About
"I think when people look back at my career, they'll say I was a loyal guy, I built a great team and I knew how to appreciate talent and what they do."
In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Leslie Moonves discusses his early years working as an actor, before producing for the theater. He then details his early executive jobs at Twentieth Century Television and Lorimar, culminating in Lorimar's merger with Warner Bros. Television, where Moonves was instrumental in developing such hit series as Friends and ER. He then discusses his move to the "buyer's side" at CBS, where he ran CBS Entertainment. He talks about rebuilding the weak schedule of the network, and the development of such hit series as Everybody Loves Raymond, CSI, and Survivor. He speaks about his rise in the corporate ranks to his position as president and CEO of CBS and his overall responsibilities, team management, and network programming style. Dan Pasternack conducted the two-part interview on December 19 and 20, 2006 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Leslie Moonves on the controversy over dividing the teams on the reality show Survivor by race
Leslie Moonves on his philosophy of assembling a management team
Leslie Moonves on his role as CBS network president
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Friends
Leslie Moonves on what makes a good showrunner
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early family life and education
On pursuing an acting career before transitioning to producing, where he realized his talent for organization
On beginning his career as an executive at Columbia, before moving to 20th Century Fox Television
On working at 20th Century Fox Television
On working at Lorimar Telepictures and his philosophy of what makes a good showrunner
Chapter 2
On Lorimar's purchase by Warner Bros and the team structure of his division
On the development, casting and programming of Friends
On the development, casting and programming of ER
Chapter 3
On his failed attempt to bring ER to CBS
On his negotiations to leave Warner Bros and join CBS in 1995 and the state of the network at the time
On joining CBS and going from a seller of programming to a buyer
On his first year at CBS
On the development, casting and programming of Everybody Love Raymond
On the sitcom genre
On his role as CBS network president
Chapter 4
On Westinghouse, then Viacom's acquisition of CBS and key executives Sumner Redstone, Mel Karmazin, and Tom Freston
On his philosophy and strategy of content and scheduling
On developing and casting Survivor; on diversity
On developing CSI
Chapter 5
On expanding the CSI franchise on CBS
On the CBS network news division, "memogate," and hiring Katie Couric as anchor
On his 9/11 and its aftermath
On the changing face of the industry
On his appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman
On his future; his successes; and his advice to aspiring executives
Shows
Barbary Coast
Leslie Moonves on his first TV role, a small part on Barbary Coast
Cosby
Leslie Moonves on making the deal to bring a new Bill Cosby show to CBS
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Leslie Moonves on the development of CSI
Leslie Moonves on the success of CSI franchise
CSI: Miami
Leslie Moonves on what makes a good showrunner
Leslie Moonves on the success of CSI franchise
CSI: NY
Leslie Moonves on the success of CSI franchise
Dallas
Leslie Moonves on working at Lorimar Telepictures, which was producing Dallas at the time
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Leslie Moonves on the postponement of the 2001 Emmy Awards due to 9/11
ER
Leslie Moonves on the process of audience testing for ER
Leslie Moonves on the development of ER
Leslie Moonves on the casting and scheduling of ER
Leslie Moonves on "stealing" ER from NBC
Everybody Loves Raymond
Leslie Moonves on what makes a good showrunner
Leslie Moonves on the development, casting and programming of Everybody Loves Raymond
Friends
Leslie Moonves on the development of Friends
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Friends
Late Show with David Letterman
Leslie Moonves on his "More with Les" segments on the Late Show with David Letterman
Survivor
Leslie Moonves on developing Survivor and the importance of casting the show
Topics
9/11
Leslie Moonves on 9/11 and CBS' coverage
George W. Bush
Leslie Moonves on the CBS News "Memogate" controversy about George W. Bush's military service
Media Consolidation
Leslie Moonves on his role as CBS network president
Leslie Moonves on the changing ownership of CBS over his tenure
Studio and Network Management
Leslie Moonves on the process of audience testing for ER
Leslie Moonves on the state of CBS when he arrived in 1995
Leslie Moonves on running a network
Underrepresented Voices
Leslie Moonves on the controversy over dividing the teams on the reality show Survivor by race
Professions
Actor
