About
"I worked with Bogart and Bacall and Henry Fonda every day for three weeks on NBC's Producers' Showcase. Bogart invited me a party at his house and I'll never forget it. It was unbelievable, a beautiful house in Homby Hills and Judy Garland sang, Sinatra sang, Spencer Tracy was there. Lana Turner, who was the neighbor on the other side came. I mean, it was like that."
In his two-hour interview, Dominick Dunne (1925-2009) talks about his formative years during which he made associations with such notable figures as Gore Vidal and Anais Nin. He describes his first job in television, as a stage manager at NBC. He reminisces about working with the children on Howdy Doody, calling out "One minute, Mr. Montgomery" for the opening of Robert Montgomery Presents, and working on such notable Producers' Showcase productions as "The Petrified Forest" and "Our Town." He recounts the story of how the stage managers were all sent to help pull people from lifeboats when the Italian liner Andrea Dorea sank in 1956. Dunne recalls his move to Los Angeles, where he joined the staff of the prestigious CBS anthology series Playhouse 90. He outlines his work as a producer at 20th Century Fox where he made the series Adventures in Paradise, and talks about knowing Marilyn Monroe, the "queen of the lot." He defines his role as a vice president of Four Star Company and identifies the participants of the company. He talks about his shift to feature films in the 1970s and comments on a few of the movies he produced including The Boys in the Band, The Panic in Needle Park, and Ash Wednesday. He recalls the tragic murder of his daughter and his subsequent work as a chronicler of courtroom trials, notably on the O.J. Simpson case. Finally, he touches on serving as the host and narrator of the Court TV series Power, Privilege, & Justice. Allan Neuwirth conducted the interview on May 3, 2006 in New York, NY.
Highlights

Dominick Dunne on floor managing for 90-minute Producers' Showcase Spectaculars on NBC

Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents

Dominick Dunne on floor managing the original Producers' Showcase live production of Peter Pan with Mary Martin

Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star

Dominick Dunne on covering the Menendez and O.J. Simpson trials
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his early attraction to show business; on the first crime case that interested him
On his service in World War II; on meeting Anais Nin; on the first time he saw television
Chapter 2
On being floor manager for Howdy Doody; on television coverage of the sinking of the Andrea Doria; on working with "Buffalo" Bob Smith and Bob Keeshan on Howdy Doody
On floor managing Robert Montgomery Presents; on floor managing for 90-minute Producers' Showcase Spectaculars on NBC; on floor managing Mary Martin's Peter Pan
Chapter 3
On floor managing The Producers' Showcase version of "Our Town" with Frank Sinatra; on floor managing Playhouse 90; on producing Studio One and Adventures on Paradise
On becoming Vice President of Four Star; on working with Aaron Spelling
Chapter 4
On his career as a movie producer; on becoming a writer; on the death of his daugther
On covering the Klaus Von Buelow trial; on covering the O.J. Simpson trial; on his series Power, Privilege and Justice
Shows
Adventures in Paradise
Dominick Dunne on producing Adventures in Paradise
Howdy Doody
Dominick Dunne on how he got his first job in television as a floor manager on Howdy Doody
Dominick Dunne on working with "Buffalo" Bob Smith on Howdy Doody
Dominick Dunne on working with Bob Keeshan as "Clarabell the Clown" on Howdy Doody
Dominick Dunne on the crew of Howdy Doody
Playhouse 90
Dominick Dunne on floor managing Playhouse 90
Producers' Showcase
Dominick Dunne on floor managing for 90-minute Producers' Showcase Spectaculars on NBC
Dominick Dunne on floor managing the original Producers' Showcase live production of Peter Pan with Mary Martin
Dominick Dunne on floor managing the Producers' Showcase musical version of "Our Town" starring Frank Sinatra
Robert Montgomery Presents
Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents
Dominick Dunne on the production schedule for Robert Montgomery Presents
Studio One
Dominick Dunne on producing Studio One
Topics
Historic Events and Social Change
Dominick Dunne on his service in the Army during World War II
Dominick Dunne on television coverage of the sinking of the Andrea Doria
War
Dominick Dunne on his service in the Army during World War II
World War II
Dominick Dunne on his service in the Army during World War II
Genres
Children's Programming
Dominick Dunne on his first job in television as a floor manager on Howdy Doody
Classic Anthology Series
Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents
People
Charles Boyer
Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions
Fred Coe
Dominick Dunne on working with Fred Coe
Bob Keeshan
Dominick Dunne on working with Bob Keeshan as "Clarabell the Clown" on Howdy Doody
Delbert Mann
Dominick Dunne on floor managing the Producers' Showcase musical version of "Our Town" starring Frank Sinatra
Mary Martin
Dominick Dunne on floor managing the original Producers' Showcase live production of Peter Pan with Mary Martin
Marilyn Monroe
Dominick Dunne on his friendship with Marilyn Monroe
Robert Montgomery
Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents
Elizabeth Montgomery
Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents
David Niven
Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions
Dick Powell
Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions
O. J. Simpson
Dominick Dunne on covering the Menendez and O.J. Simpson trials
Frank Sinatra
Dominick Dunne on floor managing the Producers' Showcase musical version of "Our Town" starring Frank Sinatra
Bob Smith
Dominick Dunne on working with Buffalo Bob Smith on Howdy Doody
Aaron Spelling
Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions