Richard L. Bare

Director


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Richard L. Bare (1913-2015) talks about his early interests in photography and amateur movie-making. He briefly describes his work in a combat photography unit during Word War II. He discusses his transition to making short films for Warner Bros., starting with "So You Want to Give Up Smoking," which led to a series of "So You…" titles. He talks about his entrance into television at Warner Bros. and speaks of Jack Warner's feelings about the new medium. Bare talks about Warner Bros. head of television, Bill Orr, and his association with him. He details one of the studio's biggest hits, the western series Cheyenne, and speaks of working with James Garner (who he had discovered during his Cheyenne years) in the series that made Garner a star, the western-comedy Maverick. Bare describes his work on other series such as The Twilight Zone (and the episodes "Third From the Sun," "Nick of Time," and "To Serve Man") and the pilot of 77 Sunset Strip (originally intended as a feature film). He recalls his work on the rural comedies Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Finally, Bare talks about his later work including the feature film Wicked Wicked, filmed in the Duo-vision split-screen process. Karen Herman conducted the interview on January 30, 2003 in Newport Beach, CA.

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

"...The best time of my life, I think creatively, was doing short [films] for ten years at the same time I did features. Then when television came in for Warner Brothers that's what I did. I was able to do everything concurrently and it was fun."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Richard L. Bare on directing "Arnold the pig" on Green Acres
01:35
Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction a nd shooting episodes in color
04:29
Richard L. Bare on making the movie Wicked, Wicked at MGM
06:37
Richard L. Bare on the addition of the character, "Bart Maverick" on the TV show Maverick
02:10
Richard L. Bare on discovering and directing James Garner in Cheyenne
03:18
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on amateur films he made and working as a combat cameraman during WWII; on making 60 short films and feature films for Warner Bros.  
On the atmosphere working at Warner Bros.; on directing the TV show Cheyenne; on discovering and directing James Garner in Cheyenne

Chapter 2

On working with Bill Orr on Cheyenne; on the production process for TV shows; on short films he made; on the first made-for-TV movie and the beginning of residual payments
On directing Maverick; on working with James Garner on the show

Chapter 3

On directing Maverick and the addition of the character, "Bart Maverick;" on directing 77 Sunset Strip; on directing episodes of The Twilight Zone; on directing Nick of Time; on directing To Serve Man
On directing Petticoat Junction; on directing Green Acres and working with the cast of the show, including "Arnold the pig"

Chapter 4

On "Arnold the pig's" trainer, Frank Inn on Green Acres; on the tone and comedic elements of the show; on the editing of Green Acres; on the cancellation of the show and memories of the Green Acres TV movie
On making the movie Wicked, Wicked at MGM; on his then-current projects; on what influences his style of directing

Chapter 5

On then-current projects; on his proudest career achievement and his three Academy Award nominations; on advice he would give to aspiring directors
On B-roll footage of films and TV shows he worked on throughout his career
Shows

77 Sunset Strip

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Richard L. Bare on directing 77 Sunset Strip
02:25

Beulah

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Richard L. Bare on directing Louise Beavers in Beulah
01:10

Cheyenne

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Richard L. Bare on directing the TV show Cheyenne
08:41
Richard L. Bare on working with Bill Orr on the show Cheyenne
09:25

Doc Corkle

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Richard L. Bare on directing Doc Corkle
01:53

Green Acres

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Richard L. Bare on directing Green Acres
08:14
Richard L. Bare on "Arnold the pig's" trainer, Frank Inn, and his training techniques and abilities on Green Acres
16:47

Islanders, The

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Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, showing location photos of the pilot he filmed for the show The Islanders
01:59

Maverick

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Richard L. Bare on directing Maverick
08:11
Richard L. Bare on the addition of the character, "Bart Maverick" on the TV show Maverick
02:10
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring photos from the set of Maverick
00:44

Petticoat Junction

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Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction
04:29

Twilight Zone, The

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Richard L. Bare on directing The Twilight Zone
04:37
Richard L. Bare on directing The Twilight Zone
00:34

Virginian, The

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Richard L. Bare on his working style with Roy Huggins on The Virginian
03:06
Topics

Bloopers

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Richard L. Bare on working with "Arnold the pig" on Green Acres
02:00

Pop Culture

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Richard L. Bare on working with James Garner on Maverick
08:11

Technological Innovation

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Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction a nd shooting episodes in color
04:29

Television Industry

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Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction a nd shooting episodes in color
04:29
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, on winning a Director's Guild Award for his TV movie,  All Our Yesterdays in 1958
00:49
Professions

Directors

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Richard L. Bare on directing the TV show Cheyenne
08:41
Richard L. Bare on directing Maverick
08:11
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, discussing the kinds of film cameras he preferred to use when filming
00:39
Genres

Comedy Series

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Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction
04:29
Richard L. Bare on directing Green Acres
08:14
Richard L. Bare on "Arnold the pig's" trainer, Frank Inn, and his training techniques and abilities on Green Acres
16:47

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

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Richard L. Bare on directing The Twilight Zone
04:37

Western Series

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Richard L. Bare on working with producer Roy Huggins on the TV show, Cheyenne
08:41
Richard L. Bare on directing Clint Walker in Cheyenne
05:23
Richard L. Bare on working with Bill Orr on the show Cheyenne
09:25
Richard L. Bare on directing Maverick
08:11
Richard L. Bare on his working style with Roy Huggins on The Virginian
03:50
People

Eddie Albert

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Richard L. Bare on directing techniques he used when working with Eddie Albert on Green Acres
01:50

James T. Aubrey

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Richard L. Bare on making the movie Wicked, Wicked at MGM with Jim Aubrey
07:10

Pat Buttram

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Richard L. Bare on working with Pat Buttram on Green Acres
00:14

Eva Gabor

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Richard L. Bare on directing Eva Gabor in Green Acres
04:11
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of Eva Gabor
00:22

James Garner

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Richard L. Bare on discovering and directing James Garner in Cheyenne
03:18
Richard L. Bare on working with James Garner on Maverick
08:11
Richard L. Bare on the star quality of James Garner
02:12
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring photos from the set of Maverick
00:44
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of James Garner
00:24

Buck Houghton

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Richard L. Bare on working with Buck Houghton on The Twilight Zone
00:34

Roy Huggins

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Richard L. Bare on working with producer Roy Huggins on the TV show, Cheyenne
08:41
Richard L. Bare on working with Roy Huggins on Maverick
08:11
Richard L. Bare on how Roy Huggins' idea for 77 Sunset Strip was turned into a series
02:25
Richard L. Bare on working with Roy Huggins on The Virginian
03:06

Frank Inn

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Richard L. Bare on "Arnold the pig's" trainer, Frank Inn, and his training techniques and abilities on Green Acres
02:00

Jack Kelly

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Richard L. Bare on the addition of the character, "Bart Maverick" on the TV show Maverick
02:12

Tom Lester

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Richard L. Bare on working with Tom Lester on Green Acres
00:23

George Lucas

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Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas
00:37

Virginia Mayo

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Richard L. Bare on directing Virginia Mayo in feature films at Warner Bros.
01:09

George O'Hanlon

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Richard L. Bare on directing George O'Hanlon on 60 short films over 10 years for Warner Bros. Studios
02:40
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, depicting him directing George O'Hanlon
00:32

Rod Serling

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Richard L. Bare on working with Rod Serling on The Twilight Zone
04:37

William Shatner

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Richard L. Bare on directing William Shatner in Nick of Time
01:08

Jay Sommers

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Richard L. Bare on working with Jay Sommers on Petticoat Junction and Green Acres
12:43
Richard L. Bare on working with Jay Sommers on Green Acres
16:47

Steven Spielberg

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Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas
00:37

Clint Walker

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Richard L. Bare on directing Clint Walker in Cheyenne
05:23

Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

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Richard L. Bare on how Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. was cast on 77 Sunset Strip
02:25

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