About
"CBS represented a forward-looking, progressive, and innovative point of view. The reason it did is William S. Paley and Frank Stanton. Paley said, 'We are the Tiffany network,' and he really thought so. And we tried to make it that."
In his three-hour interview, Louis Dorfsman (1918-2008) talks about his earliest experiences in his field, including being an assistant for Display Guild, which produced numerous exhibits for the 1939 World's Fair. He describes his long association with CBS, where he began as a staff director in the art department in 1946. He talks about his legendary work in the 1950s for CBS radio, during that medium's waning days. He recalls his eventual move to television and becoming the director of design for CBS, Inc. He recounts his influential work at CBS in print and television advertising, and his pioneering use of typography. Dorfsman details the erection of Black Rock, CBS's headquarters on 52nd Street, and his work on the interior of the building, including his cafeteria wall collage. He outlines the fall television season campaigns at CBS and his well-known campaigns for shows including The Waltons, which helped boost its ratings. He speaks of his design of two books for CBS, Field of Vision (1962) on football, and a commemorative book on the 1969 moon landing. Ron Simon conducted the interview on May 15, 2000 in New York, NY.
Highlights
Louis Dorfsman on the design of the CBS eye logo
Louis Dorfsman on his duties as Art Director for CBS and working with Frank Stanton
Louis Dorfsman on creating on-air promos for CBS
Louis Dorfsman on the CBS corporate typography
Louis Dorfsman on why he enjoyed being in the advertising department at CBS Radio
Louis Dorfsman on how he'd like to be remembered
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on how the Great Depression affected his family
On joining the Army during World War II; on running a design studio after World War II
Chapter 2
On CBS art director William Golden; on the design on the CBS eye logo; on meeting CBS President Frank Stanton and being hired at CBS
On becoming the top art director for CBS Radio advertising; on why he enjoyed being in the advertising department at CBS Radio; on working on CBS Radio's "Busy Market" campaign and designing the CBS Radio "Microphone Ad"
Chapter 3
On seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair and the development of color television; on leaving CBS Radio to work for CBS Television as art director at the behest of Louis G. Cowan; on his duties as Art Director for CBS and working with Frank Stanton
On his style as Art Director for CBS; on the use of words and pictures in an ad and on placing trade ads in "The New York Times"; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On dealing with the higher ups at CBS including Frank Stanton, William S. Paley, and James T. Aubrey and creating a book about football on CBS
Chapter 4
On promoting news coverage as Art Director for CBS advertising and on working with Fred Friendly; on Walter Cronkite appearing on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
On being Art Director for CBS' ad campaign to save The Waltons with then CBS President Robert Wood
Chapter 5
On "Field of Vision," the book he wrote about the NFL and on then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle; on CBS moving to Black Rock (their headquarter building) at the behest of Frank Stanton; on working with Frank Stanton on the walkway exhibit he created for CBS Black Rock
On his ad campaign capitalizing on Black Rock and on that campaign being killed by William S. Paley; on the signage and decor of CBS Black Rock; on the CBS Corporate typography
Chapter 6
On creating on-air promos for CBS; on doing a CBS promo using "The Guinness Book of World Records" and on his influence on other networks on-air promotions; on what CBS represented and how Frank Stanton and William S. Paley impacted the image of the network
On how the networks design and art departments have changed over the years; on how he'd like to be remembered; on his peers in the graphic design community, including Saul Bass, and on what set him apart from his peers; on why he stayed with CBS so long
Shows
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The
Louis Dorfsman on Walter Cronkite appearing on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Waltons, The
Louis Dorfsman on being Art Director for CBS' ad campaign to save The Waltons with then CBS President Robert Wood
Topics
1939-40 World's Fair
Louis Dorfsman on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair and the development of color television
Advice
Louis Dorfsman on his advice to aspiring Art Designers
First Big Break
