Don Mischer

Producer/ Director

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his over four-hour interview, Don Mischer (1940-2025) talks about his early interest in television production, his schooling, and how he planned to be an academic but got into production during the aftermath of President Kennedy's assassination. He discusses receiving a grant from the Ford Foundation, working for the USIA, and landing a spot on the landmark show The Great American Dream Machine. He shares his experiences from ABC's Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell, Motown 25, Kennedy Center Honors and Barbara Walters specials, and describes working with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Robin Williams and Ellen DeGeneres. Mischer also details the production of several awards shows he's helmed, including the Tony Awards and the Emmy Awards, and recalls his work on several Olympic broadcasts and Super Bowl halftime shows. Beth Cochran conducted the interview on November 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA.

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

"When you are doing a project and you have a crew out there, it could be 30, or it could be 100. Remember they're there to make you look good, sound good, and make you score. Treat them with respect, do your homework, show up on time, and don't play the diva game. Because, if you don't care about them, they're going to care less about you."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Michael Jackson

00:57

Don Mischer on producing the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with Muhammad Ali carrying the torch

02:55

Don Mischer on producing the finale of The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

01:46

Don Mischer on what makes a good Emmy host

01:25

Don Mischer on his favorite Olympic moments

01:00

Don Mischer on the last night of the 2004 DNC

07:48

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on radio shows he loved as a child and his first time seeing television; on his entry into television during JFK assassination coverage

On starting in public television with a grant from The Ford Foundation; On working for the USIA; on transitioning from political to event television

On variety shows and specials with which he was involved; on working with Howard Cosell and starting in televised specials; on forming Don Mischer productions

On producing specials honoring Motown; on The Kennedy Center Honors

Chapter 2

On Kennedy Center Honors, Barbara Walters' Specials, The Goldie Hawn Special, Goldie & Liza, Donahue and Kids, and Robin Williams' HBO Special

On how the emergence of cable in the 1980s affected the industry; on television specials with Bob Hope and Mikhail Baryshnikov; On working with Dolly Parton; on the Tony Awards and The Presidential Inaugural Gala

On getting talent for specials; on on producing The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson; on Normal Life

Chapter 3

On Super Bowl 27 - halftime with Michael Jackson; On Super Bowl halftime shows with Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

On NFL approval on Super Bowl performances; on the 2002 Winter Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; on production of the Olympics

On producing the Special Olympics in Shanghai

Chapter 4

On producing the Emmy Awards; on the 2001 Emmy broadcast; on things that have gone wrong on Emmy broadcasts

On how the Emmys have changed over the years; on the People's Choice Awards; on the Michael Moore Show and the 2004 DNC

On working with Barbra Streisand; on a special with Cher paying tribute to the late Sonny Bono

On handling the passing of people with whom he's worked; on The Wayne Brady Show and producing Miss America Pageant; on Movies Rock, and Fashions Rock

Chapter 5

On the technological advances that enhance production; on producing and advice to aspiring producers, directors and performers

On how he'd like to be remembered

Shows

Barbara Walters Specials

Don Mischer on producing Barbara Walters Specials

09:15

Democratic National Convention

Don Mischer on his involvement with the 2004 Democratic National Convention

13:55

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Don Mischer on producing the Emmy Awards

20:19

Don Mischer on Ellen DeGeneres hosting the 1994 Emmy Awards

02:11

Don Mischer on the difficult decision to cancel the Emmys after 9/11

07:00

Don Mischer on things that have gone wrong with the Emmy Awards and why it's a difficult show

03:54

Great American Dream Machine, The

Don Mischer on directing The Great American Dream Machine

02:56

Don Mischer on Nixon canceling The Great American Dream Machine

01:28

In Living Color

Don Mischer on how In Living Color stole Super Bowl viewers

01:48

Kennedy Center Honors

Don Mischer on producing The Kennedy Center Honors

12:13

Don Mischer on producing/directing Kennedy Center Honors

05:49

Michael Moore Show, The

Don Mischer on his involvement with The Michael Moore Show

03:10

Miss America Pageant

Don Mischer on producing Miss America Pageant in 2007

02:28

Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever

Don Mischer on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever Special that made his production company well known - where Michael Jackson first does the moonwalk

