Douglas S. Cramer

Producer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his nearly three-and-a-half-hour interview, Douglas S. Cramer (1931-2021) talks about his early life and his first foray into television at Procter & Gamble. He describes the development of his first primetime series Peyton Place, the groundbreaking first nighttime soap opera. He recounts the development of Batman and supervising the artistic style of the show. He discusses his years as vice president in charge of production at Paramount, where he shepherded such hit series as The Brady Bunch, The Odd Couple, Bridget Loves Bernie, Barefoot in the Park, and the first network miniseries, QB VII. Cramer outlines the creation and development of The Love Boat and its various guest stars, including Andy Warhol and Ethel Merman, and speaks of his long association with Aaron Spelling. He comments on developing the wildly successful primetime soap Dynasty, and shares how he saved the show from cancellation in its second season by casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby." He concludes by discussing his feelings on the then-current state of television and offers sage advice to aspiring television producers. Henry Colman and Jenni Matz conducted the interview on May 22, 2008 in New York, NY.

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

"I loved what television was - the cat fights on Dynasty, Archie Bunker yelling at his wife, Noel Coward and Mary Martin singing, and Dinah Shore or some of those great Carol Burnett Shows. We don't have that anymore. On the good nights, we'd have 30 to 40 million people. There'd be disaster at the network if we had 20 million. You look at shows now, they get a million viewers and they think they're a hit. Something went wrong along the way."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Brady Bunch
05:54
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman
06:41
Douglas S. Cramer on his producing style and choosing the music composers for his shows
02:30
Douglas S. Cramer on the guest stars of The Love Boat
05:28
Douglas S. Cramer on the controversial storylines of Dynasty
04:11
Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII
11:56
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on his early interest in show business
On getting involved with television; on working for Procter & Gamble
On developing Peyton Place; on developing Batman; on working at 20th Century Fox Television and moving over to Paramount

Chapter 2

On becoming Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount
On developing Bridget Loves Bernie; on developing QB VII
On creating his own production company; on the look of Batman
On developing The Brady Bunch; on Leonard Goldberg; on his management style
Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII

Chapter 3

On developing The Love Boat
On getting The Love Boat on the air and casting it; on the stories and longevity of The Love Boat; on traveling on the show
On the guest stars of The Love Boat; on developing Vega$; on various shows and miniseries he developed
On developing Dynasty; on casting Joan Collins on Dynasty

Chapter 4

On the various producers of his shows; on his post-Aaron Spelling career
On the then-current state of television; on advice to aspiring producers; on his proudest career achievements
Shows

As the World Turns

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Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
06:06

Batman

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman
06:41
Douglas S. Cramer on the look of Batman
04:29

Brady Bunch, The

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Brady Bunch
05:54

Bridget Loves Bernie

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Bridget Loves Bernie
03:21

Dynasty

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
10:15
Douglas S. Cramer on the controversial storylines of Dynasty
04:11

Guiding Light

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Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
06:06

Hotel

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Hotel
01:20

Love Boat, The

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Douglas S. Cramer on creating his production company
05:23
Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Love Boat
13:57
Douglas S. Cramer on getting The Love Boat on the air and casting the show
10:01
Douglas S. Cramer on the longevity and stories of The Love Boat
04:32
Douglas S. Cramer on traveling on The Love Boat
03:15
Douglas S. Cramer on the guest stars of The Love Boat
05:28
Douglas S. Cramer on the Broadway episode of The Love Boat
03:00

Odd Couple, The (1970-75)

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Douglas S. Cramer on his duties as Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount Television
09:24

Peyton Place

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Peyton Place
06:57

QB VII

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII
11:56

Vega$

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Vega$
00:57

Wonder Woman

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Douglas S. Cramer on creating his production company
05:23
Topics

Advice

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Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers
01:25

First Big Break

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Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
06:06

Historic Events and Social Change

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Bridget Loves Bernie
03:21

Pivotal Career Moments

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Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
06:06

Television Industry

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Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers
01:25
Douglas S. Cramer on the then-current state of television
01:07
Professions

Executives

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Douglas S. Cramer on becoming Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount
18:36
Douglas S. Cramer on his producing style and choosing the music composers for his shows
02:30

Producers

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Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers
01:25

Television Executive

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Douglas S. Cramer on becoming Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount
18:36
Douglas S. Cramer on his producing style and choosing the music composers for his shows
02:30
Genres

Comedy Series

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman
06:41
Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Love Boat
40:13

Daytime/Primetime Serials

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Peyton Place
06:57
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty
14:26

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII
11:56
People

Aaron Spelling

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Love Boat
13:57
Douglas S. Cramer on getting The Love Boat on the air and casting the show
10:01
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
10:15
Douglas S. Cramer on the dissolution of his relationship with Aaron Spelling
03:41

Andy Warhol

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Douglas S. Cramer on the guest stars of The Love Boat: Andy Warhol
05:28

Carol Channing

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Douglas S. Cramer on the Broadway episode of The Love Boat
03:00

E. Duke Vincent

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Douglas S. Cramer on getting The Love Boat on the air and casting the show
10:01

Elaine Rich

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Douglas S. Cramer on various producers on his shows
01:06

Elizabeth Taylor

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
10:15

Ethel Merman

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Douglas S. Cramer on the Broadway episode of The Love Boat
03:00

Irna Phillips

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Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
06:06

Joan Collins

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
10:15

Leonard Goldberg

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Douglas S. Cramer on Leonard Goldberg
02:15

Sophia Loren

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Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
10:15

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