About
"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?"
In his one-and-a-half-hour 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. Terkel discusses his work on other shows, including Assignment America, The Great American Dream Machine, and Nightcap. He talks about people with whom he has worked, including Sterling Quinlan and Mahalia Jackson. Karen Herman conducted the interview on July 19, 1999 in Chicago, IL.
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
Studs Terkel on making the plot of his final Studs' Place that they are losing their lease
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
Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television
Studs Terkel on how he'd like to be remembered
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
Garroway at Large
Studs Terkel on Dave Garroway's start in Chicago television with Garroway-at-Large
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
Great American Dream Machine, The
Studs Terkel on "Terkel Tim" on The Great American Dream Machine
Kukla, Fran & Ollie
Studs Terkel on his first memories of television - seeing Kukla, Fran & Ollie in Chicago
Studs Terkel on puppeteer Burr Tillstrom and Kukla, Fran & Ollie
Studs Terkel on appearing on Kukla, Fran & Ollie with puppeteer Burr Tillstrom
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
Studs' Place
Studs Terkel on the success and cancellation of Studs' Place
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
Studs Terkel on how the script was ad-libbed on Studs' Place leading to the show's end credit: "dialogue by the cast"
Studs Terkel on a typical episode of Studs' Place and episode in which Studs' character comes to put aside his snobbery toward music
Studs Terkel on the subject matter of episodes of Studs' Place, including a guest appearance by Mahalia Jackson
Studs Terkel on the spontaneity of "Chicago School" programming of the 1940s-50s, such as Studs' Place, Kukla, Fran, & Ollie, and Garroway-at-Large
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
Studs Terkel on making the plot of his final Studs' Place that they are losing their lease
Studs Terkel on a favorite episode of Studs' Place, involving con men
Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television
Studs Terkel on working with Charlie Andrews and the creation of Studs' Place
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
Hollywood Blacklist
Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television
Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson
Industry Crossroads
Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television
Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson
Media Consolidation
Studs Terkel on his opinion of television
Television Industry
Studs Terkel on how the Hollywood Blacklist ended his budding career in television
Studs Terkel on his opinion of television
Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson
Underrepresented Voices
Studs Terkel on the subject matter of episodes of Studs' Place, including a guest appearance by Mahalia Jackson
Genres
Children's Programming
Studs Terkel on appearing on Kukla, Fran & Ollie with puppeteer Burr Tillstrom
People
Charlie Andrews
Studs Terkel on working with Charlie Andrews and the creation of Studs' Place
Ken Burns
Studs Terkel on appearing in Ken Burns' documentaries
Dave Garroway
Studs Terkel on Dave Garroway's start in Chicago radio and television
Mahalia Jackson
Studs Terkel on the subject matter of episodes of Studs' Place, including a guest appearance by Mahalia Jackson
Studs Terkel on being blacklisted and working with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson
Sterling Quinlan
Studs Terkel on Chicago TV exec Sterling Quinlan
Burr Tillstrom
Studs Terkel on puppeteer Burr Tillstrom and Kukla, Fran & Ollie
Studs Terkel on the talents of puppeteer Burr Tillstrom