About
"The main thing I was there for was to talk to the guests, make it interesting, and draw whatever you could out of them. Never top them, never belittle them, never say, 'You've been into something, you're not right today.' No put downs. It worked for me and it'll work for you."
In his three-hour interview, Mike Douglas (1925-2006) talks about his start in television as the host of the local Chicago series Hi Ladies and discusses his career as a singer and a voiceover artist (including providing the singing voice for "Prince Charming" in the Disney classic Cinderella). He recounts his numerous appearances on television, including work as a regular of Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge and speaks in great detail about his long-running stint as the host of The Mike Douglas Show. He describes moving the show from Ohio to Pennsylvania and finally to California and how each locale affected the program. Douglas details his "casting" by producer Woody Fraser, the rigorous production schedule, and notable guests including Aretha Franklin, Judy Garland, John Lennon, and a 2-year-old golf prodigy named Tiger Woods. Karen Herman conducted the interview on March 31, 2005 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights
Mike Douglas on his earliest television appearances, including KTLA's inaugural broadcast with Bob Hope
Mike Doulgas on a young Barbra Streisand performing and co-hosting on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on Judy Garland and Peter Lawford appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on how he got his talk show, The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years growing up in Chicago; Kay Kyser giving him his stage name; his childhood; and some of his early professional work
On how he got his talk show, The Mike Douglas Show; on working with producer Woody Fraser The Mike Douglas Show; on working with producer Roger Ailes on The Mike Douglas Show
Chapter 2
On how Roger Ailes helped Richard Nixon with his television image when he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show; on what Roger Ailes brought to The Mike Douglas Show as producer; on how the concept for The Mike Douglas Show came about, and how Bob Hope helped promote it
On the rapid growth of The Mike Douglas Show; on a young Barbra Streisand performing and co-hosting on The Mike Douglas Show; on the concept of having co-hosts each week on The Mike Douglas Show including Joe E. Brown and Jerry Lester
On Zsa Zsa Gabor swearing on The Mike Douglas Show which turned it from a live to taped program, and on censorship issues with the show; on an incident between Milton Berle and Richard Pryor on The Mike Douglas Show;
On how he worked with his co-hosts on The Mike Douglas Show; on Paul Anka cancelling at the last minute, and on having comedians like Michael Keaton and Billy Crystal co-host The Mike Douglas Show
Chapter 3
On learning of the assassination of President Kennedy while he was hosting a live broadcast of The Mike Douglas Show; on interviewing Robert F. Kennedy on The Mike Douglas Show; on producer Woody Fraser hiring staff for The Mike Douglas Show
On watching Barbara Walters interview; on some of his most challenging interviews on The Mike Douglas Show; on getting the proper mix of guests on The Mike Douglas Show
On moving The Mike Douglas Show from Cleveland to Philadelphia; on providing question in advance for guests on The Mike Douglas Show and on topics that are off limits; on the audience for The Mike Douglas Show and on his studio audiences
On The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; on the demanding taping schedule for The Mike Douglas Show; on interviewing Rose Kennedy on The Mike Douglas Show
Chapter 4
On researching guests for The Mike Douglas Show; on what makes a good interview; on Judy Garland and Peter Lawford appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
On interviewing Aretha Franklin and Tiger Woods on The Mike Douglas Show; on the musical segments and band of The Mike Douglas Show; on The Mike Douglas Show moving to Los Angeles
On interviewing Lucille Ball and John Wayne on The Mike Douglas Show; on having Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on The Mike Douglas Show
Chapter 5
On Jack Benny appearing on The Mike Douglas Show; on Mary Tyler Moore and Lucille Ball on the Mary Tyler Moore Comedy Hour; on Bill Cosby appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
On the week John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted The Mike Douglas Show; on having Tom and Dick Smothers on The Mike Douglas Show; on having David Letterman on The Mike Douglas Show
On The Tonight Show producer Fred De Cordova; on news anchor Walter Cronkite; on interviewing Martin Luther King, Jr. on The Mike Douglas Show
On having Malcom X on The Mike Douglas Show two days before his assassination; on meeting several United States Presidents including Lyndon B. Johnson; on never having Frank Sinatra on The Mike Douglas Show
Chapter 6
On The Mike Douglas Show sets and catchphrase; on his favorite moments from The Mike Douglas Show; on the end of The Mike Douglas Show
On how the industry has changed since he started; on the tapes of The Mike Douglas Show; on having Tiger Woods on The Mike Douglas Show when he was a child
On his earliest television appearances, including KTLA's inaugural broadcast with Bob Hope; on his turbulent friendship Frank Sinatra;
On voicing "Prince Charming" in the Disney feature film Cinderella" and on Walt Disney's legacy; on his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show
On his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968
Chapter 7
On appearing on The Carol Burnett Show with Tim Conway; on then-current projects; on his interaction with fans
On advice to aspiring talk show hosts; on his family; on how he'd like to be remembered
Shows
Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78)
Make Douglas on appearing on The Carol Burnett Show with Tim Conway
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Mike Douglas on his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show
Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge
Mike Douglas on how he got his name shortened by Kay Kyser on Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge
Mary Tyler Moore Comedy Hour
Mike Douglas on Mary Tyler Moore and Lucille Ball on the Mary Tyler Moore Comedy Hour
