About
"The 10 count to live, in the truck…my palms were sweating so much. I couldn't figure out what was happening but it was like when I was in track and field in high school and you get in the blocks and you get ready, runner, set… You're filled with this kind of angst. But you're waiting for the adrenaline to kick in… 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… It's like the first time you've jumped out of an airplane or you were on a hang glider and jumped off a cliff, when it fades up. You're jumping off a precipice. And you're just going to hope that those first 10 or 15 seconds after you've jumped that the chute's going to open up or that the glider's going to not break…You feel like you could die."
In his three-hour-plus interview, Louis J. Horvitz speaks about his schooling at the University of California (UCLA) and developing his interest in the arts. He describes his eye for pictorial art and how it shaped his style as a director. He discusses becoming a cameraman in television while in college, initially shooting sporting events for the local news, and, through contacts, beginning work at Universal. He talks about his early years working in both television and film as a cameraman, but preferring to work as a director in multi-camera television. Horvitz details his entrance into directing for television, starting with In Concert, a late-night ABC series, and later Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, produced and hosted by Kirshner. He talks about his stint with Norman Lear on Fernwood 2 Night, one of Horvitz's only forays into sitcom, and describes how he left Kirshner to work on Solid Gold -- the series of which he says he is most proud. He comments on several other 1980s and early '90s shows on which he worked: Live Aid; Dolly (Dolly Parton's short-lived variety series, where he met a key mentor, Don Mischer); and Paul Simon's Concert in the Park. He explains his directing style, which he calls "sweep and glide," and speaks at length on directing the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on November 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Louis J. Horvitz on advice to aspiring television directors
Louis J. Horvitz on how production numbers on the Academy Awards and the Emmys differ
Louis J. Horvitz on his demeanor on set and setting the tone for the crew
Louis J. Horvitz on the challenges of cutting off acceptance speeches
Louis J. Horvitz on the countdown to live
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early childhood and influences; on being trained as a camera operator at UCLA; on transitioning to directing for television; on becoming a "rock n roll" director
On directing Fernwood 2 Night with Fred Willard and Martin Mull; on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert; on directing Solid Gold
Chapter 2
On shooting Solid Gold; on being approached by Tom Freston to work at MTV; on Tony Verna asking him to direct Live Aid; on directing musical variety specials for Dolly Parton and The Judds; on working on Paul Simon's Concert in Central Park with producer Lorne Michaels
On Liza Minnelli Live From Radio City; on his directing style; on what he looks for in a performance; on rehearsals for live television and using stand-ins; on his demeanor on set
Chapter 3
On his involvement with pre-production and post-production on projects; on the disappearance of variety shows from primetime and how MTV changed people's tastes
On working on Diet America Challenge and A Party for Richard Pryor
On Rosie O'Donnell's first standup show for HBO; on first directing the Academy Awards in 1997; on directing the Academy Awards since 1997; on working with various hosts of the Oscars; on what makes a good host of the Academy Awards; on his relationship with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences; on ratings for the Academy Awards; on network censorship of the Academy Awards
On working with various producers on the Academy Awards; on the challenges of cutting off acceptance speeches; on memorable acceptance speeches; on acceptance speeches getting political
Chapter 4
On the 1999 Academy Awards Pre-show; on highlights of the Academy Awards; on the 2002 Academy Awards - the first after 9/11; on various hosts of the Emmy Awards; on his relationship with the Television Academy; on the 2002 Academy Awards - the first after 9/11 (contd.); on how production numbers on the Academy Awards and the Emmys differ
On "the truck" from which he directs live events; on the countdown to live; on rituals before a live show; on preparing for a live broadcast; on upcoming projects; on advice to aspiring television directors
On how television has changed over the course of his career; on how he'd like to be remembered
Shows
Academy Awards, The
Louis J. Horvitz on first directing the Academy Awards in 1997
Louis J. Horvitz on directing the Academy Awards since 1997; working with various hosts; and challenges of the show
Louis J. Horvitz on highlights of some of the Academy Awards that he's directed
Louis J. Horvitz on how production numbers on the Academy Awards and the Emmys differ
Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet, The
Louis J. Horvitz on doing camera work for Ozzie's Girls, a follow up to The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Don Kirshner's Rock Concert
Louis J. Horvitz on getting a job directing Don Kirshner's Rock Concert for NBC
Louis J. Horvitz on meeting Don Kirshner of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Louis J. Horvitz on first directing the Academy Awards in 1997 - he got the job based on his abilities directing the Emmy Awards
Louis J. Horvitz on various hosts of the Emmy Awards
Louis J. Horvitz on how production numbers on the Academy Awards and the Emmys differ
Fernwood 2 Night
Louis J. Horvitz on directing Fernwood 2 Night with Martin Mull and Fred Willard
Live Aid
Louis J. Horvitz on Tony Verna asking him to direct Live Aid
Solid Gold
Louis J. Horvitz on the concept for Solid Gold, which he directed
Louis J. Horvitz on shooting Solid Gold
Topics
9/11
Louis J. Horvitz on the 2002 Academy Awards - the first after 9/11
Louis J. Horvitz on the 2002 Academy Awards - the first after 9/11 (cont.)
