Norman Felton

Director/ Producer

View Full Interview

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In his four-and-a-half-hour interview, Norman Felton (1913-2012) discusses his role in radio and in early television in Chicago, as part of the distinguished Chicago School of Television with Charlie Andrews and Paul Rhymer. He describes directing live dramas for Robert Montgomery Presents and producing shows for Studio One. He talks extensively about his role as executive producer on the hit series Dr. Kildare and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and the formation of his production company, Arena Productions. Felton also shares his thoughts on colleagues Gene Roddenberry, Sam Rolfe, Grant Tinker and many others. Lee Goldberg conducted the interview on September 12, 1997 in Woodland Hills, CA.

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

"I wanted to do a medical show. I hadn't been able to do it because CBS said, as the other networks did, 'who wants to go to a hospital? That's the last place...a person comes home from their job and they're going to turn on television and see sick people?' But in radio, I did plenty of them."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Norman Felton on censorship on Playhouse 90's "Judgment at Nuremberg"

03:06

Norman Felton on going to the University of Iowa with classmate Tennessee Williams

01:57

Norman Felton on Ian Fleming coming up with the name "Napoleon Solo" for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

00:42

Norman Felton on the creation of the Norman Felton Television Producer of the Year Award

00:57

Director Norman Felton on meeting Pat Weaver

01:07

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on growing up in London; on regular trips to the library on Saturdays; on leaving school at 13 to go to work; on moving to America when he was 15 and the various jobs and experiences he had as a teenager

On his start in radio KJR and theater productions in Seattle; on joining the Teamsters and getting into scenery work; on his big break writing plays and going to the University of Iowa with classmate Tennessee Williams

Chapter 2

On the Living Newspaper he worked on at the University of Iowa; on directing the St. Paul Civic Theater; on moving to Chicago; on arena theater and getting into NBC radio; on directing "Office Playhouse" on the radio

On troubles working with advertising agencies; on taking a leave of absence to pursue television; on going to New York to direct television; on directing a painting show

Chapter 3

On the first television program he directed; on joining the Directors Guild

On the "Chicago School" of Television - Garroway-at-Large, Stud's Place; on TV's first soap opera These Are My Children; on Crisis

Chapter 4

On his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents; on the show's format; on the writing on the show; on studio space for Robert Montgomery Presents

On directing his first episode of Robert Montgomery Presents: "The Letter"

Chapter 5

On the "Kitty Foyle" episode of Robert Montgomery Presents; on an actress getting sick on live television

On network and sponsor involvement on Robert Montgomery Presents; on the Hollywood Blacklist; on Robert Montgomery Presents winning its first Emmy

On leaving Robert Montgomery Presents; on directing and becoming associate producer on Studio One

Chapter 6

On Studio One writers and the show moving from New York to Hollywood; on going from live to video tape; on becoming Executive Producer of Playhouse 90

On working for CBS; on producing Pursuit; on working for MGM Television and forming his own production company; on executive producing Dr. Kildare; on casting Raymond Massey and Richard Chamberlain for Dr. Kildare

Chapter 7

On NBC Executive David Levy approving Dr. Kildare; on doing a spinoff of Dr. Kildare; on The Lieutenant with Gene Roddenberry

On executive producing The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and its spin-off, The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.; on working in British television

Chapter 8

On leaving MGM Television and setting up Arena Productions at Universal; on working with Steven Spielberg; on the series Hawkins; on a TV movie of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; on joining the writer's strike, against himself

On the creation of the Norman Felton Television Producer of the Year Award; on media literacy

On colleagues Jerry Goldsmith, Sam Rolfe and Grant Tinker

Chapter 9

On people with whom he's worked; on photographs of productions on which he's worked; on a photograph of his lovely wife

Shows

Dr. Kildare

Norman Felton on executive producing Dr. Kildare

08:29

Norman Felton on executive producing Dr. Kildare

04:42

Eleventh Hour, The

Norman Felton on executive producing Dr. Kildare and its spinoff The Eleventh Hour

04:42

Garroway at Large

Director Norman Felton on the "Chicago School" of Broadcasting, which included shows Garroway-at-Large and Studs' Place, crediting the philosophy to writers Charlie Andrews and Paul Rhymer

02:34

Director Norman Felton on Garroway-at-Large

00:54

Girl From U.N.C.L.E., The

Norman Felton on the spin-off of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.