Mike Douglas Show, The
Mike Douglas on how he got his talk show, The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on Sammy Davis, Jr. appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on working with producer Woody Fraser The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on working with producer Roger Ailes on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Doulgas on what Roger Ailes brought to The Mike Douglas Show as producer
Mike Doulgas on how the concept for The Mike Douglas Show came about, and how Bob Hope helped promote it
Mike Doulgas on the rapid growth of The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Doulgas on a young Barbra Streisand performing and co-hosting on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Doulgas on the concept of having co-hosts each week on The Mike Douglas Show including Joe E. Brown and Jerry Lester
Mike Doulgas on Zsa Zsa Gabor swearing on The Mike Douglas Show which turned it from a live to taped program, and on censorship issues with the show
Mike Doulgas on an incident between Milton Berle and Richard Pryor on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Doulgas on how he worked with his co-hosts on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Doulgas on Paul Anka cancelling at the last minute, and on having comedians like Michael Keaton and Billy Crystal co-host The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on some of his most challenging interviews on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on getting the proper mix of guests on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on moving The Mike Douglas Show from Cleveland to Philadelphia
Mike Douglas on providing question in advance for guests on The Mike Douglas Show and on topics that are off limits
Mike Douglas on the audience for The Mike Douglas Show and on his studio audiences
Mike Douglas on the demanding taping schedule for The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on a typical tape day for The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on interviewing Rose Kennedy on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on interviewing Robert F. Kennedy on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on producer Woody Fraser hiring staff for The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on learning of the assassination of President Kennedy while he was hosting a live broadcast of The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on researching guests for The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on Judy Garland and Peter Lawford appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on interviewing Aretha Franklin and Tiger Woods on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on the musical segments and band of The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on The Mike Douglas Show moving to Los Angeles
Mike Douglas on interviewing Lucille Ball and John Wayne on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on comedian Jack Benny appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on Bill Cosby appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on the week John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having Tom and Dick Smothers on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having David Letterman on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on interviewing Martin Luther King, Jr. on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having Malcom X on The Mike Douglas Show two days before his assassination
Mike Douglas on his catchphrase "I'll be right back" and The Mike Douglas Show sets
Mike Douglas on his favorite moments from The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on the end of The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on the tapes of The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having Tiger Woods on The Mike Douglas Show when he was a child
Oprah Winfrey Show, The
Mike Douglas on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The
Mike Douglas on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Mike Douglas on The Tonight Show producer Fred De Cordova
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Mike Doulgas on the story Zsa Zsa Gabor told on The Mike Douglas Show that turned it from a live to taped program
Characters & Catchphrases
Mike Douglas on his catchphrase "I'll be right back" and The Mike Douglas Show sets
Civil Rights Movement
Mike Douglas on interviewing Martin Luther King, Jr. on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having Malcom X on The Mike Douglas Show two days before his assassination
Historic Events and Social Change
Mike Douglas on learning of the assassination of President Kennedy while he was hosting a live broadcast of The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on interviewing Martin Luther King, Jr. on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on having Malcom X on The Mike Douglas Show two days before his assassination
JFK Assassination and Funeral
Mike Douglas on learning of the assassination of President Kennedy while he was hosting a live broadcast of The Mike Douglas Show
Pop Culture
Mike Douglas on his catchphrase "I'll be right back" and The Mike Douglas Show sets
Richard M. Nixon
Mike Doulgas on how Roger Ailes helped Richard Nixon with his television image he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show
Television and the Presidency
Mike Doulgas on how Roger Ailes helped Richard Nixon with his television image he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show
Television Industry
Mike Doulgas on the story Zsa Zsa Gabor told on The Mike Douglas Show that turned it from a live to taped program
Mike Douglas on how the industry has changed since he started
Professions
Hosts
Mike Douglas on what makes a good interview
Mike Douglas on advice to aspiring talk show hosts
Talk Show Host
Mike Douglas on what makes a good interview
Mike Douglas on advice to aspiring talk show hosts
Genres
Talk Shows
Mike Douglas on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Doulgas on the concept of, co-hosts, and guests on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on memorable guests, the audience, and a typical day on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on hosting The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on memorable guests on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on his catchphrase "I'll be right back" and The Mike Douglas Show sets
