About
"My advice to new casting directors? Go read a little book called 'The Complete Works of Shakespeare'. Find out about Noel Coward, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe and Edward Albee. Find out why Spencer Tracy and Miss Hepburn never took their clothes off and left their love to be your fantasy."
In his five-hour interview, Eddie Foy III (1935-2018) reminisces about his unique celebrity-filled childhood and his early years in the entertainment industry as an actor. He speaks in-depth about his experiences on many classic television programs and telefilms including The Donna Reed Show, Gidget, I Dream of Jeannie, The Monkees, That Girl, My World and Welcome to It, M*A*S*H, Mork & Mindy, Soap, Cheers, Love Boat, Barney Miller, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, and the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethons. He also imparts his advice to aspiring casting directors ("find a person to study with") as well as to actors ("respect your talent"). Henry Colman conducted the interview on October 30, 2003 in Corona, CA.
Highlights
Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie
Eddie Foy III on casting The Donna Reed Show
Eddie Foy III on casting Gidget
Eddie Foy III on casting the pilot for M*A*S*H
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on what he learned from his family; on his family's friendship with Lucille Ball
On radio he listened to as a child and his favorite stars; on his interest in boxing; on his early feelings about television
Chapter 2
On appearing on Martin Kane, Private Eye and various other productions in the '50s; on working with Bob Fosse; on casting for Screen Gems
On his casting duties at Screen Gems; on casting The Donna Reed Show; on getting approval for his casting decisions from the production company and directors
Chapter 3
On casting Naked City and Dennis the Menace; on casting Route 66; on casting Farmer's Daughter
On casting Gidget; on casting I Dream of Jeannie
Chapter 4
On casting I Dream of Jeannie; on casting The Monkees; on casting The Flying Nun
On casting Wackiest Ship in the Army; on casting That Girl and working with Danny Arnold
Chapter 5
On casting That Girl; on casting My World and Welcome to It
On going to work in casting for Fox Television; on going to work for Irwin Allen; on casting Julia
Chapter 6
On casting Bracken's World; on Marlon Brando and casting future stars; on casting Room 222 and Arnie
On casting M*A*S*H; on casting Cade's County; on casting Tribes
Chapter 7
On the Hollywood Blacklist; on casting Fireball Forward; on casting the feature film "The Poseidon Adventure"; on casting the feature film "The French Connection"
On casting the feature films "Planet of the Apes" and "Tora! Tora! Tora!"; on casting the feature film "The Great White Hope"; on casting various other features films
Chapter 8
On going to work in the ABC casting department; on casting Mork & Mindy; on casting Barney Miller
On casting Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley; on casting Starsky and Hutch; on casting Three's Company
Chapter 9
On casting Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Charlie's Angels, and Family; on casting Soap, The Love Boat, and Friendly Fire
On leaving ABC and going to NBC; on various projects he cast for NBC
Chapter 10
On casting Hill Street Blues and Cheers; on leaving NBC; on working for Dick Clark Productions
On advice to aspiring actors and casting directors; on how he'd like to be remembered
On B-roll pictures from his career- signed picture of Sally Field; signed picture of Sheldon Leonard; signed picture of John Wayne; with Jerry Lewis; Eddie Foy, Jr.
Shows
Arnie
Eddie Foy III on casting Arnie
Barney Miller
Eddie Foy III on casting Barney Miller
Bracken's World
Eddie Foy III on casting Bracken's World
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Eddie Foy III on casting Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Cade's County
Eddie Foy III on casting Cade's County
Charlie's Angels
Eddie Foy III on casting Charlie's Angels
Cheers
Eddie Foy III on casting Cheers
City Beneath the Sea
Eddie Foy III on casting City Beneath the Sea
Dennis the Menace
Eddie Foy III on casting Dennis the Menace and casting children
Donna Reed Show, The
Eddie Foy III on casting The Donna Reed Show
Family
Eddie Foy III on casting Family
Farmer's Daughter, The
Eddie Foy III on casting Farmer's Daughter
Fish
Eddie Foy III on casting Fish
Flying Nun, The
Eddie Foy III on casting The Flying Nun
Friendly Fire
Eddie Foy III on casting Friendly Fire
Gidget
Eddie Foy III on casting Gidget
Happy Days
Eddie Foy III on casting Happy Days
Hill Street Blues
Eddie Foy III on casting Hill Street Blues
I Dream of Jeannie
Eddie Foy III on casting I Dream of Jeannie
Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie
Julia (1968-71)
Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
Laverne & Shirley
Eddie Foy III on casting Laverne & Shirley
Love Boat, The
Eddie Foy III on casting The Love Boat
M*A*S*H
Eddie Foy III on casting the feature film version of M*A*S*H
Eddie Foy III on casting the pilot for M*A*S*H
Eddie Foy III on working with Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H
Man in the Santa Claus Suit, The
Eddie Foy III on casting The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
Martin Kane, Private Eye
Eddie Foy III on his early feelings about television
