About
"...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."
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 World 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.
Highlights
Richard L. Bare on directing "Arnold the pig" on Green Acres
Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction a nd shooting episodes in color
Richard L. Bare on making the movie Wicked, Wicked at MGM
Richard L. Bare on the addition of the character, "Bart Maverick" on the TV show Maverick
Richard L. Bare on discovering and directing James Garner in Cheyenne
Full Interview
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
Richard L. Bare on directing 77 Sunset Strip
Beulah
Richard L. Bare on directing Louise Beavers in Beulah
Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on directing the TV show Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on working with Bill Orr on the show Cheyenne
Doc Corkle
Richard L. Bare on directing Doc Corkle
Green Acres
Richard L. Bare on "Arnold the pig's" trainer, Frank Inn, and his training techniques and abilities on Green Acres
Richard L. Bare on directing Green Acres
Islanders, The
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, showing location photos of the pilot he filmed for the show The Islanders
Maverick
Richard L. Bare on directing Maverick
Richard L. Bare on the addition of the character, "Bart Maverick" on the TV show Maverick
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring photos from the set of Maverick
Petticoat Junction
Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction
Twilight Zone, The
Richard L. Bare on directing The Twilight Zone
Richard L. Bare on directing The Twilight Zone
Virginian, The
Richard L. Bare on his working style with Roy Huggins on The Virginian
Topics
Bloopers
Richard L. Bare on working with "Arnold the pig" on Green Acres
Pop Culture
Richard L. Bare on working with James Garner on Maverick
Technological Innovation
Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction a nd shooting episodes in color
Television Industry
Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction a nd shooting episodes in color
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, on winning a Director's Guild Award for his TV movie, All Our Yesterdays in 1958
Professions
Directors
Richard L. Bare on directing the TV show Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on directing Maverick
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, discussing the kinds of film cameras he preferred to use when filming
Genres
Comedy Series
Richard L. Bare on "Arnold the pig's" trainer, Frank Inn, and his training techniques and abilities on Green Acres
Richard L. Bare on directing Petticoat Junction
Richard L. Bare on directing Green Acres
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Richard L. Bare on directing The Twilight Zone
Western Series
Richard L. Bare on working with producer Roy Huggins on the TV show, Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on directing Clint Walker in Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on working with Bill Orr on the show Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on directing Maverick
Richard L. Bare on his working style with Roy Huggins on The Virginian
People
Eddie Albert
Richard L. Bare on directing techniques he used when working with Eddie Albert on Green Acres
James T. Aubrey
Richard L. Bare on making the movie Wicked, Wicked at MGM with Jim Aubrey
Pat Buttram
Richard L. Bare on working with Pat Buttram on Green Acres
Eva Gabor
Richard L. Bare on directing Eva Gabor in Green Acres
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of Eva Gabor
James Garner
Richard L. Bare on discovering and directing James Garner in Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on working with James Garner on Maverick
Richard L. Bare on the star quality of James Garner
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring photos from the set of Maverick
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of James Garner
Buck Houghton
Richard L. Bare on working with Buck Houghton on The Twilight Zone
Roy Huggins
Richard L. Bare on working with producer Roy Huggins on the TV show, Cheyenne
Richard L. Bare on working with Roy Huggins on Maverick
Richard L. Bare on how Roy Huggins' idea for 77 Sunset Strip was turned into a series
Richard L. Bare on working with Roy Huggins on The Virginian
Frank Inn
Richard L. Bare on "Arnold the pig's" trainer, Frank Inn, and his training techniques and abilities on Green Acres
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Richard L. Bare on how Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. was cast on 77 Sunset Strip
Jack Kelly
Richard L. Bare on the addition of the character, "Bart Maverick" on the TV show Maverick
Tom Lester
Richard L. Bare on working with Tom Lester on Green Acres
George Lucas
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas
Virginia Mayo
Richard L. Bare on directing Virginia Mayo in feature films at Warner Bros.
George O'Hanlon
Richard L. Bare on directing George O'Hanlon on 60 short films over 10 years for Warner Bros. Studios
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, depicting him directing George O'Hanlon
Rod Serling
Richard L. Bare on working with Rod Serling on The Twilight Zone
William Shatner
Richard L. Bare on directing William Shatner in Nick of Time
Jay Sommers
Richard L. Bare on working with Jay Sommers on Green Acres
Richard L. Bare on working with Jay Sommers on Petticoat Junction and Green Acres
Steven Spielberg
Richard L. Bare on narrating B-roll footage, featuring a photo of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas
Clint Walker
Richard L. Bare on directing Clint Walker in Cheyenne