Paul Bogart

Director


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

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.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"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."

People Talking About ...
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
03:24
Paul Bogart on his directing style
02:17
Paul Bogart on working in front of a live audience on All in the Family
00:53
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist
04:52
Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
01:12
Full Interview

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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

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Paul Bogart on directing Ages of Man
01:45

Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre

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Paul Bogart on directing "The Confidence Man" on Alcoa-Goodyear-Theatre with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym
00:59

Aldrich Family, The

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Paul Bogart on being a stage manager on The Aldrich Family
00:09

Alice

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Paul Bogart on directing the pilot of Alice
01:17

All in the Family

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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
03:39
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
03:24
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
07:31
Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family and working in front of a live audience
04:34
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
02:39
Paul Bogart on specific episodes of All in the Family and the show's legacy
06:06

Archie Bunker's Place

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Paul Bogart on directing Archie Bunker's Place
03:16

Armstrong Circle Theatre

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Paul Bogart on directing Armstrong Circle Theatre and U.S. Steel Hour
01:04
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist and learning of behind-the-scenes goings-on at Armstrong Circle Theatre
01:53

Bob Hope Presents Chrysler Theatre

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Paul Bogart on directing Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre
01:40

Broadway Open House

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Paul Bogart on being a stage manager on Broadway Open House
02:02

CBS Playhouse

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Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist and CBS Playhouse
00:56
Paul Bogart on directing the Reginald Rose play "Dear Friends" and several other productions on CBS Playhouse
06:38

Defenders, The

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Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders; on his favorite episodes
05:45
Paul Bogart on The Defenders' "700 Year Old Gang" and winning an Emmy for it
02:15
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
04:35

Get Smart

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Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
03:53

Golden Girls, The

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Paul Bogart on his negative experience as director and supervising producer for the first few episodes of The Golden Girls
02:38

Hallmark Hall of Fame

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Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
01:50

Justice

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Paul Bogart on directing Justice, produced by David Susskind and Gordon Duff
01:51

Kraft Television Theatre

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Paul Bogart on directing Kraft Television Theatre
01:01

Marriage, The

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Paul Bogart on directing The Marriage with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym and working with the two of them
01:51

NBC Opera Theatre

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Paul Bogart briefly on working with NBC Opera director Kirk Browning
03:11

NET Playhouse

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Paul Bogart on directing NET Playhouse
02:28

Nurses, The

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Paul Bogart on directing The Nurses
03:04

One Man's Family

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Paul Bogart on being an Assistant Director on One Man's Family
01:01
Paul Bogart on being an AD on One Man's Family
02:19
Paul Bogart on directing One Man's Family
02:49

Tell Me Where It Hurts

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Paul Bogart on directing the TV movie Tell Me Where It Hurts
00:49

United States Steel Hour, The

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Paul Bogart on directing Armstrong Circle Theatre and U.S. Steel Hour
01:04

Voice of Firestone

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Paul Bogart on being a vacation relief stage manager on The Voice of Firestone
01:53

Your Show of Shows

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Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
01:12
Topics

Censorship / Standards & Practices

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Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices
02:50
Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices on The Defenders
01:49
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
02:39

Comedy

View Topic
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
03:24
Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
02:39

Comedy-Variety

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Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
01:12

Emmy Awards

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Paul Bogart on The Defenders' "700 Year Old Gang" and winning an Emmy for it
02:15

Hollywood Blacklist

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Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist
04:52

TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

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Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
01:12

Technological Innovation

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Paul Bogart on how videotape changed directing
01:26
Paul Bogart on the effect of color TV on his work
01:13

Vietnam War

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Paul Bogart on directing the All in the Family episode "The Draft Dodger" (airdate: December 25, 1976)
02:39
Professions

Directors

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Paul Bogart on his directing style
02:17
Paul Bogart on his preparations for directing and editing
05:22
Paul Bogart on his advice to aspiring directors
02:12
Genres

Classic Anthology Series

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Paul Bogart on working in live television
04:07
Paul Bogart on directing the Reginald Rose play "Dear Friends" and several other productions on CBS Playhouse
06:38

Comedy Series

View Genre
Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
03:53
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
23:41
Paul Bogart on directing All in the Family
08:49

Drama Series

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Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders; on his favorite episodes
05:45
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
04:35
People

Arthur Miller

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Paul Bogart on directing "A Memory of Two Mondays" for PBS
01:12

Arthur Penn

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Paul Bogart on getting hired as an NBC stage manager
00:22

Barbara Feldon

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Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
03:53

Bob Hope

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Paul Bogart on directing Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre
01:40

Bob Markell

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Paul Bogart on working with producer Bob Markell
00:34