Eddie Foy III on appearing on Martin Kane, Private Eye and various other productions in the '50s
Monkees, The
Eddie Foy III on casting The Monkees
Mork & Mindy
Eddie Foy III on casting Mork & Mindy
Eddie Foy III on casting Mork & Mindy
Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon
Eddie Foy III on casting the Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon
My World ... and Welcome to it
Eddie Foy III on casting My World and Welcome to It
Naked City
Eddie Foy III on casting Naked City
Room 222
Eddie Foy III on casting Room 222
Route 66
Eddie Foy III on casting Route 66
Soap
Eddie Foy III on casting Soap
Starsky and Hutch
Eddie Foy III on casting Starsky and Hutch
That Girl
Eddie Foy III on going to work for 4D Productions and casting That Girl
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl
Three's Company
Eddie Foy III on casting Three's Company
Tribes
Eddie Foy III on casting Tribes
TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes
Eddie Foy III on casting Bloopers and Practical Jokes
Wackiest Ship in the Army, The
Eddie Foy III on casting The Wackiest Ship in the Army
Topics
Advice
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring actors
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring actors
Historic Events and Social Change
Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
Hollywood Blacklist
Eddie Foy III on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Eddie Foy III on the Hollywood Blacklist
Representation on Television
Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
Television Industry
Eddie Foy III on the Hollywood Blacklist
Underrepresented Voices
Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
Professions
Casting Director
Eddie Foy III on the art of casting
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
Talent Professionals
Eddie Foy III on the art of casting
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
Genres
Comedy Series
Eddie Foy III on casting Dennis the Menace and casting children
Eddie Foy III on casting Farmer's Daughter
Eddie Foy III on casting Gidget
Eddie Foy III on casting I Dream of Jeannie
Eddie Foy III on casting I Dream of Jeannie
Eddie Foy III on casting The Monkees
Eddie Foy III on casting The Flying Nun
Eddie Foy III on casting Wackiest Ship in the Army
Eddie Foy III on going to work for 4D Productions and casting That Girl
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl
Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
Eddie Foy III on casting My World and Welcome to It
Eddie Foy III on casting Fish
Eddie Foy III on casting Soap
Eddie Foy III on casting The Love Boat
Eddie Foy III on casting Cheers
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Eddie Foy III on casting Charlie's Angels
Eddie Foy III on casting Hill Street Blues
Drama Series
Eddie Foy III on casting Route 66
Eddie Foy III on casting Family
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Eddie Foy III on casting Fireball Forward
Eddie Foy III on casting City Beneath the Sea
Eddie Foy III on casting Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Eddie Foy III on casting Friendly Fire
Eddie Foy III on casting The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
People
Alan Alda
Eddie Foy III on casting Alan Alda in the pilot for M*A*S*H
Irwin Allen
Eddie Foy III on working for Irwin Allen
Eddie Foy III on casting City Beneath the Sea
Danny Arnold
Eddie Foy III on casting Danny Arnold in Wackiest Ship in the Army
Eddie Foy III on going to work for Danny Arnold at 4D Productions and casting That Girl
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl with Marlo Thomas and Danny Thomas
Fred Astaire
Eddie Foy III on casting Fred Astaire in The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
Lucille Ball
Eddie Foy III on his family's friendship with Lucille Ball
Ted Bessell
Eddie Foy III on casting Ted Bessell on That Girl
Marlon Brando
Eddie Foy III on Marlon Brando and casting future stars
Carol Burnett
Eddie Foy III on casting Friendly Fire
Mickey Dolenz
Eddie Foy III on casting Mickey Dolenz in The Monkees
Barbara Eden
Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden on I Dream of Jeannie
Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie
Sally Field
Eddie Foy III on casting Sally Field on Gidget
Eddie Foy III on casting Sally Field in The Flying Nun
Larry Gelbart
Eddie Foy III on working with Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H
Hal Kanter
Eddie Foy III on casting Julia with Hal Kanter
George Maharis
Eddie Foy III on casting George Mathis on Route 66
Jay North
Eddie Foy III on casting Jay North on Dennis the Menace and casting children
Donna Reed
Eddie Foy III on casting The Donna Reed Show
Gene Reynolds
Eddie Foy III on working with Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H
Sidney Sheldon
Eddie Foy III on working with Sidney Sheldon to cast I Dream of Jeannie
Inger Stevens
Eddie Foy III on casting Inger Stevens on Farmer's Daughter
McLean Stevenson
Eddie Foy III on casting McLean Stevenson in the pilot for M*A*S*H
Loretta Swit
Eddie Foy III on casting Loretta Swit in the pilot for M*A*S*H
Marlo Thomas
Eddie Foy III on going to work for 4D Productions and Marlo Thomas and casting That Girl
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl with Marlo Thomas and Danny Thomas
Peter Tork
Eddie Foy III on casting Peter Tork in The Monkees
Robin Williams
Eddie Foy III on casting Mork & Mindy