Garvin Eddy

Production Designer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Garvin Eddy talks about his early years, and his very first experience on a television show set, when he visited Maude to talk to Edward Stephenson. He recalls being Stephenson's assistant in the art department on several Norman Lear shows including Sanford and Son and Good Times, as well as his first solo assignment as production designer on the Beatrice Arthur comedy Amanda's. He chronicles his time in the art department on the Witt/Thomas/Harris productions Soap and Benson, which led to his being the production designer on The Cosby Show. He details the many aspects of production design, including the importance of collaboration with the director, producers, and star. He discusses production designing for several other series, including Roseanne, Grace Under Fire, Cybill, 3rd Rock From the Sun, and That '70s Show. He concludes with a summation of his career and advice to aspiring television production designers. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on May 21, 2010 in North Hollywood, CA.

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

"The production designer is responsible for everything you see on the screen that doesn't move. What is this world that these writers have created in their minds and have written about? And how do you make that into a real, three-dimensional living thing that actors move into? It's our job to bring that to life."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Good Times

02:20

Garvin Eddy on designing the Huxtable residence on The Cosby Show and working with Bill Cosby

11:34

Garvin Eddy on choosing the afghan and sofa on Roseanne

05:07

Garvin Eddy on designing the junkyard on Sanford and Son, and on the junk or things around the set defining the characters

05:06

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Grace Under Fire starring Brett Butler and produced by Chuck Lorre

06:11

Garvin Eddy on Roseanne Barr's conflicts with the producers of Roseanne

02:33

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on television he watched as a kid; on visiting the set of Maude

On working in the art department as an assistant to Edward Stephenson for shows including Maude and Sanford & Son; on going from assistant to collaborator with Edward Stephenson on Amanda's, Victory at Entebbe, and other shows; on the role of a production designer or art director

On the importance of production designers doing research; on choosing the afghan and sofa on Roseanne; on making sets look unique and non-generic

On what he learned from his mentor Edward Stephenson; on the look of the Norman Lear shows he assistant art directed early in his career; on designing the junkyard on Sanford and Son, and on the junk or things around the set defining the characters

On how the set of Maude reflected the character of "Maude Findlay" played by Beatrice Arthur; on production designing for Good Times; on the logistics and budgets on production designing for sitcoms in the 1970s

Chapter 2

On going to work in production design for Witt-Thomas-Harris productions with the series Soap; on production designing for Benson, a spinoff of Soap; on his first non-assistant production design job on the Beatrice Arthur series Amanda's (misidentified here as "Amanda's By the Sea")

On being hired as production designer for The Cosby Show; on designing the Huxtable residence on The Cosby Show and working with Bill Cosby; on his schedule during the run of The Cosby Show

On the number of sets for The Cosby Show, and on the evolution of and mood on the set; on favorite episodes or memories of The Cosby Show; on collaborating with the producers and directors of The Cosby Show, and on the budget of the show

On the legacy of The Cosby Show; on production designing for A Different World starring Lisa Bonet; on production designing for Roseanne

On how his sets may have contributed the success of Roseanne; on working with Roseanne Barr on Roseanne; on the most important, key pieces of the Roseanne set

On Roseanne Barr's conflicts with the producers of Roseanne; on being nominated for an Emmy Award for Roseanne; on staying with the show for its entire run

Chapter 3

On the evolution of the title from art director to production designer; on becoming vice president of production design for the Carsey-Werner Company; on production designing for Grace Under Fire, and on the challenges of designing for the show; on working with Chuck Lorre

On dealing with product placement as a production designer; on production designing for Cybill starring Cybill Shepherd

On production designing for 3rd Rock From the Sun starring John Lithgow and Jane Curtin; on production designing for That '70s Show, and on the challenge of doing a period piece

On production designing for the John Goodman show Normal, Ohio and Sunny with a Chance; on what a producer needs to know about the production designer they're working with, and on their collaboration

On the most important developments in the technology or technique of production design; on the then-current state of production design on television; on the essential elements that make a production design work

On the importance of a production designer understanding what the camera sees, and on the challenge HDTV presented; on advice to aspiring production designers; on career highlights, and how he would like to be remembered

Shows

3rd Rock From the Sun

Garvin Eddy on production designing for 3rd Rock From the Sun starring John Lithgow and Jane Curtin

