About
"I took part in this business, I was rich with friends in the business, and I would love to be able to be a champion for all those people, no matter the ethnicity, who want to be able to be producers in this business."
In his three-and-a-half-hour interview, George Sunga (1932-2023) talks about his analysis of the 1950s live television anthology series Climax! that he compiled as part of his studies at San Diego State College. He describes his extensive on-site observation of the series' production at Television City, and his experiences watching director John Frankenheimer at work. He recalls the start of his own career at CBS, beginning in the mailroom, and his ascension to production supervisor. He looks back on some of the 1960s era shows and specials he oversaw, including The Judy Garland Show; The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special; and The Ed Sullivan Show. Sunga then talks of his departure from CBS to take the job of associate producer of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He offers insights into the controversial nature of the show's content, its guests, and its abrupt cancellation. He chronicles his work as a producer of several early 1970s specials and speaks of joining All in the Family for the second half of the series' fifth season (and his important task of moving the production from CBS Television City to Metromedia Studios). Sunga then recounts his continued work on Norman Lear's shows The Jeffersons and Good Times. He details producing the sitcom Three's Company (and makes mention of its sequels The Ropers and Three's A Crowd). He describes the talents of the cast (saying John Ritter was the heir to Dick Van Dyke) and outlines the many cast changes throughout the series' run. Jeff Abraham conducted the interview on February 1, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
George Sunga on the evolution of Tommy Smothers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on The Who and Pete Seeger performing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on Suzanne Somers leaving Three's Company
George Sunga on working with Carroll O'Connor on All in the Family
George Sunga on his contribution to the Norman Lear legacy
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his early memories of television; on working in the CBS Television City mailroom
On the various stages at CBS Television City and becoming a Production Manager; on being a Production Supervisor on Password
On being Production Supervisor for The Judy Garland Show; on working on various variety shows as Production Supervisor
On resigning from CBS Television City; on becoming an Associate Producer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
On working on The Judy Garland Show at the time of JFK's assassination
Chapter 2
On the evolution of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on the special guest stars and the writing staff of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on The Who, Harry Belafonte, and Pete Seeger appearing on the show
On CBS's reaction to The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on the cancellation of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on producing The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
On becoming a Producer on All in the Family and The Jeffersons; on working with Carroll O'Connor on All in the Family; on his role as Producer of All in the Family
On producing The Jeffersons; on the cast of The Jeffersons; on the lack of diversity on the crew of The Jeffersons
Chapter 3
On diversity in television and his personal experience; on working with the crew of The Jeffersons; on moving Norman Lear's shows from Television City to Metro Media
On being Associate Producer on Good Times; on his role in Norman Lear's legacy; on producing the musical specials Make Mine Red White and Blue and Of Thee I Sing
On producing Three's Company; on the cast of Three's Company
On Suzanne Somers leaving Three's Company; on producing the Three's Company spin-offs The Ropers and Three's A Crowd; on producing the short-lived series Gung Ho
Chapter 4
On producing Gung Ho; on producing Dear John; on his then-current (2008) projects
On the key to production management and his advice to aspiring television producers; on career highlights and regrets; on how he'd like to remembered
Shows
All in the Family
George Sunga on becoming a Producer on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
George Sunga on working with Norman Lear on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
George Sunga on working with Carroll O'Connor on All in the Family
George Sunga on his role as a Producer on All in the Family
George Sunga on making the transition from producing All in the Family to producing The Jeffersons
George Sunga on working with the other Producers and Directors on All in the Family
George Sunga on the All in the Family episode "Sammy's Visit"
George Sunga on All in the Family and The Jeffersons moving from Television City to Metro Media
All in the Family: "Sammy's Visit"
George Sunga on the All in the Family episode "Sammy's Visit"
Dear John ...
