"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."

    About This Interview

    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 BandThe 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.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Dominick Dunne

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

    03:56
    Thumbnail of Dominick Dunne

    Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents

    07:24
    Thumbnail of Dominick Dunne

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

    01:34
    Thumbnail of Dominick Dunne

    Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star

    05:37
    Thumbnail of Dominick Dunne

    Dominick Dunne on covering the Menendez and O.J. Simpson trials

    04:39
    Play 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

    10:07

    On his service in World War II; on meeting Anais Nin; on the first time he saw television

    17:14

    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

    12:28

    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

    16:26

    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

    24:09

    On becoming Vice President of Four Star; on working with Aaron Spelling

    05:48

    Chapter 4

    On his career as a movie producer; on becoming a writer; on the death of his daugther

    16:50

    On covering the Klaus Von Buelow trial; on covering the O.J. Simpson trial; on his series Power, Privilege and Justice

    12:06

    Adventures in Paradise

    Dominick Dunne on producing Adventures in Paradise

    03:11

    Howdy Doody

    Dominick Dunne on how he got his first job in television as a floor manager on Howdy Doody

    05:41

    Dominick Dunne on working with "Buffalo" Bob Smith on Howdy Doody

    01:17

    Dominick Dunne on working with Bob Keeshan as "Clarabell the Clown" on Howdy Doody

    00:22

    Dominick Dunne on the crew of Howdy Doody

    02:46

    Playhouse 90

    Dominick Dunne on floor managing Playhouse 90

    07:11

    Producers' Showcase

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

    03:56

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

    01:34

    Dominick Dunne on floor managing the Producers' Showcase  musical version of "Our Town" starring Frank Sinatra

    03:54

    Robert Montgomery Presents

    Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents

    07:24

    Dominick Dunne on the production schedule for Robert Montgomery Presents

    01:43

    Studio One

    Dominick Dunne on producing Studio One

    02:19

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Dominick Dunne on his service in the Army during World War II

    07:03

    Dominick Dunne on television coverage of the sinking of the Andrea Doria 

    01:38

    War

    Dominick Dunne on his service in the Army during World War II

    07:03

    World War II

    Dominick Dunne on his service in the Army during World War II

    07:03

    Children's Programming

    Dominick Dunne on his first job in television as a floor manager on Howdy Doody

    12:28

    Classic Anthology Series

    Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents

    07:24

    Charles Boyer

    Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions

    05:48

    Fred Coe

    Dominick Dunne on working with Fred Coe

    01:49

    Bob Keeshan

    Dominick Dunne on working with Bob Keeshan as "Clarabell the Clown" on Howdy Doody

    00:21

    Delbert Mann

    Dominick Dunne on floor managing the Producers' Showcase  musical version of "Our Town" starring Frank Sinatra

    03:54

    Mary Martin

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

    01:34

    Marilyn Monroe

    Dominick Dunne on his friendship with Marilyn Monroe

    05:07

    Robert Montgomery

    Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents

    07:24

    Elizabeth Montgomery

    Dominick Dunne on being floor manager on Robert Montgomery Presents

    07:24

    David Niven

    Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions

    05:48

    Dick Powell

    Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions

    05:48

    O. J. Simpson

    Dominick Dunne on covering the Menendez and O.J. Simpson trials

    04:39

    Frank Sinatra

    Dominick Dunne on floor managing the Producers' Showcase musical version of "Our Town" starring Frank Sinatra

    03:54

    Bob Smith

    Dominick Dunne on working with Buffalo Bob Smith on Howdy Doody

    01:17

    Aaron Spelling

    Dominick Dunne on becoming Vice President of Four Star Productions

    05:48

    All Interviews

    Loading Interviews...