03:22

Amanda's

Garvin Eddy on going from assistant to collaborator with Edward Stephenson on Amanda's and Victory at Entebbe

02:19

Garvin Eddy on his first non-assistant production design job on the Beatrice Arthur series Amanda's (misidentified here as "Amanda's By the Sea")

02:26

Benson

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Benson, a spinoff of Soap

00:46

Cosby Show, The

Garvin Eddy on being hired as production designer for The Cosby Show

02:20

Garvin Eddy on designing the Huxtable residence on The Cosby Show and working with Bill Cosby

11:34

Garvin Eddy on his schedule during the run of The Cosby Show

02:17

Garvin Eddy on the number of sets for The Cosby Show, and on the evolution of and mood on the set

04:36

Garvin Eddy on favorite episodes or memories of The Cosby Show

02:34

Garvin Eddy on collaborating with the producers and directors of The Cosby Show

01:20

Garvin Eddy on what working with the budget The Cosby Show afforded him for production design

01:03

Garvin Eddy on the legacy of The Cosby Show

00:28

Cybill

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Cybill starring Cybill Shepherd

03:09

Garvin Eddy on winning an Emmy Award for Cybill

00:44

Different World, A

Garvin Eddy on production designing for A Different World starring Lisa Bonet

02:00

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Garvin Eddy on being nominated for an Emmy for Roseanne

01:12

Garvin Eddy on winning an Emmy for Cybill

00:44

Good Times

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Good Times

02:20

Grace Under Fire

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Grace Under Fire starring Brett Butler and produced by Chuck Lorre

06:11

Maude

Garvin Eddy on visiting the set of Maude

01:41

Garvin Eddy on working in the art department as an assistant to Edward Stephenson for shows including Maude and Sanford & Son

04:19

Garvin Eddy on how the set of Maude reflected the character of "Maude Findlay"

02:45

Normal, Ohio

Garvin Eddy on production designing for the John Goodman show Normal, Ohio

01:12

Roseanne

Garvin Eddy on choosing the afghan and sofa on Roseanne

05:07

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Roseanne

06:20

Garvin Eddy on how his sets may have contributed the success of Roseanne

03:36

Garvin Eddy on working with Roseanne Barr on Roseanne

01:09

Garvin Eddy on the key pieces of the Roseanne set

01:24

Garvin Eddy on Roseanne Barr's conflicts with the producers of Roseanne

02:33

Garvin Eddy on being nominated for an Emmy Award for Roseanne

01:12

Garvin Eddy on staying with Roseanne for the show's entire run

00:56

Sanford and Son

Garvin Eddy on working in the art department as an assistant to Edward Stephenson for shows including Maude and Sanford & Son

04:19

Garvin Eddy on designing the junkyard on Sanford and Son, and on the junk or things around the set defining the characters

05:06

Garvin Eddy on working with Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son

01:11

Soap

Garvin Eddy on going to work in production design for Witt-Thomas-Harris productions with the series Soap

10:08

Sonny with a Chance

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Sonny with a Chance and on the Disney Channel formula

04:13

That '70s Show

Garvin Eddy on production designing for That '70s Showm and on the challenge of doing a period piece

11:17

Garvin Eddy on being nominated for several Emmys for That '70s Show, and on the particular challenges of that show

01:56

Victory at Entebbe

Garvin Eddy on going from assistant to collaborator with Edward Stephenson on Amanda's and Victory at Entebbe

02:19

Topics

Advice

Garvin Eddy on advice to aspiring production designers

00:56

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Garvin Eddy on what he learned from his mentor Edward Stephenson

03:21

Emmy Awards

Garvin Eddy on being nominated for an Emmy for Roseanne

01:12

Pivotal Career Moments

Garvin Eddy on what he learned from his mentor Edward Stephenson

03:21

Technological Innovation

Garvin Eddy on the most important developments in the technology or technique of production design

03:31

Garvin Eddy on the importance of a production designer understanding what the camera sees, and on the challenge HDTV presented

02:34

Television Industry

Garvin Eddy on becoming vice president of production design for the Carsey-Werner Company

00:58

Garvin Eddy on the then-current state of production design on television

01:36

Garvin Eddy on advice to aspiring production designers

00:56

Professions

Art Director/Set Decorator

View Profession

Garvin Eddy on the role and responsibilities of a production designer or art director

02:43

Garvin Eddy on the evolution of the title from art director to production designer

