Stanford Tischler

Editor

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his two-hour interview, Stanford Tischler (1921-2014) talks about his early start in the business as an apprentice sound effects editor at RKO Studios. He speaks in detail about the regime at RKO (presided over by Howard Hughes) and shares his personal experiences working on the film Hard, Fast, and Beautiful directed by Ida Lupino. He describes his transition into full-fledged editing as the editor for The Filmmakers production company, run by Collier Young and Ida Lupino. Tischler speaks about his entry into television on the dramatic anthology TV Reader's Digest and talks about his work at syndication giant Ziv Productions, editing Sea Hunt and The Everglades. He briefly outlines his work editing Peyton Place and Judd for the Defense. Tischler then discusses editing the long-running series M*A*S*H. He recalls working with the producers and editing specific episodes of the hit series. B-roll consists of several photos relating to M*A*S*H, including shots from the editing suites. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on November 19, 2003 in Sherman Oaks, CA.

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

"Comedy is harder to cut than straight stuff. I don't think you have to know more, but you have to have a feel for it. There's a mixture between being objective and subjective when you're putting something together. You've got to feel what is good and what your view is, and in a comedy, what is funny and what is not. How to temper it and cut it so that if it's a boom, boom, boom, you're building up to it. It's a wonderful way to cut."

People Talking About ...

Stanford Tischler

Highlights

Stanford Tischler on getting hired on M*A*S*H and his experience editing the pilot

02:45

Stanford Tischler on his experiences and work on the series TV Reader's Digest

05:28

Stanford Tischler on M*A*S*H as his proudest career achievement

00:22

Stanford Tischler on how the racy reputation of Peyton Place lost his daughter one of her friends

00:37

Stanford Tischler on his experience working with Frank Capra, while working as a sound effects editor on "It's A Wonderful Life"

00:33

Stanford Tischler on winning an Emmy for editing M*A*S*H

00:39

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on moving to California in 1940 and becoming a sound effects editor at RKO; on serving in World War II as a film editor

On editing sound effects on "It's A Wonderful Life"; on the process of cutting sound

On sound editing on the feature film "Hard, Fast, and Beautiful" (1951); on working with Ida Lupino and Collier Young at The Filmmakers; on leaving RKO to join The Filmmakers at Republic

On editing the film "The Bigamist"; on the process of film editing in the 1950s

On his early memories of television

Chapter 2

On his start in TV with Revue Productions; on editing TV Reader's Digest

On not knowing any editors affected by the Hollywood Blacklist; on editing Bachelor Father (and occasionally Leave it to Beaver) at Revue Studios

On working for Ziv Productions; on editing Sea Hunt; on working on the pilot Medicine Man starring Ernie Kovacs, which was being shot at the time of Kovacs' death

On the stock footage available at Ziv; on shooting his own stock footage; on editing syndicated shows at Revue; on being hired to edit Peyton Place after turning to real estate when he was out of work

Chapter 3

On editing Peyton Place; on starting as an associate producer on Judd For the Defense after salvaging the pilot

On editing The New People, Storefront Lawyers, and The Partners

On getting hired on M*A*S*H and his experience editing the pilot; on assembling the opening titles shots and working with the producers

On the tone of M*A*S*H; on a typical work week and working with the cast

Chapter 4

On winning an Emmy for editing M*A*S*H; on his recollections of editing specific episodes

On editing Peyton Place: The Next Generation and The Paper Chase

On his proudest achievement, advice to aspiring editors, and how he would like to be remembered

B-roll photos from his time editing M*A*S*H

Shows

AfterMASH

Stanford Tischler the series AfterMASH and how it was edited

01:37

Bachelor Father

Stanford Tischler on his work editing Bachelor Father (and occasionally Leave it to Beaver) at Revue Studios

03:27

Stanford Tischler on being let go from Revue Studios (where he worked on Bachelor Father) because his salary was too high

00:42

Code 3

Stanford Tischler on shooting stock footage on his weekends and providing specific shots for Code 3

00:27

Everglades!

Stanford Tischler on the 16mm color syndicated film series Everglades!

