About
"Network television's role is to put asses in the seats to watch commercials. Anybody who doesn't want to admit that shouldn't be in the business. That doesn't mean that the programming that you do can't be uplifting, or challenging, or inspiring. But it's not initially about the programming. It is about coming up with programs that enough people want to see, that advertisers want to advertise in. That's just the way the game is."
In his four-hour interview, Don Ohlmeyer (1945-2017) talks about his early years in television as an associate director for ABC sports. He shares memorable moments from his experiences directing the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and the 1972 Olympics in Munich. He describes producing the popular series of specials Battle of the Network Stars, his transition to NBC Sports, and the creation of Ohlmeyer Communications, under which he produced the Emmy-winning television movie Special Bulletin. He details his move back to NBC, where he served as president of West Coast operations and reinvigorated the network with "Must See TV" and post-Johnny Carson late-night television. Finally, he chronicles his departure from NBC, his brief return to Monday Night Football, and his then-current passions: painting, teaching, and writing. Dan Pasternack conducted the interview on November 17, 2004 in Malibu, CA.
Highlights
Don Ohlmeyer on Jay Leno overtaking David Letterman in the ratings
Don Ohlmeyer on what you can learn from sports when you're young
Don Ohlmeyer on Jim McKay's amazing job covering the 1972 Munich Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on the core of ABC Sports - storytelling
Don Ohlmeyer on "Must See TV"
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on his early interest in sports; on attending college at the University of Notre Dame; on watching sports on television with his father; on how television viewing habits have changed over the years
On working for ABC Sports out of college; on hustling pool; on The 1968 Olympics; on mentor Roone Arledge
Chapter 2
On The 1968 Olympics (contd.); on mentor Roone Arledge; on Wide World of Sports; on the core of ABC Sports - great storytelling; on creative innovations pushing technology forward
On Monday Night Football; on Pete Rozelle getting ABC to pick up Monday Night Football; on working with director Chet Forte; on Monday Night Football announcers Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell
Chapter 3
On Monday Night Football (contd.); on negotiating contracts; on Monday Night Football announcer Howard Cosell
On winning an Emmy in 1975 for Monday Night Football; on the 1972 Munich Olympics
On Battle of the Network Stars and The Superstars, precursor to Battle of the Network Stars
Chapter 4
On leaving ABC for NBC Sports in 1977; on mentoring a new generation of sports executives; on producing the World Series; on the U.S. boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow
On leaving NBC in 1982; on producing the 1977 Emmy Awards; on creating his own company and producing the television movie Special Bulletin
Chapter 5
On producing the television movie, Under Siege; on the power of made-for-TV movies; on producing the Indianapolis 500
On heading West Coast Operations at NBC in 1993; on creating "Must See TV" on Thursday nights; on the "Walk the Dog" Theory
Chapter 6
On Warren Littlefield; on executives staying in touch with audience interests; on the importance of research
On the importance of the 18-49 demographic; on the biggest misconception about television
On the Late Night battles - Leno v. Letterman; on supporting Conan O'Brien to take over The Late Show; on removing Norm MacDonald from SNL's "Weekend Update"
Chapter 7
On the decision to pull Norm MacDonald from Saturday Night Live 's "Weekend Update"; on making NBC the number one network; on the costly negotiations to keep ER at NBC
On the business model for NBC; on Seinfeld and Cheers
On NBC's coverage of the 1997 World Series interfering with the launch of the Fall schedule; on leaving NBC, recovering from addiction and alcoholism, and changing his outlook on life
Chapter 8
On returning to Monday Night Football and how it had changed; on leaving Monday Night Football and his next three projects: painting, writing and teaching
On Frank Gifford, Brandon Tartikoff and Lorne Michaels; on how television has changed and where it's headed; on advice to aspiring producers, his proudest career achievement, and how he'd like to be remembered
Shows
ABC's Wide World of Sports
