Eddie Foy III

Casting Director
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

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. 

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

"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."

People Talking About ...
Eddie Foy III
Highlights
Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie
07:51
Eddie Foy III on casting The Donna Reed Show
06:34
Eddie Foy III on casting Gidget
05:31
Eddie Foy III on casting the pilot for M*A*S*H
03:38
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl
10:15
Full Interview

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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

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Eddie Foy III on casting Arnie
01:21

Barney Miller

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Eddie Foy III on casting Barney Miller
03:10

Bracken's World

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Eddie Foy III on casting Bracken's World
05:19

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

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Eddie Foy III on casting Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
04:41

Cade's County

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Eddie Foy III on casting Cade's County
03:46

Charlie's Angels

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Eddie Foy III on casting Charlie's Angels 
01:37

Cheers

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Eddie Foy III on casting Cheers
01:39

City Beneath the Sea

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Eddie Foy III on casting City Beneath the Sea
02:40

Dennis the Menace

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Eddie Foy III on casting Dennis the Menace and casting children
03:33

Donna Reed Show, The

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Eddie Foy III on casting The Donna Reed Show
06:34

Family

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Eddie Foy III on casting Family
00:55

Farmer's Daughter, The

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Eddie Foy III on casting Farmer's Daughter
02:10

Fish

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Eddie Foy III on casting Fish
00:59

Flying Nun, The

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Eddie Foy III on casting The Flying Nun
03:52

Friendly Fire

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Eddie Foy III on casting Friendly Fire
02:19

Gidget

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Eddie Foy III on casting Gidget
05:31

Happy Days

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Eddie Foy III on casting Happy Days
01:34

Hill Street Blues

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Eddie Foy III on casting Hill Street Blues
01:59

I Dream of Jeannie

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Eddie Foy III on casting I Dream of Jeannie
05:59
Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie
07:51

Julia

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Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
05:21

Laverne & Shirley

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Eddie Foy III on casting Laverne & Shirley
00:26

Love Boat, The

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Eddie Foy III on casting The Love Boat
02:34

M*A*S*H

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Eddie Foy III on casting the feature film version of M*A*S*H
01:41
Eddie Foy III on casting the pilot for M*A*S*H
03:38
Eddie Foy III on working with Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H
03:20

Man in the Santa Claus Suit, The

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Eddie Foy III on casting The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
01:34

Martin Kane, Private Eye

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Eddie Foy III on his early feelings about television
01:50
Eddie Foy III on appearing on Martin Kane, Private Eye and various other productions in the '50s
02:28

Monkees, The

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Eddie Foy III on casting The Monkees
05:20

Mork & Mindy

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Eddie Foy III on casting Mork & Mindy
04:25
Eddie Foy III on casting Mork & Mindy
01:24

Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon

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Eddie Foy III on casting the Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon 
02:54

My World ... and Welcome to it

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Eddie Foy III on casting My World and Welcome to It
03:54

Naked City

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Eddie Foy III on casting Naked City
04:58

Room 222

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Eddie Foy III on casting Room 222
02:04

Route 66

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Eddie Foy III on casting Route 66
02:30

Soap

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Eddie Foy III on casting Soap
03:01

Starsky and Hutch

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Eddie Foy III on casting Starsky and Hutch
01:09

TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes

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Eddie Foy III on casting Bloopers and Practical Jokes
01:26

That Girl

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Eddie Foy III on going to work for 4D Productions and casting That Girl
06:52
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl
10:15

Three's Company

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Eddie Foy III on casting Three's Company
05:17

Tribes

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Eddie Foy III on casting Tribes
02:12

Wackiest Ship in the Army, The

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Eddie Foy III on casting The Wackiest Ship in the Army
04:01
Topics

Advice

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Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
04:17
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
04:17
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring actors
01:14
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring actors
01:14

Historic Events and Social Change

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Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
05:25

Hollywood Blacklist

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Eddie Foy III on the Hollywood Blacklist
06:30

Industry Crossroads

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Eddie Foy III on the Hollywood Blacklist
06:30

Representation on Television

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Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
05:25

Television Industry

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Eddie Foy III on the Hollywood Blacklist
06:30

Underrepresented Voices

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Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
05:25
Professions

Casting Director

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Eddie Foy III on the art of casting
03:41
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
04:17