05:11

Hawkins

Norman Felton on getting Jimmy Stewart to play the lead in the series Hawkins

02:41

Humor of Vic 'N' Sade, The

Director Norman Felton on bringing Paul Rhymer's The Humor of Vic 'N' Sade to television

01:23

Lieutenant, The

Norman Felton on executive producing The Lieutenant, created by Gene Roddenberry

02:17

Norman Felton on a photo from The Lieutenant

01:26

Man From U.N.C.L.E., The

Norman Felton on executive producing The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

18:50

Norman Felton on a TV movie of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

01:36

Norman Felton on a photo from The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

00:42

Playhouse 90

Norman Felton on becoming Executive Producer of Playhouse 90

04:05

Pursuit

Norman Felton on producing Pursuit

01:56

Robert Montgomery Presents

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents [Part 1]

26:52

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents

22:36

Director Norman Felton on the "Kitty Foyle" episode of Robert Montgomery Presents

02:01

Norman Felton on a photo of Helen Hayes in a production of Robert Montgomery Presents

01:18

Robert Montgomery Presents: "Kitty Foyle"

Director Norman Felton on the "Kitty Foyle" episode of Robert Montgomery Presents

02:01

Studio One

Director Norman Felton on directing and becoming associate producer on Studio One

04:28

Norman Felton on Studio One writers and the show moving from New York to Hollywood; on going from live to video tape

00:52

Norman Felton on a photo from Studio One

00:43

Studs' Place

Director Norman Felton on the "Chicago School" of Broadcasting, which included shows Garroway-at-Large and Studs' Place, crediting the philosophy to writers Charlie Andrews and Paul Rhymer

02:34

These Are My Children

Director Norman Felton on bringing These Are My Children to television- TV's first soap opera - with creator Irna Phillips

02:21

United States Steel Hour, The

Director Norman Felton on working on The U.S. Steel Hour

02:05

Topics

'The Idiot Box'

Norman Felton on the need for media literacy

06:18

Anthology Drama

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents (Part 1)

26:52

Censorship / Standards & Practices

Norman Felton on his experiences with sponsor censorship on Robert Montgomery Presents

02:32

Norman Felton on censorship on Playhouse 90's "Judgment at Nuremberg"

03:06

Characters & Catchphrases

Norman Felton on Ian Fleming coming up with the name "Napoleon Solo" for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

00:42

Emmy Awards

Director Norman Felton on Robert Montgomery Presents winning its first Emmy

01:29

Hollywood Blacklist

Norman Felton on his experiences with the Blacklist

08:00

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

Director Norman Felton on the "Chicago School" of Broadcasting, which included shows Garroway-at-Large and Studs' Place, crediting the philosophy to writers Charlie Andrews and Paul Rhymer

02:34

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents (Part 1)

26:52

Technological Innovation

Norman Felton on Studio One going from live to video tape and live television falling out of favor

02:19

Professions

Directors

View Profession

Norman Felton on transitioning from playwriting to directing

01:42

Producers

View Profession

Norman Felton on his duties as a producer on Studio One

00:37

Writers

View Profession

Norman Felton on his big break writing plays

02:02

Genres

Classic Anthology Series

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents [Part 1]

26:52

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents

22:36

Director Norman Felton on directing and becoming associate producer on Studio One

04:28

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

Norman Felton on executive producing The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

18:50

Daytime/Primetime Serials

Director Norman Felton on bringing These Are My Children to television- TV's first soap opera - with creator Irna Phillips; on working in radio

02:21

Medical Dramas

Norman Felton on executive producing Dr. Kildare

08:29

People

Bob Banner

View Interview Page

Director Norman Felton on working with Ted Mills and Bob Banner in Chicago television

02:19

Bob Finkel

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on working with Bob Finkel

00:08

Charlie Andrews

View Interview Page

Director Norman Felton on the "Chicago School" of Broadcasting, which included shows Garroway-at-Large and Studs' Place, crediting the philosophy to writers Charlie Andrews and Paul Rhymer

02:34

Daniel Petrie, Sr.

