About
"The first thing you have to know is to write. The second thing is finish it. And the third is send it to somebody. And the fourth is when they send it back, send it to somebody else. Essentially...if you're going to do something - do it."
In his five-hour interview, Ernest Kinoy (1925-2014) describes his early career writing for NBC radio. He discusses writing for many "live" dramatic television shows, including Studio One, Philco-Goodyear Playhouse, Playhouse 90, DuPont Show of the Week, Naked City, and Dr. Kildare. He talks of his 1964 Emmy win for an episode of The Defenders entitled "Blacklist," and his second Emmy win for the groundbreaking miniseries Roots. Kinoy also speaks of the legacy of television producer Herbert Brodkin. Sunny Parich conducted the interview on October 29, 1998 in Williamsville, VT.
Highlights
Ernest Kinoy on working with Mel Brooks
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders episode "The Non-Violent" and the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on Marlon Brando in Roots: The Next Generations
Ernest Kinoy on the most important element of a successful show
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years; on his interest in writing; on starting in radio
On joining NBC radio; on first seeing television; on writing for radio
Chapter 2
On starting to write for early live television; on making the transition from radio to television; on what he was paid for early television scripts and working with producers
On writing for live television; on the Golden Age of Television
Chapter 3
On critical and viewer response to his scripts; on writing for The Imogene Coca Show; on discrimination in Hollywood; on working with Mel Brooks
On writing The Marriage for Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Studio One
Chapter 4
On writing the Studio One episode "Walk Down the Hill"
On The Defenders with Robert Reed and E.G Marshall; on the McCarthy era and the Blacklist episode of The Defenders
Chapter 5
On the Hollywood Blacklist and The Defenders; on the Hollywood Blacklist and Red Channels
On The Defenders episode "The Non-Violent" and the Civil Rights movement; on the end of The Defenders; on writing the Playhouse 90 episode "Shadows Tremble"
Chapter 6
On working on Playhouse 90; on writing for Naked City and Route 66; on writing for Saints and Sinners
On writing The Doctors and The Nurses; on writing the unsold pilot The Happeners; on his adaptations of Pinocchio and Brigadoon; on writing Broadway musicals
Chapter 7
On being head of the WGA East; on directing the feature film "Brother John"; on writing the made-for-television movie Crawlspace
On working with producer Herbert Brodkin; on the production schedule for made-for-television movies; on writing the made-for-television movie Victory at Entebbe
Chapter 8
On the miniseries Roots and how it came about; on the public reaction to Roots and its impact on the Civil Rights movement; on the process of writing an episode of Roots
On writing Roots: The Next Generations; on winning an Emmy for Roots; on the legacy of Roots and Roots: The Next Generations; on the made-for-television movie Skokie
Chapter 9
On writing the made-for-television movie Skokie; on his longevity in television; on advice to aspiring writers
On career highlights and regrets; on television at its best; on the then-future of television; on how he'd like to be remembered
On various people he has worked with in his career; on his wife Barbara; on The Archive of American Television
Shows
Alcoa Hour, The
Ernest Kinoy on a mishap on the set of The Alcoa Hour
Defenders, The
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders with Robert Reed and E.G Marshall
Ernest Kinoy on the McCarthy era and the Blacklist episode of The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the Hollywood Blacklist and The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on winning an Emmy for The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the stories of The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders episode "The Non-Violent" and the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the end of The Defenders
Imogene Coca Show, The
Ernest Kinoy on writing for The Imogene Coca Show
Marriage, The
Ernest Kinoy on writing The Marriage for Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy
Naked City
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Naked City
Playhouse 90
Ernest Kinoy on writing the Playhouse 90 episode "Shadows Tremble"
Ernest Kinoy on working on Playhouse 90
Roots
Ernest Kinoy on how he got involved with writing Roots
Ernest Kinoy on the public reaction to Roots and its impact on the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the process of writing an episode of Roots
Ernest Kinoy on winning an Emmy for Roots
Ernest Kinoy on the legacy of Roots and Roots: The Next Generations
Roots: The Next Generations
