"Television can bring a certain amount of enlightenment. You're not gonna change the world with that one film, but you can make a little bit of a dent. If we can make enough dents, it's a hell of a medium because it reaches out to so many young minds as well as some entrenched minds. It can be quite gratifying when certain things take place."

    About This Interview

    In his nearly five-hour interview, Joseph Sargent (1925-2014) talks about his early years as an actor on stage and in television. He describes learning the directing craft while shooting the television series Lassie, Gunsmoke, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Among the other shows he recalls is his now-classic episode for Star Trek, "The Corbomite Maneuver." Sargent outlines the many television movies he directed, which earned him four Emmy awards. He describes the challenging location shooting in the subways of New York City for the film The Taking of Pelham 123 and the thinking behind the premise of Jaws: The Revenge. He speaks fondly of his work with Hollywood screen legends James Cagney (Terrible Joe Moran) and Elizabeth Taylor (There Must Be a Pony). He covers his association with Stanley Kubrick in the pre-production stages of One-Eyed Jacks, his rejection of Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner's Daughter, and casting unknown Pierce Brosnan in the miniseries The Manions of America. He ends by talking about later Emmy-winning television movies he directed, including Miss Evers' Boys, A Lesson Before Dying, Something the Lord Made, and Warm Springs. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on March 9, 2006 in Malibu, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Joseph Sargent

    Joseph Sargent on directing James Arness on Gunsmoke

    03:27
    Thumbnail of Joseph Sargent

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

    07:48
    Thumbnail of Joseph Sargent

    Joseph Sargent on explaining how to play "Spock" to Leonard Nimoy

    02:01
    Thumbnail of Joseph Sargent

    Joseph Sargent on winning the Emmy for The Marcus Nelson Murders

    00:45
    Thumbnail of Joseph Sargent

    Joseph Sargent on his experience with the Hollywood Blacklist

    01:44
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his early life and influences; on his early acting training

    13:47

    On his early experience on Broadway; on his interest in photography and becoming a director; on acting in live television in the '50s

    15:02

    Chapter 2

    On the kinds of roles he played on television in the '50s; on becoming a television director; on his connection to Stanley Kubrick and working with Marlon Brando

    11:37

    On directing Lassie; on acting in and later directing Gunsmoke

    18:17

    Chapter 3

    On directing James Arness on Gunsmoke; on the editing of Gunsmoke and staging actors; on Lassie and other early shows being his training ground for directing

    11:57

    On directing The Man From U.N.C.L.E; on directing Bonanza; on directing The Fugitive

    16:26

    Chapter 4

    On acting on The Twilight Zone; on the Hollywood Blacklist; on directing Star Trek

    15:35

    On directing long-form television; on shooting on location

    14:21

    Chapter 5

    On shooting Hustling in Los Angeles; on shooting The Marcus Nelson Murders; on winning an Emmy for The Marcus Nelson Murders

    16:28

    On directing the feature "The Taking of Pelham 123"

    12:31

    Chapter 6

    On working with East Coast crews; on directing the feature films "MacArthur" and "Golden Girl"; on almost directing "Coal Miner's Daughter"

    17:33

    On directing Manions of America; on directing James Cagney in Terrible Joe Moran

    11:43

    Chapter 7

    On working with Elizabeth Taylor on There Must Be a Pony; on directing the miniseries Space; on directing made-for-television movies for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    09:56

    On directing the made-for-television movies Love is Never Silent and Miss Rose White; on directing the feature film "Jaws: The Revenge"

    20:18

    Chapter 8

    On directing Angela Lansbury in The Love She Sought; on directing A braham for TNT; on directing Miss Evers' Boys

    14:35

    On directing the feature film "A Lesson Before Dying"; on directing Warm Springs; on his proudest professional achievements

    14:39

    Chapter 9

    On technical innovation during his directing career; on ageism in the industry and then-current projects; on advice to aspiring directors and how he'd like to be remembered 