00:54

Designers

View Profession

Garvin Eddy on the role and responsibilities of a production designer or art director

02:43

Garvin Eddy on the importance of doing research as a production designer

04:07

Garvin Eddy on making sets look unique and non-generic

05:31

Garvin Eddy on the significance of the production designer in television

03:18

Garvin Eddy on the logistics and budgets on production designing for sitcoms in the 1970s

02:46

Garvin Eddy on collaborating with the creative team on his production design of a show, using The Cosby Show as an example

07:50

Garvin Eddy on the evolution of the title from art director to production designer

00:54

Garvin Eddy on dealing with product placement as a production designer

07:50

Garvin Eddy on what a producer needs to know about a given production designer, and on their collaboration

04:10

Garvin Eddy on the most important developments in the technology or technique of production design

03:31

Garvin Eddy on the essential elements that make a production design work

03:09

Garvin Eddy on the importance of a production designer understanding what the camera sees, and on the challenge HDTV presented

02:34

Garvin Eddy on advice to aspiring production designers

00:56

Production Designer

View Profession

Garvin Eddy on the role and responsibilities of a production designer or art director

02:43

Garvin Eddy on the importance of doing research as a production designer

04:07

Garvin Eddy on making sets look unique and non-generic

05:31

Garvin Eddy on the significance of the production designer in television

03:18

Garvin Eddy on the logistics and budgets on production designing for sitcoms in the 1970s

02:46

Garvin Eddy on collaborating with the creative team on his production design of a show, using The Cosby Show as an example

07:50

Garvin Eddy on the evolution of the title from art director to production designer

00:54

Garvin Eddy on dealing with product placement as a production designer

07:50

Garvin Eddy on what a producer needs to know about a given production designer, and on their collaboration

04:10

Garvin Eddy on the most important developments in the technology or technique of production design

03:31

Garvin Eddy on the essential elements that make a production design work

03:09

Garvin Eddy on the importance of a production designer understanding what the camera sees, and on the challenge HDTV presented

02:34

Garvin Eddy on advice to aspiring production designers

00:56

Genres

Comedy Series

Garvin Eddy on working in the art department as an assistant on Maude and Sanford & Son

01:41

Garvin Eddy on going from assistant to collaborator to Edward Stephenson on Amanda's and Victory at Entebbe

02:19

Garvin Eddy on choosing the afghan and sofa on Roseanne

05:07

Garvin Eddy on designing the junkyard on Sanford and Son

09:35

Garvin Eddy on how the set of Maude reflected the character of "Maude Findlay"

02:45

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Good Times

02:20

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Soap and Benson

10:54

Garvin Eddy on production designing for The Cosby Show

23:55

Garvin Eddy on production designing for A Different World

02:00

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Roseanne

17:12

Garvin Eddy on production designing for Grace Under Fire

06:11

People

Beatrice Arthur

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Garvin Eddy on how the set of Maude reflected the character of "Maude Findlay" played by Beatrice Arthur

02:46

Brett Butler

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Garvin Eddy on production designing for Grace Under Fire starring Brett Butler and produced by Chuck Lorre

06:11

Marcy Carsey

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Garvin Eddy on working for producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner of the Carsey-Werner Company

02:02

Bill Cosby

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Garvin Eddy on designing the Huxtable residence on The Cosby Show and working with Bill Cosby

11:34

Redd Foxx

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Garvin Eddy on working with Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son

01:11

Susan Harris

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Garvin Eddy on going to work in production design for Witt-Thomas-Harris productions with the series Soap

10:08

Norman Lear

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Garvin Eddy on the look of the Norman Lear shows he assistant art directed early in his career

03:45

Chuck Lorre

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Garvin Eddy on production designing for Grace Under Fire starring Brett Butler and produced by Chuck Lorre

06:11

Roseanne

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Garvin Eddy on Roseanne Barr's conflicts with the producers of Roseanne

02:33

Cybill Shepherd

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Garvin Eddy on production designing for Cybill starring Cybill Shepherd

03:09

Tony Thomas

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Garvin Eddy on going to work in production design for Witt-Thomas-Harris productions with the series Soap

10:08

Tom Werner

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Garvin Eddy on working for producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner of the Carsey-Werner Company

02:02

Paul Junger Witt

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Garvin Eddy on going to work in production design for Witt-Thomas-Harris productions with the series Soap

10:08