Emmy Awards
Louis J. Horvitz on the 2002 Academy Awards - the first after 9/11 (cont.)
Louis J. Horvitz on the 2002 Academy Awards - the first after 9/11
Hollywood Blacklist
Louis J. Horvitz on Elia Kazan's Honorary Oscar in 1999
Memorable Moments on Television
Louis J. Horvitz on Adrien Brody's acceptance speech at the Academy Awards
Louis J. Horvitz on Cuba Gooding Jr.'s acceptance speech at the Academy Awards
We Celebrated
Louis J. Horvitz on Cuba Gooding Jr.'s acceptance speech at the Academy Awards
Louis J. Horvitz on Adrien Brody's acceptance speech at the Academy Awards
Professions
Directors
Louis J. Horvitz on his path from still photographer, to camera operator, to director
Louis J. Horvitz on his directing style
Louis J. Horvitz on advice to aspiring television directors
Genres
Awards Shows
Louis J. Horvitz on directing the Academy Awards since 1997, working with various hosts, and challenges of the show
Louis J. Horvitz on first directing the Academy Awards in 1997
Louis J. Horvitz on highlights of some of the Academy Awards that he's directed
Louis J. Horvitz on various hosts of the Emmy Awards
Louis J. Horvitz on how production numbers on the Academy Awards and the Emmys differ
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Louis J. Horvitz on the concept for Solid Gold, which he directed
Louis J. Horvitz on Tony Verna asking him to direct Live Aid
People
Bob Banner
Louis J. Horvitz on the concept for Solid Gold; which he directed
Gilbert Cates
Louis J. Horvitz on first directing the Academy Awards in 1997
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various producers on the Academy Awards
Louis J. Horvitz on Gilbert Cates' advice for how to cover Elia Kazan's Honorary Oscar in 1999
Billy Crystal
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various hosts of the Academy Awards: Billy Crystal
Ellen DeGeneres
Louis J. Horvitz on various hosts of the Emmy Awards: Ellen DeGeneres
Robert Dickinson
Louis J. Horvitz on working with Robert Dickinson on Solid Gold and future projects
Tom Freston
Louis J. Horvitz on being approached by Tom Freston to work at MTV
Whoopi Goldberg
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various hosts of the Academy Awards: Whoopi Goldberg
Elia Kazan
Louis J. Horvitz on Elia Kazan's Honorary Oscar in 1999
Norman Lear
Louis J. Horvitz on directing Fernwood 2 Night with Martin Mull and Fred Willard
Jeff Margolis
Louis J. Horvitz on first directing the Academy Awards in 1997
Steve Martin
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various hosts of the Academy Awards: Steve Martin
Lorne Michaels
Louis J. Horvitz on working on Paul Simon's Concert in Central Park with producer Lorne Michaels
Walter C. Miller
Louis J. Horvitz on Walter Miller's techniques for television
Liza Minnelli
Louis J. Horvitz on Liza Minnelli Live From Radio City
Don Mischer
Louis J. Horvitz on working on Dolly Parton's musical variety show under producer/mentor/director Don Mischer
Louis J. Horvitz on the 2002 Academy Awards - the first after 9/11 (contd.) - produced by Don Mischer
John Moffitt
Louis J. Horvitz on director John Moffitt
Martin Mull
Louis J. Horvitz on directing Fernwood 2 Night with Martin Mull and Fred Willard
Ozzie Nelson
Louis J. Horvitz on doing camera work for Ozzie's Girls, a follow up to The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Conan O'Brien
Louis J. Horvitz on various hosts of the Emmy Awards: Conan O'Brien
Rosie O'Donnell
Louis J. Horvitz on Rosie O'Donnell's first standup show for HBO
Dolly Parton
Louis J. Horvitz on working on Dolly Parton's musical variety show, Dolly
Richard Pryor
Louis J. Horvitz on working on A Party for Richard Pryor with George Schlatter
Chris Rock
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various hosts of the Academy Awards: Chris Rock
George Schlatter
Louis J. Horvitz on working on A Party for Richard Pryor with George Schlatter
Jon Stewart
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various hosts of the Academy Awards: Jon Stewart
Tony Verna
Louis J. Horvitz on Tony Verna asking him to direct Live Aid
Dionne Warwick
Louis J. Horvitz on Solid Gold host Dionne Warwick's involvement
Fred Willard
Louis J. Horvitz on directing Fernwood 2 Night with Martin Mull and Fred Willard
Richard Zanuck
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various producers on the Academy Awards
Lili Zanuck
Louis J. Horvitz on working with various producers on the Academy Awards