Studs Terkel

Performer / Writer

View Full Interview

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In his one-and-a-half hour Archive interview, Studs Terkel (1912 - 2008) relates the history of the Chicago School of television (including his relationships with Burr Tillstrom, Fran Allison and Dave Garroway). He speaks in detail about his own program, Stud's Place and his efforts to keep the show on the air after he was blacklisted. After the program went off the air, Terkel became one of America's premier oral historians and radio interviewers. Karen Herman conducted the interview in Chicago, IL on July 19, 1999.

"I know I'd like to have this epitaph: 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.' I'm curious. What is it like to be that person, in that circumstance at that time? It's the Depression, what's it like to be a kid the day he saw his father come home at one o'clock and not work for the next five years? What's it like to be black? What's it like to be old? What's it like doing this kind of job? How different would you be? How would you behave?"

Highlights

Studs Terkel on the casual tone of Studs' Place (from his and Dave Garroway's approach to broadcasting) and the show's cast of characters

02:13

Studs Terkel on making the plot of his final Studs' Place that they are losing their lease

00:28

Studs Terkel on actor Chet Roble accidentally referring to sponsor Manor House Coffee as rival Maxwell House Coffee on Studs' Place during a "live" commercial

02:43

Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television

03:19

Studs Terkel on how he'd like to be remembered

02:06

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on how he got the name "Studs"; on acting in a theater group

On his start in Chicago radio; on becoming a radio commentator and disc jockey; on the Chicago School of television and programs Garroway-at-Large, Kukla, Fran & Ollie, and Studs' Place

Chapter 2

On the creation of Studs' Place and the show's casual tone; on memorable episodes; on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television

On his work on the TV show Assignment America; on "Terkel Time" on The Great American Dream Machine

Chapter 3

On the cancellation of Night Cap; on appearing in Ken Burns' documentaries

On his opinion of television; on how he'd like to be remembered

On people with whom he's worked: Sterling Quinlin and Mahalia Jackson

Shows

American Playhouse: "Working"

Studs Terkel on the TV special Working based on his book

00:53

Garroway at Large

Studs Terkel on Dave Garroway's start in Chicago television with Garroway-at-Large

01:16

Performer-Writer Studs Terkel on the spontaneity of "Chicago School" programming of the 1940s-50s, such as Studs' Place, Kukla, Fran, & Ollie, and Garroway-at-Large

01:08

Great American Dream Machine, The

Studs Terkel on "Terkel Tim" on The Great American Dream Machine

01:14

Kukla, Fran & Ollie

Studs Terkel on his first memories of television - seeing Kukla, Fran & Ollie in Chicago

00:22

Studs Terkel on puppeteer Burr Tillstrom and Kukla, Fran & Ollie

01:14

Studs Terkel on appearing on Kukla, Fran & Ollie with puppeteer Burr Tillstrom

03:35

Performer-Writer Studs Terkel on the spontaneity of "Chicago School" programming of the 1940s-50s, such as Studs' Place, Kukla, Fran, & Ollie, and Garroway-at-Large

01:08

Studs' Place

Studs Terkel on the success and cancellation of Studs' Place

03:14

Studs Terkel on the casual tone of Studs' Place (from his and Dave Garroway's approach to broadcasting) and the show's cast of characters

02:13

Studs Terkel on how the script was ad-libbed on Studs' Place leading to the show's end credit: "dialogue by the cast"

00:39

Studs Terkel on a typical episode of Studs' Place and episode in which Studs' character comes to put aside his snobbery toward music

04:37

Studs Terkel on the subject matter of episodes of Studs' Place, including a guest appearance by Mahalia Jackson

01:48

Studs Terkel on the spontaneity of "Chicago School" programming of the 1940s-50s, such as Studs' Place, Kukla, Fran, & Ollie, and Garroway-at-Large

01:08

Studs Terkel on actor Chet Roble accidentally referring to sponsor Manor House Coffee as rival Maxwell House Coffee on Studs' Place during a "live" commercial

02:55

Studs Terkel on making the plot of his final Studs' Place that they are losing their lease

00:28

Studs Terkel on a favorite episode of Studs' Place, involving con men

01:52

Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television

03:19

Studs Terkel on working with Charlie Andrews and the creation of Studs' Place

00:57

Topics

Bloopers

Studs Terkel on actor Chet Roble accidentally referring to sponsor Manor House Coffee as rival Maxwell House Coffee on Studs' Place during a "live" commercial

02:43

Hollywood Blacklist

Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television

03:19

Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson

03:36

Industry Crossroads

Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television

03:19

Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson

03:36

Media Consolidation

Studs Terkel on his opinion of television

02:14

Minorities

Studs Terkel on the subject matter of episodes of Studs' Place, including a guest appearance by Mahalia Jackson

01:48

Television Industry

Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television

03:19

Studs Terkel on his opinion of television

02:14

Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson

03:36

Genres

Children's Programming

Studs Terkel on appearing on Kukla, Fran & Ollie with puppeteer Burr Tillstrom

03:35

People

Charlie Andrews

View Interview Page

Studs Terkel on working with Charlie Andrews and the creation of Studs' Place

03:10

Ken Burns

View Interview Page

Studs Terkel on appearing in Ken Burns' documentaries

00:30

Dave Garroway

View Person Page

Studs Terkel on Dave Garroway's start in Chicago radio and television

03:43

Mahalia Jackson

View Person Page

Studs Terkel on the subject matter of episodes of Studs' Place, including a guest appearance by Mahalia Jackson

01:48

Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson

03:36

Sterling Quinlan

View Person Page

Studs Terkel on Chicago TV exec Sterling Quinlan

00:53

Burr Tillstrom

View Person Page

Studs Terkel on puppeteer Burr Tillstrom and Kukla, Fran & Ollie

01:14

Studs Terkel on the talents of puppeteer Burr Tillstrom

02:05