Ted Rich

Editor


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Theodore "Ted" Rich (1929-2018) talks about his early years as an apprentice editor with Hal Roach and at MGM. He describes working at Desilu Studios (with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz) as head film librarian, supervising film editor, and eventually, as assistant editorial supervisor. He recounts, in depth, his work as an editor on shows such as The Bill Dana Show, My Favorite Martian, Wild, Wild West, and various commercials. Rich recalls his work at MTM Studios on such shows as Hill Street Blues, Newhart, St. Elsewhere, WKRP in Cincinnati, and Remington Steele. He concludes by outlining his position of vice president of post-production at Lorimar, then later, Warner Bros. Television. Kate Amend conducted the interview in a joint venture with American Cinema Editors (ACE), on July 17, 2001 in Universal City, CA.

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

"Editing is just your opinion. Expressing what you see in the film. Like the director shots what he sees in the script. The worst that will happen is they change it. You seldom get a perfect cut."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Ted Rich on editing drama as compared to editing comedy
03:52
Ted Rich on working for Desilu with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and on how early television sponsorship worked
06:58
Ted Rich on editing the pilot Living Doll, starring Bob Cummings and Julie Newmar
00:59
Ted Rich on working with directors as an editor
03:48
Ted Rich on the schedule of editing for Desilu
02:00
Ted Rich on working in a stock film library at Hal Roach studios
04:43
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on working in a stock film library at Hal Roach studios
On becoming an apprentice editor; on his early memories of television; on editing comedy; on what makes a good editor

Chapter 2

On working for Desilu with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and on how early television sponsorship worked; on editing various Desilu productions and the process of editing on film; on the schedule of editing for Desilu
On shooting a show with a studio audience and the invention of the laugh track; on editing drama as compared to editing comedy; on editing The Bill Dana Show, The Living Doll, and My Favorite Martian

Chapter 3

On editing He & She starring Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss; on the evolution of comedy and the evolution of editing from the '50s to the '60s; on editing Get Smart; on editing Kolchak: The Night Stalk e r and going to work for MTM Productions
On editing The Governor and J.J.;  on editing various shows for MTM Productions including Bay City Blues;  on working for Mary Tyler Moore and Grant Tinker at MTM Productions; on editing ensembles and working with directors

Chapter 4

On editing The Bill Dana Show; on editing McMillian & Wife; on supervising the editing department at MTM Productions
On the style of MTM Productions; on the final The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode and Mary Tyler Moore's involvement with other productions; on editing emergencies
On supervising editing as opposed to hands-on editing; on editing Hill Street Blues and the new editing style it brought about; on Grant Tinker leaving MTM Productions

Chapter 5

On editing I Love Lucy; on editing WKRP in Cincinnati; on going to edit for Lorimar
On using stock footage; on then-current projects; on summing up his life experience editing
On b-roll pictures from his career- in an Eastman Kodak print ad; with Desi Arnaz
Shows

Bay City Blues

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Ted Rich on editing various shows for MTM Productions including Bay City Blues 
02:14

Bill Dana Show, The

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Ted Rich on editing The Bill Dana Show
01:05
Ted Rich on editing The Bill Dana Show
02:16

Get Smart

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Ted Rich on editing Get Smart
03:39

Governor and J.J., The

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Ted Rich on editing The Governor and J.J.
01:29

He & She

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Ted Rich on editing He & She starring Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss 
01:51

Hill Street Blues

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Ted Rich on editing Hill Street Blues and the new editing style it brought about
04:42

I Love Lucy

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Ted Rich on editing I Love Lucy
03:01

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

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Ted Rich on editing Kolchak: The Night Stalker and going to work for MTM Productions
04:53

Mary Tyler Moore Show, The

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Ted Rich on the final The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode and Mary Tyler Moore's involvement with other productions
01:39

McMillan & Wife

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Ted Rich on editing McMillian & Wife
03:51

My Favorite Martian

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Ted Rich on editing My Favorite Martian, starring Ray Walston 
04:49

WKRP in Cincinnati

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Ted Rich on editing WKRP in Cincinnati
01:10
Topics

Technological Innovation

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Ted Rich on shooting a show with a studio audience and the invention of the laugh track
02:29
Professions

Editor

View Profession
Ted Rich on what makes a good editor
06:57
Ted Rich on editing various Desilu productions and the process of editing on film
05:28
Ted Rich on the schedule of editing for Desilu
02:00
Ted Rich on mixing the sound for shows
01:16
Ted Rich on editing drama as compared to editing comedy
03:52
Ted Rich on the evolution of comedy and the evolution of editing from the '50s to the '60s
03:21
Ted Rich on editing ensembles 
03:38
Ted Rich on working with directors as an editor
03:48
Ted Rich on dealing with emergencies as an editor
04:20
Ted Rich on supervising editing as opposed to hands-on editing
02:20
Ted Rich on using stock footage
03:56
Ted Rich on summing up his life experience editing
05:48

Post-Production Professionals

View Profession
Ted Rich on what makes a good editor
06:57
Ted Rich on editing various Desilu productions and the process of editing on film
05:28
Ted Rich on the schedule of editing for Desilu
02:00
Ted Rich on mixing the sound for shows
01:16
Ted Rich on editing drama as compared to editing comedy
03:52
Ted Rich on the evolution of comedy and the evolution of editing from the '50s to the '60s
03:21
Ted Rich on editing ensembles 
03:38
Ted Rich on working with directors as an editor
03:48
Ted Rich on dealing with emergencies as an editor
04:20
Ted Rich on supervising editing as opposed to hands-on editing
02:20
Ted Rich on using stock footage
03:56
Ted Rich on advice to an aspiring editor
05:48
Genres

Comedy Series

View Genre
Ted Rich on editing the pilot Living Doll, starring Bob Cummings and Julie Newmar
00:59
Ted Rich on editing The Bill Dana Show
01:05
Ted Rich on editing My Favorite Martian, starring Ray Walston
04:49
Ted Rich on editing He & She  starring Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss 
01:51
Ted Rich on editing Get Smart
03:39
Ted Rich on editing Kolchak: The Night Stalker  and going to work for MTM Productions
04:53
Ted Rich on editing The Governor and J.J.
01:29
Ted Rich on editing The Bill Dana Show
02:16
Ted Rich on the final The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode
01:39
Ted Rich on editing I Love Lucy
03:01
Ted Rich on editing WKRP in Cincinnati
01:10

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

View Genre
Ted Rich on editing McMillian & Wife
03:51
Ted Rich on editing Hill Street Blues and the new editing style it brought about
04:42

Drama Series

View Genre
Ted Rich on editing various shows for MTM Productions including Bay City Blues 
02:14
People

Desi Arnaz

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Ted Rich on working for Desilu with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and on how early television sponsorship worked
06:56

Lucille Ball

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Ted Rich on working for Desilu with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and on how early television sponsorship worked
06:56

Richard Benjamin

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Ted Rich on editing He & She  starring Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss 
01:51

Bill Dana

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Ted Rich on editing The Bill Dana Show
01:05

Mary Tyler Moore

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Ted Rich on working for Mary Tyler Moore and Grant Tinker at MTM Productions
02:46
Ted Rich on the final The Mary Tyler Moore Show  episode and Mary Tyler Moore's involvement with other productions
01:39

Grant Tinker

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Ted Rich on working for Mary Tyler Moore and Grant Tinker at MTM Productions
02:46
Ted Rich on Grant Tinker leaving MTM Productions
01:53

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