Robert Mott

Sound Effects Specialist

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About

About this interview

In his four-hour interview, Robert Mott (1924-2016) talks about his early work in radio and television as a freelance sound technician. He discusses working in "live" television, providing sound effects. He speaks in great detail about character sounds and effects he created for the classic children's show Captain Kangaroo. Additionally, he recounts his friendship and collaboration with Dick Van Dyke, who he worked with as a writer as well as sound effects artist in Van Dyke's early career. Mott outlines doing sound effects for many shows including The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Web, The Ernie Kovacs Show, as well as working with Jack Benny late in Benny's career. He elaborates on the craft of creating sound effects and demonstrates various effects in a taped b-roll session. B-roll also consists of photos from Captain Kangaroo and a title card from The Garry Moore Show. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 9, 2003 in Arroyo Grande, CA.

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

"In my career, I was motivated by fear and pride. Fear of losing my job because jobs were very scarce. And pride because you wanted to be the best. At CBS we always felt we were the best sound effects people in the world."

People Talking About ...

Robert Mott

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on going to the movies as a child

On his service in World War II; on trying his hand at various aspects of radio and getting into sound effects for radio; on what attracted him to the sound effects field

Chapter 2

On favorite radio stories of his; on the power of radio in its early years; on the Hollywood Blacklist

On his earliest memories of television including the early talk show Mike and Buff with Mike Wallace; on various live television bloopers including on Studio One, Betty Furness' Westinghouse commercial, and The Web; on doing sound effects for Gang Busters

Chapter 3

On various sound effects bloopers including on Studio One, The Edge of Night, and Search For Tomorrow; on the craft of sound effects on television

On the early practice to adding sound effects to television news stories and why it was discontinued; on a sound effects blooper on The Jackie Gleason Show; on belonging to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union and AFRA and doing vocal sound effects like barking dogs and baby cries

Chapter 4

On how he would get sound effects jobs on shows; on doing sound effects for a Leonard Bernstein broadcast from Carnegie Hall

On doing sound effects for Captain Kangaroo with Bob Keeshan; on a Captain Kangaroo blooper; on how he would achieve certain sound effects

On keeping track of his sound effects library and on the tools of the trade; on using the MacKenzie cart machine on Captain Kangaroo

Chapter 5

On recording his own sound effects for shows like Days of Our Lives and various other shows; on the Kennedy assassination; on challenging sounds he had to duplicate

On working with Dick Van Dyke; on writing for various shows including The Andy Williams Show and balancing doing sound effects with writing; on doing sound effects for The Ed Sullivan Show

Chapter 6

On working on The Garry Moore Show; on working on Playhouse 90; on working on The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason

On the part reputation played in sound effects professionals getting work; on the difference between working in audio and working in sound effects and on audio and sound effects with other crew members; on working on The Jack Benny Program

On moving to Los Angeles and working on The Red Skelton Show; on working on To Tell the Truth and on working with a laugh track; on appearing on What's My Line?

Chapter 7

On appearing as a contestant on What's My Line? with host John Daly; on working on The Ernie Kovacs Show

On working on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In; on working on The Edge of Night; on working on The Frank Gifford Show

On then-current projects; on how the sound effects craft has changed since he started and the advent of Foley

Chapter 8

On sound effects pioneer John O'Donnell; on sound effects that couldn't be used on television; on advice to an aspiring sound effects professional

On b-roll- demonstrates various sound effects from his collection

Chapter 9

On b-roll- demonstrating various sound effects from his collection

On b-roll pictures from his career- Title card for the The Garry Moore Show; with his band; on the set of The Garry Moore Show; on the set of Captain Kangaroo; with Linda Darnell; the record console for Captain Kangaroo; tone arm needle; categories of sound effects records; sound effects record players; Red Skelton on the set of his show; his books

Shows

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Robert Mott

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Andy Williams Show, The

Arthur Godfrey Show, The

Captain Kangaroo

Days of Our Lives

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

Edge of Night, The

Ernie Kovacs Show, The

Garry Moore Show, The

Honeymooners, The

Jack Benny Program, The

Jackie Gleason Show, The

Mike and Buff

Playhouse 90

Red Skelton Show, The

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Search For Tomorrow

Studio One

To Tell the Truth

Web, The

What's My Line?

Advice

Bloopers

Censorship / Standards & Practices

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Historic Events and Social Change

Hollywood Blacklist

Industry Crossroads

JFK Assassination and Funeral

Television Industry

Television and the Presidency

Sound Editor

Sound Engineer

Sound Professionals

Children's Programming

Classic Anthology Series

Comedy Series

Daytime/Primetime Serials

Game Shows

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Bob Keeshan

Dick Van Dyke

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Ernie Kovacs

Garry Moore

Jack Benny

Jackie Gleason

John Daly

Leonard Bernstein

Mike Wallace

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