Lynwood King

Director
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half hour-plus Archive interview, Lynwood King talks about breaking into television in 1949 at Chicago's WNBQ. He describes the famous "Chicago School" of broadcasting pioneered by such legends as Dave Garroway and Studs Terkel. King talks about his work as a stage manager on network series that originated in Chicago, including Studs' Place, Garroway at Large, Zoo Parade, and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. He recalls working as a director on series including Hawkins Falls and in New York, Tonight! America After Dark: the late night series that ran in between the Steve Allen and Jack Paar Tonight shows. He also discusses his work in public broadcasting and on documentary series, including Project 20. He speaks in great detail about his work as a director on the Today show, which reunited him with Dave Garroway. King also discusses his later freelance work on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and on soap operas, including Ryan's Hope and One Life to Live. Jeff Kisseloff conducted the interview on November 20, 2002 in New York, NY.

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

"I have always been a stickler of not wanting the crew to do anything that I would not do. If lighting was started at 3:00 A.M., which it did, I would be there no later than 3:30."

People Talking About ...
Lynwood King
Highlights
Lynwood King on Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and the creative atmosphere at NBC in Chicago, and on the development of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, including the concept of the "milk bottle"
05:40
Lynwood King on how he came to direct Today with Dave Garroway, and on Garroway's difficulties doing a show in the morning
06:14
Lynwood King on the crew of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, and on the popularity of the show
04:47
Lynwood King on filling in as director of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on working with Carson, Ed McMahon, and Doc Severinsen
05:43
Lynwood King on working on Studs Terkel's Stud's Place
03:56
Lynwood King on the various features of Today during his tenure, including the chimp J. Fred Muggs
01:59
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his early interest in show business; on his experiences in World War II
On when he started hearing about television; on his first job in television, in operations at the NBC affiliate in Chicago; on his duties in operations at NBC in Chicago, including editing kinescopes
On working with Norman Felton at the NBC affiliate in Chicago, and on how he came to stage manage for Garroway at Large; on Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and the creative atmosphere at NBC in Chicago; on the development of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, including the concept of the "milk bottle"

Chapter 2
On the crew of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, and on the popularity of the show; on what made Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large special; on stage managing for Burr Tillstrom's Kukla, Fran & Ollie
On the routines of Burr Tillstrom's Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and on Fran Allison; on working on Hawkins Falls
On working on Studs Terkel's Stud's Place; on stage managing Marlin Perkins' Zoo Parade

Chapter 3
On Hugh Downs; on leaving NBC in Chicago to do The Breakfast Club with Don McNeill in New York
On directing Tonight! America After Dark; on working freelance for public television; on working with columnist Dorsey Connors

Chapter 4
On on-air troubles he had with musician Herbie Mintz, and a live blooper involving Sid Caesar; on how he came to direct Today with Dave Garroway, and on Garroway's difficulties doing a show in the morning; on how the Today format changed over the years, from Dave Garroway's tenure to the then-present
On the various features of Today during his tenure; on his schedule directing Today, on some of the most memorable guests during his tenure, and on Dave Garroway's skills as an interviewer; on on producer Robert Bendick being fired from the show, and on Dave Garroway being replaced as host

Chapter 5
On Dave Garroway being replaced as the host of Today by John Chancellor, and on leaving the show himself to direct Project XX; on directing the NBC News documentary series Exploring, and also NBC's Sunday afternoon newscast
On directing The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; on directing The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon; on becoming a freelance director for daytime dramas like Ryan's Hope

Chapter 6
On directing daytime dramas like One Life to Live and Ryan's Hope; on directing a Christian daytime drama for Pat Robertson; on his retirement
Shows

Breakfast Club, The

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Lynwood King on leaving NBC in Chicago to do The Breakfast Club with Don McNeill in New York
06:36

Exploring

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Lynwood King on directing the NBC News documentary series Exploring
02:45

Garroway at Large

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Lynwood King on working with Norman Felton at the NBC affiliate in Chicago, and on how he came to stage manage for Garroway at Large
04:18
Lynwood King on Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and the creative atmosphere at NBC in Chicago, and on the development of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, including the concept of the "milk bottle"
05:40
Lynwood King on the crew of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, and on the popularity of the show
04:47

Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon

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Lynwood King on directing the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon
04:47

Kukla, Fran & Ollie

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Lynwood King on working on Kukla, Fran & Ollie
07:08

NBC News

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Lynwood King on directing NBC News' Sunday afternoon newscast
03:56

One Life to Live

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Lynwood King on directing daytime dramas like One Life to Live and Ryan's Hope
06:24

Project XX

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Lynwood King on being dismissed from Today, and moving on to the NBC News documentary series Project XX
03:04

Ryan's Hope

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Lynwood King on how he came to be a freelance director for daytime dramas such as The Doctors and Ryan's Hope
01:39
Lynwood King on directing daytime dramas like One Life to Live and Ryan's Hope
06:24

Studs' Place

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Lynwood King on working on Studs Terkel's Stud's Place
03:56

