Fred Willard

In his three-and-a-half-hour interview, Fred Willard (1939-2020) talks about his earliest appearances on television -- sketches with comedy partners on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Steve Allen Show. He describes his involvement with the comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company, which led to regular appearances on The Tom Jones Show (in England) and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He recalls several guest appearances on sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show, Get Smart, Mad About You, and Modern Family. He speaks in great detail about portraying "Jerry Hubbard," the hapless sidekick on the television talk-show parody Fernwood 2-Night with Martin Mull, and chronicles reuniting with Mull for a groundbreaking storyline on Roseanne, which led to one of television's first gay weddings. He discusses his roles in several of Christopher Guest's mockumentary films and speaks of his part as the only human actor among a band of puppets in the series D.C. Follies. He comments on his fans, his favorite kinds of roles to play, and the role of improvisational acting in his career. Amy Harrington conducted the interview on September 28, 2012 in Encino, CA.