About
"The highlight of my career at NBC, was building a close knit and very efficient organization on the West Coast that served NBC very well for many years."
Of his work as a television executive, Thomas W. Sarnoff (1927-2023) says, "the highlight of my career at NBC, was building a close-knit and very efficient organization on the West Coast that served NBC very well for many years." In his three-hour interview, Sarnoff discusses growing up in the shadow of his father, NBC founder David Sarnoff, and how television was a constant topic of conversation at home, and how he was even involved in an early signal test. In 1949, instead of joining NBC, he became a floor manager at ABC in Los Angeles. He was hired at NBC in 1952, as an assistant to the director of finance and operations, and in 1957, he was promoted to vice president of production and business affairs. He discusses the contracts and negotiations he was involved with including negotiating land for the Burbank facility, and negotiating contracts for Bob Hope, Colonel Parker (Elvis Presley's manager), and for shows such as Gumby, Matinee Theater, and Bonanza. He concludes by talking about his longtime involvement with the Television Academy and the Television Academy Foundation. Morrie Gelman conducted the interview on June 10, 1999 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his role in founding the Archive of American Television
Thomas W. Sarnoff on making the deal to broadcast the Emmy Awards nationally on NBC
Thomas W. Sarnoff on taking a stand while developing Bonanza, when seeing that NBC was handing show concepts to MCA and buying them back
Thomas W. Sarnoff on being "the first live star" on NBC television
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the highlights of his career
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his father David Sarnoff unveiling TV at the 1939 World's Fair and his vision for TV and radio
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years and family life with father David Sarnoff
On witnessing the development of television at NBC and his early appearance in a TV test
On his education, his service during World War II, and his move to California
Chapter 2
On working in production at ABC television
On moving to MGM where he worked as a unit manager before moving to NBC
On working at NBC in production and business affairs, where duties included NBC production facility land issues and oversight of the color series Matinee Theater
Chapter 3
On the importance of Matinee Theater for NBC color television; on NBC executives Pat Weaver and Robert Sarnoff
On his contentious relationship with NBC executive Robert Kintner which came to a head with the development of Bonanza as an in-house NBC show
Chapter 4
On the friction between East and West Coast divisions of NBC
On his negotiating style and forging deals with Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, and Disney
On his philosophy of network programming and working with various NBC executives
On David Sarnoff's death and the eventual end of Sarnoffs at RCA
Chapter 5
On being an NBC executive on the west coast and his response to the criticism about violence on television at that time
On becoming president of NBC Entertainment (which handled non-broadcast entertainment) in 1969 and producing live arena shows with Disney
On leaving NBC
On being "Gumby's godfather" and negotiating deals to bring Gumby to TV
Thomas W. Sarnoff on bringing back Bonanza in TV movies featuring the next generation - Bonanza: The Next Generation (1988), Bonanza: The Return (1993) and Bonanza: Under Attack (1995)
Chapter 6
On his affiliation with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences throughout his career
On chairing the TV Academy Foundation and his role in the founding of Archive of American Television
On the highlights of his career, his father's legacy, and his thoughts on the current (1999) state of television
On his family and how he'd like to be remembered
On some of the people he's worked with over the years including Bob Finkel, Dick Welch, and John Conte
Chapter 7
On two photos: one with Phyllis Diller, the other of "Colonel" Tom Parker
Shows
Bonanza
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's development of Bonanza
Thoma W. Sarnoff on the success of Bonanza for NBC and RCA
Thomas W. Sarnoff on bringing back Bonanza in TV movies featuring the next generation - Bonanza: The Next Generation (1988), Bonanza: The Return (1993) and Bonanza: Under Attack (1995)
Cowboys and Injuns
Thomas W. Sarnoff on producing and directing the 1950s children's series Cowboys and Injuns
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Thomas W. Sarnoff on making the deal to broadcast the Emmy Awards nationally on NBC
Gumby
Thomas W. Sarnoff on being "Gumby's godfather" and negotiating deals to bring Gumby to TV
Laramie
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the initial similarity in the concepts of Bonanza and Laramie
Lawless Years, The
Thomas W. Sarnoff on getting NBC's renewal of the series The Lawless Years (1959-1961)
Marshal of Gunsight Pass, The
Thomas W. Sarnoff on a live TV blooper during the airing of an episode of Marshal of Gunsight Pass, The (1950)
Mickey Mouse Club, The
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's losing out to ABC in negotiations to air Disney's new shows
Mysteries of Chinatown
Thomas W. Sarnoff briefly on the production of Mysteries of Chinatown
NBC Matinee Theater
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the production of Matinee Theater
Thomas W. Sarnoff on preservation of Matinee Theater and working with producer Albert McCleery
Wonderful World of Disney, The aka Magical World of Disney, The
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's losing out to ABC in negotiations to air Disney's new shows
Topics
Bloopers
Thomas W. Sarnoff on a live TV blooper during the airing of an episode of Marshal of Gunsight Pass (1950)
