About
"The best secret for a director is more and more preparation… You often feel that the worst thing will happen. What if it doesn't work? That's the fear of failure. Or you start thinking, 'I'm going to do this phenomenal thing' and you get very high about creating. In between those two there is a plateau that you wish and you pray to have, that you can provide an opening where every individual can function at their best… If you can provide that kind of atmosphere, you are a genius. And if you are prepared you can do that."
In his four-and-a-half-hour interview, Reza Badiyi (1929-2011) discusses working in his native Iran, where he won awards for documentary filmmaking, and talks about coming to the United States to assist with low-budget films, including those directed by a young Robert Altman. He details his innovative title designs for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, That Girl, and Hawaii Five-O, which featured memorable location footage, jump cuts, and slow-motion effects. Additionally, Badiyi recalls dozens of series for which he served as a director, including Get Smart, Mission: Impossible, and Cagney & Lacey. B-roll includes photos from his early years with Robert Altman, as well as an example of his specially organized call sheet, known as the Reza sheet. Karen Herman conducted the interview on November 6, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Reza Badiyi on establishing a price and credit for himself for title visualization
Reza Badiyi on "the Reza sheet"
Reza Badiyi on creating the iconic title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show - he came up with her famous hat toss
Reza Badiyi on winning a DGA Award for his 400th episode of television - never before achieved
Reza Badiyi on directing Don Adams and Barbara Feldon on Get Smart
Reza Badiyi on his favorite episodes of Mission: Impossible and the generosity of executive producer Bruce Geller
Reza Badiyi on advice to actors about working with directors
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on people wanting him to change his name; on religion; on becoming a storyteller
On attending the Royal Academy of Drama in Iran; on his start as a cameraman; on taking courses from Syracuse University's program in Tehran; On coming to America in 1955
Chapter 2
On arriving in the United States; on meeting and working with Robert Altman; on doing features with Robert Altman; on working in religious television programming; on using a location he was in to shoot a religious program 25 years later for Of Mice and Men
On reconnecting with Robert Altman and getting a job at Universal; on sweetening shots for television shows with inserts and title sequences; on creating the title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Chapter 3
On the title sequence of The Mary Tyler Moore Show; on title sequences for features; on compensation for and creation of the title sequence of Hawaii-Five-O
On his style for title visualization; on creation of the title sequence of He & She; on the title sequence of Run Buddy Run
Chapter 4
On the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run; on joining Talent Associates Production company as an Associate Producer; on working on Get Smart and with Leonard Stein
On wanting to work on dramas; on directing The Governor and J.J.; on the title sequence of That Girl; on directing Mission: Impossible
Chapter 5
On his favorite episodes of Mission: Impossible - "Homecoming" and the 3 parts of "Falcon"
On directing Hawaii Five-O, The Doris Day Show, Mannix and The Rockford Files
Chapter 6
On James Garner in The Rockford Files; on directing S.W.A.T. and Starsky and Hutch
On directing Baretta; on the character "Tony Baretta"
Chapter 7
On how the Iranian Hostage Crisis affected him; on The Incredible Hulk, Falcon Crest and Cagney & Lacey
On television movie White Water Rebels; on directing Sledge Hammer!, Jake and the Fatman, and In the Heat of the Night
On directing Baywatch and The Trials of Rosie O'Neill; on "the Reza sheet"
Chapter 8
On the Reza sheet; on what a director wants from a producer; on interactions with network executives
On his philosphy on rehearsals; on ad-libbing, casting and advice to actors about working with directors; on choosing projects
On directing Police Squad !, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Sliders
Chapter 9
On winning a DGA Award for his 400th episode of television - never before achieved; on what makes a great story; on enjoying his experiences directing Nowhere Man and Dinosaurs
On his proudest career achievements and career regrets; on his mentors and what he learned from Robert Altman and Sam Peckinpah
On photos from film and television productions, many directed by Robert Altman
Shows
Baretta
Reza Badiyi on directing Baretta; on the character "Tony Baretta"
Baywatch
Reza Badiyi on directing Baywatch
Cagney & Lacey
Reza Badiyi on directing Cagney & Lacey
Reza Badiyi on his proudest career achievements
Dinosaurs
Reza Badiyi on enjoying his experience directing Dinosaurs
Doris Day Show, The
Reza Badiyi on directing The Doris Day Show
Falcon Crest
Reza Badiyi on directing Falcon Crest
Get Smart
Reza Badiyi on directing Get Smart
Governor and J.J., The
Reza Badiyi on directing The Governor and J.J.
Hawaii Five-O
Reza Badiyi on compensation for and creation of the title sequence of Hawaii-Five-O
Reza Badiyi on directing Hawaii Five-O
He & She
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for He & She
In the Heat of the Night
Reza Badiyi on directing In the Heat of the Night
Incredible Hulk, The
Reza Badiyi on Bill Bixby and The Incredible Hulk
Jake and the Fatman
Reza Badiyi on directing Jake and the Fatman
Mannix
Reza Badiyi on working on Mannix
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The
Reza Badiyi on creating the title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Mission: Impossible
Reza Badiyi on directing Mission: Impossible
Reza Badiyi on his favorite episodes of Mission: Impossible
Reza Badiyi on the three parter "Falcon," - the most troublesome episodes of Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible: "Falcon"
Reza Badiyi on the three parter "Falcon," - the most troublesome episodes of Mission: Impossible
Nowhere Man
Reza Badiyi on enjoying his experience directing Nowhere Man
Police Squad!
Reza Badiyi on directing Police Squad!
Rockford Files, The
Reza Badiyi on working on The Rockford Files
Reza Badiyi on James Garner and The Rockford Files
Run, Buddy, Run
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for Run Buddy Run
Reza Badiyi on the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run
Reza Badiyi on working with Leonard Stern
S.W.A.T.
