Thomas W. Moore

Network Executive
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In his nearly five-and-a-half-hour Archive interview, Television executive Thomas W. Moore (1918-2007) talks about his early years at CBS radio in sales in the late '40s and early '50s. He describes his move to ABC, where he became head of programming and then president of the network. He discusses such shows as The Frank Sinatra Show, The Flintstones, The Jerry Lewis Show and Stage 67. He also discusses ABC's groundbreaking sports programming including Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Football. He talks about his founding of Tomorrow Entertainment which was responsible for such Emmy-winning programming as The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and the Body Human series. Henry Colman conducted the interview in Los Angeles, California January 3 and January 31, 2003.

"I enjoyed the programming and the manufacture of programs more than anything else. You always take great joy and pride in successful programming -- you program a period and a hit comes out of it, that's a source of great pride." 

People Talking About ...
Thomas W. Moore
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On his hobbies growing up, and on movies and radio he liked growing up; on his experience with World War II
On the first time he saw television, and his early experience with the medium; on his role at CBS radio
On making the transition from radio to television; on the Hollywood Blacklist

Chapter 2

Chapter 3
On Edgar J. Scherick and Roone Arledge's role in bringing sports to ABC; on the genesis of ABC's Wide World of Sports; on the genesis of ABC's Monday Night Football
On various sports shows he programmed at ABC; on ABC's acquisition of the Olympic games in the 1960s and '70s; on ABC brining various sports like golf to television

Chapter 4
on Edgar J. Scherick at ABC; on the people who worked for him at ABC when he was head of programming, including Michael Eisner and Barry Diller; on his stint as head of programming at ABC, and on his goals at the time
on programming and developing The Frank Sinatra Show; on programming and developing The Jerry Lewis Show, and The Hollywood Palace; on programming and developing The Real McCoys and 77 Sunset Strip

Chapter 5
On programming and developing The Untouchables, Adventures in Paradise and The FBI; on programming and developing The Flintstones
On programming and developing Peyton Place, and on ABC dealing with the advent of color; on programming and developing Batman
On programming various series in the '60s, including That Girl with Marlo Thomas, and the long-running The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet; on programming various shows including McHale's Navy and various game shows; on his duties at president of ABC

Chapter 6
On ABC chairman Leonard H. Goldenson; on ABC covering the 1952 conventions, and on how presidents starting with Dwight D. Eisenhower took to television
On the government attempting to require public service programming on the networks, and on William S. Paley and General David Sarnoff; on the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960

Chapter 7
On the Kennedy-Nixon Debates; on Newton N. Minow's "vast wasteland" speech, critical of television; on what he sees as the FCC's role in broadcasting
On the ban on cigarette advertising on television; on the FCC regulation of the networks being able to own or control the rebroadcast of primetime shows; on the length of commercials and commercial breaks on network television

Chapter 8
Full Chapter Eight

Chapter 9
Full Chapter Nine

Chapter 10
Full Chapter Ten

Chapter 11
Full Chapter Eleven
Shows

77 Sunset Strip

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing 77 Sunset Strip

ABC's Wide World of Sports

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Thomas Moore on the genesis of ABC's Wide World of Sports

Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet, The

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Thomas W. Moore on programming various series in the '60s, including That Girl with Marlo Thomas, and the long-running The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

Adventures in Paradise

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Adventures in Paradise and The FBI produced by Quinn Martin

Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, The

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Thomas Moore on the development of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman

Batman

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Batman, and on the limited shelf life of shows that are instant hits

FBI, The

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Adventures in Paradise and The FBI produced by Quinn Martin

Flintstones, The

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Flintstones

Frank Sinatra Show, The (1957-58)

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Frank Sinatra Show, and on Elvis Presley appearing on that show

I Love Lucy

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Thomas W. Moore on the freeze of FCC licences for television stations in 1949

Jerry Lewis Show, The (1963)

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Jerry Lewis Show, and The Hollywood Palace

McHale's Navy

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Thomas W. Moore on programming various shows including McHale's Navy and various game shows
Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing McHale's Navy

Mickey Mouse Club, The

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Thomas W. Moore on The Mickey Mouse Club on ABC
Thomas W. Moore on the format of The Mickey Mouse Club

Monday Night Football

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Thomas Moore on the genesis of ABC Monday Night Football

Olympics

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Thomas Moore on ABC's acquisition of the Olympic games in the 1960s and '70s

Peyton Place

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Peyton Place, and on ABC dealing with the advent of color

Real McCoys, The

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Real McCoys

That Girl

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Thomas W. Moore on programming various series in the '60s, including That Girl with Marlo Thomas, and the long-running The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

Untouchables, The

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Untouchables
Topics

'The Idiot Box'

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Thomas W. Moore on Newton N. Minow's "vast wasteland" speech, critical of television

Advertising and Sponsorship

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Thomas W. Moore on the ban on cigarette advertising on television
Thomas W. Moore on the length of commercials and commercial breaks on network television

Criticism of TV

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Thomas W. Moore on Newton N. Minow's "vast wasteland" speech, critical of television

Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Thomas W. Moore on ABC covering the 1952 conventions, and on how presidents starting with Dwight D. Eisenhower took to television

