About
"Writer's block is when you think your ideas aren't good and you get stumped. And I figured out… that you write it the way you would write badly, the way you wouldn't turn it in. And as soon as you start, your writing becomes better. Because you've tackled the subject."
In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Sol Saks (1910-2011) talks about his early years breaking into radio writing in Chicago and Los Angeles. He gives his impressions of such radio personalities as Dinah Shore, Ozzie Nelson, Fanny Brice, and Hattie McDaniel. On Duffy's Tavern he recalls the long workdays and his run-ins with head writer Abe Burrows and recites a memorable joke he wrote for the show. He describes breaking into TV with My Favorite Husband and how the series cast actors, as opposed to comics, in the lead roles. He humorously recounts writing for seven weeks for the Joan Davis series I Married Joan, for the expressed purpose of paying for his swimming pool. He discusses in detail his work on the sitcom Mr. Adams and Eve, which starred Ida Lupino. Among the stories he tells are how he and Lupino would come up with show premises over martinis and when producer Fred De Cordova was hired, how he tried to throw out scripts Saks had written. He notes how he came to write the Bewitched pilot and why he felt the show was popular. He outlines his short tenure as a CBS executive and reminiscences about socializing with Cary Grant during the shooting of the feature film Walk, Don't Run. Throughout the interview, Saks shares his thoughts on comedy writing, his disregard of writer's block and his belief in honesty in one's writing and life in general. Bill Freiberger conducted the interview on May 21, 2009 in North Hollywood, CA.
Highlights
Sol Saks on how he wrote for I Married Joan for 7 weeks to pay for his swimming pool
Sol Saks on quitting My Favorite Husband, and how this led, years later, to getting an offer to write a pilot that became Bewitched
Sol Saks on working with Fanny Brice during the radio days
Sol Saks on why he was credited on the second episode of Bewitched
Sol Saks on his suggestion that they play the real-lie pregnancy of Elizabeth Montgomery on the show in Bewitched
Sol Saks on writing the pilot episode (and creating) Bewitched
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his family background; on his early interest in writing; on breaking into radio comedy writing; on moving to Los Angeles and getting a job with Red Skelton; getting hired on radio's Duffy's Tavern
On working on "The Dinah Shore Show" (radio); on Dinah Shore as he knew her from her '40s-'50s radio show; on working with Hattie McDaniel on the Beulah radio show; on his difficult workweek on the Beulah radio show and the issue that resulted from the lack of writing credits
On the treatment of the writers while working on radio's Duffy's Tavern; on working on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet radio show and Ozzie Nelson's view on giving writers credit; on writing the pilot for My Favorite Husband and his desire to do a sitcom with actors instead of comedians, and an experience he had being pulled away from rehersal
On how he wrote for I Married Joan for 7 weeks to pay for his swimming pool; on coming up with episode premises with series star Ida Lupino for Mr. Adams and Eve; on the creation of Mr. Adams and Eve and working with co-star Howard Duff; on how the long hours on radio's "Duffy's Tavern" became too difficult for him
On quitting My Favorite Husband, and how this led, years later, to getting an offer to write a pilot that became Bewitched; on why he was credited on the second episode of Bewitched
Chapter 2
On writing the pilot episode and creating Bewitched; on his philosophy of comedy writing and writing in general; on discovering the effectiveness of using simple language in (comedy) writing; on the Bewitched pilot's appeal
On not believing in writer's block; on learning his first (amusing) lesson— in the 8th grade— on how writers are treated; on being offered to write the pilot for the Bewitched spin-off Tabitha, which he refused; on his suggestion that they play the real-lie pregnancy of Elizabeth Montgomery on the show in Bewitched;
On his acceptance of Fred de Cordova as a producer of Mr. Adams and Eve, until de Cordova interfered with the scripts; serving as a CBS executive (in comedy programming); on how producer William Froug was considered to replace Sherwood Schwartz on Gilligan's Island, and how Saks himself didn't like the pilot script