Leslie Moonves on his early acting career and the thrill of being on a production lot
Television Executive
Leslie Moonves on his philosophy of assembling a management team
Leslie Moonves on what makes a good showrunner
Leslie Moonves on his role as CBS network president
Genres
Comedy Series
Leslie Moonves on the sitcom genre
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Leslie Moonves on the CBS 9/11 tribute
News and Documentary
Leslie Moonves on CBS News during his tenure
Reality TV
Leslie Moonves on getting Survivor on the air, casting the show
People
Jennifer Aniston
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Jennifer Aniston on Friends
Peter Boyle
Leslie Moonves on the development, casting and programming of Everybody Loves Raymond
Kevin Bright
Leslie Moonves on the development of Friends
Jerry Bruckheimer
Leslie Moonves on the development of CSI
Mark Burnett
Leslie Moonves on developing Survivor
Danny Cannon
Leslie Moonves on the success of CSI franchise
George Clooney
Leslie Moonves on the casting of George Clooney on ER
Bill Cosby
Leslie Moonves on making the deal to bring a new Bill Cosby show to CBS
Katie Couric
Leslie Moonves on CBS News anchor Katie Couric
Courteney Cox
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Courtney Cox on Friends
David Crane
Leslie Moonves on the development of Friends
Michael Crichton
Leslie Moonves on the development of ER
Bob Daly
Leslie Moonves on working with Bob Daly at Warner Bros
Leslie Moonves on his negotiations to join CBS in 1995 and the state of the network at the time
Ann Donahue
Leslie Moonves on what makes a good showrunner
Tom Freston
Leslie Moonves on Tom Freston
Brad Garrett
Leslie Moonves on the development, casting and programming of Everybody Loves Raymond
Peter Golden
Leslie Moonves on his philosophy and strategy of content and scheduling
Gregory Harrison
Leslie Moonves on working at Gregory Harrison's theater production company early in his career
Richard Hatch
Leslie Moonves on developing Survivor
Patricia Heaton
Leslie Moonves on the development, casting and programming of Everybody Loves Raymond
Saul Ilson
Leslie Moonves beginning his career as an executive at Columbia, before moving to 20th Century Fox Television
David Janollari
Leslie Moonves on the development of Friends
Kelly Kahl
Leslie Moonves on scheduling Survivor
Mel Karmazin
Leslie Moonves on Mel Karmazin
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Leslie Moonves on Jeffrey Katzenberg offering him a job at Disney
Marta Kauffman
Leslie Moonves on the development of Friends
David E. Kelley
Leslie Moonves on the programming of ER and Chicago Hope
David Letterman
Leslie Moonves on the development, casting and programming of Everybody Loves Raymond
Leslie Moonves on his "More with Les" segments on the Late Show with David Letterman
Warren Littlefield
Leslie Moonves beginning his career as an executive at Columbia, before moving to 20th Century Fox Television
Chuck Lorre
Leslie Moonves on his maintaining business relationships
Julianna Margulies
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Julianna Margulies on ER
Ghen Maynard
Leslie Moonves on developing Survivor
Sanford Meisner
Leslie Moonves on studying acting uner Sanford Meisner
Carol Mendelsohn
Leslie Moonves on what makes a good showrunner
Matthew Perry
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Matthew Perry on Friends
Dan Rather
Leslie Moonves on the CBS News "Memogate" controversy about George W. Bush's military service
Sumner Redstone
Leslie Moonves on Sumner Redstone
Lee Rich
Leslie Moonves on being recruited to Lorimar by Lee Rich
Doris Roberts
Leslie Moonves on the development, casting and programming of Everybody Loves Raymond
Phil Rosenthal
Leslie Moonves on what makes a good showrunner
Leslie Moonves on the development, casting and programming of Everybody Loves Raymond
Jeff Sagansky
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Matthew Perry on Friends
Leslie Moonves on the development of ER
Eriq La Salle
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Eriq La Salle on ER
William Shatner
Leslie Moonves on his first TV role, a small part (delivering a telegram to William Shatner) on Barbary Coast
Fred Silverman
Leslie Moonves on his role as CBS network president
Nina Tassler
Leslie Moonves on his philosophy of assembling a management team
Leslie Moonves on his philosophy and strategy of content and scheduling
Leslie Moonves on the development of CSI
Nancy Tellem
Leslie Moonves on his philosophy of assembling a management team
Leslie Moonves on his philosophy and strategy of content and scheduling
Leslie Moonves on developing Survivor
Laurence A. Tisch
Leslie Moonves on his negotiations to join CBS in 1995 and the state of the network at the time
John Wells
Leslie Moonves on the development of ER
Dick Wolf
Leslie Moonves on the success of CSI franchise
Noah Wyle
Leslie Moonves on the casting of Noah Wyle on ER