Studs Terkel

Performer / Writer
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

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.

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

"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?"

People Talking About ...
Studs Terkel
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

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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"

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Studs Terkel on the TV special Working based on his book
00:53

Garroway at Large

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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

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Studs Terkel on "Terkel Tim" on The Great American Dream Machine
01:14

Kukla, Fran & Ollie

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Studs Terkel on his opinion of television
02:14

Television Industry

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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

Underrepresented Voices

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Studs Terkel on the subject matter of episodes of Studs' Place, including a guest appearance by Mahalia Jackson
01:48
Genres

Children's Programming

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Studs Terkel on appearing on Kukla, Fran & Ollie with puppeteer Burr Tillstrom 
03:35
People

Burr Tillstrom

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Studs Terkel on puppeteer Burr Tillstrom and Kukla, Fran & Ollie
01:14
Studs Terkel on the talents of puppeteer Burr Tillstrom
02:05

Charlie Andrews

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Studs Terkel on working with Charlie Andrews and the creation of Studs' Place
03:10

Dave Garroway

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Studs Terkel on Dave Garroway's start in Chicago radio and television
03:43

Ken Burns

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Studs Terkel on appearing in Ken Burns' documentaries
00:30

Mahalia Jackson

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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

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Studs Terkel on Chicago TV exec Sterling Quinlan
00:53

All Interviews

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