Don Ohlmeyer on Roone Arledge's influence on Wide World of Sports and on pushing the industry forward on Monday Night Football
Don Ohlmeyer on the format of Wide World of Sports and how it evolved
American Idol
Don Ohlmeyer on the appeal of American Idol
Battle of the Network Stars
Don Ohlmeyer on Battle of the Network Stars
Bluffing It
Don Ohlmeyer on producing Bluffing It
Cheers
Don Ohlmeyer on overseeing Cheers and Seinfeld
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Cheers
Chicago Hope
Don Ohlmeyer on ER and Chicago Hope
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the 1977 Emmy Awards
ER
Don Ohlmeyer on ER and Chicago Hope
Don Ohlmeyer on the slow start of ER
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the costly negotiations to keep ER at NBC
Friends
Don Ohlmeyer on Friends
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the costly negotiations to keep ER at NBC
Indianapolis 500
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the Indianapolis 500
John Denver Specials
Don Ohlmeyer on producing John Denver's Christmas in Aspen
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Don Ohlmeyer on Conan O'Brien filling Letterman's spot on NBC Late Night
Law & Order
Don Ohlmeyer on loving Law & Order
Monday Night Football
Don Ohlmeyer on producing Monday Night Football with Chet Forte, who he had beaten in a pool game years earlier
Don Ohlmeyer on Roone Arledge's influence on Wide World of Sports and on pushing the industry forward on Monday Night Football
Don Ohlmeyer on pushing the industry forward on Monday Night Football
Don Ohlmeyer on Monday Night Football (contd.)
Don Ohlmeyer on going back to Monday Night Football
Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on becoming an associate director on The 1968 Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on The 1968 Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on the 1972 Munich Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on the 1980 Olympics in Moscow
Saturday Night Live
Don Ohlmeyer on removing Norm MacDonald from SNL's "Weekend Update"
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the decision to pull Norm MacDonald from Saturday Night Live 's "Weekend Update"
Seinfeld
Don Ohlmeyer on overseeing Cheers and Seinfeld
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on NBC's hit show Seinfeld
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Seinfeld
Seinfeld: "The Finale"
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Seinfeld
Something About Amelia
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the television movie, Something About Amelia
Special Bulletin
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the television movie Special Bulletin
Superstars, The
Don Ohlmeyer on The Superstars, precursor to Battle of the Network Stars
Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on Jay Leno's work ethic and connection with the audience
Under Siege
Don Ohlmeyer on producing Under Siege
World Series
Don Ohlmeyer on the U.S. boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on NBC's coverage of the 1997 World Series interfering with the launch of the Fall schedule
Topics
Classic TV Series Episodes
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Seinfeld
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Cheers
Comedy
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Seinfeld
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Cheers
Coverage
Don Ohlmeyer on pushing the industry forward on Monday Night Football
Emmy Awards
Don Ohlmeyer on winning an Emmy in 1975 for Monday Night Football and on winning an Emmy for the recap of the 1972 Munich Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the 1977 Emmy Awards
Jimmy Carter
Don Ohlmeyer on the U.S. boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow
Olympic Games
Don Ohlmeyer on becoming an associate director on The 1968 Olympics
Pop Culture
Don Ohlmeyer on "Must See TV"
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Cheers
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Seinfeld
Sports
Don Ohlmeyer on becoming an associate director on The 1968 Olympics
We Cried
Don Ohlmeyer on Jim McKay's amazing job covering the 1972 Munich Olympics
World Series
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the World Series
Professions
Directors
Don Ohlmeyer on becoming an associate director on The 1968 Olympics
Representatives
Don Ohlmeyer on becoming producer of Monday Night Football
Television Executive
Don Ohlmeyer on what it means to be a good Program Executive
Genres
Comedy Series
