About
"In my career, I was motivated by fear and pride. Fear of losing my job because jobs were very scarce. And pride because you wanted to be the best. At CBS we always felt we were the best sound effects people in the world."
In his four-hour interview, Robert Mott (1924-2016) talks about his early work in radio and television as a freelance sound technician. He discusses working in "live" television, providing sound effects. He speaks in great detail about character sounds and effects he created for the classic children's show Captain Kangaroo. Additionally, he recounts his friendship and collaboration with Dick Van Dyke, who he worked with as a writer as well as sound effects artist in Van Dyke's early career. Mott outlines doing sound effects for many shows including The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Web, The Ernie Kovacs Show, as well as working with Jack Benny late in Benny's career. He elaborates on the craft of creating sound effects and demonstrates various effects in a taped b-roll session. B-roll also consists of photos from Captain Kangaroo and a title card from The Garry Moore Show. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 9, 2003 in Arroyo Grande, CA.
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on going to the movies as a child
On his service in World War II; on trying his hand at various aspects of radio and getting into sound effects for radio; on what attracted him to the sound effects field
Chapter 2
On favorite radio stories of his; on the power of radio in its early years; on the Hollywood Blacklist
On his earliest memories of television including the early talk show Mike and Buff with Mike Wallace; on various live television bloopers including on Studio One, Betty Furness' Westinghouse commercial, and The Web; on doing sound effects for Gang Busters
Chapter 3
On various sound effects bloopers including on Studio One, The Edge of Night, and Search For Tomorrow; on the craft of sound effects on television
On the early practice to adding sound effects to television news stories and why it was discontinued; on a sound effects blooper on The Jackie Gleason Show; on belonging to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union and AFRA and doing vocal sound effects like barking dogs and baby cries
Chapter 4
On how he would get sound effects jobs on shows; on doing sound effects for a Leonard Bernstein broadcast from Carnegie Hall
On doing sound effects for Captain Kangaroo with Bob Keeshan; on a Captain Kangaroo blooper; on how he would achieve certain sound effects
On keeping track of his sound effects library and on the tools of the trade; on using the MacKenzie cart machine on Captain Kangaroo
Chapter 5
On recording his own sound effects for shows like Days of Our Lives and various other shows; on the Kennedy assassination; on challenging sounds he had to duplicate
On working with Dick Van Dyke; on writing for various shows including The Andy Williams Show and balancing doing sound effects with writing; on doing sound effects for The Ed Sullivan Show
Chapter 6
On working on The Garry Moore Show; on working on Playhouse 90; on working on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason
On the part reputation played in sound effects professionals getting work; on the difference between working in audio and working in sound effects and on audio and sound effects with other crew members; on working on The Jack Benny Program
On moving to Los Angeles and working on The Red Skelton Show; on working on To Tell the Truth and on working with a laugh track; on appearing on What's My Line?
Chapter 7
On appearing as a contestant on What's My Line? with host John Daly; on working on The Ernie Kovacs Show
On working on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In; on working on The Edge of Night; on working on The Frank Gifford Show
On then-current projects; on how the sound effects craft has changed since he started and the advent of Foley
Chapter 8
On sound effects pioneer John O'Donnell; on sound effects that couldn't be used on television; on advice to an aspiring sound effects professional
On b-roll- demonstrates various sound effects from his collection
Chapter 9
On b-roll- demonstrating various sound effects from his collection
On b-roll pictures from his career- Title card for the The Garry Moore Show; with his band; on the set of The Garry Moore Show; on the set of Captain Kangaroo; with Linda Darnell; the record console for Captain Kangaroo; tone arm needle; categories of sound effects records; sound effects record players; Red Skelton on the set of his show; his books
Shows
Andy Williams Show, The
Robert Mott on writing for various shows including The Andy Williams Show and balancing doing sound effects with writing
Arthur Godfrey Show, The
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for The Arthur Godfrey Show
Captain Kangaroo
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for Captain Kangaroo with Bob Keeshan
Robert Mott on a Captain Kangaroo blooper
Robert Mott on using the MacKenzie cart machine on Captain Kangaroo
Days of Our Lives
Robert Mott on recording his own sound effects for shows like Days of Our Lives and various other shows
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for The Ed Sullivan Show
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for The Ed Sullivan Show
Edge of Night, The
Robert Mott on various sound effects bloopers including on Studio One, The Edge of Night, and Search For Tomorrow
Robert Mott on working on The Edge of Night
Ernie Kovacs Show, The
Robert Mott on working on The Ernie Kovacs Show
Garry Moore Show, The
Robert Mott on working on The Garry Moore Show
Honeymooners, The
Robert Mott on working on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason
Jack Benny Program, The
Robert Mott on working on The Jack Benny Program
Jackie Gleason Show, The
Robert Mott on a sound effects blooper on The Jackie Gleason Show
Mike and Buff
Robert Mott on his earliest memories of television including the early talk show Mike and Buff with Mike Wallace
Playhouse 90
Robert Mott on working on Playhouse 90
Red Skelton Show, The
Robert Mott on moving to Los Angeles and working on The Red Skelton Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Robert Mott on working on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Search For Tomorrow
Robert Mott on various sound effects bloopers including on Studio One, The Edge of Night, and Search For Tomorrow
Studio One
Robert Mott on various live television bloopers including on Studio One, Betty Furness' Westinghouse commercial, and The Web
Robert Mott on various sound effects bloopers including on Studio One, The Edge of Night, and Search For Tomorrow
To Tell the Truth
Robert Mott on working on To Tell the Truth and on working with a laugh track
Web, The
Robert Mott on various live television bloopers including on Studio One, Betty Furness' Westinghouse commercial, and The Web
What's My Line?
