About
"I wouldn't trade my years and my memories for a new start. It's been too good. I've been the luckiest guy in the world."
In his three-hour interview, Lou Weiss (1918-2019) talks about his early years as an office boy for William Morris. He describes becoming an agent and spending several years representing various nightclub acts and Catskills comedians. He recounts the creation of the television department at William Morris, and talks of helping to create the notion of agencies "packaging" television shows for networks. Weiss recalls packaging several shows, including The Danny Thomas Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Four Star Playhouse, and Richard Diamond, Private Detective. He discusses the business aspects of television, including syndication and distribution. He speaks of the many people he has worked with and represented in his career, including Bill Cosby, Danny Thomas, Dick Powell, David Wolper, Barbara Walters, Howard Cosell, and his maternal uncle George Burns. Mark Wallace conducted the interview on April 29, 1998 with Sunny Parich conducting a brief follow-up on April 30, 1998, both in New York, NY.
Highlights

Lou Weiss on his first job at William Morris as an office boy

Lou Weiss on the advent of packaging television

Lou Weiss on packaging game shows and The Danny Thomas Show

Lou Weiss on William Morris in the '50s and making a deal

Lou Weiss on how he'd like to be remembered

Lou Weiss on packaging The Dick Van Dyke Show
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his mother and his early life; on his family, including his aunt and uncle - Gracie Allen and George Burns
On radio he listened to growing up; on growing up during the Great Depression; on his first job at William Morris as an office boy
On his first boss at William Morris; on his marriage after World War II; on returning to William Morris after World War II and learning to be an agent
Chapter 2
On finding talent in small nightclubs; on his memories of the nightclubs; on a typical day when he was representing nightclub acts
On building his nightclub acts; on William Morris in the '50s and making a deal; on Frank Sinatra
On representing Catskills comedians; on getting into television
Chapter 3
On when he first saw television; on the creation of the television department at William Morris; on signing George Abbott
On television in the '50s; on the advent of packaging television; on packaging Texaco Star Theater starring Milton Berle
On his role in packaging television shows; on the Hollywood Blacklist; on packaging game shows and The Danny Thomas Show
Chapter 4
On packaging The Danny Thomas Show and working with Sheldon Leonard; on packaging The Dick Van Dyke Show; on Dick Powell and Four Star Playhouse
On the actors who appeared on Four Star Theater and Richard Diamond , Private Detective; on the then-current economics of developing a show; on working with Pat Weaver
On syndication; on television distribution; on representing Bill Cosby
Chapter 5
On representing Bill Cosby; on representing George Schlatter; on representing David Wolper
On representing Merv Griffin; on representing Barbara Walters; on representing Howard Cosell and Jack Paar; on Michael Ovitz
On summing up his feelings about his career; on his uncle, George Burns; on how he'd like to be remembered; on various people with whom he's worked in his career
Chapter 6
On various people with whom he has worked in his career; on the then-current state of William Morris
Shows
Barney Miller
Lou Weiss on packaging Barney Miller
Danny Thomas Show, The aka Make Room for Daddy
Lou Weiss on packaging game shows and The Danny Thomas Show
Lou Weiss on packaging The Danny Thomas Show and working with Sheldon Leonard
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Lou Weiss on packaging The Dick Van Dyke Show
Four Star Playhouse
Lou Weiss on Dick Powell and Four Star Playhouse
Lou Weiss on the actors who appeared on Four Star Playhouse and Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Lou Weiss on the actors who appeared on Four Star Playhouse and Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Texaco Star Theater
Lou Weiss on packaging Texaco Star Theater starring Milton Berle
Topics
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Lou Weiss on his first boss at The William Morris Agency, Abe Lastfogel
Historic Events and Social Change
Lou Weiss on moving up through the ranks at William Morris and his experience with World War II
Hollywood Blacklist
Lou Weiss on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Lou Weiss on the Hollywood Blacklist
Television Industry
Lou Weiss on the Hollywood Blacklist
Lou Weiss on the then-current economics of developing a show
Lou Weiss on syndication
Lou Weiss on television distribution
World War II
Lou Weiss on moving up through the ranks at William Morris and his experience with World War II
Professions
Agent
Lou Weiss on William Morris in the '50s and making a deal
Lou Weiss on the advent of packaging television
Lou Weiss on his role in packaging television shows
Representatives
Lou Weiss on William Morris in the '50s and making a deal
Lou Weiss on the advent of packaging television
Lou Weiss on his role in packaging television shows
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
Lou Weiss on Dick Powell and Four Star Playhouse
Comedy Series
Lou Weiss on packaging Texaco Star Theater starring Milton Berle
Lou Weiss on packaging game shows and The Danny Thomas Show
Lou Weiss on packaging The Danny Thomas Show and working with Sheldon Leonard
Lou Weiss on packaging The Dick Van Dyke Show
Lou Weiss on packaging Barney Miller
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Lou Weiss on Richard Diamond, Private Detective
People
George Abbott
Lou Weiss on signing George Abbott
Gracie Allen
Lou Weiss on his famliy including his aunt and uncle, Gracie Allen and George Burns
Milton Berle
Lou Weiss on packaging Texaco Star Theater starring Milton Berle
George Burns
Lou Weiss on his famliy including his aunt and uncle, Gracie Allen and George Burns
Lou Weiss on his uncle, George Burns
Bill Cosby
Lou Weiss on representing Bill Cosby
Lou Weiss on representing Bill Cosby
Howard Cosell
Lou Weiss on representing Howard Cosell and Jack Paar
Michael Fuchs
Lou Weiss on Michael Fuchs
Dave Garroway
Lou Weiss on representing Dave Garroway
Merv Griffin
Lou Weiss on representing Merv Griffin
Abe Lastfogel
Lou Weiss on his first boss at The William Morris Agency, Abe Lastfogel
Sheldon Leonard
Lou Weiss on packaging The Danny Thomas Show and working with Sheldon Leonard
Jerry Lewis
Lou Weiss on representing Jerry Lewis
Michael Ovitz
Lou Weiss on Michael Ovitz
Jack Paar
Lou Weiss on representing Howard Cosell and Jack Paar
Lou Weiss on representing Jack Paar
Dick Powell
Lou Weiss on Dick Powell and Four Star Playhouse
George Schlatter
Lou Weiss on representing George Schlatter
Frank Sinatra
Lou Weiss on Frank Sinatra
Aaron Spelling
Lou Weiss on working with Aaron Spelling
Danny Thomas
Lou Weiss on packaging game shows and The Danny Thomas Show
Lou Weiss on packaging The Danny Thomas Show and working with Sheldon Leonard
Kay Thompson
Lou Weiss on representing Kay Thompson
Grant Tinker
Lou Weiss on Grant Tinker
Dick Van Dyke
Lou Weiss on packaging The Dick Van Dyke Show
Barbara Walters
Lou Weiss on representing Barbara Walters
David L. Wolper
Lou Weiss on representing David Wolper