About
"My old boss used to say, 'You know, there's no limit to what a man can do if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.' And I, of course, augmented that to, 'There's no limit to what a man or woman can do if he or she doesn't mind who gets the credit.'"
In her two-hour interview, Nina Tassler discusses her college years studying acting at Boston University and pursuing her acting career after graduation. She talks about moving to Los Angeles (precipitated by her husband, actor Jerry Levine, being cast as "Stiles" in the movie Teen Wolf) and her first industry job as a receptionist at a talent agency. She details her swift rise to agent and her move into development at Lorimar Television. Tassler then discusses her work in developing ER with John Wells, and eventually moving on to CBS. For her years at CBS, she details her duties as both president and chairman, as well as her role in developing shows including How I Met Your Mother, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and The Big Bang Theory. Along the way, Tassler emphasizes her interest in creating dynamic roles for women and diverse voices at CBS, and discusses the then-recent shakeup in the CBS late-night lineup that involved the hiring of both Stephen Colbert and James Corden. She concludes by giving advice to aspiring television executives, and discussing her future plans following her then-upcoming departure from CBS. Amy Harrington conducted the interview on September 24, 2015 in Studio City, CA.
Highlights
Nina Tassler on the importance of developing shows that provide leading roles for women as well as a work-life balance for lead actresses
Nina Tassler on the development and casting of How I Met Your Mother
Nina Tassler on buying CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as an executive at CBS
Nina Tassler on giving Chuck Lorre a chance to shoot a second pilot of The Big Bang Theory when the first one didn't work
Nina Tassler on advice to aspiring television executives
Nina Tassler on hiring Stephen Colbert to host The Late Show
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her childhood and early influences; on applying to Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY; on studying acting at Boston University and eventually moving to Los Angeles (Ed. note: Ms. Tassler would like to correct that Skidmore is in Saratoga, not Syracuse)
On quickly moving up from receptionist to agent at The Irv Schecter Company; on working at Triad Artists and her move into development at Lorimar Television
On her duties as Director, Movies and Miniseries at Lorimar Television; on her move into serialized television as Vice President, Drama Development at Warner Bros. Television (which had merged with Lorimar)
On the development and casting of ER; on becoming the Head of Drama for CBS Productions
Chapter 2
On CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and its spinoffs; on developing shows that provide leading roles for women
On her promotion to President of CBS Entertainment; on How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory; on her promotion to Chairman of CBS Entertainment
On diversity in television; on changes to CBS's late-night lineup
On her proudest career achievement; on advice to aspiring television executives; on her then-upcoming plan to move on from CBS Entertainment
Shows
Big Bang Theory, The
Nina Tassler on giving Chuck Lorre a chance to shoot a second pilot of The Big Bang Theory when the first one didn't work
Chicago Hope
Nina Tassler on ER and Chicago Hope going up against each other when both shows debuted
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Nina Tassler on buying CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as an executive at CBS
Nina Tassler on the then-upcoming end of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Cyber
Nina Tassler on the development of CSI: Cyber
ER
Nina Tassler on the development and casting of ER
Nina Tassler on ER and Chicago Hope going up against each other when both shows debuted
How I Met Your Mother
Nina Tassler on the development and casting of How I Met Your Mother
Late Late Show, The
Nina Tassler on hiring James Corden to host The Late Late Show
Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The
Nina Tassler on hiring Stephen Colbert to host The Late Show
Topics
Advice
Nina Tassler on advice to aspiring television executives
First Big Break
Nina Tassler on how agent David Windsor helped her to see her potential to become an agent
Historic Events and Social Change
Nina Tassler on the importance of developing shows that provide leading roles for women as well as a work-life balance for lead actresses
Nina Tassler on diversity in television
Interactive Technology
Nina Tassler on the importance of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden creating digital content and viral clips
Media Consolidation
Nina Tassler on the merger of Lorimar Television and Warner Bros. Television and her concurrent move from Director, Movies and Miniseries to Vice President, Drama Development at the newly merged company
New Media
Nina Tassler on the importance of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden creating digital content and viral clips
Pivotal Career Moments
Nina Tassler on how agent David Windsor helped her to see her potential to become an agent
Nina Tassler on her proudest career achievement
Representation on Television
Nina Tassler on the importance of developing shows that provide leading roles for women as well as a work-life balance for lead actresses
Nina Tassler on diversity in television
Television Industry
Nina Tassler on television packaging (Ed. Note: Ms. Tassler would like to correct that agencies receive a percentage of the budget, not the license fee)
Nina Tassler on the merger of Lorimar Television and Warner Bros. Television and her concurrent move from Director, Movies and Miniseries to Vice President, Drama Development at the newly merged company
Nina Tassler on the "selling season" for network television and how she pitched shows with writers when she was Vice President, Drama Development at Warner Bros. Television
Nina Tassler on what she looks for when hearing a pitch for a television show
Nina Tassler on the importance of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden creating digital content and viral clips
Nina Tassler on advice to aspiring television executives
Women
Nina Tassler on the importance of developing shows that provide leading roles for women as well as a work-life balance for lead actresses
Professions
Executives
Nina Tassler on her responsibilities as Vice President, Drama Development at Warner Bros. Television
Nina Tassler on her responsibilities and duties as President of CBS Entertainment and Chairman of CBS Entertainment
Nina Tassler on what she looks for when hearing a pitch for a television show
Nina Tassler on advice to aspiring television executives
Television Executive
Nina Tassler on her responsibilities as Vice President, Drama Development at Warner Bros. Television
Nina Tassler on her responsibilities and duties as President of CBS Entertainment and Chairman of CBS Entertainment
Nina Tassler on what she looks for when hearing a pitch for a television show
Nina Tassler on advice to aspiring television executives
Genres
Comedy Series
Nina Tassler on the development and casting of How I Met Your Mother
Nina Tassler on giving Chuck Lorre a chance to shoot a second pilot of The Big Bang Theory when the first one didn't work
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Nina Tassler on buying CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as an executive at CBS
Nina Tassler on the then-upcoming end of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Nina Tassler on the development of CSI: Cyber
Late Night
Nina Tassler on changes in CBS's late-night lineup
Medical Dramas
Nina Tassler on the development and casting of ER
Nina Tassler on ER and Chicago Hope going up against each other when both shows debuted
People
Patricia Arquette
Nina Tassler on the development of CSI: Cyber and casting Patricia Arquette on the show
George Clooney
Nina Tassler on George Clooney being cast on ER
Stephen Colbert
Nina Tassler on hiring Stephen Colbert to host The Late Show
Geena Davis
Nina Tassler on how her college roommate, Geena Davis, helped her to get a job as a receptionist at a talent agency when she first moved to Los Angeles
Chuck Lorre
Nina Tassler on giving Chuck Lorre a chance to shoot a second pilot of The Big Bang Theory when the first one didn't work
Julianna Margulies
Nina Tassler on the fact that Julianna Margulies' character "Carol Hathaway" was supposed to have died at end of the pilot episode of ER
Leslie Moonves
Nina Tassler on her successful interview with Leslie Moonves for a job at Lorimar Television
Nina Tassler on her first impression of Leslie Moonves
Nina Tassler on her move to CBS after Leslie Moonves became President of the company
Nina Tassler on what she has learned from Leslie Moonves
John Wells
Nina Tassler on the development and casting of ER, and working with John Wells