Robert Mott on appearing on What's My Line?
Robert Mott on appearing as a contestant on What's My Line? with host John Daly
Topics
Advice
Robert Mott on advice to an aspiring sound effects professional
Bloopers
Robert Mott on various live television bloopers including on Studio One, Betty Furness' Westinghouse commercial, and The Web
Robert Mott on a Captain Kangaroo blooper
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Robert Mott on sound effects that couldn't be used on television
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Robert Mott on working on I Like Ike, a tribute to President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Historic Events and Social Change
Robert Mott on the Kennedy assassination
Hollywood Blacklist
Robert Mott on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Robert Mott on the Hollywood Blacklist
JFK Assassination and Funeral
Robert Mott on the Kennedy assassination
Television and the Presidency
Robert Mott on working on I Like Ike, a tribute to President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Television Industry
Robert Mott on the Hollywood Blacklist
Robert Mott on how the sound effects craft has changed since he started and the advent of Foley
Robert Mott on advice to an aspiring sound effects professional
Robert Mott on sound effects that couldn't be used on television
Professions
Sound Editor
Robert Mott on recording his own sound effects for shows like Days of Our Lives and various other shows
Sound Engineer
Robert Mott on the craft of sound effects on television
Robert Mott on how he would achieve certain sound effects
Robert Mott on keeping track of his sound effects library and on the tools of the trade
Robert Mott on challenging sounds he had to duplicate
Robert Mott on the part reputation played in sound effects professionals getting work
Robert Mott on the difference between working in audio and working in sound effects and on audio and sound effects working with other crew members
Robert Mott on working on To Tell the Truth and on working with a laugh track
Robert Mott on how the sound effects craft has changed since he started and the advent of Foley
Robert Mott on advice to an aspiring sound effects professional
Sound Professionals
Robert Mott on the craft of sound effects on television
Robert Mott on how he would achieve certain sound effects
Robert Mott on keeping track of his sound effects library and on the tools of the trade
Robert Mott on recording his own sound effects for shows like Days of Our Lives and various other shows
Robert Mott on challenging sounds he had to duplicate
Robert Mott on the part reputation played in sound effects professionals getting work
Robert Mott on the difference between working in audio and working in sound effects and on audio and sound effects working with other crew members
Robert Mott on working on To Tell the Truth and on working with a laugh track
Robert Mott on how the sound effects craft has changed since he started and the advent of Foley
Robert Mott on advice to an aspiring sound effects professional
Genres
Children's Programming
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for Captain Kangaroo
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for Captain Kangaroo
Classic Anthology Series
Robert Mott on various sound effects bloopers including on Studio One, The Edge of Night, and Search For Tomorrow
Robert Mott on working on Playhouse 90
Comedy Series
Robert Mott on working on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason
Robert Mott on working on The Jack Benny Program
Robert Mott on working on The Ernie Kovacs Show
Robert Mott on working on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Daytime/Primetime Serials
Robert Mott on various sound effects bloopers including on Studio One, The Edge of Night, and Search For Tomorrow
Robert Mott on working on The Edge of Night
Game Shows
Robert Mott on working on To Tell the Truth and on working with a laugh track
Robert Mott on appearing on What's My Line?
Robert Mott on appearing as a contestant on What's My Line? with host John Daly
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Robert Mott on a sound effects blooper on The Jackie Gleason Show
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for The Arthur Godfrey Show
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for The Ed Sullivan Show
Robert Mott on working on The Garry Moore Show
Robert Mott on moving to Los Angeles and working on The Red Skelton Show
People
Jack Benny
Robert Mott on working on The Jack Benny Program
Leonard Bernstein
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for a Leonard Bernstein broadcast from Carnegie Hall
John Daly
Robert Mott on appearing as a contestant on What's My Line? with host John Daly
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Robert Mott on working on I Like Ike, a tribute to President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Jackie Gleason
Robert Mott on working on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason
Bob Keeshan
Robert Mott on doing sound effects for Captain Kangaroo with Bob Keeshan
Ernie Kovacs
Robert Mott on working on The Ernie Kovacs Show
Garry Moore
Robert Mott on working on The Garry Moore Show
Dick Van Dyke
Robert Mott on working with Dick Van Dyke
Mike Wallace
Robert Mott on his earliest memories of television including the early talk show Mike and Buff with Mike Wallace