"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."

    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.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Douglas S. Cramer

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Brady Bunch

    05:54
    Thumbnail of Douglas S. Cramer

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman

    06:41
    Thumbnail of Douglas S. Cramer

    Douglas S. Cramer on his producing style and choosing the music composers for his shows

    02:30
    Thumbnail of Douglas S. Cramer

    Douglas S. Cramer on the guest stars of The Love Boat

    05:28
    Thumbnail of Douglas S. Cramer

    Douglas S. Cramer on the controversial storylines of Dynasty

    04:11
    Thumbnail of Douglas S. Cramer

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII

    11:56
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his early life and influences; on his early interest in show business

    17:57

    On getting involved with television; on working for Procter & Gamble

    09:10

    On developing Peyton Place; on developing Batman; on working at 20th Century Fox Television and moving over to Paramount

    23:57

    Chapter 2

    On becoming Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount

    18:36

    On developing Bridget Loves Bernie; on developing QB VII

    15:17

    On creating his own production company; on the look of Batman

    09:52

    On developing The Brady Bunch; on Leonard Goldberg; on his management style

    10:39

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII

    12:06

    Chapter 3

    On developing The Love Boat

    13:57

    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

    17:48

    On the guest stars of The Love Boat; on developing Vega$; on various shows and miniseries he developed

    15:15

    On developing Dynasty; on casting Joan Collins on Dynasty

    14:26

    Chapter 4

    On the various producers of his shows; on his post-Aaron Spelling career

    14:50

    On the then-current state of television; on advice to aspiring producers; on his proudest career achievements

    03:52

    As the World Turns

    Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble

    06:06

    Batman

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman

    06:41

    Douglas S. Cramer on the look of Batman

    04:29

    Brady Bunch, The

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Brady Bunch

    05:54

    Bridget Loves Bernie

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Bridget Loves Bernie

    03:21

    Dynasty

    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

    Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble

    06:06

    Hotel

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Hotel

    01:20

    Love Boat, The

    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)

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

    09:24

    Peyton Place

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Peyton Place

    06:57

    QB VII

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII

    11:56

    Vega$

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Vega$

    00:57

    Wonder Woman

    Douglas S. Cramer on creating his production company

    05:23

    Advice

    Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers

    01:25

    First Big Break

    Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble

    06:06

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Bridget Loves Bernie

    03:21

    Pivotal Career Moments

    Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble

    06:06

    Television Industry

    Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers

    01:25

    Douglas S. Cramer on the then-current state of television

    01:07

    Executives

    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

    Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers

    01:25

    Television Executive

    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

    Comedy Series

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman

    06:41

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Love Boat

    40:13

    Daytime/Primetime Serials

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Peyton Place

    06:57

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty

    14:26

    TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

    Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII

    11:56

    Carol Channing

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

    03:00

    Joan Collins

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

    10:15

    Leonard Goldberg

    Douglas S. Cramer on Leonard Goldberg

    02:15

    Sophia Loren

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

    10:15

    Ethel Merman

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

    03:00

    Irna Phillips

    Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble

    06:06

    Elaine Rich

    Douglas S. Cramer on various producers on his shows

    01:06

    Aaron Spelling

    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

    Elizabeth Taylor

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

    10:15

    E. Duke Vincent

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

    10:01

    Andy Warhol

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

    05:28

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