Hal Kanter

Writer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Hal Kanter (1918-2011) talks extensively about his first television work as a writer for famed comedian Ed Wynn on The Ed Wynn Show. He discusses how he ultimately wrote and directed The George Gobel Show. Kanter recalls his pioneering sitcom, Julia, which starred Diahann Carroll, and featured the first Black female lead on television. He recounts his short time as executive producer on All in the Family, which was cut short due to arguments with Norman Lear, as well as writing for Chico and the Man starring Freddie Prinze and Jack Albertson. He briefly touches on his work in feature film, where he wrote movies for Elvis Presley, Doris Day, Bob Hope, James Garner, and others. Kanter also talks of writing for Academy Awards shows and dozens of feature films. Sam Denoff conducted the interview on May 22, 1997 in Encino, CA.

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

"We couldn't get Black people on the air until Julia came along to prove that White people will watch Black people on television. I feel some gratification when I see that."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Hal Kanter on the process of producing a live episode of The Ed Wynn Show each week
03:06
Hal Kanter on writing for Kraft Music Hall featuring Milton Berle
06:54
Hal Kanter on creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll, the first series with an African-American female in a starring role
12:07
Hal Kanter on Buster Keaton and Lucille Ball appearing on The Ed Wynn Show
02:31
Hal Kanter on being executive producer during All in the Family's 1975-1976 season; on his difficulties working with Norman Lear
07:10
Hal Kanter on working on Chico and the Man and on the death of the show's star Freddie Prinze
01:50
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on moving to Los Angeles to be a "ghostwriter for a ghostwriter" on a comic strip
On his first big break writing for Eddie Cantor and other comedians on radio; on his experience of World War II with Bob Hope

Chapter 2

On writing for "The Alan Young Show" on radio; on writing for "The Danny Kaye Show" on radio
On his very first television writing job on The Ed Wynn Show; on his earliest experiences with television, and on how television writers were regarded; on the production of The Ed Wynn Show, and on phone calls from Fanny Brice
On the guest-stars of The Ed Wynn Show including The Three Stooges, Victor Moore and on attempting to get Al Jolson; on Buster Keaton and Lucille Ball appearing on The Ed Wynn Show; on Gloria Swanson and Gary Cooper appearing as a guest-stars on The Ed Wynn Show

Chapter 3

On Ann Sheridan filling in for Gary Cooper on The Ed Wynn Show; on Dinah Shore appearing on The Ed Wynn Show; on the process of producing a live episode of The Ed Wynn Show each week, and on the show's Emmy Awards
On writing for The George Gobel Show; on working on The George Gobel Show with Bud Yorkin and Everett Greenbaum; on the sketches of The George Gobel Show
On the commercials of The George Gobel Show; on the big success of The George Gobel Show, and on some standards and practices issues with the show; on The George Gobel Show winning Emmy Awards

Chapter 4

On leaving The George Gobel Show; on writing for Kraft Music Hall featuring Milton Berle
On creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll, the first series with an African-American female in a starring role
On getting another Emmy nomination for Julia; on creating The Jimmy Stewart Show

Chapter 5

On being executive producer during All in the Family's 1975-1976 season and on his difficulties working with Norman Lear; on working on Chico and the Man and on the death of the show's star Freddie Prinze; on working on the Academy Awards shows and winning an Emmy for the show in 1991
On directing and writing various feature films with Elvis Presley, Doris Day, and James Garner; on his contributions to television history through his writing
On the then-current state of comedy on television; on how he'd like to be remembered; on various people he worked with in his career

Chapter 6

On some of the people he worked with; on photos illustrating points in his career
On b-roll pictures from his career - with Danny Kaye; with Carl Sandberg; with Cary Grant; with Elvis Presley; with his daughter Abigail
Shows

Academy Awards, The

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Hal Kanter on working on the Academy Awards shows and winning an Emmy for the show in 1991
04:31

All in the Family

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Hal Kanter on being executive producer during All in the Family's 1975-1976 season; on his difficulties working with Norman Lear
07:10

Chico and the Man

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Hal Kanter on working on Chico and the Man and on the death of the show's star Freddie Prinze
01:50

Ed Wynn Show, The

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Hal Kanter on his very first television writing job on The Ed Wynn Show
03:09
Hal Kanter on the production of The Ed Wynn Show, and on phone calls from Fanny Brice
04:03
Hal Kanter on the guest-stars of The Ed Wynn Show including The Three Stooges, Victor Moore and on attempting to get Al Jolson
03:54
Hal Kanter on Buster Keaton and Lucille Ball appearing on The Ed Wynn Show
02:31
Hal Kanter on Gloria Swanson and Gary Cooper appearing as a guest-stars on The Ed Wynn Show
02:40
Hal Kanter on Ann Sheridan filling in for Gary Cooper on The Ed Wynn Show
02:34
Hal Kanter on Dinah Shore appearing on The Ed Wynn Show
01:59
Hal Kanter on the process of producing a live episode of The Ed Wynn Show each week
03:06
Hal Kanter on The Ed Wynn Show winning Emmy Awards
01:12

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Hal Kanter on The Ed Wynn Show winning Emmys
01:12
Hal Kanter on The George Gobel Show winning Emmys
02:12
Hal Kanter on working on the Academy Awards shows and winning an Emmy for the show in 1991
04:31

George Gobel Show, The

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Hal Kanter on writing for The George Gobel Show
05:29
Hal Kanter on working on The George Gobel Show with Bud Yorkin and Everett Greenbaum
02:18
Hal Kanter on the sketches of The George Gobel Show
01:30
Hal Kanter on the commercials of The George Gobel Show and on the success of the show
02:33
Hal Kanter on the big success of The George Gobel Show, and on some standards and practices issues with the show
04:14
Hal Kanter on The George Gobel Show winning Emmy Awards
02:12
Hal Kanter on leaving The George Gobel Show
02:31

Jimmy Stewart Show, The

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Hal Kanter on creating The Jimmy Stewart Show
06:42

Julia

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Hal Kanter on creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll, the first series with an African-American female in a starring role
12:07
Hal Kanter on getting another Emmy nomination for Julia
01:02

Kraft Music Hall, The

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Hal Kanter on writing for Kraft Music Hall featuring Milton Berle
06:54
Topics

Censorship / Standards & Practices

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Hal Kanter on the big success of The George Gobel Show, and on some standards and practices issues with the show
04:14

Emmy Awards

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Hal Kanter on The Ed Wynn Show winning Emmys
01:12
Hal Kanter on The George Gobel Show winning Emmys
02:12
Hal Kanter on getting another Emmy nomination for Julia
01:02
Hal Kanter on working on the Academy Awards shows and winning an Emmy for the show in 1991
04:31

First Big Break

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Hal Kanter on his first big break writing for Eddie Cantor and other comedians on radio
12:11

Historic Events and Social Change

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Hal Kanter on his experience of World War II with Bob Hope
05:05
Hal Kanter on creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll, the first series with an African-American female in a starring role
12:07

Pivotal Career Moments

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Hal Kanter on his first big break writing for Eddie Cantor and other comedians on radio
12:11

Representation on Television

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Hal Kanter on creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll, the first series with an African-American female in a starring role
12:07

Television Industry

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Hal Kanter on his earliest experiences with television, and on how television writers were regarded
03:20
Hal Kanter on the big success of The George Gobel Show, and on some standards and practices issues with the show
04:14
Hal Kanter on the then-current state of comedy on television
02:43

Underrepresented Voices

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Hal Kanter on creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll, the first series with an African-American female in a starring role
12:07

War

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Hal Kanter on his experience of World War II with Bob Hope
05:05

World War II

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Hal Kanter on his experience of World War II with Bob Hope
05:05
Professions

Writers

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Hal Kanter on his contributions to television history thought his writing
02:18
Genres

Awards Shows

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Hal Kanter on working on the Academy Awards shows and winning an Emmy for the show in 1991
04:31

Comedy Series

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Hal Kanter on creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll
13:09
Hal Kanter on being executive producer during All in the Family's 1975-1976 season; on his difficulties working with Norman Lear
07:10
Hal Kanter on working on Chico and the Man and on the death of the show's star Freddie Prinze
01:50

Drama Series

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Hal Kanter on creating The Jimmy Stewart Show
06:42

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Hal Kanter on his first television writing job on The Ed Wynn Show
16:28
Hal Kanter on writing for The Ed Wynn Show
01:12
Hal Kanter on The George Gobel Show winning Emmy Awards
02:12
Hal Kanter on writing for Kraft Music Hall featuring Milton Berle
06:54
People

