About
"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."
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.
Highlights

Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Brady Bunch

Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman

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

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

Douglas S. Cramer on the controversial storylines of Dynasty

Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII
Full Interview
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$; on various shows and miniseries he developed
On developing Dynasty; on casting Joan Collins on Dynasty
Chapter 4
On the various producers of his shows; on his post-Aaron Spelling career
On the then-current state of television; on advice to aspiring producers; on his proudest career achievements
Shows
As the World Turns
Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
Batman
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman
Douglas S. Cramer on the look of Batman
Brady Bunch, The
Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Brady Bunch
Bridget Loves Bernie
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Bridget Loves Bernie
Dynasty
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
Douglas S. Cramer on the controversial storylines of Dynasty
Guiding Light
Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
Hotel
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Hotel
Love Boat, The
Douglas S. Cramer on creating his production company
Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Love Boat
Douglas S. Cramer on getting The Love Boat on the air and casting the show
Douglas S. Cramer on the longevity and stories of The Love Boat
Douglas S. Cramer on traveling on The Love Boat
Douglas S. Cramer on the guest stars of The Love Boat
Douglas S. Cramer on the Broadway episode of The Love Boat
Odd Couple, The (1970-75)
Douglas S. Cramer on his duties as Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount Television
Peyton Place
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Peyton Place
QB VII
Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII
Vega$
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Vega$
Wonder Woman
Douglas S. Cramer on creating his production company
Topics
Advice
Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers
First Big Break
Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
Historic Events and Social Change
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Bridget Loves Bernie
Pivotal Career Moments
Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
Television Industry
Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers
Douglas S. Cramer on the then-current state of television
Professions
Executives
Douglas S. Cramer on becoming Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount
Douglas S. Cramer on his producing style and choosing the music composers for his shows
Producers
Douglas S. Cramer on advice to aspiring television producers
Television Executive
Douglas S. Cramer on becoming Vice President in Charge of Production at Paramount
Douglas S. Cramer on his producing style and choosing the music composers for his shows
Genres
Comedy Series
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Batman
Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Love Boat
Daytime/Primetime Serials
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Peyton Place
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Douglas S. Cramer on developing QB VII
People
Carol Channing
Douglas S. Cramer on the Broadway episode of The Love Boat
Joan Collins
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
Leonard Goldberg
Douglas S. Cramer on Leonard Goldberg
Sophia Loren
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
Ethel Merman
Douglas S. Cramer on the Broadway episode of The Love Boat
Irna Phillips
Douglas S. Cramer on working at Procter & Gamble
Elaine Rich
Douglas S. Cramer on various producers on his shows
Aaron Spelling
Douglas S. Cramer on developing The Love Boat
Douglas S. Cramer on getting The Love Boat on the air and casting the show
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
Douglas S. Cramer on the dissolution of his relationship with Aaron Spelling
Elizabeth Taylor
Douglas S. Cramer on developing Dynasty and casting Joan Collins as "Alexis Carrington Colby"
E. Duke Vincent
Douglas S. Cramer on getting The Love Boat on the air and casting the show
Andy Warhol
Douglas S. Cramer on the guest stars of The Love Boat: Andy Warhol