"Was it worth it? You bet your ass it was! If we had our lives to live over, we wouldn't have it any differently."

    About This Interview

    In their three-hour, joint Emerson Comedy Archive interview, Rocky (1921-2016) and Irma Kalish (1924-2021) discuss their backgrounds, and how they met and married. In a free-wheeling discussion, they touch on many of the shows they worked on including Colgate Comedy Hour, Meet Corliss Archer, My Three Sons, Family Affair, Gillian’s Island and The Flying Nun. They recall working on two Norman Lear shows; All in the Family, where they wrote the groundbreaking “Edith’s Christmas Story” dealing with breast cancer, and Good Times, where they hired Janet Jackson in the final seasons to play “Penny.” They describe working with many luminaries during their time as writers, some of whom became friends, including Selma Diamond, Shelley Berman, Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Carl Reiner, and Cloris Leachman. They touch on many problems facing the industry including writers strikes, ageism, and the challenge of longevity for a writer. They speak of their philosophy of comedy and joking writing, including if being funny can be taught, and what goes into constructing a joke. Jenni Matz and Bill Dana conducted the interview on February 7, 2007 in Encino, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
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    Chapter 1

    On longevity in comedy; on how they met and married; on how they got started writing comedy

    13:25

    On the phenomenon of Jewish writers; on writing for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on Colgate Comedy Hour and Meet Corliss Archer; on Rocky's early writing partners and on writing for radio shows

    06:59

    On going to writer for My Three Sons and Family Affair; on Selma Diamond, and on Irma's involvement with the Writers Guild; on writing a movie directed by Shelley Berman

    07:41

    On writing for F Troop and on the large number of scripts shows used to be; on producing the show Good Heavens with Carl Reiner and Too Close for Comfort; on producing and writing Carter Country

    08:56

    On writing for Good Times and All in the Family; on writing for The Brian Keith Show and on dealing with ageism; on writing for The Facts of Life starring Cloris Leachman

    11:41

    On writing the pilot for Gilligan's Island; on writing for The Flying Nun and various other pilots; on dealing with ageism in the industry

    08:50

    On writing the book "As Dead as it Gets" and on the "streetwalker story"; on partaking in various Writers Guild strikes; on working with Jim J. Bullock on Too Close for Comfort

    08:07

    On hiring Janet Jackson to play "Penny" on Good Times; on bringing basketball to China; on their interest in boxing and on their billing

    09:15

    On writing for Family Affair and on dealing with taxes; on their reasons for going into comedy; on the business part of show business

    14:08

    On the importance of keeping writing; on writing jokes that stand the test of time; on then-current shows like The Sarah Silverman Program, South Park, and Family Guy

    06:24

    On freelance writing, and on writing jokes for specific situations; on writing for non-comedy shows like Gunsmoke, and on writing shows for the Writers Guild; on their writing process

    10:40

    On working for Norman Lear as a writer; on writing comedy for different kinds of venues; on teaching writing, and what young writers should know when they start

    13:31

    On the longevity of certain comedians and writers; on Milton Berle; on going fishing and flying airplanes

    08:03

    On if you can teach someone to be funny; on their children, and on putting together a stand-up act or eulogy; on their proudest accomplishments, and on finding a good agent

    16:35

    On producing Too Close for Comfort, and on the notion of writing in the future; on meeting with Freddie Prinze, and on writers supporting each other; on the importance of writers playing their dues

    08:10

    On the popularity of westerns in the late 1950s and early 1960s, on being prolific writers, and the kind of people who write comedy; on advice on crafting a script; on the value of comedy and on working with Madeline Kahn on Oh Madeline

    09:40

    On visiting a concentration camp; on answering the question "was it worth it?"

