About
"I draw on everything I ever knew about -- painting, music, any kind of art. I use it all the time. I think that's what a director needs, a good liberal arts education."
In his three-and-a-half-hour interview, Paul Bogart (1919-2012) recalls his early days working at NBC in New York as a floor manager on programs including Broadway Open House and Your Show of Shows. He explains how he soon became a director, working on 1950s programs including The Alcoa Hour and The U.S. Steel Hour, and he talks about the phenomenon of working in live television. Next, he discusses various programs he directed in the 1960s and '70s, such as The Defenders, Get Smart, and CBS Playhouse. Bogart goes on to talk about his work on the groundbreaking 1970s sitcom All in the Family, including working with the cast and on specific episodes. Finally, he talks about some of his later work, including a stint with The Golden Girls, plus made-for-television movies such as Natica Jackson and The Heidi Chronicles. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on May 19, 2001 in Chapel Hill, NC.
Highlights
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "Edith's 50th Birthday" (airdate: October 16, 1977), where Edith is almost raped by an intruder
Paul Bogart on his directing style
Paul Bogart on working in front of a live audience on All in the Family
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist
Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on the confusion over his birthday; on growing up during the Great Depression; on childhood hobbies and loving Preston Sturges movies; on liking radio comedies; on his high school years
On working for a printer after high school; on getting into puppetry; on the talents of a puppeteer; on the first time he saw television; on getting hired as an NBC stage manager; on being an Assistant Director on One Man's Family
Chapter 2
On on being a stage manager on Broadway Open House, The Aldrich Family, Voice of Firestone, and Your Show of Shows; on being an AD on One Man's Family; on working with NBC Opera director Kirk Browning; on getting married and directing One Man's Family; on directing The Marriage and "The Conversation" on Alcoa Playhouse Theatre with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym
On working in live television; on shows he directed in the 1950s; on directing Armstrong Circle Theatre, U.S. Steel Hour, Justice, and Kraft Television Theatre; on directing Pinocchio in 1957, starring Mickey Rooney; on directing Shirley Temple and Boris Karloff in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Chapter 3
On working with celebrities; on working with writers; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On working at CBS and ABC; on the introduction of videotape; on working with Fred Coe on a remake of Spellbound; on fighting Standards and Practices on a Reginald Rose production; on directing The Defenders; on working with Herbert Brodkin on The Defenders; on his favorite episodes of The Defenders
Chapter 4
On The Defenders' "700 Year Old Gang" episode; on working with Jack Gilford, E.G. Marshall, and Robert Reed; on fighting Standards and Practices on The Defender; on working with Bob Markell; on directing The Nurses, Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre, and NET Playhouse
On his directing style; on his preparations for directing; on the editing process; on the effect of color TV on his work; on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
Chapter 5
On directing Ages of Man; on directing the Reginald Rose play "Dear Friends" and several other productions on CBS Playhouse; on his on set demeanor; on directing films in the 1970s; on
On returning to television directing; on movies he turned down; on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"; on directing the TV movie Tell Me Where It Hurts; on two times he quit a production; on directing "A Memory of Two Mondays" for PBS
Chapter 6
On working with PBS; on directing The Adams Chronicles; on directing All in the Family; on directing the All in the Family episode "Edith's 50th Birthday" (airdate: October 16, 1977), where Edith is almost raped by an intruder
On some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family; on nerves when joining a new show; on some of the writers on All in the Family and working in front of a live audience
Chapter 7
On on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976); on specific episodes of All in the Family; on Archie Bunker's Place; on directing Alice and on his children being in the business
On directing Golden Girls; on plays he directed; on working in cable; on his advice to aspiring directors
Shows
Ages of Man
Paul Bogart on directing Ages of Man
Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre
Paul Bogart on directing "The Confidence Man" on Alcoa-Goodyear-Theatre with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym
Aldrich Family, The
Paul Bogart on being a stage manager on The Aldrich Family
Alice
Paul Bogart on directing the pilot of Alice
All in the Family
Paul Bogart on why he took on the job of directing All in the Family even though he despised the repetitive nature of the work
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "Edith's 50th Birthday" (airdate: October 16, 1977), where Edith is almost raped by an intruder
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family and working in front of a live audience
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
Paul Bogart on specific episodes of All in the Family and the show's legacy
Archie Bunker's Place
Paul Bogart on directing Archie Bunker's Place
Armstrong Circle Theatre
Paul Bogart on directing Armstrong Circle Theatre and U.S. Steel Hour
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist and learning of behind-the-scenes goings-on at Armstrong Circle Theatre
Bob Hope Presents Chrysler Theatre
Paul Bogart on directing Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre
Broadway Open House
Paul Bogart on being a stage manager on Broadway Open House
CBS Playhouse
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist and CBS Playhouse
Paul Bogart on directing the Reginald Rose play "Dear Friends" and several other productions on CBS Playhouse
Defenders, The
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders; on his favorite episodes
Paul Bogart on The Defenders' "700 Year Old Gang" and winning an Emmy for it
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
Get Smart
Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
Golden Girls, The
Paul Bogart on his negative experience as director and supervising producer for the first few episodes of The Golden Girls
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
Justice
Paul Bogart on directing Justice, produced by David Susskind and Gordon Duff
Kraft Television Theatre
Paul Bogart on directing Kraft Television Theatre
Marriage, The
Paul Bogart on directing The Marriage with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym and working with the two of them
NBC Opera Theatre
Paul Bogart briefly on working with NBC Opera director Kirk Browning
NET Playhouse
Paul Bogart on directing NET Playhouse
Nurses, The
Paul Bogart on directing The Nurses
One Man's Family
