Mary Lynn Gottfried

Production/Talent Coordinator
View Full Interview


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About
About this interview

In her one-and-a-half-hour interview, Mary Lynn Gottfried describes how she got her start in the entertainment industry as a receptionist and production secretary on The Ed Sullivan Show. She speaks about the program in great detail and reminisces about many of the personalities who appeared on the show, including Petula Clark, Bing Crosby, and Peggy Lee. Gottfried also discusses her later work, as a talent coordinator/executive on The Kraft Music Hall and on Hollywood Squares. B-roll consists of photos from her days on The Ed Sullivan Show, a photo of the plaque commemorating the naming of The Ed Sullivan Theater, and a page of Ed Sullivan's introductory lines to the 1968 season premiere of the program, in his own handwriting. Karen Herman conducted the interview on November 15, 2003 in Beverly Hills, CA.

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

People Talking About ...
Mary Lynn Gottfried
Highlights
On the legacy of The Ed Sullivan Show
00:55
On advice for an aspiring talent executive 
01:52
On her greatest achievement 
01:23
On writing questions for game shows, including Card Sharks
01:31
Mary Lynn Gottfried on booking talent for Hollywood Squares
03:08
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1
On photos and mementos from The Ed Sullivan Show
On her childhood and early influences
On getting her start in the entertainment industry - first as a receptionist in an agent's office, then in the CBS local broadcast center, WCBS, in New York
On working as a receptionist for The Ed Sullivan Show; on answering fan mail and "The Girls"
On Ed Sullivan; on creating scripts for The Ed Sullivan Show over the weekend; on rehearsals
On the excitement of the live broadcasts and last minute changes to the scripts

Chapter 2
On the control room of The Ed Sullivan Show and the excitement of live television; on booking talent
On the after-taping, staff ritual every Sunday night; on the comraderie of the staff
On set design, costumes and hair and makeup
On being a "color girl" on the program; on the stage for The Ed Sullivan Show
On a typical Ed Sullivan Show with comedians, singers and bands, and animal acts
On guests of The Ed Sullivan Show
On the legacy of The Ed Sullivan Show and what she learned on the show

Chapter 3
On leaving The Ed Sullivan Show for talent booking on Kraft Music Hall
On working on specials for Alan King; on writing questions for game shows
On managing daytime programs at CBS; on working for Lifetime and becoming a talent executive; on being Director of Current Programming for NBC and moving over to CBS
On booking talent for Hollywood Squares
On Barbie's 40th birthday; on CBS pilots she developed; on current projects
On advice for an aspiring talent executive; on agism in the industry
On her greatest achievement 
Shows

Card Sharks

View Show Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on writing questions for game shows, including Card Sharks
01:31

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

View Show Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on watching early episodes of The Ed Sullivan Show
00:29
Mary Lynn Gottfried on working as a receptionist for The Ed Sullivan Show
17:32
Mary Lynn Gottfried on The Ed Sullivan Show
26:30

Hollywood Squares, The

View Show Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on booking talent for Hollywood Squares
03:08

Kraft Music Hall, The

View Show Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on leaving The Ed Sullivan Show for Kraft Music Hall
04:29
Topics

TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

View Topic
Mary Lynn Gottfried on working as a receptionist for The Ed Sullivan Show
17:32
Mary Lynn Gottfried on The Ed Sullivan Show
26:30
Genres

Game Shows

View Genre
Mary Lynn Gottfried on writing questions for game shows, including Card Sharks
01:31
Mary Lynn Gottfried on booking talent for Hollywood Squares
03:08

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

View Genre
Mary Lynn Gottfried on working as a receptionist for The Ed Sullivan Show
17:32
Mary Lynn Gottfried on The Ed Sullivan Show
26:30
People

Alan King

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on working for Alan King
00:24

Bill Bohnert

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on set designer Bill Bohnert and how he worked with the costume designer
02:40

Bill Royce

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on forming a freelance company booking talent with Bill Royce 
01:08

Bob Fosse

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on Bob Fosse
00:13

Dwight Hemion

View Interview Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on working with director Dwight Hemion at Kraft Music Hall
01:30

Ed Sullivan

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on Ed Sullivan
01:43
Mary Lynn Gottfried on how director Tim Kiley worked with Ed Sullivan 
00:51
Mary Lynn Gottfried on Ed Sullivan interacting with guests
01:43
Mary Lynn Gottfried on Ed Sullivan interacting with guests
01:03

Gary Smith

View Interview Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on working with director/producer at Kraft Music Hall
00:27

John Moffitt

View Interview Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on the directors of The Ed Sullivan Show
00:32

Johnny Mathis

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on her favorite guest, Johnny Mathis
00:11

Ralph Paul

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on annoucer Ralph Paul
00:29

Robert Precht

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on The Ed Sullivan Show producer, and Ed Sullivan's son-in-law Robert Precht
02:54

Tim Kiley

View Person Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on the directors of The Ed Sullivan Show
02:33

Whoopi Goldberg

View Interview Page
Mary Lynn Gottfried on booking talent for Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg at Center Square
03:08

All Interviews

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWYZ
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z