    04:33

    All in the Family

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Good Times and the All in the Family episode "Edith's Christmas Story"

    04:16

    Brian Keith Show, The aka The Little People

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for The Brian Keith Show and on dealing with ageism

    04:22

    Carter Country

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on producing and writing Carter Country

    01:23

    Colgate Comedy Hour, The

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on Colgate Comedy Hour and Meet Corliss Archer

    02:10

    F Troop

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for F Troop and on the large number of scripts shows used to be

    02:43

    Facts of Life, The

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for The Facts of Life starring Cloris Leachman

    03:03

    Family Affair

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on going to writer for My Three Sons and Family Affair

    03:06

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Family Affair and on dealing with taxes

    03:15

    Flying Nun, The

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for The Flying Nun and various other pilots

    01:42

    Gilligan's Island

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing the pilot for Gilligan's Island

    02:06

    Good Heavens

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on producing the show Good Heavens with Carl Reiner and Too Close for Comfort

    04:50

    Good Times

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Good Times and All in the Family

    04:16

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on hiring Janet Jackson to play "Penny" on Good Times

    00:58

    Gunsmoke

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for non-comedy shows like Gunsmoke, and on writing shows for the Writers Guild

    00:56

    My Three Sons

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on going to writer for My Three Sons and Family Affair

    03:06

    Oh Madeline

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the value of comedy and on working with Madeline Kahn on Oh Madeline

    05:06

    South Park

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on then-current shows like The Sarah Silverman Program, South Park, and Family Guy

    01:16

    Too Close for Comfort

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on producing the show Good Heavens with Carl Reiner and Too Close for Comfort

    04:50

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on working with Jim J. Bullock on Too Close for Comfort

    01:30

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on producing Too Close for Comfort, and on the notion of writing in the future

    03:35

    Advice

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on advice on crafting a script

    01:38

    Memorable Moments on Television

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Good Times and the classic All in the Family episode "Edith's Christmas Story" where Edith deals with a breast cancer scare

    04:16

    Television Industry

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on dealing with ageism in the industry

    05:02

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on partaking in various Writers Guild strikes

    02:11

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for F Troop and on the large number of scripts shows used to be

    02:43

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on advice on crafting a script

    01:38

    We Considered

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Good Times and the classic All in the Family episode "Edith's Christmas Story" where Edith deals with a breast cancer scare

    04:16

    Writers

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on their reasons for going into comedy

    08:07

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the business part of show business

    02:46

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the importance of keeping writing

    02:57

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing jokes that stand the test of time

    02:11

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on their writing process

    06:07

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing comedy for different kinds of venues

    06:03

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on teaching writing, and what young writers should know when they start

    04:23

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the longevity of certain comedians and writers

    03:13

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on if you can teach someone to be funny

    02:47

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on their children, and on putting together a stand-up act or eulogy

    06:36

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the importance of writers playing their dues

    01:23

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on advice on crafting a script

    01:38

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the value of comedy and on working with Madeline Kahn on Oh Madeline

    05:06

    Comedy Series

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on producing the show Good Heavens with Carl Reiner and Too Close for Comfort

    04:50

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Good Times and the classic All in the Family episode "Edith's Christmas Story" where Edith deals with a breast cancer scare

    04:16

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on hiring Janet Jackson to play "Penny" on Good Times

    00:58

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the value of comedy and on working with Madeline Kahn on Oh Madeline

    05:06

    Western Series

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the popularity of westerns in the late 1950s and early 1960s, on being prolific writers, and the kind of people who write comedy

    02:56

    Steve Allen

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on Steve Allen

    00:49

    Milton Berle

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on Milton Berle

    02:48

    Shelley Berman

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing a movie directed by Shelley Berman

    01:50

    Art Buchwald

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on Milton Berle

    02:48

    Selma Diamond

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on Selma Diamond, and on Irma's involvement with the Writers Guild

    02:45

    Janet Jackson

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on hiring Janet Jackson to play "Penny" on Good Times

    00:58

    Madeline Kahn

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on the value of comedy and on working with Madeline Kahn on Oh Madeline

    05:06

    Cloris Leachman

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for The Facts of Life starring Cloris Leachman

    03:03

    Norman Lear

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on working for Norman Lear as a writer

    02:16

    Jerry Lewis

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on Colgate Comedy Hour and Meet Corliss Archer

    02:10

    Dean Martin

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on writing for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on Colgate Comedy Hour and Meet Corliss Archer

    02:10

    Freddie Prinze

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on meeting with Freddie Prinze, and on writers supporting each other

    03:12

    Carl Reiner

    Rocky and Irma Kalish on producing the show Good Heavens with Carl Reiner and Too Close for Comfort

    04:50

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