On "learning how to be an executive producer" while working on The Baileys of Balboa; on leaving Mr. Adams and Eve, but still thinking of premises for comedy shows
Chapter 3
On the casting of the feature film "Walk Don't Run" (which he wrote), and the role initially offered to Spencer Tracy but given to Cary Grant; on working and socializing with Cary Grant (and witnessing his celebrity) on location for the film "Walk, Don't Run"
On using "Cary Grant" lines on women after having written "Walk, Don't Run" which starred Cary Grant; on two favorite jokes, one he devised himself for radio's "Duffy's Tavern" (and the lesson her learned about delivering good material late in the workday)
On what was the most difficult part of writing for radio and TV comedy (and the arrival of the laugh machine); on his career achirvements and regrets
Shows
Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet, The
Sol Saks on working on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet radio show and Ozzie Nelson's view on giving writers credit
Sol Saks on Ozzie Nelson (on radio's The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) and Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll (on radio's Amos 'N' Andy) and their knowledge of what worked in a script
Baileys of Balboa, The
Sol Saks on "learning how to be an executive producer" while working on The Baileys of Balboa
Beulah
Sol Saks on working with Hattie McDaniel on the "Beulah" radio show
Sol Saks on his difficult workweek on the "Beulah" radio show and the issue that resulted from the lack of writing credits
Bewitched
Sol Saks on quitting My Favorite Husband, and how this led, years later, to getting an offer to write a pilot that became Bewitched
Sol Saks on why he was credited on the second episode of Bewitched
Sol Saks on developing the characters and conflicts on Bewitched
Sol Saks on writing the pilot episode (and creating) Bewitched
Sol Saks on the Bewitched pilot's appeal
Sol Saks on being offered to write the pilot for the Bewitched spin-off Tabitha, which he refused
Sol Saks on his suggestion to producers that they not use magic too much on Bewitched
Sol Saks on his suggestion that they play the real-lie pregnancy of Elizabeth Montgomery on the show in Bewitched
Duffy's Tavern
Sol Saks on getting hired on the radio version of Duffy's Tavern
Sol Saks on working with Abe Burrows on the radio version of Duffy's Tavern
Sol Saks on the treatment of the writers while working on radio's "Duffy's Tavern"
Sol Saks on how the long hours on radio's "Duffy's Tavern" became too difficult for him (and his wife)
Sol Saks on two favorite jokes, one he devised himself for radio's " Duffy's Tavern
Gilligan's Island
Sol Saks on how producer William Froug was considered to replace Sherwood Schwartz on Gilligan's Island, and how Saks himself didn't like the pilot script
I Married Joan
Sol Saks on how he wrote for I Married Joan for 7 weeks to pay for his swimming pool
M*A*S*H
Sol Saks on regretting that he had not stayed longer in his executive position at CBS (in comedy programming), so that he might have overseen M*A*S*H
Mr. Adams and Eve
Sol Saks on coming up with episode premises with series star Ida Lupino for Mr. Adams and Eve
Sol Saks on the creation of Mr. Adams and Eve and working with co-star Howard Duff
Sol Saks on his acceptance of Fred de Cordova as a producer of Mr. Adams and Eve, until de Cordova interfered with the scripts
Sol Saks on leaving Mr. Adams and Eve, but still thinking of premises for comedy shows
My Favorite Husband
Sol Saks on writing the pilot for My Favorite Husband and his desire to do a sitcom with actors instead of comedians
Sol Saks on noticing that on My Favorite Husband he was distracted from the set so he wouldn't interfere with production regarding changes in the script
Sol Saks on quitting My Favorite Husband, and how this led, years later, to getting an offer to write a pilot that became Bewitched
Norman Corwin Presents
Sol Saks briefly on his work on an episode of Norman Corwin Presents
Tabitha
Sol Saks on being offered to write the pilot for the Bewitched spin-off Tabitha, which he refused
Topics
Advice
Sol Saks on advice to aspiring television writers
Television Industry
Sol Saks on how television comedy evolved during his time as a television writer
