Meta Rosenberg

Agent/ Producer
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In her four-hour Archive interview, Meta Rosenberg (1915-2004) speaks of her early success as one of the first women literary executives in Hollywood. She recalls taking a break from Hollywood when her first child was born in 1950, and then her subsequent return to being an agent in 1960, and developing such series as Hogan's Heroes, Ironside, and Julia. She discusses her transition to producer and executive producer, and her long term business partnership with James Garner. Rosenberg outlines her involvement with The Rockford Files as executive producer, and occasional writer and director. She speaks of co-writing and producing the Emmy-winning made-for-television movie Off the Minnesota Strip with David Chase. She recounts her stint as an executive consultant at Universal Television, and offers advice to aspiring television producers. She concludes by discussing her marriage to agent George "Rosy" Rosenberg. Sunny Parich conducted the interview on February 12, 1998 in Beverly Hills, CA.

"The important thing for an executive producer is to create an atmosphere where talented people are comfortable enough do their best work. And to make them feel respected and loved. Everybody must feel that it's a wonderful family to be part of, and the executive producer sets the tone of that. It's true of every show."

Interviewee(s)
Meta Rosenberg
Highlights
Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Ironside starring Raymond Burr
Meta Rosenberg on producing Off the Minnesota Strip co-written with David Chase
Meta Rosenberg on going to work for Paramount during the golden age of Hollywood
Meta Rosenberg on developing and executive producing The Rockford Files and her relationship with James Garner
Meta Rosenberg on advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on her very first job in the story department of Fox; on her duties in the story department at Fox
On becoming the assistant to Irene Lee in the story department at Warner Bros. and the lack of discrimination she felt as a woman; on her duties as assistant to Irene Lee; on working in New York in the '30s
On going to work for Paramount during the golden age of Hollywood

Chapter 2
On working with Billy Wilder; on working with Charles Bracket; on her favorite aspects of working as a story editor for the movies and how she was treated
On trying to become a producer at Paramount and becoming an agent; on her duties as an agent and her experiences; on representing Dalton Trumbo and various other writers; on her marriage and being a mother

Chapter 3
On the agent/studio/client relationship in the 1940s; on her early experience with television; on returning to the business in 1959 and forming Bing Crosby Productions
On packaging Ben Casey for Bing Crosby Productions; on the process of an agent pitching a show to a network; on dealing with Standards and Practices on Ben Casey
On working in television as opposed to working in film; on selling the series Breaking Point and becoming Robert Redford's agent; on selling the series Slattery's People; on selling the Hogan's Heroes pilot to CBS

Chapter 4
On casting Hogan's Heroes with Ethel Winant; on the writing of Hogan's Heroes and her on-going involvement with the series; on developing the series Daniel Boone and working with star Fess Parker and the feature "The Americanization of Emily" for James Garner
On representing James Garner in the '60s; on developing the series Ironside and Julia
On going to work as an agent for International Famous Artists and developing the feature "The Skin Game" for James Garner; on developing the series Nichols for James Garner

Chapter 5
On executive producing Nichols for James Garner and working with writer Frank Pierson and Juanita Bartlett; on developing and executive producing The Rockford Files and her relationship with James Garner; on casting The Rockford Files
On what The Rockford Files was about; on public and critical reaction to The Rockford Files and hiring David Chase; on hiring Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins for The Rockford Files
On her duties as executive producer on The Rockford Files and the production process; on season 2 of The Rockford Files going up against Hawaii Five-O

Chapter 6
On hiring directors for the The Rockford Files; on the supporting cast of The Rockford Files; on the producers of The Rockford Files
On the guest stars of The Rockford Files; on winning an Emmy for The Rockford Files; on the success and end of The Rockford Files
On producing Off the Minnesota Strip co-written with David Chase; on producing Bret Maverick

Chapter 7
On being an executive consultant at Universal Television and how things in the industry had changed by 1980; on what she enjoyed most about working in television and her career highlights; on television she enjoyed in the then-present
On advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman; on knowing Liam O'Flaherty; on marrying Irving Reis
On various people with whom she worked in her career; on her husband George Rosenberg

Chapter 8
On her marriage to George Rosenberg
On b-roll picture from her career- with James Garner on the set of The Rockford Files
Shows

Ben Casey

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Meta Rosenberg on packaging Ben Casey for Bing Crosby Productions
Meta Rosenberg on dealing with Standards and Practices on Ben Casey

Breaking Point

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Meta Rosenberg on selling the series Breaking Point and becoming Robert Redford's agent

