Leslie H. Martinson

Director


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About
About this interview

In his five-hour-plus interview, Leslie H. Martinson (1915-2016) speaks about growing up in and around Boston, until his World War II service led him to Los Angeles. He talks at length about getting a job at MGM Studios and his early script supervisor credits, which then led him to start his television directing career, first under contract at Warner Bros. and then as a freelance director. He describes working with Roy Huggins and William T. Orr (at Warner Bros), and on many shows including The Roy Rogers Show, Maverick, The Tales of Wells Fargo, 77 Sunset Strip, Cheyenne, Bronco, The Frontier World of Doc Holliday, and Bourbon Street Beat. Martinson outlines directing episodes of the television series Batman (as well as the feature film of the same name). Other television work includes Ironside, The Brady Bunch, Mission: Impossible, Alias Smith and Jones, Mannix, Wonder Woman, and Small Wonder. Bill Freiberger conducted the interview on March 6, 2003 in Beverly Hills, CA.

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

"If you want to be a director you can start before you're anywhere near a set. Every time you watch the television show, you're learning your craft. You don't watch a show for entertainment, you watch to study."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Batman
03:37
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Diff'rent Strokes  and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
06:36
Leslie H. Martinson on the advent of color television 
02:49
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Wonder Woman
04:00
Leslie H. Martinson on advice to aspiring television directors
02:23
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on getting into show business and going to work for MGM
On his experience in World War II; on being a script supervisor at MGM; on working with writers and directors as a script supervisor at MGM

Chapter 2

On working with Judy Garland; on the feature films he worked on as script supervisor at MGM; on the first time he saw television 
On making the transition from movies to television; on making the transition from script supervisor to director; on directing The Roy Rogers Show

Chapter 3

On working with Roy Rogers on The Roy Rogers Show and a typical production day; on writing a song for Dale Evans
On directing The Mickey Rooney Show; on working with Mickey Rooney on The Mickey Rooney Show

Chapter 4

On almost directing The Honeymooners; on his directing style; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On his association with Warner Bros. Television; on working with Jack Warner

Chapter 5

On working with Jack Warner; on the differences between directing in film and working in television; on directing Topper
On directing Maverick and winning an Emmy; on directing Cheyenne

Chapter 6

On directing Tales of Wells Fargo; on directing Colt .45; on directing Bronco and The Lawman; on directing Bourbon Street Beat
On directing 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye; on the production system at Warner Bros. Television in the '50s and '60s

Chapter 7

On the declining years of Warner Bros. and directing The Roaring 20's; on the craft of directing; on the technical preparations he makes to direct; on working with actors
On working with producers as a director; on what draws him to direct a script and his directing style; on how directing comedy and drama are different

Chapter 8

On directing comedy and drama; on directing a sitcom with a live studio audience; on the most important role a director fills on a sitcom
On collaborating with other professionals on set as director; on dealing with post-production and the editing process as a director; on the advent of color television; on directing Batman

Chapter 9

On directing Batman; on directing Mannix; on directing The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island
On directing Love, American Style; on directing The Six Million Dollar Man; on directing Wonder Woman

Chapter 10

On directing Quincy, M.E., Eight Is Enough and CHiPs; on directing Ironside and Fantasy Island
On directing Dallas; on directing Diff'rent Strokes and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; on directing Airwolf, Harper Valley PTA and Small Wonder

Chapter 11

On his retirement and then-recent activities; on his proudest professional achievement; on advice to aspiring television directors; on how he'd like to be remembered
Shows

77 Sunset Strip

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing 77 Sunset Strip
01:48

Airwolf

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Airwolf
01:42

Batman

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Batman
02:36
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Batman
03:37
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Adam West and Burt Ward on Batman
04:18

Bourbon Street Beat

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Bourbon Street Beat
05:57

Brady Bunch, The

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island
03:29

Bronco

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Bronco and The Lawman
03:01

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Diff'rent Strokes and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
06:36

CHiPs

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing CHiPs
02:09

Cannon

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Cannon
02:41

Cheyenne

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Cheyenne
02:17

Colt .45

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Colt .45
02:18

Dallas

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Dallas
01:25

Diff'rent Strokes

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Diff'rent Strokes and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
06:36

Eight Is Enough

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Eight Is Enough
01:54

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Maverick and winning an Emmy
12:48

Fantasy Island

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Fantasy Island
03:37

Gilligan's Island

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island
03:29

Harper Valley PTA

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Harper Valley PTA
00:24

Hawaiian Eye

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Hawaiian Eye
03:16

Honeymooners, The

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on almost directing The Honeymooners
05:34

Ironside

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Ironside
05:01

Lawman

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Bronco and Lawman
03:02

Love, American Style

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Love, American Style
04:09

Mannix

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Mannix
02:06

Maverick

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Maverick and winning an Emmy
12:48

Mickey Rooney Show, The

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Mickey Rooney Show
06:55
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Mickey Rooney on The Mickey Rooney Show
04:22

Quincy, M.E.

