Harvey Bullock

Writer
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In his two-hour Archive interview, Harvey Bullock (1921-2006) talks about his early love of writing and breaking into the business in radio and, with partner Ray Allen, early television. Bullock describes working on several programs, including his stint on Today  with Dave Garroway. Bullock speaks fondly about his work as one of the key writers of the sitcom classic The Andy Griffith Show. For this series, Bullock talks about each of the series cast members, teleplays he wrote (including the classics "The Pickle Story" and "Opie the Birdman"), and what the series meant to him. Bullock then speaks about several later series he worked on into the mid-1980s. B-roll consists of several stills from The Andy Griffith Show. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 6, 2005 in Monarch Beach, CA.

"Comedy resists description. It's hard to describe what it is and what makes it what it is. But when it works, it works great."

People Talking About ...
Harvey Bullock
Highlights
Harvey Bullock on writing The  Andy Griffith Show  episode "Opie the Birdman"
Harvey Bullock on the process of writing scripts for The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on deciding he wanted to be a writer
Harvey Bullock on advice to aspiring writers and comedy writers
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on deciding he wanted to be a writer; on getting his start in television 
On working with Abe Burrows in radio; on writing for The Robert Q. Lewis Show on radio and working for Dave Garroway
On writing The Andy Griffith Show episode "Opie the Birdman"; on writing the various characters on The Andy Griffith Show; on working with Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show

Chapter 2
On Andy Griffith's involvement in writing The Andy Griffith Show; on writing for Don Knotts as "Barney Fife" on The Andy Griffith Show; on Ron Howard as "Opie Taylor" on the show
On the supporting cast of The Andy Griffith Show; on working with producer Sheldon Leonard on The Andy Griffith Show; on the process of writing the show
On the directors of The Andy Griffith Show; on writing various memorable episodes of The Andy Griffith Show

Chapter 3
On The Andy Griffith Show episode "Andy's English Valet"; on The Andy Griffith Show episode "The Legend of Barney Fife" and leaving the show; on writing Return to Mayberry
On the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show; on working with Dave Garroway on the Today  show and on meeting his wife while working on the show; on writing for Johnny Carson on Who Do You Trust?, and on writing for McKeever & the Colonel; on working with Gertrude Berg and Walter Winchell

Chapter 4
On writing for The Real McCoys with  Walter Brennan; on working with Joseph Barbera and Bill Hanna; on writing for Hogan's Heroes, Love, American Style, and Alice
On being a producer on The Love Boat;  on working with Elvis Presley on the feature "Girl Happy" 
On his writing style; on advice to aspiring writers and comedy writers; on how he'd like to be remembered 

Chapter 5
On b-roll pictures from his career- with Andy Griffith; Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, and a goat; Andy Griffith and Ron Howard filming "Opie the Birdman"; Andy Griffith with Harvey Bullock's son Andy; animation cell from The Flintstones; at the TV Land Awards with the cast and crew of The Andy Griffith Show; portrait of Harvey Bullock; with wife Betty at the TV Land Awards 
Shows

Alice

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Alice

Andy Griffith Show, The

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Harvey Bullock on writing The  Andy Griffith Show episode "Opie the Birdman"
Harvey Bullock on coming to write for The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on writing the various characters on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on working with Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Andy Griffith's involvement in writing The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on writing for Don Knotts as "Barney Fife" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Ron Howard as "Opie Taylor" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Frances Bavier as "Aunt Bea" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Howard McNear as "Floyd the Barber" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Jim Nabors as "Gomer Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on working with producer Sheldon Leonard on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on the process of writing scripts for The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on the directors of The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on The Andy Griffith Show episode "Opie's Hobo Friend"
Harvey Bullock on writing The Andy Griffith Show episode "The Pickle Story"
Harvey Bullock on writing The Andy Griffith Show episode "One Punch Opie" and "Barney's" catchphrase "Nip it in the bud"
Harvey Bullock on The Andy Griffith Show episode "Andy's English Valet"
Harvey Bullock on The Andy Griffith Show episode "The Legend of Barney Fife" and leaving The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show

Hogan's Heroes

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Hogan's Heroes

Love Boat, The

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Harvey Bullock on being a producer on The Love Boat

Love, American Style

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Love, American Style

McKeever & the Colonel

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Harvey Bullock on writing Who Do You Trust?, and on writing for McKeever & the Colonel 

Real McCoys, The

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Harvey Bullock on writing for The Real McCoys with  Walter Brennan 

Return to Mayberry

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Harvey Bullock on writing Return to Mayberry

Robert Q. Lewis Show, The

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Harvey Bullock on writing for The Robert Q. Lewis Show on radio and for Dave Garroway 

Today

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Harvey Bullock on working with Dave Garroway on the Today show and on meeting his wife while working on the show

Who Do You Trust?