    12:17

    Chapter 10

    On B-roll of pictures from Joseph Sargent's career: Joseph Sargent at the New School for social research in 1949; in a workshop at the New School in 1949; doing musical stock in 1949; with Joan Banks in Some Small Nobility in 1950; with Robert Vaughn on the set of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; with David McCallum on the set of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; on the set of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; with Robert Vaughn on the set of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; on location for The Taking of Pelham 123; on location for The Taking of Pelham 123 with Walter Matthau; with Richard Zanuck on the set of MacArthur; with Beau Bridges on the set of Space; on the set of Jaws: The Revenge; with Kyra Sedgwick on the set of Miss Rose White; with Amanda Plummer and Kyra Sedgwick on the set of Miss Rose White; cake for Joseph Sargent on his return from the Emmy Awards; with Glenn Close on the set of Skylark; Glenn Close and Christopher Walken on the set of Skylark; on the set of When Lions Roared with Bob Hoskins; with Sidney Poitier on the set of Mandela and de Klerk

    05:24

    Abraham

    Joseph Sargent on directing Abraham for TNT

    05:02

    Bonanza

    Joseph Sargent on directing Bonanza

    01:31

    Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

    Joseph Sargent on winning the Emmy for The Marcus Nelson Murders

    00:45

    Fugitive, The

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Fugitive

    01:14

    Gunsmoke

    Joseph Sargent on acting on and later directing Gunsmoke

    01:17

    Joseph Sargent on directing Gunsmoke

    02:50

    Joseph Sargent on directing James Arness on Gunsmoke

    03:27

    Joseph Sargent on the cast of Gunsmoke

    00:59

    Joseph Sargent on the editing of Gunsmoke and staging actors

    04:50

    Joseph Sargent on casting black extras on Gunsmoke

    01:49

    Hallmark Hall of Fame

    Joseph Sargent on directing made-for-television movies for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    02:32

    Joseph Sargent on directing the made-for-television movie Love is Never Silent for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    08:33

    Hallmark Hall of Fame: "Miss Rose White"

    Joseph Sargent on directing the made-for-television movie Miss Rose White

    02:15

    Hustling

    Joseph Sargent on directing Hustling in Los Angeles

    06:19

    Invaders, The

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Invaders

    04:18

    Lassie

    Joseph Sargent on his first directing job on the series Lassie

    08:56

    Joseph Sargent on the tone of Lassie and working with the producers

    01:36

    Joseph Sargent on dealing with the dog on Lassie

    02:28

    Joseph Sargent on the ways in which Lassie was a product of its era

    01:08

    Joseph Sargent on Lassie and other early shows being his training ground for directing

    02:41

    Love Is Never Silent

    Joseph Sargent on directing the made-for-television movie Love is Never Silent for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    08:33

    Love She Sought, The

    Joseph Sargent on directing Angela Lansbury in The Love She Sought

    03:12

    Man From U.N.C.L.E., The

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

    07:48

    Joseph Sargent on the atmosphere on the set of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

    03:10

    Joseph Sargent on the theatrical versions of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

    01:37

    Joseph Sargent on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. in popular culture

    00:59

    Manions of America, The

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Manions of America

    02:48

    Marcus-Nelson Murders, The

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Marcus Nelson Murders

    10:09

    Joseph Sargent on winning the Emmy for The Marcus Nelson Murders

    00:45

    Miss Evers' Boys

    Joseph Sargent on directing Miss Evers' Boys

    06:21

    Something the Lord Made

    Joseph Sargent on directing Something the Lord Made

    04:03

    Space

    Joseph Sargent on directing the miniseries Space

    02:16

    Star Trek

    Joseph Sargent on directing Star Trek

    03:04

    Joseph Sargent on explaining how to play "Spock" to Leonard Nimoy

    02:01

    Joseph Sargent on Clint Howard guest-starring on Star Trek

    01:03

    Joseph Sargent on Star Trek fans

    00:41

    There Must Be A Pony

    Joseph Sargent on working with Elizabeth Taylor on There Must Be a Pony

    05:08

    Twilight Zone, The

    Joseph Sargent on acting on The Twilight Zone

    00:52

    Warm Springs

    Joseph Sargent on directing Warm Springs

    03:22

    Advice

    Joseph Sargent on advice to aspiring directors

    02:45

    Anthology Drama

    Joseph Sargent on acting on live television in the '50s

    03:00

    Emmy Awards

    Joseph Sargent on winning the Emmy for The Marcus Nelson Murders

    00:45

    First Big Break

    Joseph Sargent on his first directing job on the series Lassie

    08:56

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Joseph Sargent on casting black extras on Gunsmoke