11:32

Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, The

Don Mischer on producing The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

04:54

Normal Life

Don Mischer on directing the series Normal Life

03:06

Olympics

Don Mischer on producing the 2002 Winter Olympics and how 9/11 affected the games

11:56

Don Mischer on producing the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

13:04

Don Mischer on producing the Special Olympics in Shanghai

04:37

People's Choice Awards

Don Mischer on how the People's Choice Awards compare to the Emmy Awards

01:32

Don Mischer on John Ritter hosting the 1994 People's Choice Awards

00:49

Saturday Night Live

Don Mischer on getting 2 job offers: one for Saturday Night Live, one for a new show with Howard Cosell and Roone Arledge

06:13

Super Bowl

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Michael Jackson, and how he was asked to produce it

10:57

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Prince

04:40

Don Mischer on Super Bowl 49 - how Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" led him back to the halftime and pre-show

05:58

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring The Rolling Stones

01:25

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Paul McCartney

02:16

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; on wanting to top previous broadcasts

03:32

Tony Awards

Don Mischer on producing the Tony Awards with Angela Lansbury as host

08:08

Wayne Brady Show, The

Don Mischer on The Wayne Brady Show

03:34

Wonderful World of Disney, The aka Magical World of Disney, The

Don Mischer on loving Wonderful World of Disney as a youngster

00:35

Topics

9/11

Don Mischer on producing the 2002 Winter Olympics and how 9/11 affected the games

07:52

Don Mischer on the difficult decision to cancel the Emmys after 9/11

07:01

Barack Obama

Don Mischer on Senator Barack Obama's speech at the 2004 DNC

01:46

Emmy Awards

Don Mischer on winning his first Emmy for directing Donahue and Kids

01:14

Don Mischer on producing the Emmy Awards

20:19

Historic Events and Social Change

Don Mischer on JFK's assassination and starting in television

03:17

JFK Assassination and Funeral

Don Mischer on JFK's assassination and starting in television

03:17

Jimmy Carter

Don Mischer on President Carter attending Kennedy Center Honors

00:51

Memorable Moments on Television

Don Mischer on Super Bowl 49 - how Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" led him back to the halftime show

01:57

Don Mischer on producing the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with Muhammad Ali carrying the torch

02:53

Technological Innovation

Don Mischer on how the emergence of cable in the 1980s affected the industry

02:34

Don Mischer on the technological advances that enhance production

01:49

Professions

Directors

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Don Mischer on directing The Great American Dream Machine

03:36

Don Mischer on directing/producing a music/variety special

01:23

Producers

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Don Mischer on producing specials and building rapport with stars

02:37

Don Mischer on directing/producing a music/variety special

01:23

Don Mischer on the technological advances that enhance production

01:49

Don Mischer on the secret of his success as a producer and advice to aspiring producers

09:44

Genres

Awards Shows

Don Mischer on producing the Tony Awards with Angela Lansbury as host

08:07

Don Mischer on producing the Emmy Awards

20:19

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Don Mischer on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever Special that made his production company well known - where Michael Jackson first does the moonwalk

11:32

Don Mischer on working with Dolly Parton

02:29

Don Mischer on producing Barbara Walters Specials

09:15

Sports

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Michael Jackson, and how he was asked to produce it

08:00

Don Mischer on Super Bowl 49 - how Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" led him back to the halftime show

01:57

Don Mischer on producing the 1996 Atlanta Olympics

13:03

People

Angela Lansbury

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Don Mischer on producing the Tony Awards with Angela Lansbury as host

08:07

Barack Obama

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Don Mischer on Senator Barack Obama's speech at the 2004 DNC

01:46

Barbara Walters

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Don Mischer on producing Barbara Walters Specials

09:15

Barbra Streisand

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Don Mischer on working with Barbra Streisand on her Timeless concert at the MGM Grand

03:34

Bob Hope

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Don Mischer on working with Bob Hope and Gene Kelly

01:33

Cher

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Don Mischer on producing Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers

02:16

Dick Ebersol

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Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Michael Jackson, and how he was asked to produce it

06:00

Dolly Parton

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Don Mischer on working with Dolly Parton

