"I felt that if I had any clout, I should use it for good, for what I consider to be good. That's what I operated under. There are certain things that we all understand. It's like my Grandpa Clooney said, 'you always challenge those who have more power than you, and you always help those who have less.' That's a tenet of life, and I think it's an important one."

    About This Interview

    In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Nick Clooney talks about his youth in Kentucky and growing up with his soon-to-be famous sisters, Betty and Rosemary Clooney. He describes his work in radio, his service in the Armed Forces Radio Network in the 1950s, and his eventual move to local television at WLWC-TV in Cincinnati during the tumultuous times of the 1960s. He speaks about his local shows, including The Nick Clooney Show, and talks of hosting the national game show Moneymaze. He also discusses returning to Cincinnati to become the news anchor at WKRC-TV. Clooney concludes the interview by speaking about his work as the host of the AMC cable movie network, mentioning his column for The Cincinnati Post, and commenting on his then-current duties for the TRIO network. B-roll consists of photos from both his local and national television work. Henry Colman conducted the interview on June 18, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Nick Clooney

    Nick Clooney on his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille

    04:34
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    Nick Clooney on his then seven-year-old son George Clooney's response to Robert F. Kennedy's assassination

    02:22
    Thumbnail of Nick Clooney

    Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)

    02:18
    Thumbnail of Nick Clooney

    Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

    03:31
    Thumbnail of Nick Clooney

    Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show

    01:13
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his early years and influences; on singing with his sisters; on wanting to be on the radio

    06:06

    On how his family was affected by World War II; on watching his sister Rosemary perform on live network television; on working for Columbia Records

    07:45

    On a poignant conversation with President of ABC News, James Hagerty; on how TV affected the movie business

    04:37

    On his first job in broadcasting at WFTM radio; on working for NBC affiliate WDEL in Wilmington, Delaware

    09:44

    Chapter 2

    On his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille; on serving in the Armed Forces Radio Network during the Korean War; on getting bit parts in movies

    15:59

    On returning to radio at WLAP in Lexington, Kentucky after his military service; on working at WKYT television in Lexington and television's effect on radio in the 1950s

    05:27

    On his duties as host, anchorman, program director, and promotions director at WKYT; on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show; on working for WLW radio in Cincinnati, Ohio

    07:18

    Chapter 3

    On his work at WLW radio and WLWT television in Cincinnati; on hosting his own talk show (The Nick Clooney Show) and getting a show on WKRC

    10:38

    On his daytime talk show competition; on contract disputes; on appearing on The Mike Douglas Show

    09:18

    On production and audiences of his local television shows; on hosting the game show The Moneymaze

    08:34

    Chapter 4

    On memorable moments on The MoneyMaze; on anchoring television news for WKRT Cincinnati; on becoming news co-anchor for KNBC Los Angeles and standing his ground in ethical disputes with management

    16:54

    On how news reporting has changed over the years; on hosting On Trial and anchoring news in Salt Lake City and Buffalo

    11:08

    Chapter 5

    On getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC); on interviewing film stars for AMC and his typical work schedule; on being a columnist for The Cincinnati Post

    06:34

    On leaving AMC in 1999; on his morning radio show at WSAI Cincinnati and his work for Good Life Television; on writing a book about movies

    04:46

    On how the internet and cable have affected the newspaper business; on celebrating fifty years in show business; on recent projects

    48:40

    On his proudest career achievement; on how television has changed over the years and how he'd like to be remembered

    05:25

    B-roll photos from his career: with his sisters, on the set of The Nick Clooney Show, hosting a teen dance show, and reporting the news

    08:46

    ABC News Nightline

    Nick Clooney on Ted Koppel asking him to fill in as anchor of ABC News Nightline

    01:46

    Donahue

    Nick Clooney on his daytime talk show competition while he hosted The Nick Clooney Show

    01:46

    Fail Safe

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Walter Cronkite at the presentation of Fail Safe, produced by George Clooney

    01:09

    Mike Douglas Show, The

    Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show and how it helped his local show

    01:13

    Moneymaze, The

    Nick Clooney on hosting the game show The Moneymaze

    04:22

    Nick Clooney on memorable moments on The MoneyMaze

    01:41

    WKRP in Cincinnati

    Nick Clooney on enjoying WKRP in Cincinnati while he was at WKRC Cincinnati

    01:05

    Creative Influences and Inspiration

    Nick Clooney on his early mentors

    00:47

    Gerald Ford

    Nick Clooney on interviewing Gerald Ford in the White House

    00:52

    Korean War

    Nick Clooney on serving in the Armed Forces Radio Network during the Korean War

    06:47

    Memorable Moments on Television

    Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show

    01:13

    Pop Culture

    Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

    04:10

    Representation on Television

    Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

    04:10

    Rock 'n' Roll on TV (1950s & '60s)

    Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

    04:10

    Television and the Presidency

    Nick Clooney on interviewing Gerald Ford in the White House

    00:52

    Television Industry

    Nick Clooney on how TV affected the movie business

    01:44

    Nick Clooney on how television has changed since he first started in the business

    00:27

    Nick Clooney on television's effect on radio in the 1950s

    03:21

    Underrepresented Voices

    Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

    04:10

    War

    Nick Clooney on how his family was affected by World War II

    01:47

    Nick Clooney on serving in the Armed Forces Radio Network during the Korean War

    06:47

    World War II

    Nick Clooney on how his family was affected by World War II

    01:47

    Anchor

    Nick Clooney on how news reporting has changed over the years

    02:20

    Nick Clooney on his style of news reporting

    01:18

    Announcer

    Nick Clooney on problems he encountered in broadcasting because of his young looks and mature voice

    00:50

    Hosts

    Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)

    02:20

    Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)

    02:20

    Nick Clooney on problems he encountered in broadcasting because of his young looks and mature voice

    00:50

    Interviewer

    Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)

    02:20

    Journalists & News Producers

    Nick Clooney on how news reporting has changed over the years

    02:20

    Nick Clooney on his style of news reporting

    01:18

    Nick Clooney on action reporting in the news and the then-current style of news

    02:03

    Game Shows

    Nick Clooney on hosting the game show The Moneymaze

    04:22

    Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

    Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

    04:10

    News and Documentary

    Nick Clooney on anchoring local television news for WKRT Cincinnati

    03:32

    Nick Clooney on memorable stories he covered while anchoring local television news for WKRT Cincinnati

    03:15

    Nick Clooney on becoming news co-anchor for KNBC Los Angeles

    07:32

    Nick Clooney on how news reporting has changed over the years

    02:20

    Nick Clooney on action reporting in the news and the then-current style of news

    02:03

    Talk Shows

    Nick Clooney on production and audiences of his local television talk shows

    04:12

    Amanda Blake

    Nick Clooney on his screen test with Amanda Blake for Cecil B. DeMille

    01:35

    Dick Clark

    Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and filling in for Dick Clark on American Bandstand

    00:41

    Rosemary Clooney

    Nick Clooney on singing with his sisters, Rosemary and Betty Clooney, when they were children

    00:34

    Nick Clooney on his sisters, Rosemary and Betty Clooney, singing on WLW and witnessing early live television

    01:55

    Nick Clooney on watching his sister Rosemary perform on live network television

    02:16

    Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary being there in person when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated

    02:22

    Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show

    01:13

    Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary appearing on his AMC show

    00:57

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him and his sisters Rosemary and Betty Clooney

    00:43

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him and his sisters Rosemary and Betty Clooney on the first day of his variety show

    00:28

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him with his son George and sister Rosemary

    00:35

    Nick Clooney on his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille and rehearsing with his sister Rosemary

    04:34

    Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary visiting him when he served in the Armed Forces Radio Network

    00:28

    George Clooney

    Nick Clooney on his then seven-year-old son George Clooney's response to Robert F. Kennedy's assassination

    02:22

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Walter Cronkite at the presentation of Fail Safe, produced by George Clooney

    01:09

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him with his son George and sister Rosemary

    00:35

    Walter Cronkite

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Walter Cronkite at the presentation of Fail Safe, produced by George Clooney

    01:09

    Cecil B. DeMille

    Nick Clooney on his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille

    04:34

    Phil Donahue

    Nick Clooney on starting to host a variety/talk show at the same time Phil Donahue began his talk show

    01:11

    Nick Clooney on his daytime talk show competition while he hosted The Nick Clooney Show

    01:46

    Dwight D. Eisenhower

    Nick Clooney on representing WDEL at a Dwight D. Eisenhower press conference

    00:35

    Gerald Ford

    Nick Clooney on interviewing Gerald Ford in the White House

    00:52

    Anne Francis

    Nick Clooney on following Anne Francis around when she was doing commercials

    00:32

    Robert F. Kennedy

    Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary being there in person when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated

    02:22

    Henry Kissinger

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Henry Kissinger while anchoring news

    00:33

    Ted Koppel

    Nick Clooney on Ted Koppel asking him to fill in as anchor of ABC News Nightline

    01:46

    Thomas Mitchell

    Nick Clooney on acting in a film with character actor Thomas Mitchell

    00:17

    Regis Philbin

    Nick Clooney on Regis Philbin's appearance on The Nick Clooney Show

    00:46

    William Shatner

    Nick Clooney on a picture of him with a young William Shatner

    00:33

    Jerry Springer

    Nick Clooney on Jerry Springer's talk show airing opposite his show

    02:18

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