About
"Becoming an agent is a major commitment. A lot of hours for very little pay. If you want to learn the business, work at a large agency. They have the movie business, the television business, and everything else. Have a very strong passion because it's the only business where 99% of the people can say no. Very few can say yes."
In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Larry Auerbach (1929-2024) details his 47-year association with the William Morris Agency, where he started part-time in the mailroom. He talks about his move out of the mailroom and his work booking talent in small nightclubs and theaters. He describes booking musical talent including Sam Cooke, Sammy Davis Jr., and Elvis Presley for early television shows, and shares the circumstances by which he got Presley his first television exposure on the series Stage Show. Auerbach discusses representing Alan Freed and how the "payola" scandals ruined Freed's career, and recalls the packaging of the unusual Mitch Miller series Sing Along With Mitch that featured on-screen lyrics for sing-alongs and was a big commercial hit. He recounts representing Alan Alda, Beatrice Arthur, Agnes Nixon, and Aaron Spelling, and details the creation and packaging of the 1980s sitcom hit The Cosby Show. Auerbach also talks about his "second career" teaching at USC. Dan Pasternack conducted the interview on May 21, 2003 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights
Larry Auerbach on the concept of an agency "packaging" a show
Larry Auerbach on William Morris signing Elvis Presley
Larry Auerbach on representing Sammy Davis, Jr
Larry Auerbach on the emergence of the Creative Artists Agency in the 1970s
Larry Auerbach on packaging That Girl and working with Marlo Thomas
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on how he came to work for the William Morris Agency; on working in the William Morris Agency mailroom
On the first time he saw television; on becoming an agent; on booking talent for night clubs and what William Morris was like in the 1940s
Chapter 2
On his boss at the William Morris Agency; on how television changed the agency business; on working in the music department at William Morris
On music acts he represented at the William Morris Agency; on getting his music acts to appear on television and the racial discrimination those acts experienced; on the payola scandal of the 1950s
Chapter 3
On William Morris signing Elvis Presley; on representing Sammy Davis, Jr.; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On the Quiz Show Scandals; on Sing Along with Mitch and The Patty Duke Show; on packaging All My Children and One Life to Live for ABC
Chapter 4
On moving to Los Angeles; on packaging That Girl; on working with Aaron Spelling
On working in the William Morris Agency motion picture department and the formation of CAA; on packaging Chico and the Man and working with producer James Komack
Chapter 5
On packaging Welcome Back Kotter; on representing Beatrice Arthur and Alan Alda; on packaging The Cosby Show
On his retirement from the William Morris Agency; on teaching at USC; on advice to aspiring agents
Shows
All My Children
Larry Auerbach on packaging All My Children and One Life to Live
Chico and the Man
Larry Auerbach on packaging Chico and the Man
Cosby Show, The
Larry Auerbach on packaging The Cosby Show
Larry Auerbach on The Cosby Show's effect on the television industry
Larry Auerbach on various players who made The Cosby Show happen
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Larry Auerbach on how the William Morris Agency dealt with the emergence of Rock and Roll music and booking those acts on television
Golden Girls, The
Larry Auerbach on representing Beatrice Arthur
M*A*S*H
Larry Auerbach on representing Alan Alda
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Maude
Larry Auerbach on representing Beatrice Arthur
Mod Squad, The
Larry Auerbach on his business relationship with Aaron Spelling
One Life to Live
Larry Auerbach on packaging All My Children and One Life to Live
Patty Duke Show, The
Larry Auerbach on packaging The Patty Duke Show
Sing Along with Mitch
Larry Auerbach on packaging Sing Along with Mitch
That Girl
Larry Auerbach on packaging That Girl and working with Marlo Thomas
Welcome Back, Kotter
Larry Auerbach on packaging Welcome Back Kotter
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Larry Auerbach on William Morris signing Elvis Presley
Civil Rights Movement
Larry Auerbach on dealing with discrimination against Harry Belafonte
Classic TV Series Episodes
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Hollywood Blacklist
Larry Auerbach on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Larry Auerbach on Alan Freed and the payola scandal
Larry Auerbach on the Hollywood Blacklist
Larry Auerbach on the Quiz Show Scandals
Memorable Moments on Television
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Pop Culture
Larry Auerbach on how the William Morris Agency dealt with the emergence of Rock and Roll music and booking those acts on television
Larry Auerbach on Alan Freed and the payola scandal
Larry Auerbach on William Morris signing Elvis Presley
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Quiz Show Scandals
Larry Auerbach on the Quiz Show Scandals
Representation on Television
Larry Auerbach on dealing with discrimination against Harry Belafonte
Larry Auerbach on representing Sammy Davis, Jr.
Rock 'n' Roll on TV (1950s & '60s)
Larry Auerbach on how the William Morris Agency dealt with the emergence of Rock and Roll music and booking those acts on television
Larry Auerbach on William Morris signing Elvis Presley
Television Industry
Larry Auerbach on William Morris signing Elvis Presley
Larry Auerbach on the Hollywood Blacklist
Larry Auerbach on the Quiz Show Scandals
Underrepresented Voices
Larry Auerbach on representing Sammy Davis, Jr.
We Cried
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
We Laughed
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Professions
Agent
Larry Auerbach on the process of booking performers in his early years at the William Morris Agency
Larry Auerbach on the concept of an agency "packaging" a show
Larry Auerbach on the William Morris Agency television department in the 1970s
Larry Auerbach on advice to aspiring agents
Representatives
Larry Auerbach on the process of booking performers in his early years at the William Morris Agency
Larry Auerbach on the concept of an agency "packaging" a show
Larry Auerbach on the William Morris Agency television department in the 1970s
Larry Auerbach on advice to aspiring agents
Genres
Comedy Series
Larry Auerbach on packaging The Cosby Show
People
Alan Alda
Larry Auerbach on representing Alan Alda
Larry Auerbach on the final episode of M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Beatrice Arthur
Larry Auerbach on representing Beatrice Arthur
Harry Belafonte
Larry Auerbach on dealing with discrimination against Harry Belafonte
Marcy Carsey
Larry Auerbach on packaging The Cosby Show, produced by Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner
Sam Cooke
Larry Auerbach on how the William Morris Agency dealt with the emergence of Rock and Roll music and booking those acts on television
Bill Cosby
Larry Auerbach on packaging The Cosby Show
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Larry Auerbach on representing Sammy Davis, Jr.
Patty Duke
Larry Auerbach on packaging The Patty Duke Show
Alan Freed
Larry Auerbach on Alan Freed and the payola scandal
Gabe Kaplan
Larry Auerbach on packaging Welcome Back Kotter
James Komack
Larry Auerbach on packaging Chico and the Man
Larry Auerbach on his relationship with producer James Komack
Larry Auerbach on packaging Welcome Back Kotter
Mitch Miller
Larry Auerbach on Sing Along with Mitch
Agnes Nixon
Larry Auerbach on packaging All My Children and One Life to Live
Elvis Presley
Larry Auerbach on William Morris signing Elvis Presley
Freddie Prinze
Larry Auerbach on packaging Chico and the Man
Aaron Spelling
Larry Auerbach on his business relationship with Aaron Spelling
Ed Sullivan
Larry Auerbach on how the William Morris Agency dealt with the emergence of Rock and Roll music and booking those acts on television
Brandon Tartikoff
Larry Auerbach on various players who made The Cosby Show happen
Marlo Thomas
Larry Auerbach on packaging That Girl and working with Marlo Thomas
Tom Werner
Larry Auerbach on packaging The Cosby Show, produced by Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner