Reza Badiyi

Director / Title Visualizer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

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.

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

"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."

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Highlights

Reza Badiyi on establishing a price and credit for himself for title visualization

01:48

Reza Badiyi on "the Reza sheet"

02:12

Reza Badiyi on creating the iconic title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show - he came up with her famous hat toss

02:21

Reza Badiyi on winning a DGA Award for his 400th episode of television - never before achieved

04:44

Reza Badiyi on directing Don Adams and Barbara Feldon on Get Smart

00:31

Reza Badiyi on his favorite episodes of Mission: Impossible and the generosity of executive producer Bruce Geller

03:46

Reza Badiyi on advice to actors about working with directors

01:38

Full Interview

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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"

14:01

Baywatch

Reza Badiyi on directing Baywatch

03:25

Cagney & Lacey

Reza Badiyi on directing Cagney & Lacey

06:56

Reza Badiyi on his proudest career achievements

00:40

Dinosaurs

Reza Badiyi on enjoying his experience directing Dinosaurs

02:56

Doris Day Show, The

Reza Badiyi on directing The Doris Day Show

01:23

Falcon Crest

Reza Badiyi on directing Falcon Crest

01:01

Get Smart

Reza Badiyi on directing Get Smart

07:45

Governor and J.J., The

Reza Badiyi on directing The Governor and J.J.

01:33

Hawaii Five-O

Reza Badiyi on compensation for and creation of the title sequence of Hawaii-Five-O

17:43

Reza Badiyi on directing Hawaii Five-O

10:01

He & She

Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for He & She

02:14

In the Heat of the Night

Reza Badiyi on directing In the Heat of the Night

02:59

Incredible Hulk, The

Reza Badiyi on Bill Bixby and The Incredible Hulk

01:04

Jake and the Fatman

Reza Badiyi on directing Jake and the Fatman

02:26

Mannix

Reza Badiyi on working on Mannix

02:18

Mary Tyler Moore Show, The

Reza Badiyi on creating the title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show

07:23

Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of The Mary Tyler Moore Show

02:21

Mission: Impossible

Reza Badiyi on directing Mission: Impossible

05:14

Reza Badiyi on his favorite episodes of Mission: Impossible

15:17

Reza Badiyi on the three parter "Falcon," - the most troublesome episodes of Mission: Impossible

09:44

Mission: Impossible: "Falcon"

Reza Badiyi on the three parter "Falcon," - the most troublesome episodes of Mission: Impossible

09:44

Nowhere Man

Reza Badiyi on enjoying his experience directing Nowhere Man

00:55

Police Squad!

Reza Badiyi on directing Police Squad!

02:21

Rockford Files, The

Reza Badiyi on working on The Rockford Files

00:55

Reza Badiyi on James Garner and The Rockford Files

04:57

Run, Buddy, Run

Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for Run Buddy Run

01:58

Reza Badiyi on the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run

03:17

Reza Badiyi on working with Leonard Stern

03:22

S.W.A.T.

Reza Badiyi on directing S.W.A.T.

01:30

Sledge Hammer!

Reza Badiyi on directing Sledge Hammer!

00:42

Sliders

Reza Badiyi on directing Sliders

01:28

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Reza Badiyi on directing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

01:41

Starsky and Hutch

Reza Badiyi on directing Starsky and Hutch

06:39

That Girl

Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of That Girl

04:12

Trials of Rosie O'Neill, The

Reza Badiyi on directing The Trials of Rosie O'Neill

05:06

Reza Badiyi on network interference while directing The Trials of Rosie O'Neill

01:49

White Water Rebels

Reza Badiyi on directing the TV movie White Water Rebels

01:13

Topics

Censorship / Standards & Practices

Reza Badiyi on network interference while directing The Trials of Rosie O'Neill

01:49

Characters & Catchphrases

Reza Badiyi on Leonard Freeman coming up with the phrase "Book him, Dan-o"

01:52

Reza Badiyi on the character "Tony Baretta"

01:24

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Reza Badiyi on how much he learned from Professor John Humphrey of Syracuse University's program in Tehran

02:13

Hollywood Blacklist

Reza Badiyi on censorship because of the Blacklist

01:03

Iran Hostage Crisis

Reza Badiyi on how the Iranian Hostage Crisis affected him and finally getting work on The Incredible Hulk

03:11

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

02:21

Professions

Directors

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Reza Badiyi on his start as a cameraman

00:59

Reza Badiyi on his visual style on Mannix

00:39

Reza Badiyi on what a director wants from a producer

03:59

Post-Production Professionals

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Reza Badiyi on his style for title visualization

00:55

Television Executive

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Reza Badiyi on creating the iconic title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show - he came up with her famous hat toss

02:21

Title Designer

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Reza Badiyi on his style for title visualization

00:55

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

02:21

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

Reza Badiyi on directing Hawaii Five-O

10:01

Reza Badiyi on directing Baretta; on the character "Tony Baretta"

14:01

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

Reza Badiyi on directing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

01:41

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Reza Badiyi on directing the TV movie White Water Rebels

01:13

People

Aaron Spelling

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Reza Badiyi on working with Aaron Spelling

01:02

Barbara Feldon

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Reza Badiyi on directing Don Adams and Barbara Feldon on Get Smart

00:31

Bernard L. Kowalski

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Reza Badiyi on directing Baretta produced by Bernard Kowalski

02:20

Reza Badiyi on directing Jake and the Fatman

01:09

Bill Bixby

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Reza Badiyi on Bill Bixby and The Incredible Hulk

01:04

Bill Dana

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Reza Badiyi on Bill Dana guest starring on Get Smart

00:44

Bruce Geller

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Reza Badiyi on his favorite episodes of Mission: Impossible and the generosity of executive producer Bruce Geller

03:46

Reza Badiyi on working with Bruce Geller on Mannix

01:29

Buck Henry

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Reza Badiyi on directing Buck Henry

00:46

Carroll O'Connor

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Reza Badiyi on directing Carroll O'Connor in In the Heat of the Night

02:59

Charlton Heston

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Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for War Lord with Charlton Heston

03:19

Daniel Melnick

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Reza Badiyi on pitching ideas for the title sequence for Run Buddy Run

01:58

Reza Badiyi on Talent Associates and the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run

04:12

David Chase

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Reza Badiyi on David Chase's great scripts on The Rockford Files

03:10

David Soul

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Reza Badiyi on directing David Soul in Starsky and Hutch

00:20

David Susskind

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Reza Badiyi on pitching ideas for the title sequence for Run Buddy Run

01:58

Reza Badiyi on Talent Associates and the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run

04:12

Don Adams

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Reza Badiyi on directing Don Adams and Barbara Feldon on Get Smart

00:31

Don Rickles

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Reza Badiyi on directing Don Rickles

00:28

Doris Day

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Reza Badiyi on directing Doris Day

01:23

Jack Lord

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Reza Badiyi on directing Jack Lord

04:04

James Garner

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Reza Badiyi on James Garner and The Rockford Files

04:57

James L. Brooks

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Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of The Mary Tyler Moore Show

00:41

James MacArthur

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Reza Badiyi on working with James MacArthur

02:42

Jennings Lang

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Reza Badiyi on Jennings Lang hiring him at Universal

02:05

Kim Hunter

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Reza Badiyi on directing Baretta produced by Bernard Kowalski, starring Kim Hunter

01:12

Leonard Freeman

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Reza Badiyi on playing the title sequence of Hawaii Five-O for producer Leonard Freeman

00:57

Reza Badiyi on Leonard Freeman coming up with the phrase "Book him, Dan-o"

01:52

Leonard Stern

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Reza Badiyi on pitching ideas for the title sequence for Run Buddy Run

01:58

Reza Badiyi on Talent Associates and the pitch for the title sequence of Run Buddy Run

04:12

Reza Badiyi on working with Leonard Stern

03:22

Leslie Nielsen

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Reza Badiyi on working with Leslie Nielsen on Police Squad!

01:05

Marlo Thomas

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Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of That Girl

04:12

Mary Tyler Moore

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Reza Badiyi on creating the title sequence for The Mary Tyler Moore Show

07:23

Reza Badiyi on the title sequence of The Mary Tyler Moore Show

00:41

Paul Michael Glaser

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Reza Badiyi on directing Paul Michael Glaser Starsky and Hutch

06:19

Robert Altman

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Reza Badiyi on meeting and working with Robert Altman at the Calvin Company and on features

04:46

Reza Badiyi on reconnecting with Robert Altman and getting a job at Universal

02:05

Reza Badiyi on what he learned from Robert Altman

02:14

Reza Badiyi on photos from Robert Altman productions

01:37

Robert Blake

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Reza Badiyi on directing Robert Blake

00:12

Reza Badiyi on directing Robert Blake in Baretta and doing other series and features with Robert Blake

05:23

Reza Badiyi on Robert Blake not wanting an additional season of Baretta

02:21

Sam Peckinpah

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Reza Badiyi on what he learned from Sam Peckinpah

01:27

Saul Bass

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Reza Badiyi on the title sequence for War Lord with Charlton Heston - first attempt at the title done by Saul Bass

00:55

Sharon Gless

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Reza Badiyi on directing Cagney & Lacey

03:13

Shirley Knight

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Reza Badiyi on direcing Pete with Shirley Knight

05:22

Tyne Daly

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Reza Badiyi on directing Cagney & Lacey

03:13

William Conrad

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Reza Badiyi on directing William Conrad in Jake and the Fatman

01:17