"All of the good contacts are gone because of the fax machine. You don't get to know anybody. They say 'send me a fax' and you do. In the old days, you'd show up at the city desk of a newspaper or Daily Variety or Hollywood Reporter and they'd know it was an important thing for you, because you were there." 

    About This Interview

    In his two-hour interview, Frank Liberman (1917-2009) chronicles his early career at the New York Daily News and then at Warner Bros. in New York and Chicago, where he began in the publicity department. He talks about moving to Hollywood, where he left Warner Bros. and began his own publicity firm. He recalls representing Bob Hope, whom he handled for 41 years, and Phyllis Diller, whom he handled for 32 years, among many other clients. Liberman speaks of dealing with the press, including powerful columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, and of how the process of publicizing talent has changed over the years. He discusses the craft of publicity and defines some of the components that go into successful publicity campaigns. Karen Herman and Reba Merrill conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Publicists Guild of America on February 21, 2001 at the Publicists Guild's offices in Sherman Oaks, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his early life and influences; on his early interest in movies; on the first time he saw television and on going to work for the New York Daily News

    05:52

    On going to work for Warner Bros. and on the kinds of features Warner Bros. was putting out in the '30s and '40s; on going to work at Warner Bros. in Chicago; on some of the stars he worked with at Warner Bros. and on working with the Chicago press

    11:08

    On his experience with World War II; on going back to work at the Warner Bros. publicity department following World War II

    11:27

    Chapter 2

    On a publicity stunt involving Ann Sheridan and on working with John Garfield and Olivia de Havilland; on working with Ronald Reagan; on leaving Warner Bros.

    05:41

    On what the publicity department does and on working with Bob Hope; on handling celebrities and working with dificult clients like Judy Garland

    02:52

    On handling celebrities and working with difficult clients like Judy Garland; on the press release, his media contacts, and on the tricks of the trade; on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons

    07:57

    On columnist Earl Wilson and on Ed Sullivan; on Rona Barett; on dealing with celebrity interviews for his clients

    04:46

    On dealing with the death of a client and on the changes in the publicity business over the years; on representing Jack Paar and Bob Hope

    07:08

    Chapter 3

    On going overseas with Bob Hope; on representing Phyllis Diller; on his years representing Bob Hope and other comedians

    07:08

    On representing Joan Rivers; on representing comedians; on representing Patty Duke, June Allyson, and Stella Adler

    05:49

    On representing various clients including Lauren Bacall, George Burns, and Diahann Carroll; on representing various clients including Robert Conrad, Henry Fonda, and Eva Gabor; on representing various clients including Larry Hagman, Florence Henderson, and David Janssen

    15:52

    Chapter 4

    On various people he's worked with in his career including Leonard Nimoy, Jim Nabors, and Betty White

    15:23

    On his favorite and least favorite clients; on the clients he accepted and the different kinds of publicity; on career highlights and regrets, and on how he'd like to be remembered

    13:20

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Frank Liberman on his experience with World War II

    05:16

    Hollywood Blacklist

    Frank Liberman on the Hollywood Blacklist

    00:21

    Industry Crossroads

    Frank Liberman on the Hollywood Blacklist

    00:21

    Ronald Reagan

    Frank Liberman on working with Ronald Reagan

    01:14

    Television and the Presidency

    Frank Liberman on working with Ronald Reagan

    01:14

    Television Industry

    Frank Liberman on the Hollywood Blacklist

    00:21

    Frank Liberman on how the field of publicity has changed since he started

    01:13

    War

    Frank Liberman on his experience with World War II

    05:16

    World War II

    Frank Liberman on his experience with World War II

    05:16

    Publicist

    Frank Liberman on the press release, his media contacts, and on the tricks of the trade

    03:15

    Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons

    02:27

    Frank Liberman on dealing with celebrity interviews for his clients

    01:58

    Frank Liberman on dealing with the death of a client and on the changes in the publicity business over the years

    02:21

    Frank Liberman on his company Frank Liberman and Associates

    01:02

    Frank Liberman on his early clients

    01:33

    Frank Liberman on representing comedians

    01:11

    Frank Liberman on the clients he accepted and the different kinds of publicity

    05:01

    Frank Liberman on being a member of the Publicists Guild

    02:05

    Frank Liberman on advice to aspiring publicists

    00:32

    Representatives

    Frank Liberman on the press release, his media contacts, and on the tricks of the trade

    03:15

    Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons

    02:27

    Frank Liberman on dealing with celebrity interviews for his clients

    01:58

    Frank Liberman on dealing with the death of a client and on the changes in the publicity business over the years