    01:37

    Hollywood Blacklist

    Joseph Sargent on his experience with the Hollywood Blacklist

    01:44

    Industry Crossroads

    Joseph Sargent on his experience with the Hollywood Blacklist

    01:44

    Pivotal Career Moments

    Joseph Sargent on his first directing job on the series Lassie

    08:56

    Representation on Television

    Joseph Sargent on casting black extras on Gunsmoke

    01:37

    Technological Innovation

    Joseph Sargent on technical innovation during his directing career

    04:52

    Television Industry

    Joseph Sargent on his experience with the Hollywood Blacklist

    01:44

    Joseph Sargent on advice to aspiring directors

    02:45

    Joseph Sargent on ageism in the industry

    02:13

    TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

    Joseph Sargent on acting on live television in the '50s

    03:00

    Underrepresented Voices

    Joseph Sargent on casting black extras on Gunsmoke

    01:37

    Directors

    Joseph Sargent on doing location shoots

    01:58

    Joseph Sargent on his attraction to long -form television and his directing process

    10:21

    Joseph Sargent on East Coast crews vs. West Coast crews

    02:12

    Joseph Sargent on advice to aspiring directors

    02:45

    Adventure/Espionage Series

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

    13:37

    Drama Series

    Joseph Sargent on directing Lassie

    14:10

    Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

    Joseph Sargent on directing Star Trek

    08:39

    TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

    Joseph Sargent on directing Hustling  in Los Angeles

    06:19

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Marcus Nelson Murders

    10:09

    Joseph Sargent on directing James Cagney in Terrible Joe Moran

    08:54

    Joseph Sargent on directing Manions of America

    02:48

    Joseph Sargent on directing Playing for Time

    03:02

    Joseph Sargent on working with Elizabeth Taylor on There Must Be a Pony

    05:08

    Joseph Sargent on directing the miniseries Space

    02:16

    Joseph Sargent on directing the made-for-television movie Love is Never Silent  for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    08:33

    Joseph Sargent on directing the made-for-television movie Miss Rose White

    02:15

    Joseph Sargent on directing Angela Lansbury in The Love She Sought

    03:12

    Joseph Sargent on directing Abraham  for TNT

    05:02

    Joseph Sargent on directing Miss Evers' Boys

    06:21

    Joseph Sargent on directing Warm Springs

    03:22

    Western Series

    Joseph Sargent on directing Gunsmoke

    02:50

    Joseph Sargent on directing Gunsmoke  (Part 2)

    09:17

    James Arness

    Joseph Sargent on directing James Arness on Gunsmoke

    03:27

    Kenneth Branagh

    Joseph Sargent on directing Warm Springs

    03:22

    Marlon Brando

    Joseph Sargent on his connection to Stanley Kubrick and working with Marlon Brando

    05:48

    Pierce Brosnan

    Joseph Sargent on directing Manions of America

    02:48

    James Cagney

    Joseph Sargent on directing James Cagney in Terrible Joe Moran

    08:54

    Clint Howard

    Joseph Sargent on Clint Howard guest-starring on Star Trek

    01:03

    Stanley Kubrick

    Joseph Sargent on his connection to Stanley Kubrick and working with Marlon Brando

    05:48

    Angela Lansbury

    Joseph Sargent on directing Angela Lansbury in The Love She Sought

    03:13

    Abby Mann

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Marcus Nelson Murders

    10:09

    Leonard Nimoy

    Joseph Sargent on explaining how to play "Spock" to Leonard Nimoy

    02:01

    Gregory Peck

    Joseph Sargent on directing the feature "MacArthur" with Gregory Peck

    04:11

    Telly Savalas

    Joseph Sargent on directing The Marcus Nelson Murders

    10:09

    Elizabeth Taylor

    Joseph Sargent on working with Elizabeth Taylor on There Must Be a Pony

    05:08

    Robert Wagner

    Joseph Sargent on working with Elizabeth Taylor on There Must Be a Pony

    05:08

    Mare Winningham

    Joseph Sargent on directing the made-for-television movie Love is Never Silent for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    08:33

    Alfre Woodard

    Joseph Sargent on directing Miss Evers' Boys

    06:21

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