George Sunga on producing Dear John
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
George Sunga on acting as Production Manager for Ed Sullivan's various trips to Los Angeles to do The Ed Sullivan Show and the transition to color
Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The
George Sunga on producing The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Good Times
George Sunga on being Associate Producer of Good Times
Gung Ho
George Sunga on producing the short-lived series Gung Ho
George Sunga on producing Gung Ho
Jeffersons, The
George Sunga on becoming a Producer on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
George Sunga on working with Norman Lear on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
George Sunga on making the transition from producing All in the Family to producing The Jeffersons
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
George Sunga on the diversity of the crew of The Jeffersons
George Sunga on working with the crew of The Jeffersons
George Sunga on All in the Family and The Jeffersons moving from Television City to Metro Media
Judy Garland Show, The
George Sunga on the various stages at CBS Television City and becoming a Production Supervisor
George Sunga on being Production Supervisor on The Judy Garland Show
George Sunga on working on The Judy Garland Show at the time of JFK's assassination
Of Thee I Sing
George Sunga on being Associate Producer of the musical special Of Thee I Sing
Password
George Sunga on being Production Supervisor on Password
Red Skelton Show, The
George Sunga on "spying on" Red Skelton
Ropers, The
George Sunga on producing the Three's Company spin-off The Ropers
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The
George Sunga on being Associate Producer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on the evolution of Tommy Smothers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on the guest stars on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and the innovative technical aspects of the show
George Sunga on the writers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on The Who and Pete Seeger performing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on CBS's reaction to The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on becoming a Producer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on the staff
George Sunga on the cancellation of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and the lawsuit that followed
George Sunga on his Emmy nomination for producing The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Three's A Crowd
George Sunga on producing the Three's Company spin-off Three's A Crowd
Three's Company
George Sunga on how he came to be Associate Producer of Three's Company
George Sunga on a typical Three's Company production week
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
George Sunga on Suzanne Somers leaving Three's Company
George Sunga on Lucille Ball hosting Three's Company's 100th episode retrospective
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
George Sunga on CBS's reaction to The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on Harry Belafonte's controversial performance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on diversity and discrimination in television
Creative Influences and Inspiration
George Sunga on mentoring
JFK Assassination and Funeral
George Sunga on working on The Judy Garland Show at the time of JFK's assassination
Representation on Television
George Sunga on the diversity of the crew of The Jeffersons
Technological Innovation
George Sunga on acting as Production Manager for Ed Sullivan's various trips to Los Angeles to do The Ed Sullivan Show and the transition to color
George Sunga on the guest stars on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and the innovative technical aspects of the show
Television Industry
George Sunga on CBS's reaction to The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on Harry Belafonte's controversial performance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on diversity and discrimination in television
Professions
Producers
George Sunga on his role as a Producer on All in the Family
George Sunga on the key to effective production management and his advice to aspiring television producers
Genres
Comedy Series
George Sunga on producing All in the Family and The Jeffersons
George Sunga on producing Good Times
George Sunga on producing Three's Company
George Sunga on producing The Ropers and Three's A Crowd
Game Shows
George Sunga on being Production Supervisor on Password
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
George Sunga on being Production Supervisor on The Judy Garland Show
George Sunga on being Associate Producer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
George Sunga on producing The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
People
John Amos
George Sunga on producing Good Times
Fred Astaire
George Sunga on producing the Fred Astaire special Make Mine Red White and Blue
Lucille Ball
George Sunga on working as Production Manager on various variety specials
George Sunga on Lucille Ball hosting Three's Company's 100th episode retrospective
Harry Belafonte
George Sunga on Harry Belafonte's controversial performance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Carol Burnett
George Sunga on working as Production Manager on various variety specials
Glen Campbell
George Sunga on producing The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Carol Channing
George Sunga on being Production Manager for various variety shows
Franklin Cover
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
Zara Cully
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
Joyce DeWitt
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
Mike Evans
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
Norman Fell
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
George Sunga on producing the Three's Company spin-off The Ropers
John Frankenheimer
George Sunga on working at the CBS Television City mailroom
Judy Garland
George Sunga on being Production Supervisor on The Judy Garland Show
Marla Gibbs
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
Robert Guillaume
George Sunga on his stint at Walt Disney Television
Sherman Hemsley
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
Janet Jackson
George Sunga on producing Good Times
Milt Josefsberg
George Sunga on the writers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Richard Kline
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
Don Knotts
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
Norman Lear
George Sunga on working with Norman Lear on All in the Family and The Jeffersons
Audra Lindley
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
Allen Ludden
George Sunga on being Production Supervisor on Password
Steve Martin
George Sunga on the writers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Zero Mostel
George Sunga on working as Production Manager on various variety specials
Carroll O'Connor
George Sunga on working with Carroll O'Connor on All in the Family
Nelson Riddle
George Sunga on career highlights and regrets
John Ritter
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
Roxie Roker
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
Esther Rolle
George Sunga on producing Good Times
Isabel Sanford
George Sunga on the cast of The Jeffersons
Red Skelton
George Sunga on "spying on" Red Skelton
Dick Smothers
George Sunga on becoming a Producer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on the staff
Tom Smothers
George Sunga on becoming a Producer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on the staff
Suzanne Somers
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company
George Sunga on Suzanne Somers leaving Three's Company
McLean Stevenson
George Sunga on becoming a Producer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; on the staff
Bob Stewart
George Sunga on being Production Supervisor on Password
Ed Sullivan
George Sunga on acting as Production Manager for Ed Sullivan's various trips to Los Angeles to do The Ed Sullivan Show and the transition to color
Dick Van Dyke
George Sunga on being Production Manager for Dick Van Dyke's variety special
Jimmie Walker
George Sunga on producing Good Times
Ann Wedgeworth
George Sunga on the cast of Three's Company