Paul Bogart on being an Assistant Director on One Man's Family
Paul Bogart on being an AD on One Man's Family
Paul Bogart on directing One Man's Family
Tell Me Where It Hurts
Paul Bogart on directing the TV movie Tell Me Where It Hurts
United States Steel Hour, The
Paul Bogart on directing Armstrong Circle Theatre and U.S. Steel Hour
Voice of Firestone
Paul Bogart on being a vacation relief stage manager on The Voice of Firestone
Your Show of Shows
Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices
Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices on The Defenders
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
Comedy
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "Edith's 50th Birthday" (airdate: October 16, 1977), where Edith is almost raped by an intruder
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
Comedy-Variety
Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
Emmy Awards
Paul Bogart on The Defenders' "700 Year Old Gang" and winning an Emmy for it
Hollywood Blacklist
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist
Technological Innovation
Paul Bogart on how videotape changed directing
Paul Bogart on the effect of color TV on his work
Television Industry
Paul Bogart on directing the pilot of Alice
TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)
Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
Vietnam War
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
Professions
Directors
Paul Bogart on his directing style
Paul Bogart on his preparations for directing and editing
Paul Bogart on his advice to aspiring directors
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
Paul Bogart on working in live television
Paul Bogart on directing the Reginald Rose play "Dear Friends" and several other productions on CBS Playhouse
Comedy Series
Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
Paul Bogart on directing All in the Family, including episode "Edith's 50th Birthday" (airdate: October 16, 1977), where Edith is almost raped by an intruder
Paul Bogart on directing All in the Family
Drama Series
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders; on his favorite episodes
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
People
Don Adams
Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
Ralph Bellamy
Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
Ingrid Bergman
Paul Bogart on turning down an opportunity to direct Ingrid Bergman
Walter Bernstein
Paul Bogart on using blacklisted writers
Lloyd Bridges
Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices on a Reginald Rose production
Herbert Brodkin
Paul Bogart on working with Herbert Brodkin and other producers on The Defenders
Paul Bogart on directing The Nurses
Kirk Browning
Paul Bogart briefly on working with NBC Opera director Kirk Browning
Red Buttons
Paul Bogart on directing Hansel and Gretel
Sid Caesar
Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
Sidney Carroll
Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
Fred Coe
Paul Bogart on working with Fred Coe on a remake of Spellbound; on Coe as a producer
Hume Cronyn
Paul Bogart on directing The Marriage with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym and working with the two of them
Gordon Duff
Paul Bogart on directing Justice, produced by David Susskind and Gordon Duff
Barbara Feldon
Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
James Garner
Paul Bogart on directing James Garner in a film
Jack Gilford
Paul Bogart on working with Jack Gilford
Robert Goulet
Paul Bogart on directing "Kiss Me, Kate" on CBS Playhouse
Buck Henry
Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
Bob Hope
Paul Bogart on directing Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre
James Earl Jones
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist and CBS Playhouse
Paul Bogart on directing James Earl Jones in The Defenders
Jason Robards, Jr.
Paul Bogart on directing Jason Robards
Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
Hal Kanter
Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family
Boris Karloff
Paul Bogart on directing Shirley Temple and Boris Karloff in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Shirley Knight
Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
Piper Laurie
Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
Carol Lawrence
Paul Bogart on directing "Kiss Me, Kate" on CBS Playhouse
Norman Lear
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
Paul Bogart on Norman Lear leaving All in the Family
Jack Lemmon
Paul Bogart on advice between Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
Bob Markell
Paul Bogart on working with producer Bob Markell
E. G. Marshall
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
Walter Matthau
Paul Bogart on advice between Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
Arthur Miller
Paul Bogart on directing "A Memory of Two Mondays" for PBS
Rita Moreno
Paul Bogart on directing Rita Moreno in a film
Carroll O'Connor
Paul Bogart on directing Carroll O'Connor in a film
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
Maureen O'Hara
Paul Bogart on working with Fred Coe on a remake of Spellbound
Arthur Penn
Paul Bogart on getting hired as an NBC stage manager
Michelle Pfeiffer
Paul Bogart on directing Michelle Pfeiffer in Power, Passion and Murder
Vanessa Redgrave
Paul Bogart on turning down an opportunity to direct Vanessa Redgrave
Robert Reed
Paul Bogart on working with Robert Reed
Rob Reiner
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
Lee Remick
Paul Bogart on directing a miniseries with Lee Remick
John Rich
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
Richard Rodgers
Paul Bogart on pressure from Richard Rodgers on a production
Mickey Rooney
Paul Bogart on directing Pinocchio in 1957, starring Mickey Rooney
Reginald Rose
Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices on a Reginald Rose production
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
Paul Bogart on directing the Reginald Rose play "Dear Friends"
Bob Schiller
Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family
Rod Serling
Paul Bogart on Rod Serling
Kim Stanley
Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
Maureen Stapleton
Paul Bogart on directing the TV movie Tell Me Where It Hurts
Jean Stapleton
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "Edith's 50th Birthday" (airdate: October 16, 1977), where Edith is almost raped by an intruder
Leonard Stern
Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
Sally Struthers
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
Preston Sturges
Paul Bogart on loving Preston Sturges movies
David Susskind
Paul Bogart on directing Justice, produced by David Susskind and Gordon Duff
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist
Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
Jessica Tandy
Paul Bogart on directing The Marriage with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym and working with the two of them
Shirley Temple
Paul Bogart on directing Shirley Temple and Boris Karloff in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
Mel Tolkin
Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family
Bob Weiskopf
Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family