Sol Saks on his time as an executive at CBS, and on how television audiences changed over time
Sol Saks on the Bewitched pilot's appeal
Sol Saks on advice to aspiring television writers
Professions
Writers
Sol Saks on breaking into comedy writing, during the radio days
Sol Saks on noticing that on My Favorite Husband he was distracted from the set so he wouldn't interfere with production regarding changes in the script
Sol Saks on how writers were treated in the early days of television
Sol Saks on his philosophy of comedy writing and writing in general
Sol Saks on not believing in writer's block
Sol Saks on learning his first lesson on how writers are treated
Sol Saks on what makes for good television writing and on honesty in writing
Sol Saks on his first attempt at writing a comedy script
Sol Saks on where writers fit in society, and on the writer as storyteller
Sol Saks on discovering the effectiveness of using simple language in comedy writing
Sol Saks on advice to aspiring television writers
Sol Saks on the most difficult aspects of comedy writing
Sol Saks on the most rewarding aspect of comedy writing
Sol Saks on career achievements and regrets
Genres
Comedy Series
Sol Saks on getting hired on the radio version of Duffy's Tavern
Sol Saks on working with Hattie McDaniel on the Beulah radio show
Sol Saks on working on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet radio show and Ozzie Nelson's view on giving writers credit
Sol Saks on writing the pilot for My Favorite Husband and his desire to do a sitcom with actors instead of comedians
Sol Saks on how he wrote for I Married Joan for 7 weeks to pay for his swimming pool
Sol Saks on coming up with episode premises with series star Ida Lupino for Mr. Adams and Eve
Sol Saks on quitting My Favorite Husband, and how this led, years later, to getting an offer to write a pilot that became Bewitched
Sol Saks on creating Bewitched
Sol Saks on how producer William Froug was considered to replace Sherwood Schwartz on Gilligan's Island, and how Saks himself didn't like the pilot script
People
Fanny Brice
Sol Saks on working with Fanny Brice during the radio days
Abe Burrows
Sol Saks on working with Abe Burrows on the radio version of Duffy's Tavern
Sol Saks on two favorite jokes, one he devised himself for radio's Abe Burrows created Duffy's Tavern
Fred de Cordova
Sol Saks on his acceptance of Fred de Cordova as a producer of Mr. Adams and Eve, until de Cordova interfered with the scripts
Howard Duff
Sol Saks on the creation of Mr. Adams and Eve and working with co-star Howard Duff
William Froug
Sol Saks on how producer William Froug was considered to replace Sherwood Schwartz on Gilligan's Island, and how Saks himself didn't like the pilot script
Cary Grant
Sol Saks on how Cary Grant played the role originally offered to Spencer Tracy in "Walk, Don't Run"
Sol Saks on working and socializing with Cary Grant (and witnessing his celebrity) on location for the film "Walk, Don't Run"
Sol Saks on using "Cary Grant" lines on women after having written "Walk, Don't Run" which starred Cary Grant
Alan Jay Lerner
Sol Saks on Alan Jay Lerner working as a writer on radio's Duffy's Tavern
Ida Lupino
Sol Saks on coming up with episode premises with series star Ida Lupino for Mr. Adams and Eve
Hattie McDaniel
Sol Saks on working with Hattie McDaniel on the "Beulah" radio show
Ozzie Nelson
Sol Saks on working on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet radio show and Ozzie Nelson's view on giving writers credit
Sol Saks on Ozzie Nelson (on radio's The Adventues of Ozzie and Harriet) and Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll (on radio's Amos 'N' Andy) and their knowledge of what worked in a script
Sherwood Schwartz
Sol Saks on how producer William Froug was considered to replace Sherwood Schwartz on Gilligan's Island, and how Saks himself didn't like the pilot script
Dinah Shore
Sol Saks on writing for Dinah Shore on radio
Bob Sweeney
Sol Saks on "learning how to be an executive producer" while working on The Baileys of Balboa (and meeting with Bob Sweeney)
Danny Thomas
Sol Saks on working with Danny Thomas during the radio days
Spencer Tracy
Sol Saks on meeting with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn for what became a Cary Grant feature "Walk Don't Run"
Sol Saks on how Cary Grant played the role originally offered to Spencer Tracy in "Walk, Don't Run"