Ernest Kinoy on writing Roots: The Next Generations
Ernest Kinoy on Marlon Brando in Roots: The Next Generations
Ernest Kinoy on the legacy of Roots and Roots: The Next Generations
Route 66
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Route 66
Saints and Sinners
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Saints and Sinners
Studio One
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Studio One
Ernest Kinoy on the Studio One episode "Walk Down the Hill"
Topics
1939-40 World's Fair
Ernest Kinoy on the first time he saw television at the 1939 World's Fair
Advice
Ernest Kinoy on advice to aspiring writers
Bloopers
Ernest Kinoy on a mishap on the set of The Alcoa Hour
Emmy Awards
Ernest Kinoy on winning an Emmy for The Defenders
Historic Events and Social Change
Ernest Kinoy on the first time he saw television at the 1939 World's Fair
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders episode "The Non-Violent" and the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the public reaction to Roots and its impact on the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the legacy of Roots and Roots: The Next Generations
Hollywood Blacklist
Ernest Kinoy on the McCarthy era and the Blacklist episode of The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the Hollywood Blacklist and The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the Hollywood Blacklist and Red Channels
Industry Crossroads
Ernest Kinoy on the McCarthy era and the Blacklist episode of The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the Hollywood Blacklist and The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the Hollywood Blacklist and Red Channels
Representation on Television
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders episode "The Non-Violent" and the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the public reaction to Roots and its impact on the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the legacy of Roots and Roots: The Next Generations
Television Industry
Ernest Kinoy on the McCarthy era and the Blacklist episode of The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the Hollywood Blacklist and The Defenders
Ernest Kinoy on the Hollywood Blacklist and Red Channels
Ernest Kinoy on the then-future of television
Ernest Kinoy on advice to aspiring writers
TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)
Ernest Kinoy on the Golden Age of Television
Underrepresented Voices
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders episode "The Non-Violent" and the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the public reaction to Roots and its impact on the Civil Rights movement
Ernest Kinoy on the legacy of Roots and Roots: The Next Generations
Professions
Writers
Ernest Kinoy on advice to aspiring writers
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Studio One
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Studio One
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Playhouse 90
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Playhouse 90
Comedy Series
Ernest Kinoy on writing The Marriage for Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Naked City
Drama Series
Ernest Kinoy on writing The Defenders (Part 2)
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Route 66
Ernest Kinoy on writing for Saints and Sinners
Legal Dramas
Ernest Kinoy on writing for The Defenders
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Ernest Kinoy on writing for The Imogene Coca Show
Ernest Kinoy on his adaptation of Pinocchio
Ernest Kinoy on his adaptation of Brigadoon in 1966
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Ernest Kinoy on writing the made-for-television movie Crawlspace
Ernest Kinoy on writing the made-for-television movie Victory at Entebbe
Ernest Kinoy on writing Roots and Roots: The Next Generations
Ernest Kinoy on writing the made-for-television movie Skokie
People
Gertrude Berg
Ernest Kinoy on starting to write for early television
Marlon Brando
Ernest Kinoy on Marlon Brando in Roots: The Next Generations
Herbert Brodkin
Ernest Kinoy on meeting producer Herbert Brodkin
Ernest Kinoy on working with producer Herbert Brodkin
Ernest Kinoy on Herbert Brodkin's legacy in television
Mel Brooks
Ernest Kinoy on writing for The Imogene Coca Show
Imogene Coca
Ernest Kinoy on writing for The Imogene Coca Show
Hume Cronyn
Ernest Kinoy on writing The Marriage for Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy
Danny Kaye
Ernest Kinoy on writing the made-for-television movie Skokie
E. G. Marshall
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders with Robert Reed and E.G Marshall
Robert Reed
Ernest Kinoy on The Defenders with Robert Reed and E.G Marshall
Edward G. Robinson
Ernest Kinoy on writing the Playhouse 90 episode "Shadows Tremble"
Jessica Tandy
Ernest Kinoy on writing The Marriage for Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy