About
"Jack [Paar's] advice was, 'kid, don't do interviews. That means clipboards, and David Frost, and what's your favorite color. Make it a conversation.' When you get guests out there and you're talking, you forget there's a commercial coming."
In his two-hour interview, Dick Cavett speaks about some of his early pursuits in magic, theater, and athletics. He reminisces about meeting Charles Laughton backstage at a performance of Don Juan in Hell and how seeing Laughton and the others backstage compelled him to feel that he, too, belonged in show business. He recounts his studies at Yale and his work as an office temp before becoming a copy boy at Time magazine. He lists some of the early bit parts he had on television, and outlines getting a break writing material for The Jack Paar (Tonight) Show, although initially he worked on the show as a talent booker. Cavett recalls his friendship with Johnny Carson, at first writing for him for an Emmy broadcast and later for The Tonight Show. He gives his impressions of Merv Griffin, whom he wrote for as well, speaks of his days as a stand-up comic, relates a couple of his jokes, and comments on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show. He then details his several decades as a talk show host, beginning with a number of ABC series: a daytime 90-minute, five-days-a-week venture; an ABC primetime three-nights-a-week summer show; and a late-night version which ran from 1969-72. He talks of interviewing guests Janis Joplin, Katharine Hepburn, Norman Mailer (who tussled on-air with Janet Flanner and Gore Vidal), Georgia governor Lester Maddox, Groucho Marx, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Fred Astaire, and Ray Charles. Cavett discusses his continuation as the host of shows on PBS and CNBC, comments on his distinctive and recognizable voice, talks of the release of his classic shows on DVD, and shares his experience blogging for The New York Times. Ron Simon conducted the interview on December 12, 2008 in New York, NY.
Highlights
Dick Cavett on writing for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and his friendship with Carson
Dick Cavett on interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono and problems with the network
Dick Cavett on his interviewing style
Dick Cavett on writing the intro for Jayne Mansfield's appearance on The Jack Paar Show
Dick Cavett on interviewing friend Groucho Marx
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years and influences; on loving magic as a kid, which led him to meeting a young magician named Johnny Carson
On acting in summer theater; on being a high school gymnast; on radio programs he enjoyed and being drawn towards show business
On attending Yale University; on getting a job writing for Jack Paar; on temp jobs he had out of Yale; on his various roles, including interviewing guests, on The Jack Paar Show aka The Tonight Show; on writing for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and his friendship with Carson
On working with Merv Griffin; on transitioning to stand-up comedy; on his talent writing for others, but not for himself; on appearing on The Merv Griffin Show and The Ed Sullivan Show
On on getting his own daytime talk show in 1968, The Dick Cavett Show
Chapter 2
On writing the intro for Jayne Mansfield's appearance on The Jack Paar Show; on his first morning talk show, assembling his writing staff, and his monologue
On replacing Joey Bishop; on having a summer replacement talk show, The Dick Cavett Show, three nights a week on ABC; on interviewing '60s counterculture and rock icons; on replacing Joey Bishop in late night and going up against Johnny Carson
On his interviewing style; on memorable interviews; on interviewing friend Groucho Marx
On transitioning to a talk show on PBS (also called The Dick Cavett Show); on interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono; on the theme song to his talk show; on differences between having a talk show on several networks
On appearances on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and hosting Saturday Night Live; on game show appearances; on the HBO series Time Was; on narration and his identifiable voice; on interviewing songwriters on his PBS talk show
On DVDs of The Dick Cavett Show; on writing newspaper columns and blogs for The New York Times; on his columns on depression; on the state of the talk show today
Chapter 3
On advice to aspiring talk show hosts; on interesting guests; on how he'd like to be remembered; on fame; on a final thought
Shows
Dick Cavett Show, The
Dick Cavett on getting his own daytime talk show in 1968, The Dick Cavett Show
Dick Cavett on his first morning talk show, assembling his writing staff, his monologue, and the show's cancellation after one year
Dick Cavett on his PBS talk show
Dick Cavett on the theme song to his talk show
Dick Cavett on his PBS talk show producer Chris Porterfield
Dick Cavett on differences of having a talk show on several different networks
Dick Cavett on interviewing songwriters on his PBS talk show
Dick Cavett on DVDs of The Dick Cavett Show
Dick Cavett on the guests on the first taping of his first talk show - Angela Lansbury, Muhammed Ali, and Gore Vidal
Dick Cavett on interviewing friend Groucho Marx
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Dick Cavett on appearing as a stand-up comic on The Ed Sullivan Show
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Dick Cavett on writing for Johnny Carson for the Emmys
Jeopardy!
Dick Cavett on the real creator of Jeopardy!
Merv Griffin Show, The
Dick Cavett on a letter he received from Groucho Marx about Cavett's appearance on The Merv Griffin Show
Playhouse 90
Dick Cavett on being an extra on the last episode of Playhouse 90 done live from New York
Saturday Night Live
Dick Cavett on hosting Saturday Night Live
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The
Dick Cavett on writing for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and his friendship with Carson
Tonight Starring Jack Paar aka The Jack Paar Show
Dick Cavett on being a huge fan of The Jack Paar Show aka The Tonight Show and eventually writing for Paar
Dick Cavett on his various roles, including interviewing guests, on The Jack Paar Show aka The Tonight Show
Dick Cavett on writing the intro for Jayne Mansfield's appearance on The Jack Paar Show
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Dick Cavett on interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono and problems with the network
Emmy Awards
Dick Cavett on writing for Johnny Carson for the Emmys
Fame and Celebrity
Dick Cavett on fame
Memorable Moments on Television
Dick Cavett on interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono and problems with the network
Dick Cavett on interviewing friend Groucho Marx
Television Industry
Dick Cavett on fame
Dick Cavett on interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono and problems with the network
TV Theme Songs
Dick Cavett on Bobby Rosengarden and the theme song to Cavett's talk show
We Laughed
Dick Cavett on interviewing friend Groucho Marx
Professions
Actor
Dick Cavett on getting the first acting job he ever tried out for
Hosts
Dick Cavett on advice to aspiring talk show hosts
Dick Cavett on his interviewing style and advice from Jack Paar
Interviewer
Dick Cavett on his interviewing style and advice from Jack Paar
Performers
Dick Cavett on getting the first acting job he ever tried out for
Talk Show Host
Dick Cavett on advice to aspiring talk show hosts
Writers
Dick Cavett on writing for The Jack Paar Show aka The Tonight Show
Genres
Late Night
Dick Cavett on being a huge fan of The Jack Paar Show aka The Tonight Show and eventually writing for Paar
Dick Cavett on writing for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and his friendship with Carson
Talk Shows
Dick Cavett on advice to aspiring talk show hosts
Dick Cavett on writing for Johnny Carson for the Emmys
Dick Cavett on his first morning talk show, evening show, and PBS talk show, all called The Dick Cavett Show
People
Muhammad Ali
Dick Cavett on the guests on the first taping of his first talk show - Angela Lansbury, Muhammed Ali, and Gore Vidal
Woody Allen
Dick Cavett on lines of his that Woody Allen has congratulated him on
Dick Cavett on interviewing friend Woody Allen
Fred Astaire
Dick Cavett on his talk shows as historical documents
Dick Cavett on interviewing songwriters on his PBS talk show
Joey Bishop
Dick Cavett on replacing Joey Bishop in late night and going up against Johnny Carson
Marlon Brando
Dick Cavett on Marlon Brando feeling a kinship with Cavett
Sid Caesar
Dick Cavett on Sid Caesar's spotty memory during his alcohol daze
Sammy Cahn
Dick Cavett on interviewing songwriters on his PBS talk show
Johnny Carson
Dick Cavett on his love of magic, which led him to meeting a young magician named Johnny Carson
Dick Cavett on writing for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and his friendship with Carson
Dick Cavett on replacing Joey Bishop in late night and going up against Johnny Carson
James Franciscus
Dick Cavett on taking a drama workshop at Yale with James Franciscus
Cary Grant
Dick Cavett on trying to get Cary Grant on his talk show
Merv Griffin
Dick Cavett on working with Merv Griffin
Rex Harrison
Dick Cavett on Moss Hart and Rex Harrison performing at the Schubert Theater across the street from Yale
Moss Hart
Dick Cavett on Moss Hart and Rex Harrison performing at the Schubert Theater across the street from Yale
Katharine Hepburn
Dick Cavett on prepping for an interview Katharine Hepburn
Van Johnson
Dick Cavett on a pilot he did with Van Johnson and ultimately getting to host a daytime show
Janis Joplin
Dick Cavett on interviewing '60s counterculture and rock icons - including Janis Joplin
Angela Lansbury
Dick Cavett on the guests on the first taping of his first talk show - Angela Lansbury, Muhammed Ali, and Gore Vidal
Irving "Swifty" Lazar
Dick Cavett on agent Irving Lazar telling once that Johnny Carson though Cavett was the only person who could ever beat him in late night
John Lennon
Dick Cavett on interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono and problems with the network
Alan Jay Lerner
Dick Cavett on interviewing songwriters on his PBS talk show
Jerry Lewis
Dick Cavett on writing for Jerry Lewis
David Lloyd
Dick Cavett on the best thing Cavett ever said, according to David Lloyd
Jayne Mansfield
Dick Cavett on writing the intro for Jayne Mansfield's appearance on The Jack Paar Show
Groucho Marx
Dick Cavett on writing for Groucho Marx
Dick Cavett on a letter he received from Groucho Marx about Cavett's appearance on The Merv Griffin Show
Dick Cavett on interviewing friend Groucho Marx
Dick Cavett on interviewing Groucho Marx
Robert De Niro
Dick Cavett on interviewing Robert De Niro
Yoko Ono
Dick Cavett on interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono and problems with the network
Jack Paar
Dick Cavett on getting a job writing for Jack Paar
Dick Cavett on his various roles, including interviewing guests, on The Jack Paar Show aka The Tonight Show
Dick Cavett on writing the intro for Jayne Mansfield's appearance on The Jack Paar Show
Dick Cavett on his interviewing style and advice from Jack Paar
Jack Rollins
Dick Cavett on Jack Rollins hiring him as a stand-up comic and becoming a successful comic
Bobby Rosengarden
Dick Cavett on Bobby Rosengarden and the theme song to Cavett's talk show
Paul Simon
Dick Cavett on interviewing songwriters on his PBS talk show
Frank Sinatra
Dick Cavett on trying to get Frank Sinatra on his talk show
Ed Sullivan
Dick Cavett on appearing as a stand-up comic on The Ed Sullivan Show