Don Ohlmeyer on "Must See TV"
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on NBC's hit show Seinfeld
Late Night
Don Ohlmeyer on the Late Night battles - Leno v. Letterman
Sports
Don Ohlmeyer on becoming an associate director on The 1968 Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on the format of Wide World of Sports and how it evolved
Don Ohlmeyer on Monday Night Football
Don Ohlmeyer on Jim McKay's amazing job covering the 1972 Munich Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on going back to Monday Night Football
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the television movie Special Bulletin
People
Roone Arledge
Don Ohlmeyer on mentor Roone Arledge telling him he respected how Ohlmeyer reacted under pressure
Don Ohlmeyer on Roone Arledge at The 1968 Olympics, Arledge's move from sports to news, and what he taught his mentees
Don Ohlmeyer on the format of Wide World of Sports and how it evolved
Don Ohlmeyer on negotiation lessons learned from Roone Arledge
Don Ohlmeyer on Jim McKay's amazing job covering the 1972 Munich Olympics
Don Ohlmeyer on Battle of the Network Stars
Don Ohlmeyer on leaving ABC in 1977 - mentor Roone Arledge was taking over news
James Burrows
Don Ohlmeyer on Friends and "Must See TV"
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the final episode of Cheers
Dick Button
Don Ohlmeyer on Battle of the Network Stars
Howard Cosell
Don Ohlmeyer on Monday Night Football announcers Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell
Don Ohlmeyer on Monday Night Football announcer Howard Cosell
Don Ohlmeyer on Howard Cosell announcing Battle of the Network Stars
Larry David
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on Larry David leaving Seinfeld
John Denver
Don Ohlmeyer on producing John Denver's Christmas in Aspen
Chet Forte
Don Ohlmeyer on producing Monday Night Football with Chet Forte, who he had beaten in a pool game years earlier
Don Ohlmeyer on what he and colleague Chet Forte learned from mentor Roone Arledge
Don Ohlmeyer on becoming producer of Monday Night Football and working with director Chet Forte
John Frankenheimer
Don Ohlmeyer on admiring John Frankeneheimer's directing style
Frank Gifford
Don Ohlmeyer on Monday Night Football announcers Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell
Don Ohlmeyer on sports announcer Frank Gifford
Bryant Gumbel
Don Ohlmeyer on hiring Bryant Gumbel
Marshall Herskovitz
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the television movie Special Bulletin
Gabe Kaplan
Don Ohlmeyer on Battle of the Network Stars
Howard Katz
Don Ohlmeyer on going back to Monday Night Football
Jay Leno
Don Ohlmeyer on the Late Night battles - Leno v. Letterman
David Letterman
Don Ohlmeyer on the Late Night battles - Leno v. Letterman
Warren Littlefield
Don Ohlmeyer on Warren Littlefield
Don Ohlmeyer on Warren Littlefield wanting Leno to replace Johnny Carson
Vince Lombardi
Don Ohlmeyer on shooting an interview with Vince Lombardi and announcer Howard Cosell
Norm MacDonald
Don Ohlmeyer on removing Norm MacDonald from SNL's "Weekend Update"
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the decision to pull Norm MacDonald from Saturday Night Live 's "Weekend Update"
Jim McKay
Don Ohlmeyer on the format of Wide World of Sports and how it evolved
Don Ohlmeyer on Jim McKay's amazing job covering the 1972 Munich Olympics
Don Meredith
Don Ohlmeyer on Monday Night Football announcers Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell
Lorne Michaels
Don Ohlmeyer on Lorne Michaels wanting to produce a late night talk show with Conan O'Brien
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the decision to pull Norm MacDonald from Saturday Night Live 's "Weekend Update"
Don Ohlmeyer on Lorne Michaels
John Miller
Don Ohlmeyer on John Miller and Vince Mansey and "Must See TV"
Dennis Miller
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on the decision to pull Norm MacDonald from Saturday Night Live 's "Weekend Update"
Conan O'Brien
Don Ohlmeyer on Conan O'Brien filling Letterman's spot on NBC Late Night
Pete Rozelle
Don Ohlmeyer on Pete Rozelle getting ABC to pick up Monday Night Football
Jerry Seinfeld
Executive Don Ohlmeyer on Larry David leaving Seinfeld
Brandon Tartikoff
Don Ohlmeyer on Brandon Tartikoff
Dennis Weaver
Don Ohlmeyer on producing Bluffing It
John Williams
Don Ohlmeyer on directing Season's Greetings - an evening with John Williams and the Boston Pops
Dick Wolf
Don Ohlmeyer on loving Law & Order
Edward Zwick
Don Ohlmeyer on producing the television movie Special Bulletin