    02:18

    Frank Liberman on his company Frank Liberman and Associates

    01:02

    Frank Liberman on his early clients

    01:33

    Frank Liberman on representing comedians

    01:11

    Frank Liberman on the clients he accepted and the different kinds of publicity

    04:57

    Frank Liberman on being a member of the Publicists Guild

    02:00

    Frank Liberman on advice to aspiring publicists

    00:32

    Harry Ackerman

    Frank Liberman on Elinor Donahue, Harry Ackerman, and Troy Donohue

    00:59

    Stella Adler

    Frank Liberman on Stella Adler

    00:17

    June Allyson

    Frank Liberman on representing June Allyson

    02:00

    Lauren Bacall

    Frank Liberman on Lauren Bacall

    00:48

    Rona Barrett

    Frank Liberman on Rona Barett

    01:23

    Harry Belafonte

    Frank Liberman on Harry Belafonte

    01:03

    Polly Bergen

    Frank Liberman on Polly Bergen

    01:03

    Geraldine Brooks

    Frank Liberman on Geraldine Brooks

    00:38

    George Burns

    Frank Liberman on George Burns and Nat King Cole

    01:54

    Diahann Carroll

    Frank Liberman on Diahann Carroll

    01:07

    Nat King Cole

    Frank Liberman on George Burns and Nat King Cole

    01:57

    Robert Conrad

    Frank Liberman on Robert Conrad and George Cukor

    01:10

    George Cukor

    Frank Liberman on Robert Conrad and George Cukor

    01:10

    Phyllis Diller

    Frank Liberman on representing Phyllis Diller

    01:51

    Elinor Donahue

    Frank Liberman on Elinor Donahue, Harry Ackerman, and Troy Donohue

    00:58

    Patty Duke

    Frank Liberman on representing Patty Duke

    00:52

    Jose Ferrer

    Frank Liberman on Henry Fonda and Jose Ferrer

    01:23

    Henry Fonda

    Frank Liberman on Henry Fonda and Jose Ferrer

    01:23

    Eva Gabor

    Frank Liberman on Eva Gabor and Larry Hagman

    01:19

    Judy Garland

    Frank Liberman on handling celebrities and working with difficult clients like Judy Garland

    02:11

    Larry Hagman

    Frank Liberman on Eva Gabor and Larry Hagman

    01:19

    Florence Henderson

    Frank Liberman on Florence Henderson, Hildegarde, and Burl Ives

    02:23

    Bob Hope

    Frank Liberman on what the publicity department does and on working with Bob Hope

    02:52

    Frank Liberman on how he came to represent Bob Hope

    00:58

    Frank Liberman on going overseas with Bob Hope

    02:49

    Frank Liberman on his years representing Bob Hope and other comedians

    02:29

    Hedda Hopper

    Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons

    02:27

    David Janssen

    Frank Liberman on David Janssen and Louis Jourdan

    01:50

    Jay Livingston

    Frank Liberman on Dorothy Lamour, and Jay Livingston and Ray Evans

    02:58

    Sal Mineo

    Frank Liberman on Marcel Marceau, Sal Mineo, and Leonard Nimoy

    02:05

    Jim Nabors

    Frank Liberman on Jim Nabors, Hugh O'Brien, and Margaret O'Brien

    01:42

    Leonard Nimoy

    Frank Liberman on Marcel Marceau, Sal Mineo, and Leonard Nimoy

    02:05

    Hugh O'Brian

    Frank Liberman on Jim Nabors, Hugh O'Brien, and Margaret O'Brien

    01:42

    Margaret O'Brien

    Frank Liberman on Jim Nabors, Hugh O'Brien, and Margaret O'Brien

    01:40

    Jack Paar

    Frank Liberman on representing Jack Paar

    01:14

    Louella Parsons

    Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons

    02:27

    Ronald Reagan

    Frank Liberman on working with Ronald Reagan

    01:14

    Robert Reed

    Frank Liberman on Robert Reed, William Shatner, and Natalie Schafer

    03:00

    Joan Rivers

    Frank Liberman on representing Joan Rivers

    00:44

    Mort Sahl

    Frank Liberman on representing Mort Sahl and Nancy Walker

    00:42

    Natalie Schafer

    Frank Liberman on Robert Reed, William Shatner, and Natalie Schafer

    03:00

    Budd Schulberg

    Frank Liberman on Richard Simmons, Budd Schulberg, and King Vidor

    02:02

    William Shatner

    Frank Liberman on Robert Reed, William Shatner, and Natalie Schafer

    03:00

    Richard Simmons

    Frank Liberman on Richard Simmons, Budd Schulberg, and King Vidor

    02:02

    Ed Sullivan

    Frank Liberman on columnist Earl Wilson and on Ed Sullivan

    01:19

    Nancy Walker

    Frank Liberman on representing Mort Sahl and Nancy Walker

    00:42

    Mae West

    Frank Liberman on Betty White, Mae West, and Gig Young

    03:25

    Betty White

    Frank Liberman on Betty White, Mae West, and Gig Young

    03:25

    Gig Young

    Frank Liberman on Betty White, Mae West, and Gig Young

    03:25

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