00:51

Judd for the Defense

Stanford Tischler on starting as an associate producer on Judd For the Defense after salvaging the pilot

01:06

Stanford Tischler on the underrated talents of Judd for the Defense lead Carl Betz

00:37

Leave it to Beaver

Stanford Tischler on his work editing Bachelor Father (and occasionally Leave it to Beaver) at Revue Studios

03:27

MAS*H

Stanford Tischler on getting hired on M*A*S*H and his experience editing the pilot

02:53

Stanford Tischler on assembling the opening titles shots for M*A*S*H

00:55

Stanford Tischler on the challenges of editing M*A*S*H

00:53

Stanford Tischler on Larry Gelbart's penchant for "fixes" on M*A*S*H

01:04

Stanford Tischler on working with executive producer Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H

00:28

Stanford Tischler on Larry Gelbart's talents on M*A*S*H

00:33

Stanford Tischler on the tone of M*A*S*H and its message

01:55

Stanford Tischler on the laugh track on M*A*S*H

01:01

Stanford Tischler on working with executive producer Burt Metcalfe on M*A*S*H

00:29

Stanford Tischler on a typical work week on M*A*S*H

01:58

Stanford Tischler on the overlapping of episodes in production on M*A*S*H

01:32

Stanford Tischler on becoming an associate producer on M*A*S*H

00:24

Stanford Tischler on working with M*A*S*H star Alda Alda

00:40

Stanford Tischler on working with M*A*S*H star McLean Stevenson

01:39

Stanford Tischler on the classic M*A*S*H episode "Abyssinia, Henry" and when he was informed about the show's ending

01:13

Stanford Tischler on being on the set of M*A*S*H

00:22

Stanford Tischler on not laughing while screening dailies with cast and crew because he was concentrating on his work on M*A*S*H

00:57

Stanford Tischler on the classic M*A*S*H episode "The Interview"

00:56

Stanford Tischler on winning an Emmy for editing M*A*S*H

00:39

Stanford Tischler on being proud of his work editing M*A*S*H

00:32

Stanford Tischler on editing the blooper reels for M*A*S*H

00:52

Stanford Tischler on the M*A*S*H episode "Point of View"

00:51

Stanford Tischler on the M*A*S*H episode "Old Soldiers" with a moving speech by Harry Morgan

00:51

Stanford Tischler on the classic M*A*S*H episode "Life Time," shown in real time, and how it compared to the 1949 feature film The Set-Up that he worked on, which was also presented in real time

01:18

Stanford Tischler on the M*A*S*H episode "Dreams" and censorship issues on the show

02:13

Stanford Tischler on the high standard for quality on M*A*S*H

00:33

Stanford Tischler the M*A*S*H series finale, and how he noticed that the streets were empty while it aired

02:31

Stanford Tischler on the legacy of M*A*S*H

00:48

Stanford Tischler on how actor Harry Morgan disliked performing the racist moment required of his character in his guest appearance on M*A*S*H in "The General Flipped at Dawn" (which preceded his regular role)

01:24

Stanford Tischler on M*A*S*H as his proudest career achievement

00:28

Stanford Tischler on photos from his time editing M*A*S*H

02:18

MAS*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"

Stanford Tischler the M*A*S*H series finale, and how he noticed that the streets were empty while it aired

02:31

MAS*H: "The Interview"

Stanford Tischler on editing the classic M*A*S*H episode "The Interview"

00:56

Medicine Man

Stanford Tischler on working on the pilot Medicine Man that starred Ernie Kovacs, which was being shot at the time of Kovacs' death

01:50

New People, The

Stanford Tischler on editing The New People

00:51

Only in America

Stanford Tischler on how the mid-70s pilot Only in America was not picked up by ABC because it was considered too "ethnic"

01:10

Our Man Higgins

Stanford Tischler on editing Our Man Higgins

00:37

Paper Chase, The

Stanford Tischler on editing The Paper Chase

00:35

Partners, The

Stanford Tischler on how stars Don Adams and Rupert Crosse had a falling out and didn't work together outside of shooting their master shots, making scenes difficult to edit on The Partners

01:51

Peyton Place

Stanford Tischler on being hired on Peyton Place after turning to real estate when he was out of work

00:54

Stanford Tischler on the use of long takes on Peyton Place

00:36

Stanford Tischler on editing Peyton Place and working with writer/producer Paul Monash

01:14

Stanford Tischler on how the racy reputation of Peyton Place lost his daughter one of her friends

00:37

Stanford Tischler on the failure of the TV movie Peyton Place: The Next Generation

00:57

Peyton Place: The Next Generation

Stanford Tischler on the failure of the TV movie Peyton Place: The Next Generation

00:57

Sea Hunt

Stanford Tischler on editing Sea Hunt

01:07

Storefront Lawyers, The

Stanford Tischler on editing The Storefront Lawyers

00:52

TV Reader's Digest

Stanford Tischler on editing TV Reader's Digest

05:28

Topics

Advice

Stanford Tischler on advice to an aspiring editor

00:50

Bloopers

Stanford Tischler on editing the blooper reels for M*A*S*H

00:09

Censorship / Standards & Practices

Stanford Tischler on censorship issues on M*A*S*H and how decades earlier in the 1950s the word "condominium" was deleted from a script

