Sheldon Leonard

Actor/Director/Producer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Sheldon Leonard (1907-1997) shares his fondest memories about the pioneering programs he produced such as The Danny Thomas Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show and I Spy. He also speaks highly of the talented group of people he worked with, including Danny Thomas, Mary Tyler Moore, Bill Cosby, Dick Van Dyke, Carl Reiner, and Andy Griffith. Sam Denoff conducted the interview on July 11, 1996 in Beverly Hills, CA.

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

"The producer has to present a series of playable scripts, a bunch of literary material, that's got to be ready to shoot week after week. And, it's got to have the integrity of character from one script to another. You have to respect the history of the show. It's a very complicated thing."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Sheldon Leonard on the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show
10:19
Sheldon Leonard on creating I Spy
02:13
Sheldon Leonard on directing a Lassie episode featuring a lion
03:53
Sheldon Leonard on how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about
08:06
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13
Sheldon Leonard on the Hollywood Blacklist and on how he got some writers reinstated
04:33
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on the secret of The Andy Griffith Show's success: Andy Griffith's willingness to subdue his comedy talents; on writers he met in radio that he later hired for television
On seeing television for the first time at the 1939 World's Fair; on how he came to write for television
On how directing for television was different from directing feature films; on his work producing and directing The Danny Thomas Show

Chapter 2

On his role in producing multiple series; on the business of television production
On the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show
On how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about; on casting Mary Tyler Moore as "Laura Petrie" on The Dick Van Dyke Show

Chapter 3

On how The Dick Van Dyke Show got on the air; on why The Dick Van Dyke Show was not sucessful its first year; on winning Emmy Awards; on network censorship issues with The Dick Van Dyke Show
On the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"; on casting Bill Cosby in I Spy; on the set of the Dick Van Dyke Show; on the end of the series
On The Don Rickles Show; on creating I Spy; on the concept of I Spy and what made the show work
On working with Robert Culp on I Spy and working with location scout Fouad Said; on the logistics and cost of shooting I Spy around the world; on My World and Welcome to It and Big Eddie

Chapter 4

On having television shows that don't work; on the Hollywood Blacklist and on how he got some writers reinstated; on how the television industry changed during his time as a producer
On his favorite moments from The Danny Thomas Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show; on directing a Lassie episode featuring a lion; on working with Millicent Martin and Shirley MacLaine
On the then-current state of comedy on television; on pitching a sitcom to a network with Jack Benny and Benny's frustration in dealing with the executives; on the then-declining network audience share
On individuals he worked with in his career

Chapter 5

On some of the individuals he worked with in his career
On B-roll pictures from his life: in a college play in 1928; 1934 in a play; early headshot; in a 1931 feature film; with Shemp Howard; on the set of "Captain Kidd"; publicity shot; as a Native American; with Danny Thomas; on the set of The Danny Thomas Show; with Danny Thomas, Joey Bishop, and Dick Van Dyke; with the cast and crew of The Dick Van Dyke Show; reunion of The Dick Van Dyke Show; with Jay Sandrich; with Carl Reiner; with a bullhorn directing I Spy; with Bill Cosby and Robert Culp; at the Emmy Awards; with Don Rickles; with Mel Blanc and Phil Harris; with Bill Cosby and Ed McMahon; at the Television Academy; in Orlando, FL with Andy Griffith and cast; with Bill Cosby at the Television Academy Hall of Fame; with an Emmy Award; fishing; as George Washington; with Danny Thomas
Shows

Andy Griffith Show, The

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on the secret of The Andy Griffith Show's success: Andy Griffith's willingness to subdue his comedy talents
00:40
Sheldon Leonard on the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show
10:19

Big Eddie

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on My World and Welcome to It and Big Eddie
03:25

Danny Thomas Show, The aka Make Room for Daddy

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on his work producing and directing The Danny Thomas Show
10:28
Sheldon Leonard on his favorite moments from The Danny Thomas Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show
02:49

Dick Van Dyke Show, The

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about
08:06
Sheldon Leonard on how The Dick Van Dyke Show got on the air
01:18
Sheldon Leonard on why The Dick Van Dyke Show was not sucessful its first year
01:20
Sheldon Leonard on network censorship issues with The Dick Van Dyke Show
01:06
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13
Sheldon Leonard on the set of Dick Van Dyke Show and the end of the series
03:10
Sheldon Leonard on his favorite moments from The Danny Thomas Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show
02:49

Don Rickles Show, The

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on the failure of The Don Rickles Show (1972)
00:37
Sheldon Leonard on The Don Rickles Show
00:52

