About
"I would advise someone who wants to be a writer to observe behavior. To understand that there’s a gap between what people say they want, and what they really want, and that the line between good and evil is not between people. We all have the capacity to do great good or evil, given the setting or given the stimuli."
In the one-hour fifteen-minute solo portion of his interview, Thad Mumford (1951-2018) talks about his early years, and being a batboy for the New York Yankees. He describes becoming a page at NBC and going on to write jokes for Joan Rivers. He recounts writing for the PBS children’s series The Electric Company, learning to write sketches and characters from writer Tom Whedon, and eventually winning an Emmy for his work on the show. Mumford discusses writing for The Flip Wilson Show with Lorne Michaels, and eventually writing for the Norman Lear series Maude and Good Times. He details writing for A Different World, and being a supervising producer on ALF. He concludes by commenting on what he likes about writing, and offering advice for aspiring writers. Amy Harrington conducted the solo portion of the interview.
In the twenty-minute joint portion of their interview, Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford talk about how they met and became a writing team, as well as writing for That’s My Mama and Roots: The Next Generations. They recall being on the writing staff of M*A*S*H later in its run, and helping to write the series finale, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.” Amy Harrington and Nancy Harrington conducted the interviews in a joint venture with the Writers Guild Foundation on April 20, 2016 in Tarzana, CA.
Highlights

Thad Mumford on writing for The Electric Company

Thad Mumford on writing for Maude

Thad Mumford on writing for A Different World, and dealing with the departure of Lisa Bonet, and on working with director Debbie Allen

Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the fifth installment of Roots: The Next Generations

Thad Mumford on acting as supervising producer on ALF

Thad Mumford on being a batboy for the New York Yankees, and on racism in baseball in those years
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on being a batboy for the New York Yankees, and on racism in baseball in those years; on going off to college, but sneaking back to New York to finish the season as a batboy for the Yankees
On being fired from the New York Yankees; on his first television job as an NBC page; on writing jokes for Joan Rivers
On writing for The Electric Company; on learning from Tom Whedon on The Electric Company, and the process of writing for the show; on favorite sketches and characters on the show, and winning an Emmy for it
On writing songs for Sesame Street with Joe Raposo; on writing for The Flip Wilson Show with Lorne Michaels; on writing for Good Times,Maude, and various other Norman Lear shows
Chapter 2
On writing for Maude; on acting as supervising producer on ALF; on writing for A Different World, and dealing with the departure of Lisa Bonet; on working with director Debbie Allen
On what he likes about writing; on his advice to aspiring writers and on how he'd like to be remembered
Chapter 3
START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH DAN WILCOX AND THAD MUMFORD: On how they met and became a writing team; on writing for That's My Mama; on writing the fifth installment of Roots: The Next Generations
On writing for M*A*S*H; on writing the M*A*S*H finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Shows
ALF
Thad Mumford on acting as supervising producer on ALF
Different World, A
Thad Mumford on writing for A Different World, and dealing with the departure of Lisa Bonet, and on working with director Debbie Allen
Electric Company, The
Thad Mumford on writing for The Electric Company
Thad Mumford on learning from Tom Whedon on The Electric Company, and on the process of writing for the show
Thad Mumford on favorite sketches and characters of The Electric Company, and on Joan Ganz Cooney
Thad Mumford on winning an Emmy for The Electric Company
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Thad Mumford on winning an Emmy for The Electric Company
Flip Wilson Show, The
Thad Mumford on writing for The Flip Wilson Show with Lorne Michaels
Good Times
Thad Mumford on writing for Good Times, Maude, and various other Norman Lear shows
M*A*S*H
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for M*A*S*H
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the M*A*S*H finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the M*A*S*H finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Maude
Thad Mumford on writing for Good Times, Maude, and various other Norman Lear shows
Thad Mumford on writing for Maude
Roots: The Next Generations
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the fifth installment of Roots: The Next Generations
Sesame Street
Thad Mumford on writing songs for Sesame Street with Joe Raposo
That's My Mama
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for That's My Mama
Topics
Advice
Thad Mumford on his advice to aspiring writers and on how he'd like to be remembered
Emmy Awards
Thad Mumford on winning an Emmy for The Electric Company
Television Industry
Thad Mumford on being fired from the New York Yankees and on his first television job as an NBC page
Thad Mumford on his advice to aspiring writers and on how he'd like to be remembered
Professions
Writers
Thad Mumford on what he likes about writing
Thad Mumford on his advice to aspiring writers and on how he'd like to be remembered
Genres
Children's Programming
Thad Mumford on writing for The Electric Company
Thad Mumford on writing songs for Sesame Street with Joe Raposo
Comedy Series
Thad Mumford on writing for Good Times, Maude, and various other Norman Lear shows
Thad Mumford on writing for Maude
Thad Mumford on acting as supervising producer on ALF
Thad Mumford on writing for A Different World
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for That's My Mama
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing for M*A*S*H
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Thad Mumford on writing for The Flip Wilson Show
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford on writing the fifth installment of Roots: The Next Generations
People
Debbie Allen
Thad Mumford on writing for A Different World, and dealing with the departure of Lisa Bonet and on working with director Debbie Allen
Lisa Bonet
Thad Mumford on writing for A Different World, and dealing with the departure of Lisa Bonet, and on working with director Debbie Allen
Joan Ganz Cooney
Thad Mumford on favorite sketches and characters of The Electric Company, and on Joan Ganz Cooney
Norman Lear
Thad Mumford on writing for Good Times, Maude, and various other Norman Lear shows
Lorne Michaels
Thad Mumford on writing for The Flip Wilson Show with Lorne Michaels
Joe Raposo
Thad Mumford on writing songs for Sesame Street with Joe Raposo
Joan Rivers
Thad Mumford on writing jokes for Joan Rivers
Tom Whedon
Thad Mumford on learning from Tom Whedon on The Electric Company, and on the process of writing for the show
Flip Wilson
Thad Mumford on writing for The Flip Wilson Show with Lorne Michaels