00:55

Classic TV series episodes

Stanford Tischler on the classic M*A*S*H episode "Abyssinia, Henry" and when he was informed about the show's ending

01:13

Emmy Awards

Stanford Tischler on winning an Emmy for editing M*A*S*H

00:39

Historic Events and Social Change

Stanford Tishchler on serving in World War II as a film editor

03:21

Stanford Tischler on how the mid-70s pilot Only in America was not picked up by ABC because it was considered too "ethnic"

01:10

Hollywood Blacklist

Stanford Tischler on not knowing any editors affected by the Hollywood Blacklist

01:12

Industry Crossroads

Stanford Tischler on not knowing any editors affected by the Hollywood Blacklist

01:12

Memorable Moments on Television

Stanford Tischler on the classic M*A*S*H episode "Abyssinia, Henry" and when he was informed about the show's ending

01:13

Representation on Television

Stanford Tischler on how the mid-70s pilot Only in America was not picked up by ABC because it was considered too "ethnic"

01:06

Television Industry

Stanford Tischler on not knowing any editors affected by the Hollywood Blacklist

01:12

Stanford Tischler on censorship issues on M*A*S*H and how decades earlier in the 1950s the word "condominium" was deleted from a script

00:55

Stanford Tischler on advice to an aspiring editor

00:50

War

Stanford Tishchler on serving in World War II as a film editor

03:21

We Cried

Stanford Tischler on the classic M*A*S*H episode "Abyssinia, Henry" and when he was informed about the show's ending

01:13

World War II

Stanford Tishchler on serving in World War II as a film editor

03:21

Professions

Editor

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Stanford Tishchler on the process of film editing in the 1950s

02:47

Stanford Tischler on editing comedy

00:55

Stanford Tischler on editing Westerns and his thoughts on editing

02:04

Stanford Tischler on advice to an aspiring editor

00:50

Post-Production Professionals

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Stanford Tishchler on the process of film editing in the 1950s

02:47

Stanford Tischler on editing comedy

00:55

Stanford Tischler on editing Westerns and his thoughts on editing

02:03

Stanford Tischler on advice to an aspiring editor

00:50

Producers

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Stanford Tischler on the role of an associate producer

00:29

Sound Editor

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Stanford Tishchler on not enjoying cutting sound

01:33

Sound Professionals

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Stanford Tishchler on not enjoying cutting sound

01:33

Genres

Comedy Series

Stanford Tischler on editing M*A*S*H

19:38

Stanford Tischler on editing specific episodes of M*A*S*H

16:51

People

Alan Alda

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Stanford Tischler on working with M*A*S*H star Alda Alda

00:40

Burt Metcalfe

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Stanford Tischler on working with executive producer Burt Metcalfe on M*A*S*H

00:29

Carl Betz

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Stanford Tischler on the underrated talents of Judd for the Defense lead Carl Betz

00:37

Collier Young

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Stanford Tischler on working with Ida Lupino and Collier Young at The Filmmakers

00:33

Don Siegel

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Stanford Tischler on working with Don Siegel

01:01

Ernie Kovacs

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Stanford Tischler on working on the pilot Medicine Man that starred Ernie Kovacs, which was being shot at the time of Kovacs' death

01:50

Frank Capra

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Stanford Tischler on his experience working with Frank Capra, while working as a sound effects editor on "It's A Wonderful Life"

00:33

Gene Reynolds

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Stanford Tischler on working with executive producer Gene Reynolds on M*A*S*H

00:28

Harry Ackerman

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Stanford Tischler on working with producer Harry Ackerman

00:53

Harry Morgan

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Stanford Tischler on how actor Harry Morgan disliked performing the racist moment required of his character in his guest appearance on M*A*S*H in "The General Flipped at Dawn" (which preceded his regular role)

01:18

Stanford Tischler on M*A*S*H 's Harry Morgan

01:53

Howard Hughes

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Stanford Tischler on Howard Hughes' attempts to lengthen the production of the feature film "Hard, Fast, and Beautiful" (1951)

03:23

Ida Lupino

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Stanford Tischler on working with Ida Lupino and Collier Young at The Filmmakers

00:50

Stanford Tischler on Ida Lupino never losing battles (re: Don Siegel) and her talent/respect by crews

01:26

Larry Gelbart

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Stanford Tischler on Larry Gelbart's penchant for "fixes" on M*A*S*H

01:04

Stanford Tischler on Larry Gelbart's talents on M*A*S*H

00:33

Loretta Swit

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Stanford Tischler on M*A*S*H star Loretta Swit

00:17

McLean Stevenson

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Stanford Tischler on working with M*A*S*H star McLean Stevenson

01:39

Paul Monash

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Stanford Tischler on editing Peyton Place and working with writer/producer Paul Monash

00:26