Bob Schiller

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family
03:42

Bob Weiskopf

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family
03:42

Boris Karloff

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Paul Bogart on directing Shirley Temple and Boris Karloff in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
00:47

Buck Henry

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Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
03:53

Carol Lawrence

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Paul Bogart on directing "Kiss Me, Kate" on CBS Playhouse
02:06

Carroll O'Connor

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Paul Bogart on directing Carroll O'Connor in a film
01:04
Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
04:13

David Susskind

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Paul Bogart on directing Justice, produced by David Susskind and Gordon Duff
01:51
Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist
01:53
Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
01:50

Don Adams

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Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
03:53

E. G. Marshall

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Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
01:17

Fred Coe

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Paul Bogart on working with Fred Coe on a remake of Spellbound; on Coe as a producer
03:07

Gordon Duff

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Paul Bogart on directing Justice, produced by David Susskind and Gordon Duff
01:09

Hal Kanter

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family
02:51

Herbert Brodkin

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Paul Bogart on working with Herbert Brodkin and other producers on The Defenders
02:18
Paul Bogart on directing The Nurses
03:04

Hume Cronyn

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Paul Bogart on directing The Marriage with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym and working with the two of them
02:50

Ingrid Bergman

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Paul Bogart on turning down an opportunity to direct Ingrid Bergman
00:19

Jack Gilford

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Paul Bogart on working with Jack Gilford
00:31

Jack Lemmon

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Paul Bogart on advice between Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
01:00

James Earl Jones

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Paul Bogart on the Hollywood Blacklist and CBS Playhouse
00:56
Paul Bogart on directing James Earl Jones in The Defenders
00:26

James Garner

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Paul Bogart on directing James Garner in a film
00:04

Jason Robards, Jr.

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Paul Bogart on directing Jason Robards
01:04
Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
01:50

Jean Stapleton

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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
03:24

Jessica Tandy

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Paul Bogart on directing The Marriage with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronym and working with the two of them
02:50

John Rich

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
07:19

Kim Stanley

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Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
01:10

Kirk Browning

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Paul Bogart briefly on working with NBC Opera director Kirk Browning
03:11

Lee Remick

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Paul Bogart on directing a miniseries with Lee Remick
00:57

Leonard Stern

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Paul Bogart on directing a few episodes of Get Smart
03:28

Lloyd Bridges

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Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices on a Reginald Rose production
00:44

Maureen O'Hara

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Paul Bogart on working with Fred Coe on a remake of Spellbound
01:47

Maureen Stapleton

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Paul Bogart on directing the TV movie Tell Me Where It Hurts
00:49

Mel Tolkin

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the writers on All in the Family
03:42

Michelle Pfeiffer

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Paul Bogart on directing Michelle Pfeiffer in Power, Passion and Murder
01:05

Mickey Rooney

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Paul Bogart on directing Pinocchio in 1957, starring Mickey Rooney
01:31

Norman Lear

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
04:13
Paul Bogart on Norman Lear leaving All in the Family
00:31

Piper Laurie

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Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
01:14

Preston Sturges

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Paul Bogart on loving Preston Sturges movies
01:31

Ralph Bellamy

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Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
00:25

Red Buttons

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Paul Bogart on directing Hansel and Gretel
01:48

Reginald Rose

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Paul Bogart on fighting Standards and Practices on a Reginald Rose production
00:44
Paul Bogart on directing The Defenders
02:16
Paul Bogart on directing the Reginald Rose play "Dear Friends"
01:15

Richard Rodgers

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Paul Bogart on pressure from Richard Rodgers on a production
01:05

Rita Moreno

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Paul Bogart on directing Rita Moreno in a film
00:16

Rob Reiner

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
04:13

Robert Goulet

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Paul Bogart on directing "Kiss Me, Kate" on CBS Playhouse
02:06

Robert Reed

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Paul Bogart on working with Robert Reed
00:16

Rod Serling

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Paul Bogart on Rod Serling
00:12

Sally Struthers

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Director Paul Bogart on some of the behind-the-scenes difficulties on the set of All in the Family
04:13

Shirley Knight

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Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
01:50

Shirley Temple

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Paul Bogart on directing Shirley Temple and Boris Karloff in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
00:47
Paul Bogart on working with celebrities
00:33

Sid Caesar

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Paul Bogart briefly on being a stage manager on Your Show of Shows
01:12

Sidney Carroll

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Paul Bogart on directing the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Country Girl"
01:50

Vanessa Redgrave

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Paul Bogart on turning down an opportunity to direct Vanessa Redgrave
00:27

Walter Bernstein

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Paul Bogart on using blacklisted writers
02:03

Walter Matthau

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Paul Bogart on advice between Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
01:00

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