"I loved being an agent, going into a room and negotiating a contract with fifteen men... It was a very exciting challenge. I'd grown up with an adoring father who thought I could do anything. I had a big advantage that I always felt very free in the male world. Very confident."

    About This Interview

    In her two-hour interview, Priscilla Morgan (1919-2014) discusses her start as a secretary/script girl in radio for Young & Rubicam on such shows as The Aldrich Family and Duffy's Tavern, eventually moving up to the assistant of the producer to The Kate Smith Hour. She describes her work in the early 1950s at Audrey Wood and Bill Liebling's agency in the television department. She recalls her break with Liebling-Wood and forming her own company, The Priscilla Morgan Agency (1952-55), which was bought out by William Morris. Morgan details her work as an agent for William Morris through the 1960s. She talks about representing producers Fred Coe and Martin Manulis, directors Martin Ritt and Daniel Mann, writers Tad Mosel and JP Miller, and actors Cloris Leachman and Tom Ewell. Michael Rosen conducted the interview on May 22, 2000 in New York, NY.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Priscilla Morgan

    Priscilla Morgan on working as an assistant on "The Kate Smith Hour" radio program

    03:26
    Thumbnail of Priscilla Morgan

    Priscilla Morgan on her role bringing Pepsi-Cola, Faye Emerson, and The Faye Emerson Show together

    06:57
    Thumbnail of Priscilla Morgan

    Priscilla Morgan on negotiating deals for William Morris and dealing with Fred Coe

    05:27
    Thumbnail of Priscilla Morgan

    Priscilla Morgan on being a female agent in the '50s

    04:51
    Thumbnail of Priscilla Morgan

    Priscilla Morgan on selling her own agency to William Morris

    03:50
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On her early life and influences; on her family dealing with the Depression; on early radio programs that she listened to growing up

    14:52

    On her first job in Young & Rubicam's radio department; on Young & Rubicam's involvement in radio; on watching live radio; on working as an assistant on "The Kate Smith Hour" radio program

    14:24

    Chapter 2

    On her brother's experience in World War II and joining the WAVES; on her experiences in the Navy WAVES; on her post World War II activities 

    14:33

    On being hired by the Liebling-Wood agency; on her duties in the Liebling-Wood television department; on early shows she signed her clients up for and her process of finding clients work

    15:24

    Chapter 3

    On being a female agent in the '50s; on learning to be an agent; on her clients; on representing Faye Emerson

    18:51

    On leaving Liebling-Wood and starting her own talent agency; on television shows she packaged in the '50s

    10:20

    Chapter 4

    On selling her own agency to William Morris; on negotiating deals for William Morris and dealing with Fred Coe; on working with the networks when she was with William Morris

    15:05

    On moving away from television to focus on theater; on the rewarding aspect of being an agent; on the Golden Age of Television

    04:15

    Faye Emerson Show, The

    Priscilla Morgan on her role bringing Pepsi-Cola, Faye Emerson, and The Faye Emerson Show together

    06:57

    Anthology Drama

    Priscilla Morgan on the Golden Age of Television

    05:27

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Priscilla Morgan on her brother's experience in World War II and joining the WAVES

    08:10

    Priscilla Morgan on her experiences in the Navy WAVES

    04:49

    Priscilla Morgan on being a female agent in the '50s

    05:41

    Representation on Television

    Priscilla Morgan on being a female agent in the '50s

    05:41

    Television Industry

    Priscilla Morgan on television shows she packaged in the '50s

    03:33

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

    Priscilla Morgan on the Golden Age of Television

    05:27

    War

    Priscilla Morgan on her brother's experience in World War II and joining the WAVES

    08:10

    Priscilla Morgan on her experiences in the Navy WAVES

    04:49

    Women

    Priscilla Morgan on being a female agent in the '50s

    05:41

    World War II

    Priscilla Morgan on her brother's experience in World War II and joining the WAVES

    08:10

    Priscilla Morgan on her experiences in the Navy WAVES

    04:49

    Agent

    Priscilla Morgan on early shows she signed her clients up for and her process of finding clients work

    04:20

    Priscilla Morgan on learning how to be an agent

    02:48

    Priscilla Morgan on negotiating deals for William Morris and dealing with Fred Coe

    05:27

    Representatives

    Priscilla Morgan on early shows she signed her clients up for and her process of finding clients work

    04:20

    Priscilla Morgan on learning how to be an agent

    02:48

    Priscilla Morgan on negotiating deals for William Morris and dealing with Fred Coe

    05:27

    Fred Coe

    Priscilla Morgan on starting her own talent agency

    04:58

    Priscilla Morgan on negotiating deals for William Morris and dealing with Fred Coe

    05:27

    Faye Emerson

    Priscilla Morgan on her role bringing Pepsi-Cola, Faye Emerson, and The Faye Emerson Show together

    06:57

    JP Miller

    Priscilla Morgan on her clients 

    04:15

    Tad Mosel

    Priscilla Morgan on her clients 

    04:15

    David Shaw

    Priscilla Morgan on her clients 

    04:15

    Kate Smith

    Priscilla Morgan on working as an assistant on "The Kate Smith Hour" radio program

    03:26

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