Party (again by Paddy Chayefsky); on moving to California; on directing the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production "Ernie Barger is Fifty"; on his impressions of producer David Susskind; on how videotape altered production
Chapter 6
On JP Miller's "The Rabbit Trap" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and "Yellow Jack" on Producers' Showcase; on the development of live television and differences between West and East Coast television
On how his career was affected by the Hollywood Blacklist; and the end of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and the decline of live television; on directing productions of Producers' Showcase and Playhouse 90; on directing productions of Omnibus
On directing films again - Separate Tables, Lover Come Back, and That Touch of Mink; on film actors; on directing film versions of many of Paddy Chayefsky's teleplays - Marty, Bachelor Party, and Middle of the Night
Chapter 7
On watching Paddy Chayefsky productions today; on his favorite films that he's directed; on differences between directing for live television and for film - TV as mainly a producer's medium and film as a director's medium
On returning to directing for television in 1967 with Heidi; on directing Jane Eyre and David Copperfield for television
On directing the film All Quiet on the Western Front; on filming in Czechoslovokia; on ageism in the entertainment industry
Chapter 8
On ageism in television; on the then-current state of television and film; on the emphasis on ratings; on the type of productions he enjoys most; on wanting to continue to work
On the future of television; on advice to aspiring directors; on how he'd like to be remembered
On his thoughts on people with whom he's worked over the years
Chapter 9
B-roll of pictures from his career
Shows
Academy Awards, The
Delbert Mann on winning an Academy Award for Marty
All Quiet On The Western Front
Delbert Mann on directing All Quiet on the Western Front
Delbert Mann on a photo from All Quiet on the Western Front
David Copperfield
Delbert Mann on directing David Copperfield
Delbert Mann on a photo of Richard Attenboroguh and Laurence Olivier in a production of David Copperfield
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Delbert Mann on his feelings on the Emmy Awards
Heidi
Delbert Mann on returning to directing for television in 1967 with Heidi
Delbert Mann on some controversy when Heidi aired
Jane Eyre
Delbert Mann on directing Jane Eyre
Delbert Mann on a photo of George C. Scott and Suzanna York from Jane Eyre
Lights Out
Delbert Mann on assisting Kingman T. Moore and directing Lights Out
Mary Kay and Johnny
Delbert Mann on being floor manager on and directing Mary Kay and Johnny
Omnibus
Delbert Mann on directing productions of Omnibus
Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe bringing him on as an alternating and then full-time director on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on the panicked atmosphere of early live television on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on sponsor and network involvement on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on Fred Coe as a boss
Delbert Mann on how many episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he'd direct each year; on the show's regular directors
Delbert Mann on weekly preparations for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on a typical production week on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, contd.
Delbert Mann on sponsor interference on Tad Mosel's "The Haven" production on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on working with Paddy Chayefsky
Delbert Mann on the response to Paddy Chayefsky's production "Marty" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's inspiration for writing "Marty"; on casting and critical response
Delbert Mann on returning to Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse after winning the Academy Award for Marty
Delbert Mann on "The Rabbit Trap" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on fighting blacklisting on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and the end of the program
Delbert Mann on the film and TV versions of "Marty"
Delbert Mann on a picture from "The Last Tycoon" - his first show on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on a picture from the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production "Marty"
Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse: "Marty"
Delbert Mann on the response to Paddy Chayefsky's production "Marty" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's inspiration for writing "Marty"; on casting and critical response
Delbert Mann on the film and TV versions of "Marty"
Delbert Mann on a picture from the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production "Marty"
Playhouse 90
Delbert Mann on directing productions of Producers' Showcase and Playhouse 90
Delbert Mann on colleagues he met at Playhouse 90
Producers' Showcase
Delbert Mann on directing Producers' Showcase for Fred Coe
Delbert Mann on JP Miller's "Yellow Jack" on Producers' Showcase
Delbert Mann on directing productions of Producers' Showcase and Playhouse 90
Delbert Mann on a photo of Eva Marie Saint and Paul Newman in a production of "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase
Theater of the Mind
Delbert Mann on his first NBC directing job on Theater of the Mind
Topics
Anthology Drama
Delbert Mann on directing Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Delbert Mann on sponsor interference on Tad Mosel's "The Haven" production on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Delbert Mann on his family's thoughts on FDR
Historic Events and Social Change
Delbert Mann on entering World War II, his recollections of Pearl Harbor, and joining the Air Force
Hollywood Blacklist
Delbert Mann on how his career was affected by the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Delbert Mann on how his career was affected by the Hollywood Blacklist
Memorable Moments on Television