Talent Professionals

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Eddie Foy III on the art of casting
03:41
Eddie Foy III on advice to aspiring casting directors
04:17
Genres

Comedy Series

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Eddie Foy III on casting Dennis the Menace and casting children
03:31
Eddie Foy III on casting Farmer's Daughter 
02:10
Eddie Foy III on casting Gidget
05:31
Eddie Foy III on casting I Dream of Jeannie
04:50
Eddie Foy III on casting I Dream of Jeannie
07:51
Eddie Foy III on casting The Monkees
05:20
Eddie Foy III on casting The Flying Nun
03:52
Eddie Foy III on casting Wackiest Ship in the Army
04:01
Eddie Foy III on going to work for 4D Productions and casting That Girl
06:52
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl
23:48
Eddie Foy III on casting Julia
05:25
Eddie Foy III on casting My World and Welcome to It
03:54
Eddie Foy III on casting Fish
00:59
Eddie Foy III on casting Soap
03:01
Eddie Foy III on casting The Love Boat
02:34
Eddie Foy III on casting Cheers
01:39

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

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Eddie Foy III on casting Charlie's Angels
01:39
Eddie Foy III on casting Hill Street Blues
01:59

Drama Series

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Eddie Foy III on casting Route 66
02:30
Eddie Foy III on casting Family
00:57

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Eddie Foy III on casting Fireball Forward
01:47
Eddie Foy III on casting City Beneath the Sea
02:40
Eddie Foy III on casting Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
04:41
Eddie Foy III on casting Friendly Fire
02:19
Eddie Foy III on casting The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
01:34
People

Alan Alda

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Eddie Foy III on casting Alan Alda in the pilot for M*A*S*H
03:39

Barbara Eden

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Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden on I Dream of Jeannie
05:59
Eddie Foy III on casting Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie
07:51

Carol Burnett

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Eddie Foy III on casting Friendly Fire
02:19

Danny Arnold

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Eddie Foy III on casting Danny Arnold in Wackiest Ship in the Army
04:02
Eddie Foy III on going to work for Danny Arnold at 4D Productions and casting That Girl
06:52
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl with Marlo Thomas and Danny Thomas
10:15

Donna Reed

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Eddie Foy III on casting The Donna Reed Show
06:34

Fred Astaire

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Eddie Foy III on casting Fred Astaire in The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
01:34

Gene Reynolds

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Eddie Foy III on working with Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H
03:20

George Maharis

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Eddie Foy III on casting George Mathis on Route 66
02:30

Hal Kanter

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Eddie Foy III on casting Julia with Hal Kanter
05:25

Inger Stevens

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Eddie Foy III on casting Inger Stevens on Farmer's Daughter
02:10

Irwin Allen

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Eddie Foy III on working for Irwin Allen
02:58
Eddie Foy III on casting City Beneath the Sea
02:40

Jay North

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Eddie Foy III on casting Jay North on Dennis the Menace and casting children
03:31

Larry Gelbart

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Eddie Foy III on working with Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H
03:20

Loretta Swit

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Eddie Foy III on casting Loretta Swit in the pilot for M*A*S*H
03:39

Lucille Ball

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Eddie Foy III on his family's friendship with Lucille Ball 
01:18

Marlo Thomas

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Eddie Foy III on going to work for 4D Productions and Marlo Thomas and casting That Girl
06:52
Eddie Foy III on casting That Girl with Marlo Thomas and Danny Thomas
10:15

Marlon Brando

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Eddie Foy III on Marlon Brando and casting future stars
05:11

McLean Stevenson

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Eddie Foy III on casting McLean Stevenson in the pilot for M*A*S*H
03:39

Mickey Dolenz

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Eddie Foy III on casting Mickey Dolenz in The Monkees
05:20

Peter Tork

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Eddie Foy III on casting Peter Tork in The Monkees
05:20

Robin Williams

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Eddie Foy III on casting Mork & Mindy
04:30

Sally Field

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Eddie Foy III on casting Sally Field on Gidget
05:31
Eddie Foy III on casting Sally Field in The Flying Nun
03:52

Sidney Sheldon

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Eddie Foy III on working with Sidney Sheldon to cast I Dream of Jeannie
04:50

Ted Bessell

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Eddie Foy III on casting Ted Bessell on That Girl
10:15

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