Reza Badiyi on directing S.W.A.T.
Sledge Hammer!
Reza Badiyi on directing Sledge Hammer!
Sliders
Reza Badiyi on directing Sliders
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Reza Badiyi on directing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Starsky and Hutch
Reza Badiyi on directing Starsky and Hutch
That Girl
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of That Girl
Trials of Rosie O'Neill, The
Reza Badiyi on directing The Trials of Rosie O'Neill
Reza Badiyi on network interference while directing The Trials of Rosie O'Neill
White Water Rebels
Reza Badiyi on directing the TV movie White Water Rebels
Topics
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Reza Badiyi on network interference while directing The Trials of Rosie O'Neill
Characters & Catchphrases
Reza Badiyi on Leonard Freeman coming up with the phrase "Book him, Dan-o"
Reza Badiyi on the character "Tony Baretta"
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Reza Badiyi on how much he learned from Professor John Humphrey of Syracuse University's program in Tehran
Hollywood Blacklist
Reza Badiyi on censorship because of the Blacklist
Iran Hostage Crisis
Reza Badiyi on how the Iranian Hostage Crisis affected him and finally getting work on The Incredible Hulk
Memorable Moments on Television
Reza Badiyi on creating the iconic title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show - he came up with her famous hat toss
Professions
Directors
Reza Badiyi on his start as a cameraman
Reza Badiyi on his visual style on Mannix
Reza Badiyi on what a director wants from a producer
Post-Production Professionals
Reza Badiyi on his style for title visualization
Television Executive
Reza Badiyi on creating the iconic title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show - he came up with her famous hat toss
Title Designer
Reza Badiyi on his style for title visualization
Genres
Comedy Series
Reza Badiyi on creating the iconic title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show - he came up with her famous hat toss
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Reza Badiyi on directing Hawaii Five-O
Reza Badiyi on directing Baretta; on the character "Tony Baretta"
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Reza Badiyi on directing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Reza Badiyi on directing the TV movie White Water Rebels
People
Don Adams
Reza Badiyi on directing Don Adams and Barbara Feldon on Get Smart
Robert Altman
Reza Badiyi on meeting and working with Robert Altman at the Calvin Company and on features
Reza Badiyi on reconnecting with Robert Altman and getting a job at Universal
Reza Badiyi on what he learned from Robert Altman
Reza Badiyi on photos from Robert Altman productions
Saul Bass
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for War Lord with Charlton Heston - first attempt at the title done by Saul Bass
Bill Bixby
Reza Badiyi on Bill Bixby and The Incredible Hulk
Robert Blake
Reza Badiyi on directing Robert Blake
Reza Badiyi on directing Robert Blake in Baretta and doing other series and features with Robert Blake
Reza Badiyi on Robert Blake not wanting an additional season of Baretta
James L. Brooks
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
David Chase
Reza Badiyi on David Chase's great scripts on The Rockford Files
William Conrad
Reza Badiyi on directing William Conrad in Jake and the Fatman
Tyne Daly
Reza Badiyi on directing Cagney & Lacey
Bill Dana
Reza Badiyi on Bill Dana guest starring on Get Smart
Doris Day
Reza Badiyi on directing Doris Day
Barbara Feldon
Reza Badiyi on directing Don Adams and Barbara Feldon on Get Smart
Leonard Freeman
Reza Badiyi on playing the title sequence of Hawaii Five-O for producer Leonard Freeman
Reza Badiyi on Leonard Freeman coming up with the phrase "Book him, Dan-o"
James Garner
Reza Badiyi on James Garner and The Rockford Files
Bruce Geller
Reza Badiyi on his favorite episodes of Mission: Impossible and the generosity of executive producer Bruce Geller
Reza Badiyi on working with Bruce Geller on Mannix
Paul Michael Glaser
Reza Badiyi on directing Paul Michael Glaser Starsky and Hutch
Sharon Gless
Reza Badiyi on directing Cagney & Lacey
Buck Henry
Reza Badiyi on directing Buck Henry
Charlton Heston
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for War Lord with Charlton Heston
Kim Hunter
Reza Badiyi on directing Baretta produced by Bernard Kowalski, starring Kim Hunter
Shirley Knight
Reza Badiyi on direcing Pete with Shirley Knight
Bernard L. Kowalski
Reza Badiyi on directing Baretta produced by Bernard Kowalski
Reza Badiyi on directing Jake and the Fatman
Jennings Lang
Reza Badiyi on Jennings Lang hiring him at Universal
Jack Lord
Reza Badiyi on directing Jack Lord
James MacArthur
Reza Badiyi on working with James MacArthur
Daniel Melnick
Reza Badiyi on pitching ideas for the title sequence for Run Buddy Run
Reza Badiyi on Talent Associates and the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run
Mary Tyler Moore
Reza Badiyi on creating the title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Leslie Nielsen
Reza Badiyi on working with Leslie Nielsen on Police Squad!
Carroll O'Connor
Reza Badiyi on directing Carroll O'Connor in In the Heat of the Night
Sam Peckinpah
Reza Badiyi on what he learned from Sam Peckinpah
Don Rickles
Reza Badiyi on directing Don Rickles
David Soul
Reza Badiyi on directing David Soul in Starsky and Hutch
Aaron Spelling
Reza Badiyi on working with Aaron Spelling
Leonard Stern
Reza Badiyi on pitching ideas for the title sequence for Run Buddy Run
Reza Badiyi on Talent Associates and the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run
Reza Badiyi on working with Leonard Stern
David Susskind
Reza Badiyi on pitching ideas for the title sequence for Run Buddy Run
Reza Badiyi on Talent Associates and the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run
Marlo Thomas
Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of That Girl