Bret Maverick

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Meta Rosenberg on producing Bret Maverick

Daniel Boone

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Daniel Boone and working with star Fess Parker

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Meta Rosenberg on winning an Emmy for The Rockford Files

Hawaii Five-O

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Meta Rosenberg on season 2 of The Rockford Files going up against Hawaii Five-O

Hogan's Heroes

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Meta Rosenberg on selling the Hogan's Heroes pilot to CBS
Meta Rosenberg on casting Hogan's Heroes with Ethel Winant
Meta Rosenberg on the writing of Hogan's Heroes and her on-going involvement with the series

Ironside

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Ironside starring Raymond Burr

Julia

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Julia starring Diahann Carroll

Nichols

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Nichols for James Garner
Meta Rosenberg on producing Nichols for James Garner and working with writer Frank Pierson and Juanita Bartlett

Off the Minnesota Strip

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Meta Rosenberg on producing Off the Minnesota Strip co-written with David Chase

Rockford Files, The

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Meta Rosenberg on developing and executive producing The Rockford Files and her relationship with James Garner
Meta Rosenberg on casting The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on what The Rockford Files was about
Meta Rosenberg on public and critical reaction to The Rockford Files and hiring David Chase
Meta Rosenberg on hiring Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins for The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on her duties as executive producer on The Rockford Files and the production process
Meta Rosenberg on season 2 of The Rockford Files going up against Hawaii Five-O
Meta Rosenberg on hiring directors for The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on the supporting cast of The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on the producers of The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on the guest stars of The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on winning an Emmy for The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on the success of The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on the end of The Rockford Files

Slattery's People

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Meta Rosenberg on selling the series Slattery's People
Topics

Advice

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Meta Rosenberg on advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman

Diversity in Television

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Julia starring Diahann Carroll
Meta Rosenberg on advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman

Emmy Awards

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Meta Rosenberg on winning an Emmy for The Rockford Files

Historic Events and Social Change

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Julia starring Diahann Carroll
Meta Rosenberg on advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman

Minorities

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Julia starring Diahann Carroll

Television Industry

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Meta Rosenberg on being an executive consultant at Universal Television and how things in the industry had changed by 1980
Meta Rosenberg on advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman

Women

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Meta Rosenberg on advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman
Professions

Producers

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Meta Rosenberg on advice to an aspiring television producer and succeeding in the industry as a woman
Genres

Comedy Series

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Meta Rosenberg on selling the Hogan's Heroes pilot to CBS
Meta Rosenberg on producing Hogan 's Heroes
Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Julia starring Diahann Carroll

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Ironside
Meta Rosenberg on developing and executive producing The Rockford Files
Meta Rosenberg on executive producing The Rockford Files

Drama Series

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Meta Rosenberg on selling the series Slattery's People

Medical Dramas

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Meta Rosenberg on packaging Ben Casey
Meta Rosenberg on packaging Breaking Point

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Meta Rosenberg on producing Off the Minnesota Strip co-written with David Chase

Western Series

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Meta Rosenberg on developing Daniel Boone
Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Nichols for James Garner
Meta Rosenberg on producing Nichols for James Garner
People

Alan Arkin

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Meta Rosenberg on her friendship with Alan Arkin

Raymond Burr

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Ironside starring Raymond Burr

Stephen J. Cannell

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Meta Rosenberg on hiring Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins for The Rockford Files

Diahann Carroll

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Julia starring Diahann Carroll

David Chase

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Meta Rosenberg on public and critical reaction to The Rockford Files  and hiring David Chase
Meta Rosenberg on producing Off the Minnesota Strip  co-written with David Chase

William Faulkner

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Meta Rosenberg on knowing William Faulkner

James Garner

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Meta Rosenberg on representing James Garner in the '60s
Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Nichols for James Garner
Meta Rosenberg on developing and executive producing The Rockford Files  and her relationship with James Garner

Roy Huggins

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Meta Rosenberg on hiring Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins for The Rockford Files

Edward R. Murrow

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Meta Rosenberg on her friendship with Edward R. Murrow

Fess Parker

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Meta Rosenberg on developing the series Daniel Boone and working with star Fess Parker

Robert Redford

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Meta Rosenberg on selling the series Breaking Point and becoming Robert Redford's agent

Dalton Trumbo

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Meta Rosenberg on representing Dalton Trumbo and various other writers

Billy Wilder

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Meta Rosenberg on working with Billy Wilder

Ethel Winant

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Meta Rosenberg on casting Hogan's Heroes with Ethel Winant

All Interviews

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