Criticism of TV
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his response to criticism of violence on TV while an NBC executive
Network Creation
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his father, NBC founder David Sarnoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the vision of his father, NBC founder David Sarnoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on David Sarnoff's legacy
Sex & Violence
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his response to criticism of violence on TV while an NBC executive
Studio and Network Management
Thomas W. Sarnoff on negotiating land for the NBC production facility in Burbank, CA
Thomas W. Sarnoff on taking a stand about NBC handing show concepts to MCA, which would then be sold back to NBC
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's early dominance of long-form television programming
Technological Innovation
Thomas W. Sarnoff on being "the first live star" on NBC television during a signal test
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's transition to color television and the production of color show Matinee Theater
Thomas W. Sarnoff on Matinee Theater getting people to talk about color television
Television Industry
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his response to criticism of violence on TV while an NBC executive
World War II
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his military service during World War II (and briefly on his father being a general)
Professions
Attorney
Thomas W. Sarnoff on working in NBC's production and business affairs office and the buidling of the NBC production facility in Burbank, CA
Television Executive
Thomas W. Sarnoff on taking a stand about NBC handing show concepts to MCA, which would then be sold back to NBC
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his philosophy on ratings and network programming
Genres
Animation
Thomas W. Sarnoff on being "Gumby's godfather" and negotiating deals to bring Gumby to TV
Classic Anthology Series
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the production of NBC's daily color anthology series Matinee Theater
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's early dominance of long-form television programming
Thomas W. Sarnoff on bringing back Bonanza in TV movies featuring the next generation - Bonanza: The Next Generation (1988), Bonanza: The Return (1993) and Bonanza: Under Attack (1995)
People
David Adams
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC executive vice-president David Adams
Rex Bell
Thomas W. Sarnoff on silent star Rex Bell, who was to star in his series Cowboys and Injuns
George Cahan
Thomas W. Sarnoff on working with George Cahan
Samuel Chotzinoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC music director Samuel Chotzinoff's role in securing Arturo Toscanini for NBC
Art Clokey
Thomas W. Sarnoff on being "Gumby's godfather" and negotiating deals to bring Gumby to TV
John Conte
Thomas W. Sarnoff on John Conte
Walt Disney
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's losing out to ABC in negotiations to air Disney's new shows
David Dortort
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's development of Bonanza
Thomas W. Sarnoff on Bonanza creator David Dortort
Thomas W. Sarnoff on working with David Dortort to find loopholes in a contract Sarnoff had done at NBC; and bringing back Bonanza in TV movies featuring the next generation
Bob Finkel
Thomas W. Sarnoff on first working with Bob Finkel as his assistant
Thomas W. Sarnoff on making the deal to broadcast the Emmy Awards nationally on NBC (Bob Finkel was the director of the show)
Thomas W. Sarnoff on working with Bob Finkel
Richard Frank
Thomas W. Sarnoff on Richard Frank's role in the founding of the Archive of American Television
Bob Hope
Thomas W. Sarnoff on negotiating (for NBC) with Bob Hope (which often included land deals)
Robert E. Kintner
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC executive Robert Kintner
Thomas W. Sarnoff on getting NBC's renewal of the series The Lawless Years (1959-1961)
David Levy
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC's early dominance of long-form television programming
Albert McCleery
Thomas W. Sarnoff on producer Albert McCleery's role in Matinee Theater
Thomas W. Sarnoff on preservation of Matinee Theater and working with producer Albert McCleery
Tom Parker
Thomas W. Sarnoff on negotiating (for NBC) with Elvis Presley's manager "Colonel" Tom Parker
Elvis Presley
Thomas W. Sarnoff on negotiating (for NBC) with Elvis Presley's manager "Colonel" Tom Parker
Dick Robertson
Thomas W. Sarnoff on working with Lorimar executive Dick Robertson to re-release Gumby
Michael Rosen
Thomas W. Sarnoff on working with Michael Rosen at the Archive of American Television
David Sarnoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on his father, NBC founder David Sarnoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the vision of his father, NBC founder David Sarnoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the death of his father, NBC founder David Sarnoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on David Sarnoff's legacy
Robert Sarnoff
Thomas W. Sarnoff on brother and NBC executive Robert Sarnoff
Herbert S. Schlosser
Thomas W. Sarnoff on fellow NBC executive Herb Schlosser
Grant Tinker
Thomas W. Sarnoff on fellow NBC executive Grant Tinker
Arturo Toscanini
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC Orchestra conductor Arturo Toscanini
Dean Valentine
Thomas W. Sarnoff on Dean Valentine's role in the founding of the Archive of American Television
Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver
Thomas W. Sarnoff on NBC executive Pat Weaver
Dick Welch
Thomas W. Sarnoff on working with Dick Welch
Vladimir Zworykin
Thomas W. Sarnoff on the legacy of Vladimir Zworykin at NBC