Goodman Ace

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Hal Kanter on Goodman Ace
00:13

Fred Allen

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Hal Kanter on Fred Allen
00:09

Lucille Ball

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Hal Kanter on Buster Keaton and Lucille Ball appearing on The Ed Wynn Show
02:31
Hal Kanter on Milton Berle, Bob Hope, and Lucille Ball
00:36

Jack Benny

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Hal Kanter on certain shows not translating well from radio to television including Jack Benny
02:21

Milton Berle

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Hal Kanter on writing for Kraft Music Hall featuring Milton Berle
06:54
Hal Kanter on Milton Berle, Bob Hope, and Lucille Ball
00:36

Fanny Brice

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Hal Kanter on the production of The Ed Wynn Show, and on phone calls from Fanny Brice
04:03

Diahann Carroll

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Hal Kanter on creating Julia starring Diahann Carroll, the first series with an African-American female in a starring role
12:07
Hal Kanter on Diahann Carroll
00:17

Bing Crosby

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Hal Kanter on Bing Crosby
00:24

George Gobel

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Hal Kanter on writing for The George Gobel Show
05:29
Hal Kanter on the big success of The George Gobel Show, and on some standards and practices issues with the show
04:14
Hal Kanter on Ed Wynn and George Gobel
00:22
Hal Kanter on Ed Wynn and George Gobel
00:22

Everett Greenbaum

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Hal Kanter on working on The George Gobel Show with Bud Yorkin and Everett Greenbaum
02:18
Hal Kanter on Everett Greenbaum
00:07

Bob Hope

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Hal Kanter on his experience of World War II with Bob Hope
05:05
Hal Kanter on Milton Berle, Bob Hope, and Lucille Ball
00:36

Seaman Jacobs

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Hal Kanter on Seaman Jacobs
01:03

Al Jolson

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Hal Kanter on the guest-stars of The Ed Wynn Show including The Three Stooges, Victor Moore and on attempting to get Al Jolson
03:54

Milt Josefsberg

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Hal Kanter on Milt Josefsberg
00:59

Danny Kaye

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Hal Kanter on writing for "The Danny Kaye Show" on radio
03:56
Hal Kanter on Danny Kaye
00:15

Buster Keaton

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Hal Kanter on Buster Keaton and Lucille Ball appearing on The Ed Wynn Show
02:31

Norman Lear

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Hal Kanter on being executive producer during All in the Family's 1975-1976 season; on his difficulties working with Norman Lear
07:12

Ralph Levy

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Hal Kanter on Ralph Levy
00:27

Dick Martin

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Hal Kanter on Dan Rowan and Dick Martin
00:27

Groucho Marx

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Hal Kanter on Groucho Marx
00:08

Carroll O'Connor

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Hal Kanter on being executive producer at the behest of Carroll O'Connor during All in the Family's 1975-1976 season; on his difficulties working with Norman Lear
07:12

Jack Paar

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Hal Kanter on Jack Paar
00:14

William S. Paley

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Hal Kanter on William S. Paley
00:19

Elvis Presley

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Hal Kanter on Elvis Presley
00:07

Freddie Prinze

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Hal Kanter on working on Chico and the Man and on the death of the show's star Freddie Prinze
01:50

Dan Rowan

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Hal Kanter on Dan Rowan and Dick Martin
00:27

Sherwood Schwartz

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Hal Kanter on Sherwood Schwartz
00:19

Dinah Shore

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Hal Kanter on Dinah Shore
00:08

Jimmy Stewart

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Hal Kanter on creating The Jimmy Stewart Show
06:42

Gloria Swanson

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Hal Kanter on Gloria Swanson and Gary Cooper appearing as a guest-stars on The Ed Wynn Show
02:40

Jack Webb

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Hal Kanter on Jack Webb
03:14

Ed Wynn

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Hal Kanter on his very first television writing job on The Ed Wynn Show
03:09
Hal Kanter on the production of The Ed Wynn Show, and on phone calls from Fanny Brice
04:03

Bud Yorkin

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Hal Kanter on working on The George Gobel Show with Bud Yorkin and Everett Greenbaum
02:18
Hal Kanter on Bud Yorkin
00:21

Alan Young

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Hal Kanter on writing for "The Alan Young Show" on radio
05:02

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