Martin Hoade

Executive / Producer

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In his over three-hour interview, Martin Hoade (1916-2006) recalls his early days in television working for NBC on programs such as newsreels and political conventions. He talks about his move into religious programming as the producer and director of NBC's Sunday morning religious program wheel, which was comprised of the series Frontiers of Faith, The Catholic Hour, and The Eternal Light. He speaks of the craft involved in producing religious programming as well as the issue of proselytizing, and of religious programming in general. He concludes by opining on the responsibility of networks to provide religious programming, and on what the general mission of television should be. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on November 23, 2002 in New York, NY.

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

"Was I interested in religious issues? No. I was just interested in the human condition more than I was that. As far as religion illuminates or instructs the human condition all right, but since the vehicle is drama or commentary or conversations, yes I found that more interesting than the commercial work."

People Talking About ...

Martin Hoade

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on radio he listened to growing up and movies he watched; on his early job as a music librarian at NBC

On his stint as a copy boy for NBC News, and on his impressions of David Sarnoff; on his experience with World War II; on the first time he saw television at the 1939 World's Fair

Chapter 2

On describing NBC Television in 1945; on the beginnings of NBC News

On NBC newsman John Cameron Swayze on Camel News Caravan; on Paul Alley, producer of Camel News Caravan and how NBC News expanded; on Camel News Caravan covering the 1948 political conventions

On Camel News Caravan covering the 1952 political conventions; on Camel News Caravan covering the House Un-American Activities Committee

Chapter 3

On working on The Bob Considine Show and It Happened Today; on working on Watch the World; on working on religious affairs programs at NBC

On the technical aspects of NBC's religious programming in the '50s; on the head of the religious affairs department at NBC in the early '50s; on the faith groups involved in NBC's religious broadcasting in the early '50s and on the network guidelines for religious programming, and on the casts of the shows

Chapter 4

On winning an Emmy for his work in religious programming on NBC; on writing some religious shows and on filming in Moscow; on shooting the religious program Rome Eternal in Rome

On the different types of religious programming he worked on in the '50s and on some of the actors he worked with at the time including Burl Ives; on his directing style; on writers he worked with in his career and his disappointment over not having worked with Rod Serling, and on network guidelines for religious programming through his career

Chapter 5

On his three religious programs, Frontiers of Faith, The Catholic Hour, and The Eternal Light, becoming one program; on religious programming on NBC in the '60s and '70s other than his three shows; on the target audience for his religious programs and on audience feeback

On the yearly production schedule for his religious programs, and on the budget of the shows; on directing and producing "The Legacy of Anne Frank" for The Eternal Light; on directing and producing "Death and Dying" for The Catholic Hour and a program with Elie Wiesel called The Itinerary

Chapter 6

On working on the documentary Civilization of Jews; on the process of directing and producing documentaries for television; on the process of directing and producing documentaries for television

On handling news events and controversial subjects in his religious programming; on his retirement from NBC, and on the decreasing presence of religious programming after he left the network; on striking the balance between entertaining and educating in religious programming

Chapter 7

On directing the made-for-television movie Duty Bound, about the Vietnam War; on what he feels the mission of television should be; on his greatest personal accomplishment

Shows

Camel News Caravan

View Show Page

Martin Hoade on NBC newsman John Cameron Swayze on Camel News Caravan