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on working with Dan Petrie

00:15

Dave Garroway

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on Garroway-at-Large

00:54

Director Norman Felton on the "Chicago School" of Broadcasting, which included shows Garroway-at-Large and Studs' Place, crediting the philosophy to writers Charlie Andrews and Paul Rhymer

02:34

David Karp

View Person Page

Norman Felton on writer David Karp's series Hawkins

02:41

David Levy

View Person Page

Norman Felton on showing David Levy, NBC's head of programming, dailies for Dr. Kildare

01:44

Norman Felton on David Levy watching dailies of Dr. Kildare

00:47

Norman Felton on working with David Levy

00:07

David McCallum

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on casting two short men as the leads in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

01:17

David Sarnoff

View Person Page

Norman Felton on working with David Sarnoff

00:09

Ethel Winant

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on working with Ethel Winant

00:08

Frank Stanton

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on working with Frank Stanton

00:08

Fred Coe

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on Fred Coe's response to the "Kitty Foyle" episode of Robert Montgomery Presents

02:01

Gene Roddenberry

View Person Page

Norman Felton on executive producing The Lieutenant, created by Gene Roddenberry

02:17

Norman Felton on working with Gene Roddenberry

00:14

Grant Tinker

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on working with Grant Tinker at MGM

02:21

Helen Hayes

View Person Page

Norman Felton on a photo of Helen Hayes in a production of Robert Montgomery Presents

01:18

Herbert Brodkin

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on working with Herbert Brodkin and becoming a producer

03:23

Norman Felton on censorship on Playhouse 90's "Judgment at Nuremberg"

03:06

Norman Felton on working with Herb Brodkin

00:08

Norman Felton on a photo with Herb Brodkin

00:46

Ian Fleming

View Person Page

Norman Felton on meeting with Ian Fleming and executive producing The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

10:30

Irna Phillips

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on bringing These Are My Children to television- TV's first soap opera - with creator Irna Phillips; on working in radio

02:21

Jerry Goldsmith

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on working with composr Jerry Goldsmith at Universal

01:56

Jimmy Stewart

View Person Page

Norman Felton on getting Jimmy Stewart to play the lead in the series Hawkins

02:41

Paul Rhymer

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on the "Chicago School" of Broadcasting, which included shows Garroway-at-Large and Studs' Place, crediting the philosophy to writers Charlie Andrews and Paul Rhymer

02:34

Director Norman Felton on bringing Paul Rhymer's Vic and Sade to television and crafting the Chicago School

02:34

Raymond Massey

View Person Page

Norman Felton on casting Raymond Massey and Richard Chamberlain for Dr. Kildare

02:24

Richard Chamberlain

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on casting Raymond Massey and Richard Chamberlain for Dr. Kildare

02:24

Norman Felton on working with Richard Chamberlain

00:08

Robert Montgomery

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents; on working with Robery Montgomery

26:52

Director Norman Felton on his long association with Robert Montgomery Presents

21:53

Norman Felton on working with Robert Montgomery

00:19

Robert Vaughn

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on casting two short men as the leads in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

01:17

Norman Felton on working with Robert Vaughn

00:06

Norman Felton on a photo from The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

00:42

Sam Rolfe

View Person Page

Norman Felton on Sam Rolfe coming up with the premise for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

08:20

Norman Felton on working with Sam Rolfe

01:16

Norman Felton on a photo with Sam Rolfe

00:42

Sidney Lumet

View Interview Page

Norman Felton on working with Sidney Lumet

00:07

Steven Spielberg

View Person Page

Norman Felton on executive producing The Psychiatrist, with episodes directed by Steven Spielberg

01:30

Studs Terkel

View Interview Page

Director Norman Felton on getting Studs Terkel onto television

00:51

Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on meeting Pat Weaver

01:07

Ted Mills

View Person Page

Director Norman Felton on working with Ted Mills in Chicago television

00:33

Director Norman Felton on working with Ted Mills and Bob Banner in Chicago television

02:19

Norman Felton on working with Ted Mills

00:06

Tennessee Williams

View Person Page

Norman Felton on going to the University of Iowa with classmate Tennessee Williams

01:57

Norman Felton on the newspaper he worked on at the University of Iowa

04:12

William S. Paley

View Person Page

Norman Felton on working with Bill Paley

00:07