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on winning Emmys
01:10

I Spy

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on casting Bill Cosby in I Spy
02:24
Sheldon Leonard on creating I Spy
02:13
Sheldon Leonard on the concept of I Spy and what made the show work
01:14
Sheldon Leonard on working with Robert Culp on I Spy and working with location scout Fouad Said
02:56
Sheldon Leonard on the logistics and cost of shooting I Spy around the world
02:58
Sheldon Leonard on the end of I Spy
01:40
Sheldon Leonard on an example of network script notes on I Spy
01:02

Lassie

View Show Page
Sheldon Leonard on directing a Lassie episode featuring a lion
03:53
Topics

1939-40 World's Fair

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on seeing television for the first time at the 1939 World's Fair
00:47

Censorship / Standards & Practices

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on network censorship issues with The Dick Van Dyke Show
01:06

Characters & Catchphrases

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the secret of The Andy Griffith Show's success: Andy Griffith's willingness to subdue his comedy talents
00:40

Comedy

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13

Emmy Awards

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on winning Emmys
01:11

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on seeing television for the first time at the 1939 World's Fair
00:47
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13

Hollywood Blacklist

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the Hollywood Blacklist and on how he got some writers reinstated
04:33

Industry Crossroads

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the Hollywood Blacklist and on how he got some writers reinstated
04:33

Memorable Moments on Television

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13

Pop Culture

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the secret of The Andy Griffith Show's success: Andy Griffith's willingness to subdue his comedy talents
00:40
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13

Representation on Television

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13

Studio and Network Management

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on an example of network script notes on I Spy
01:55

Television Industry

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on network censorship issues with The Dick Van Dyke Show
Sheldon Leonard on having television shows that don't work
01:28
Sheldon Leonard on the Hollywood Blacklist and on how he got some writers reinstated
04:33
Sheldon Leonard on how the television industry changed during his time as a producer
03:44
Sheldon Leonard on an example of network script notes on I Spy
01:55
Sheldon Leonard on the then-current state of comedy on television
04:10
Sheldon Leonard on the then-declining network audience share
03:11

Underrepresented Voices

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13
Sheldon Leonard on casting Bill Cosby in I Spy
02:24

We Laughed

View Topic
Sheldon Leonard on the classic Dick Van Dyke Show episode "That's My Boy?"
02:13
Professions

Directors

View Profession
Sheldon Leonard on how directing for television was different from directing feature films
01:44

Producers

View Profession
Sheldon Leonard on his role as a producer of multiple shows on television
10:09
Sheldon Leonard on an example of network script notes on I Spy
01:02
Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

View Genre
Sheldon Leonard on creating I Spy
11:01

Comedy Series

View Genre
Sheldon Leonard on the secret of The Andy Griffith Show's success: Andy Griffith's willingness to subdue his comedy talents
00:40
Sheldon Leonard on his work producing and directing The Danny Thomas Show
10:28
Producer Sheldon Leonard on the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show
10:19
Sheldon Leonard on how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about
08:06
Sheldon Leonard on how The Dick Van Dyke Show got on the air
12:42
Sheldon Leonard on The Don Rickles Show
00:52
Sheldon Leonard on My World and Welcome to It and Big Eddie
03:25
Sheldon Leonard on his favorite moments from The Danny Thomas Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show
02:49
People

Aaron Ruben

View Interview Page
Sheldon Leonard on the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show, co-produced by Aaron Ruben
10:19

Andy Griffith

View Interview Page
Sheldon Leonard on the secret of The Andy Griffith Show's success: Andy Griffith's willingness to subdue his comedy talents
00:40
Sheldon Leonard on the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show
10:19

Bill Cosby

View Person Page
Sheldon Leonard on casting Bill Cosby in I Spy
02:24

Carl Reiner

View Interview Page
Sheldon Leonard on how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about, co-produced by Carl Reiner
08:06

Danny Thomas

View Person Page
Sheldon Leonard on his work producing and directing The Danny Thomas Show
10:28
Sheldon Leonard on the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show, co-produced by Danny Thomas
10:19

Dick Van Dyke

View Interview Page
Sheldon Leonard on how The Dick Van Dyke Show came about
08:06

Jack Benny

View Person Page
Sheldon Leonard on pitching a sitcom to a network with Jack Benny and Benny's frustration in dealing with the executives 
02:15

Mary Tyler Moore

View Interview Page
Sheldon Leonard on the casting of Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show
01:27

Robert Culp

View Interview Page
Sheldon Leonard on working with Robert Culp on I Spy and working with location scout Fouad Said
02:56

Ron Howard

View Interview Page
Sheldon Leonard on the genesis and production of The Andy Griffith Show, co-starring Ron Howard as "Opie Taylor"
10:19

Shirley MacLaine

View Person Page
Sheldon Leonard on working with Millicent Martin and Shirley MacLaine
01:21

All Interviews

S