Louis Dorfsman on meeting CBS President Frank Stanton and being hired at CBS
Historic Events and Social Change
Louis Dorfsman on joining the Army during World War II
Louis Dorfsman on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair and the development of color television
Hollywood Blacklist
Louis Dorfsman on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Louis Dorfsman on the Hollywood Blacklist
Pivotal Career Moments
Louis Dorfsman on meeting CBS President Frank Stanton and being hired at CBS
Pop Culture
Louis Dorfsman on the design of the CBS eye logo
Technological Innovation
Louis Dorfsman on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair and the development of color television
Television Industry
Louis Dorfsman on the Hollywood Blacklist
Louis Dorfsman on how the networks design and art departments have changed over the years
Louis Dorfsman on his advice to aspiring Art Designers
War
Louis Dorfsman on joining the Army during World War II
World War II
Louis Dorfsman on joining the Army during World War II
Professions
Art Director/Set Decorator
Louis Dorfsman on his duties as Art Director for CBS and working with Frank Stanton
Louis Dorfsman on his style as Art Director for CBS
Louis Dorfsman on the use of words and pictures in an ad and on placing trade ads in "The New York Times"
Louis Dorfsman on promoting news coverage as Art Director for CBS advertising and on working with Fred Friendly
Louis Dorfsman on his peers in the graphic design community, including Saul Bass, and on what set him apart from his peers
Louis Dorfsman on his advice to aspiring Art Designers
Designers
Louis Dorfsman on his duties as Art Director for CBS and working with Frank Stanton
Louis Dorfsman on his style as Art Director for CBS
Louis Dorfsman on the use of words and pictures in an ad and on placing trade ads in "The New York Times"
Louis Dorfsman on promoting news coverage as Art Director for CBS advertising and on working with Fred Friendly
Louis Dorfsman on his peers in the graphic design community, including Saul Bass, and on what set him apart from his peers
Louis Dorfsman on his advice to aspiring Art Designers
Genres
Comedy Series
Louis Dorfsman on Walter Cronkite appearing on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Commercials
Louis Dorfsman on creating on-air promos for CBS
Drama Series
Louis Dorfsman on being Art Director for CBS' ad campaign to save The Waltons with then CBS President Robert Wood
Sports
Louis Dorfsman on dealing with the higher ups at CBS including Frank Stanton, William S. Paley, and James T. Aubrey and creating a book about football on CBS
People
James T. Aubrey
Louis Dorfsman on dealing with the higher ups at CBS including Frank Stanton, William S. Paley, and James T. Aubrey and creating a book about football on CBS
Saul Bass
Louis Dorfsman on his peers in the graphic design community, including Saul Bass, and on what set him apart from his peers
Louis G. Cowan
Louis Dorfsman on leaving CBS Radio to work for CBS Television as Art Director at the behest of Louis G. Cowan
Walter Cronkite
Louis Dorfsman on Walter Cronkite appearing on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Fred Friendly
Louis Dorfsman on promoting news coverage as Art Director for CBS advertising and on working with Fred Friendly
William S. Paley
Louis Dorfsman on dealing with the higher ups at CBS including Frank Stanton, William S. Paley, and James T. Aubrey and creating a book about football on CBS
Louis Dorfsman on his ad campaign capitalizing on Black Rock (CBS' headquarter building) and on that campaign being killed by William S. Paley
Louis Dorfsman on what CBS represented and how Frank Stanton and William S. Paley impacted the image of the network
Pete Rozelle
Louis Dorfsman on "Field of Vision" the book he wrote about the NFL and on then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle
Frank Stanton
Louis Dorfsman on meeting CBS President Frank Stanton and being hired at CBS
Louis Dorfsman on his duties as Art Director for CBS and working with Frank Stanton
Louis Dorfsman on dealing with the higher ups at CBS including Frank Stanton, William S. Paley, and James T. Aubrey and creating a book about football on CBS
Louis Dorfsman on CBS moving to Black Rock (their headquarter building) at the behest of Frank Stanton
Louis Dorfsman on working with Frank Stanton on the walkway exhibit he created for CBS Black Rock (their headquarter building)
Louis Dorfsman on what CBS represented and how Frank Stanton and William S. Paley impacted the image of the network
Robert D. Wood
Louis Dorfsman on being Art Director for CBS' ad campaign to save The Waltons with then CBS President Robert Wood