Today

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Lynwood King on how he came to direct Today with Dave Garroway, and on Garroway's difficulties doing a show in the morning
06:14
Lynwood King on how the Today format changed over the years, from Dave Garroway's tenure to the then-present
02:08
Lynwood King on the various features of Today during his tenure, including the chimp J. Fred Muggs
01:59
Lynwood King on his schedule directing Today, and on some of the most memorable guests during his tenure including Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball, Dirk Bogarde, Harpo Marx, and Arlene Francis
06:14
Lynwood King on Dave Garroway's skill as an interviewer on Today
02:07
Lynwood King on on producer Robert Bendick being fired from Today, and on Dave Garroway being replaced as host
03:37
Lynwood King on Dave Garroway being replaced as the host of Today with John Chancellor
03:38
Lynwood King on being dismissed from Today, and moving on to direct the NBC News documentary series Project XX
03:04

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The

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Lynwood King on filling in as director of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on working with Carson, Ed McMahon, and Doc Severinsen
05:43
Lynwood King on some of his favorite moments of directing The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
03:03

Tonight! America After Dark

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Lynwood King on directing Tonight! America After Dark
06:46
Topics

Bloopers

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Lynwood King on on a live television blooper involving Sid Caesar
04:28

Historic Events and Social Change

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Lynwood King on his experiences in World War II
05:30

War

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Lynwood King on his experiences in World War II
05:30

World War II

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Lynwood King on his experiences in World War II
05:30
Professions

Directors

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Lynwood King on directing NBC News' Sunday afternoon newscast
03:56
Genres

Children's Programming

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Lynnwood King on stage managing Marlin Perkins' Zoo Parade
02:13

Daytime/Primetime Serials

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Lynwood King on how he came to be a freelance director for daytime dramas such as The Doctors and Ryan's Hope
01:39
Lynwood King on directing daytime dramas
09:29

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Lynwood King on directing the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon
04:47

News and Documentary

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Lynwood King on leaving NBC in Chicago to do The Breakfast Club with Don McNeill in New York
06:26
Lynwood King on directing Today during Dave Garroway's tenure as host
22:19
Lynwood King on directing various NBC News programming including Today, Project XX, Exploring, and their Sunday afternoon newscast
06:41

Talk Shows

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Lynwood King on directing Tonight! America After Dark
06:46
Lynwood King on filling in as director for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
08:47
People

Fran Allison

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Lynwood King on the routines of Burr Tillstrom's Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and on Fran Allison
01:28

Lucille Ball

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Lynwood King on his schedule directing Today, and on some of the most memorable guests during his tenure including Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball, Dirk Bogarde, Harpo Marx, and Arlene Francis
06:14

Bob Banner

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Lynwood King on his first job in television, which producer Bob Banner helped him get, in operations at the NBC affiliate in Chicago
04:33

Sid Caesar

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Lynwood King on on a live television blooper involving Sid Caesar
04:28

Johnny Carson

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Lynwood King on filling in as director of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on working with Carson, Ed McMahon, and Doc Severinsen
05:43

John Chancellor

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Lynwood King on Dave Garroway being replaced as the host of Today with John Chancellor
03:38

Hugh Downs

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Lynwood King on Hugh Downs
06:57

Dick Van Dyke

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Lynwood King on his schedule directing Today, and on some of the most memorable guests during his tenure including Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball, Dirk Bogarde, Harpo Marx, and Arlene Francis
06:14

Norman Felton

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Lynwood King on working with Norman Felton at the NBC affiliate in Chicago, and on how he came to stage manage for Garroway at Large
04:18

Arlene Francis

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Lynwood King on his schedule directing Today, and on some of the most memorable guests during his tenure including Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball, Dirk Bogarde, Harpo Marx, and Arlene Francis
06:14

Dave Garroway

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Lynwood King on Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and the creative atmosphere at NBC in Chicago, and on the development of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, including the concept of the "milk bottle"
05:39
Lynwood King on the crew of Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large, and on the popularity of the show
04:47
Lynwood King on what made Dave Garroway's Garroway at Large special
04:16
Lynwood King on how he came to direct Today with Dave Garroway, and on Garroway's difficulties doing a show in the morning
06:14
Lynwood King on how the Today format changed over the years, from Dave Garroway's tenure to the then-present
02:05
Lynwood King on Dave Garroway's skill as an interviewer on Today
02:07
Lynwood King on on producer Robert Bendick being fired from Today, and on Dave Garroway being replaced as host
03:37
Lynwood King on Dave Garroway being replaced as the host of Today with John Chancellor
03:38

Jerry Lewis

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Lynwood King on directing the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon
04:47

Harpo Marx

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Lynwood King on his schedule directing Today, and on some of the most memorable guests during his tenure including Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball, Dirk Bogarde, Harpo Marx, and Arlene Francis
06:14

Ed McMahon

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Lynwood King on filling in as director of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on working with Carson, Ed McMahon, and Doc Severinsen
05:43

Don McNeill

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Lynwood King on leaving NBC in Chicago to do The Breakfast Club with Don McNeill in New York
06:36

Pat Robertson

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Lynwood King on directing the Christian daytime drama Another Life for Pat Robertson, and on his retirement
03:04

Doc Severinsen

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Lynwood King on filling in as director of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and on working with Carson, Ed McMahon, and Doc Severinsen
05:43

Studs Terkel

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Lynwood King on working on Studs Terkel's Stud's Place
03:56

Burr Tillstrom

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Lynwood King on stage managing for Burr Tillstrom's Kukla, Fran & Ollie
05:39
Lynwood King on the routines of Burr Tillstrom's Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and on Fran Allison
01:28

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