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Johnny Carson on Who Do You Trust?, and on writing McKeever & the Colonel 
Topics

Advice

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Harvey Bullock on advice to aspiring writers and comedy writers

Characters & Catchphrases

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Don Knotts as "Barney Fife" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Jim Nabors as "Gomer Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on writing The Andy Griffith Show  episode "One Punch Opie" and "Barney's" catchphrase "Nip it in the bud"

Classic TV series episodes

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Harvey Bullock on writing The  Andy Griffith Show  episode "Opie the Birdman" starring Andy Griffith and Ron Howard

Comedy

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Harvey Bullock on writing The  Andy Griffith Show  episode "Opie the Birdman" starring Andy Griffith and Ron Howard

First Big Break

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Harvey Bullock on coming to write for The Andy Griffith Show

Pivotal Career Moments

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Harvey Bullock on coming to write for The Andy Griffith Show

Pop Culture

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Harvey Bullock on writing The  Andy Griffith Show  episode "Opie the Birdman" starring Andy Griffith and Ron Howard
Harvey Bullock on writing for Don Knotts as "Barney Fife" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Jim Nabors as "Gomer Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on writing The Andy Griffith Show  episode "One Punch Opie" and "Barney's" catchphrase "Nip it in the bud"

Television Industry

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Harvey Bullock on advice to aspiring writers and comedy writers
Professions

Writers

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Harvey Bullock on the process of writing scripts for The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on his writing style 
Harvey Bullock on advice to aspiring writers and comedy writers
Genres

Comedy Series

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Harvey Bullock on writing for The Andy Griffith Show (Part 1)
Harvey Bullock on writing for The Andy Griffith Show (Part 2)
Harvey Bullock on writing for The Andy Griffith Show (Part 3)
Harvey Bullock on writing for Johnny Carson on Who Do You Trust?,  and on writing McKeever & the Colonel 
Harvey Bullock on writing for Hogan's Heroes
Harvey Bullock on writing for Love, American Style
Harvey Bullock on writing for Alice 
Harvey Bullock on being a producer on The Love Boat

Game Shows

View Genre
Harvey Bullock on writing for Johnny Carson on Who Do You Trust?,  and on writing McKeever & the Colonel 

News and Documentary

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Harvey Bullock on working with Dave Garroway on the Today  show and on meeting his wife while working on the show

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Harvey Bullock on writing Return to Mayberry

Western Series

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Harvey Bullock on writing for The Real McCoys with  Walter Brennan 
People

Joseph Barbera

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Harvey Bullock on working with Joseph Barbera and Bill Hanna

Frances Bavier

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Harvey Bullock on Frances Bavier as "Aunt Bea" on The Andy Griffith Show

Gertrude Berg

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Harvey Bullock on working with Gertrude Berg and Walter Winchell

Walter Brennan

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Harvey Bullock on writing for The Real McCoys  with Walter Brennan

Abe Burrows

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Harvey Bullock on working with Abe Burrows in radio

Johnny Carson

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Johnny Carson on Who Do You Trust?,  and on writing McKeever & the Colonel 

Dave Garroway

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Harvey Bullock on working with Dave Garroway on the Today show and on meeting his wife while writing for the show

Andy Griffith

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Harvey Bullock on writing The  Andy Griffith Show  episode "Opie the Birdman" starring Andy Griffith and Ron Howard
Harvey Bullock on working with Andy Griffith on The Andy Griffith Show
Harvey Bullock on Andy Griffith's involvement in writing The Andy Griffith Show

William Hanna

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Harvey Bullock on working with Joseph Barbera and Bill Hanna

Ron Howard

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Harvey Bullock on writing The  Andy Griffith Show  episode "Opie the Birdman" starring Andy Griffith and Ron Howard
Harvey Bullock on Ron Howard as "Opie Taylor" on The Andy Griffith Show

Don Knotts

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Don Knotts as "Barney Fife" on The Andy Griffith Show

Linda Lavin

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Harvey Bullock on writing for Alice  starring Linda Lavin

Sheldon Leonard

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Harvey Bullock on working with producer Sheldon Leonard on The Andy Griffith Show

Howard McNear

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Harvey Bullock on Howard McNear as "Floyd the Barber" on The Andy Griffith Show

Jim Nabors

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Harvey Bullock on Jim Nabors as "Gomer Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show

Elvis Presley

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Harvey Bullock on working with Elvis Presley on the feature "Girl Happy"

Walter Winchell

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Harvey Bullock on working with Gertrude Berg and Walter Winchell

All Interviews

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