02:29

Dwight Hemion

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Don Mischer on wanting to meet idols Pierre Cossette, Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion

01:16

Don Mischer on working with Barbra Streisand on her Timeless concert at the MGM Grand and getting the job through Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion

01:22

Ellen DeGeneres

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Don Mischer on Ellen DeGeneres hosting the 1994 Emmy Awards and preparing to host the 2001 broadcast

09:11

Garry Shandling

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Don Mischer on Garrry Shandling hosting the 2000 and 2004 Emmy Awards

01:28

Gary Smith

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Don Mischer on wanting to meet idols Pierre Cossette, Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion

01:16

Don Mischer on the difficult decision to cancel the Emmys after 9/11; on Gary Smith helping with the production

01:07

Don Mischer on working with Barbra Streisand on her Timeless concert at the MGM Grand and getting the job through Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion

01:22

George Schlatter

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Don Mischer on George Schlatter bringing him to LA and into mainstream TV specials

00:31

Don Mischer on directing The Goldie Hawn Special

01:58

Don Mischer on mentors George Schlatter and Nick Vanoff

00:45

George Stevens

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Don Mischer on working with producers Nick Vanoff and George Stevens on Kennedy Center Honors

04:58

Goldie Hawn

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Don Mischer on directing The Goldie Hawn Special

01:58

Grant Tinker

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Don Mischer on offers from Grant Tinker

02:08

Harry Reasoner

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Don Mischer on Harry Reasoner not accepting Barbara Walters

01:53

Howard Cosell

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Don Mischer on getting 2 job offers: one for Saturday Night Live, one for a new show with Howard Cosell and Roone Arledge

06:13

Janet Jackson

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Don Mischer on Super Bowl 49 - how Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" led him back to the halftime show

01:57

Jim Henson

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Don Mischer on producing The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

04:54

John F. Kennedy

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Don Mischer on JFK's assassination and starting in television

03:17

John Ritter

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Don Mischer on John Ritter hosting the 1994 People's Choice Awards

00:49

Liza Minnelli

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Don Mischer on directing Goldie and Liza Together

00:51

Lorne Michaels

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Don Mischer on getting 2 job offers: one for Saturday Night Live, one for a new show with Howard Cosell and Roone Arledge

02:39

Lyndon B. Johnson

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Don Mischer on JFK's assassination and starting in television

03:17

Michael Jackson

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Don Mischer on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever Special that made his production company well known - where Michael Jackson first does the moonwalk

11:32

Don Mischer on the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Michael Jackson, and how he was asked to produce it

08:00

Michael Moore

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Don Mischer on his involvement with the Michael Moore Show

03:10

Mikhail Baryshnikov

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Don Mischer on working with Mikhail Baryshnikov

03:25

Muhammad Ali

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Don Mischer on producing the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with Muhammad Ali carrying the torch

02:53

Nick Vanoff

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Don Mischer on working with producers Nick Vanoff and George Stevens on Kennedy Center Honors

04:58

Don Mischer on mentors George Schlatter and Nick Vanoff

00:45

O. J. Simpson

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Don Mischer on his involvement with the Michael Moore Show and guest O.J. Simpson

03:10

Perry Como

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Don Mischer on working with Bob Hope and Gene Kelly

01:33

Phil Donahue

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Don Mischer on directing Donahue and Kids

04:28

Pierre Cossette

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Don Mischer on wanting to meet idols Pierre Cossette, Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion

01:16

Richard M. Nixon

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Don Mischer on Nixon cancelling The Great American Dream Machine

01:28

Richard Pryor

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Don Mischer on Barbara Walters interviewing Richard Pryor

00:32

Robin Williams

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Don Mischer on working with Robin Williams for an HBO Special

02:24

Roone Arledge

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Don Mischer on getting 2 job offers: one for Saturday Night Live, one for a new show with Howard Cosell and Roone Arledge

06:13

Sonny Bono

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Don Mischer on producing Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers

02:16

Walt Disney

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Don Mischer on loving Wonderful World of Disney and Walt Disney as a youngster

00:35

Wayne Brady

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Don Mischer on The Wayne Brady Show

03:34