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's production "Marty" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Technological Innovation
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe demonstrating NBC's color system
Delbert Mann on how videotape changed television and directing "The Red Mill" for CBS
Television and the Presidency
Delbert Mann on his family's thoughts on FDR
Television Industry
Delbert Mann on sponsor interference on Tad Mosel's "The Haven" production on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on how his career was affected by the Hollywood Blacklist
TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)
Delbert Mann on directing Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
War
Delbert Mann on entering World War II, his recollections of Pearl Harbor, and joining the Air Force
World War II
Delbert Mann on entering World War II, his recollections of Pearl Harbor, and joining the Air Force
Delbert Mann on serving in the Air Force during World War II
Delbert Mann on D-Day, V-E Day and V-J Day; on seeing special service troops perform
Professions
Directors
Delbert Mann on how he decided he wanted to be a director
Delbert Mann on how he decided to go into theater
Delbert Mann on differences between directing for television and for film - TV as mainly a producer's medium and film as a director's medium
Delbert Mann on advice to aspiring directors
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe bringing him on as an alternating and then full-time director on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on the panicked atmosphere of early live television
Delbert Mann on directing Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's production "Marty" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on fighting blacklisting on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and the end of the program
Delbert Mann on directing productions of Producers' Showcase and Playhouse 90
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Delbert Mann on returning to directing for television in 1967 with Heidi
Delbert Mann on directing David Copperfield
People
Richard Attenborough
Delbert Mann on directing David Copperfield
Delbert Mann on a photo of Richard Attenboroguh and Laurence Olivier in a production of David Copperfield
Robert Alan Aurthur
Delbert Mann on the talented writers of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Lew Ayres
Delbert Mann on hearing from Lew Ayres, star of the original film version of All Quiet on the Western Front
Leonard Bernstein
Delbert Mann on directing productions of Omnibus
Steven Bochco
Delbert Mann on the role writer/producers seem to have in television today
Ernest Borgnine
Delbert Mann on also directing the film version of Marty
Delbert Mann on reuniting with Ernest Borgnine on the film All Quiet on the Western Front
Sidney Carroll
Delbert Mann on being asked to direct the film All Quiet on the Western Front
Paddy Chayefsky
Delbert Mann on the talented writers of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on meeting and working on "Marty" with Paddy Chayefsky
Delbert Mann on directing film versions of many of Paddy Chayefsky's teleplays - Marty, Bachelor Party, and Middle of the Night
Delbert Mann on watching Paddy Chayefsky productions today
William Kendall Clarke
Delbert Mann on William Kendall Clarke
Fred Coe
Delbert Mann on learning directing techniques from Fred Coe
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe helping to set up a directing job for him
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe recommending him for a job at NBC
Delbert Mann on his first NBC directing job, on Theater of the Mind
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe bringing him on as an alternating and then full-time director on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on sponsor and network involvement on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on Fred Coe talking to the network and sponsors
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe as a boss
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe's stamp as producer on his shows
Delbert Mann on weekly preparations for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on a typical production week on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, contd.
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's inspiration for writing "Marty" and how the production was cast
Delbert Mann on JP Miller's "Yellow Jack" on Producers' Showcase
Delbert Mann on Judy Holliday being blacklisted, then approved for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on the Hollywood Blacklist and the end of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe becoming one of the producers to replace Martin Manulis on Playhouse 90
Delbert Mann on differences between directing for live television and for film - TV as mainly a producer's medium and film as a director's medium
Delbert Mann on Grace Kelly coming to Nashville when Fred Coe died and saving a valuable kinescope
Delbert Mann on a picture of Fred Coe, Mann, and Sumner Locke Elliot
Alistair Cooke
Delbert Mann on directing productions of Omnibus
Doris Day
Delbert Mann on Doris Day
Vincent J. Donehue
Delbert Mann on director Vincent Donahue, who worked closely with writer Horton Foote
Gordon Duff
Delbert Mann on how many episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he'd direct each year; on director Gordon Duff
Sumner Locke Elliott
Delbert Mann on Sumner Locke Elliot
Delbert Mann on a picture of Fred Coe, Mann, and Sumner Locke Elliot
Faye Emerson
Delbert Mann on his first NBC directing job, on Theater of the Mind
Henry Fonda
Delbert Mann on directing Henry Fonda
Horton Foote
Delbert Mann on the talented writers of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on director Vincent Donahue, who worked closely with writer Horton Foote
Delbert Mann on writer Horton Foote
John Frankenheimer
Delbert Mann on colleagues he met at Playhouse 90
Martin Gabel
Delbert Mann on his first NBC directing job, on Theater of the Mind
Earl Hamner, Jr.
Delbert Mann on returning to directing for television in 1967 with Heidi
Julie Harris
Delbert Mann on Julie Harris
Harold Hecht
Delbert Mann on also directing the film version of Marty
Charlton Heston
Delbert Mann on actors who were regulars on early live television shows
Judy Holliday
Delbert Mann on Judy Holliday being blacklisted, then approved for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Rock Hudson
Delbert Mann on Rock Hudson
Kim Hunter
Delbert Mann on fighting blacklisting on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Grace Kelly
Delbert Mann on actors who were regulars on early live television shows
Delbert Mann on Grace Kelly
Perry Lafferty
Delbert Mann on Executive Perry Lafferty
Angela Lansbury
Delbert Mann on Angela Lansbury
Martin Manulis
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe becoming one of the producers to replace Martin Manulis on Playhouse 90
Nancy Marchand
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's inspiration for writing "Marty" and how the production was cast
Delbert Mann on also directing the film version of Marty
Delbert Mann on a picture from the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production "Marty"
E. G. Marshall
Delbert Mann on actor E.G. Marshall
Raymond Massey
Delbert Mann on Raymond Massey
JP Miller
Delbert Mann on JP Miller's "The Rabbit Trap" on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and "Yellow Jack" on Producers' Showcase
Kingman T. Moore
Delbert Mann on assisting Kingman T. Moore and directing Lights Out
Tad Mosel
Delbert Mann on Tad Mosel attending Yale Drama School with him
Delbert Mann on the talented writers of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on sponsor interference on Tad Mosel's "The Haven" production on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on directing the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production "Ernie Barger is Fifty"
Delbert Mann on Tad Mosel
Paul Newman
Delbert Mann on actors who were regulars on early live television shows
Delbert Mann on a photo of Eva Marie Saint and Paul Newman in a production of "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase
Laurence Olivier
Delbert Mann on British theater still thriving during World War II
Delbert Mann on the quality of the theater productions he saw in Great Britain
Delbert Mann on directing David Copperfield
Delbert Mann on a photo of Richard Attenboroguh and Laurence Olivier in a production of David Copperfield
Thomas Phipps
Delbert Mann on Thomas Phipps
Robert Preston
Delbert Mann on Angela Lansbury and Robert Preston in the best love scene he's ever seen
Ralph Richardson
Delbert Mann on British theater still thriving during World War II
Delbert Mann on the quality of the theater productions he saw in Great Britain
Delbert Mann on directing David Copperfield
Otis Riggs
Delbert Mann on weekly preparations for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Hubbell Robinson
Delbert Mann on CBS Executive Hubbell Robinson
Norman Rosemont
Delbert Mann on being asked to direct the film All Quiet on the Western Front
Delbert Mann on selecting Czechoslovakia as the shooting location for All Quiet on the Western Front
Eva Marie Saint
Delbert Mann on meeting Eva Marie Saint on Lights Out
Delbert Mann on actors who were regulars on early live television shows
Delbert Mann on Eva Marie Saint
Delbert Mann on a photo of Eva Marie Saint and Paul Newman in a production of "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase
George C. Scott
Delbert Mann on a photo of George C. Scott and Suzanna York from Jane Eyre
David Shaw
Delbert Mann on the talented writers of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on Judy Holliday being blacklisted, then approved for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on writer David Shaw
Rod Steiger
Delbert Mann on actors who were regulars on early live television shows
Delbert Mann on Paddy Chayefsky's inspiration for writing "Marty" and how the production was cast
Delbert Mann on casting Rod Steiger for "Marty"
Delbert Mann on a picture from the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production "Marty"
David Susskind
Delbert Mann on his impressions of producer David Susskind
David Swift
Delbert Mann on the talented writers of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Delbert Mann on Grace Kelly coming to Nashville when Fred Coe died and saving a valuable kinescope
Richard Thomas
Delbert Mann on casting the film All Quiet on the Western Front
Delbert Mann on directing the film All Quiet on the Western Front
Delbert Mann on a photo from All Quiet on the Western Front
Burr Tillstrom
Delbert Mann on Fred Coe demonstrating NBC's color system
David L. Wolper
Delbert Mann on producer David Wolper
Peggy Wood
Delbert Mann on seeing special service troops perform during the war