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Quincy, M.E.
04:43

Roy Rogers Show, The

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Roy Rogers Show
02:00
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Roy Rogers on The Roy Rogers Show and a typical production day
15:59
Leslie H. Martinson on becoming a professional songwriter
01:56

Six Million Dollar Man, The

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Six Million Dollar Man
03:07

Small Wonder

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Small Wonder
01:53

Tales of Wells Fargo

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Tales of Wells Fargo
06:03

Wonder Woman

View Show Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Wonder Woman
04:00
Topics

Advice

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on advice to aspiring television directors
02:23

Emmy Awards

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Maverick and winning an Emmy
12:48

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on his experiences in World War II
04:59

Hollywood Blacklist

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on the Hollywood Blacklist
10:33

Industry Crossroads

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on the Hollywood Blacklist
10:33

Technological Innovation

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on the advent of color television 
02:49

Television Industry

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on the Hollywood Blacklist
10:33
Leslie H. Martinson on advice to aspiring television directors
02:23

War

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on his experiences in World War II
04:59

World War II

View Topic
Leslie H. Martinson on his experiences in World War II
04:59
Professions

Directors

View Profession
Leslie H. Martinson on his directing style
07:47
Leslie H. Martinson on the differences between directing in film and working in television 
06:28
Leslie H. Martinson on the craft of directing
05:30
Leslie H. Martinson on the technical preparations he makes to direct and work with actors
06:23
Leslie H. Martinson on working with producers as a director
02:32
Leslie H. Martinson on what draws him to direct a script and his directing style
10:54
Leslie H. Martinson on how directing comedy and drama are different
02:57
Leslie H. Martinson on directing comedy and drama
05:05
Leslie H. Martinson on directing a sitcom with a live studio audience
06:03
Leslie H. Martinson on the most important role a director fills on a sitcom
02:16
Leslie H. Martinson on collaborating with other professionals on set as director
05:48
Leslie H. Martinson on dealing with post-production and the editing process as a director
04:09
Leslie H. Martinson on the challenges of directing an action show
02:36
Leslie H. Martinson on advice to aspiring television directors
02:23
Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

View Genre
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Six Million Dollar Man
03:07
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Wonder Woman
04:00
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Fantasy Island
03:27
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Airwolf
01:42

Comedy Series

View Genre
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Mickey Rooney Show
06:55
Leslie H. Martinson on almost directing The Honeymooners
05:34
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Topper
04:33
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Batman
02:36
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Batman  (Part 2)
07:54
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Brady Bunch  and Gilligan's Island
03:29
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Love, American Style
04:09
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Eight Is Enough
01:54
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Diff'rent Strokes  and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
06:36
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Harper Valley PTA
00:24
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Small Wonder
01:53

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

View Genre
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Bourbon Street Beat
05:57
Leslie H. Martinson on directing 77 Sunset Strip
01:48
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Hawaiian Eye
03:16
Leslie H. Martinson on the declining years of Warner Bros. and directing The Roaring 20's
02:10
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Mannix
02:06
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Cannon
02:41
Leslie H. Martinson on directing CHiPs
02:09
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Ironside
05:11

Daytime/Primetime Serials

View Genre
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Dallas
01:25

Medical Dramas

View Genre
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Quincy, M.E.
04:43

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

View Genre
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Diff'rent Strokes  and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
06:36

Western Series

View Genre
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Roy Rogers Show
02:00
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Roy Rogers Show (Part 2)
17:55
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Maverick  and winning an Emmy
12:48
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Cheyenne
02:17
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Tales of Wells Fargo
06:03
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Colt .45
02:18
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Bronco and The Lawman
03:02
People

Ernest Borgnine

View Interview Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Airwolf
01:42

Raymond Burr

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Ironside
05:01

Gary Coleman

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Diff'rent Strokes and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
06:36

Mike Connors

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Mannix
02:06

Dale Evans

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Roy Rogers Show
02:00

Eva Gabor

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Fantasy Island
03:37

Judy Garland

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Judy Garland
04:53

Jackie Gleason

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on almost directing The Honeymooners
05:34

Frank Gorshin

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Bourbon Street Beat
05:56

Roy Huggins

View Interview Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Maverick  and winning an Emmy
12:48

Jack Klugman

View Interview Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Quincy, M.E.
04:43

Mary Tyler Moore

View Interview Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing Bourbon Street Beat
05:56

William T. Orr

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on his association with Warner Bros. Television
06:22

Roy Rogers

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Roy Rogers Show
02:00
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Roy Rogers on The Roy Rogers Show  and a typical production day
15:59

Mickey Rooney

View Interview Page
Leslie H. Martinson on directing The Mickey Rooney Show
06:55
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Mickey Rooney on The Mickey Rooney Show
04:22

Burt Ward

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Adam West and Burt Ward on Batman
04:18

Jack L. Warner

View Person Page
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Jack Warner
06:37
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Jack Warner
01:49

Adam West

View Interview Page
Leslie H. Martinson on working with Adam West and Burt Ward on Batman
04:18

All Interviews

S