Historic Events and Social Change

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Thomas W. Moore on his experience with World War II
Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960
Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy-Nixon Debates

Hollywood Blacklist

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Thomas W. Moore on the Hollywood Blacklist

Industry Crossroads

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Thomas W. Moore on the Hollywood Blacklist

John F. Kennedy

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Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960

Kennedy-Nixon Debates

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Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960
Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy-Nixon Debates

Technological Innovation

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Peyton Place, and on ABC dealing with the advent of color

Television Industry

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Thomas W. Moore on the Hollywood Blacklist
Thomas W. Moore on the creation of Viacom, and on being hired at ABC by Jim Aubrey
Thomas W. Moore on being vice president in charge of programming at ABC, and on the state of the network when he arrived
Thomas W. Moore on the people who worked for him at ABC when he was head of programming, including Michael Eisner and Barry Diller
Thomas W. Moore on his stint as head of programming at ABC, and on his goals at the time
Thomas W. Moore on his duties at president of ABC
Thomas W. Moore on the government attempting to require public service programming on the networks, and on William S. Paley and General David Sarnoff
Thomas W. Moore on Newton N. Minow's "vast wasteland" speech, critical of television
Thomas W. Moore on what he sees as the FCC's role in broadcasting
Thomas W. Moore on the ban on cigarette advertising on television
Thomas W. Moore on the FCC regulation of the networks being able to own or control the rebroadcast of primetime shows
Thomas W. Moore on the length of commercials and commercial breaks on network television
Thomas W. Moore on networks and their affiliates
Thomas W. Moore on his day-to-day responsibilities as president of ABC

Television and the Presidency

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Thomas W. Moore on ABC covering the 1952 conventions, and on how presidents starting with Dwight D. Eisenhower took to television
Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960

War

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Thomas W. Moore on his experience with World War II

World War II

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Thomas W. Moore on his experience with World War II
Professions

Television Executive

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Thomas Moore on the business aspects of The Mickey Mouse Club
Genres

Children's Programming

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Flintstones

Comedy Series

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Thomas W. Moore on programming various series in the '60s, including That Girl, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and McHale's Navy

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing 77 Sunset Strip
Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Untouchables, Adventures in Paradise, and The FBI
Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Batman

Daytime/Primetime Serials

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Peyton Place, and on ABC dealing with the advent of color

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Frank Sinatra Show
Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Jerry Lewis Show, and The Hollywood Palace

Sports

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Thomas W. Moore on ABC's early sports programming
Thomas W. Moore on Edgar J. Scherick and Roone Arledge's role in bringing sports to ABC
Thomas W. Moore on various sports shows he programmed at ABC
Thomas W. Moore on ABC brining various sports like golf to television

Western Series

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Real McCoys
People

Roone Arledge

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Thomas Moore on the genesis of ABC's Wide World of Sports
Thomas Moore on the genesis of ABC's Monday Night Football
Thomas Moore on ABC's acquisition of the Olympic games in the 1960s and 70s

Barry Diller

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Thomas W. Moore on the people who worked for him at ABC when he was head of programming, including Michael Eisner and Barry Diller

Walt Disney

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Thomas Moore on how ABC and Walt Disney partnered; how the Barbie doll was advertised on The Mickey Mouse Club
Thomas Moore on the business aspects of The Mickey Mouse Club

Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Thomas W. Moore on ABC covering the 1952 conventions, and on how presidents starting with Dwight D. Eisenhower took to television

Michael Eisner

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Thomas W. Moore on the people who worked for him at ABC when he was head of programming, including Michael Eisner and Barry Diller

Leonard H. Goldenson

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Thomas Moore on how ABC and Walt Disney partnered; how the Barbie doll was advertised on The Mickey Mouse Club
Thomas W. Moore on ABC chairman Leonard H. Goldenson

John F. Kennedy

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Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960
Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy-Nixon Debates

Jerry Lewis

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Jerry Lewis Show, and The Hollywood Palace produced by Nick Vanoff

Quinn Martin

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing Adventures in Paradise and The FBI produced by Quinn Martin

Jim McKay

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Thomas Moore on the genesis of ABC's Wide World of Sports
Thomas Moore on ABC's acquisition of the Olympic games in the 1960s and 70s

Ozzie Nelson

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Thomas W. Moore on programming various series in the '60s, including That Girl with Marlo Thomas, and the long-running The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet with Ozzie Nelson

Richard M. Nixon

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Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960
Thomas W. Moore on the Kennedy-Nixon Debates

William S. Paley

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Thomas W. Moore on the government attempting to require public service programming on the networks, and on William S. Paley and General David Sarnoff

David Sarnoff

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Thomas W. Moore on the government attempting to require public service programming on the networks, and on William S. Paley and General David Sarnoff

Edgar J. Scherick

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Thomas W. Moore on Edgar J. Scherick at ABC

Frank Sinatra

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Frank Sinatra Show

Marlo Thomas

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Thomas W. Moore on programming various series in the '60s, including That Girl with Marlo Thomas, and the long-running The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet with Ozzie Nelson

Nick Vanoff

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Thomas W. Moore on programming and developing The Jerry Lewis Show, and The Hollywood Palace produced by Nick Vanoff

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