People
Roger Ailes
Mike Douglas on working with producers Woody Fraser and Roger Ailes on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on working with producer Roger Ailes on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Doulgas on how Roger Ailes helped Richard Nixon with his television image when he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show
Paul Anka
Mike Doulgas on Paul Anka cancelling at the last minute, and on having comedians like Michael Keaton and Billy Crystal co-host The Mike Douglas Show
Fred Astaire
Mike Douglas on having Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on The Mike Douglas Show
Lucille Ball
Mike Douglas on interviewing Lucille Ball and John Wayne on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on Mary Tyler Moore and Lucille Ball on the Mary Tyler Moore Comedy Hour
Jack Benny
Mike Douglas on comedian Jack Benny appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Milton Berle
Mike Doulgas on an incident between Milton Berle and Richard Pryor on The Mike Douglas Show
Chuck Berry
Mike Douglas on John Lennon and Yoko Ono and Chuck Berry
Joe E. Brown
Mike Doulgas on the concept of having co-hosts each week on The Mike Douglas Show including Joe E. Brown and Jerry Lester
Carol Burnett
Make Douglas appearing on The Carol Burnett Show with Tim Conway
Art Carney
Mike Doulgas on how he worked with his co-hosts on The Mike Douglas Show and on working with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney
Tim Conway
Make Douglas appearing on The Carol Burnett Show with Tim Conway
Bill Cosby
Mike Douglas on Bill Cosby appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Walter Cronkite
Mike Douglas on news anchor Walter Cronkite
Billy Crystal
Mike Doulgas on Paul Anka cancelling at the last minute, and on having comedians like Michael Keaton and Billy Crystal co-host The Mike Douglas Show
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Mike Douglas on Sammy Davis, Jr. appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on final say for booking guests
Fred de Cordova
Mike Douglas on The Tonight Show producer Fred De Cordova
Walt Disney
Mike Douglas on voicing "Prince Charming" in the Disney feature film Cinderella; on Walt Disney's legacy
Mike Douglas on voicing "Prince Charming" in the Disney feature film Cinderella; on Walt Disney's legacy
Phil Donahue
Mike Douglas on appearing on Phil Donahue's local Dayton, OH talk show
Ella Fitzgerald
Mike Douglas on "the mix"
Aretha Franklin
Mike Douglas on interviewing Aretha Franklin and Tiger Woods on The Mike Douglas Show
Woody Fraser
Mike Douglas on working with producer Woody Fraser The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on producer Woody Fraser hiring staff for The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on final say for booking guests
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Mike Doulgas on Zsa Zsa Gabor swearing on The Mike Douglas Show which turned it from a live to taped program, and on censorship issues with the show
Judy Garland
Mike Douglas on Judy Garland and Peter Lawford appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on his favorite moments from The Mike Douglas Show: Judy Garland
Jackie Gleason
Mike Doulgas on how he worked with his co-hosts on The Mike Douglas Show and on working with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney
Bob Hope
Mike Doulgas on how the concept for The Mike Douglas Show came about, and how Bob Hope helped promote it
Mike Douglas on his earliest television appearances, including KTLA's inaugural broadcast with Bob Hope
Lyndon B. Johnson
Mike Douglas on meeting several United States Presidents including Lyndon B. Johnson
Michael Keaton
Mike Doulgas on Paul Anka cancelling at the last minute, and on having comedians like Michael Keaton and Billy Crystal co-host The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on discovering young comics Billy Crystal and Michael Keaton
Gene Kelly
Mike Douglas on having Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on The Mike Douglas Show
Robert F. Kennedy
Mike Douglas on interviewing Robert F. Kennedy on The Mike Douglas Show
Rose Kennedy
Mike Douglas on interviewing Rose Kennedy on The Mike Douglas Show
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mike Douglas on interviewing Martin Luther King, Jr. on The Mike Douglas Show
Kay Kyser
Mike Douglas on how he got his name shortened by Kay Kyser on Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge
John Lennon
Mike Douglas on the week John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted The Mike Douglas Show
Jerry Lester
Mike Doulgas on the concept of having co-hosts each week on The Mike Douglas Show including Joe E. Brown and Jerry Lester
David Letterman
Mike Douglas on having David Letterman on The Mike Douglas Show
Liza Minnelli
Mike Douglas on his favorite moments from The Mike Douglas Show: Liza Minnelli
Mary Tyler Moore
Mike Douglas on Mary Tyler Moore and Lucille Ball on the Mary Tyler Moore Comedy Hour
Richard M. Nixon
Mike Doulgas on how Roger Ailes helped Richard Nixon with his television image he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show
Yoko Ono
Mike Douglas on the week John Lennon and Yoko Ono co-hosted The Mike Douglas Show
Richard Pryor
Mike Doulgas on an incident between Milton Berle and Richard Pryor on The Mike Douglas Show
Frank Sinatra
Mike Douglas on never having Frank Sinatra on The Mike Douglas Show
Mike Douglas on his turbulent friendship Frank Sinatra
Dick Smothers
Mike Douglas on having Tom and Dick Smothers on The Mike Douglas Show
Tom Smothers
Mike Douglas on having Tom and Dick Smothers on The Mike Douglas Show
Barbra Streisand
Mike Doulgas on a young Barbra Streisand performing and co-hosting on The Mike Douglas Show
Ed Sullivan
Mike Douglas on his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show
Barbara Walters
Mike Douglas on watching Barbara Walters interview
Oprah Winfrey
Mike Douglas on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Tiger Woods
Mike Douglas on Tiger Woods' appearance on The Mike Douglas Show
Malcolm X
Mike Douglas on having Malcom X on The Mike Douglas Show two days before his assassination