Tom Cherones

Director


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-hour interview, Tom Cherones discusses his early life in Tuscaloosa, AL, where at the time, his family was one of the few with a television set. He talks about his early experiences working for several public television stations around the country. He recalls working as a production manager on Welcome Back, Kotter and his time working for General Hospital, several variety shows, and the Academy Awards. Cherones discusses his involvement as a producer on Growing Pains, Annie McGuire, and the pilot Just in Time. He outlines his four years as a director on Seinfeld, talking about the cast, crew, and several memorable episodes of the series. He speaks of his post-Seinfeld career on such shows as Ellen, Caroline in the City, and Newsradio, and details his time as a teacher at the University of Alabama. Amy Harrington conducted the interview on June 6, 2011 in North Hollywood, CA. 

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

"The interesting thing to me is that Seinfeld still gets a new audience every year. It's been an amazing thing, that the humor holds up still. It was so much like people's real life experience that the new audience still likes it, they still get it, it's still funny and they still keep sending me checks."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Tom Cherones on directing the Academy Awards and a request from Elizabeth Taylor
01:19
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Junior Mint"
01:32
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Parking Garage"
03:01
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Contest"
01:41
Tom Cherones on Seinfeld catchphrases
01:17
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on various jobs in public television
On moving to Los Angeles; on being production manager on Welcome Back, Kotter; on directing the Academy Awards; on producing Growing Pains
On directing My Sister Sam, Annie McGuire, and the made-for-television movie The Silence at Bethany; on how he came to direct Seinfeld
On shooting Seinfeld; on dealing with the actors on Seinfeld; on the style of filming and comedy on the show; on working with Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld

Chapter 2

On working with the Seinfeld guest stars; on various Seinfeld episodes; on various guest stars on the show
On specific Seinfeld episodes; on Seinfeld catchphrases; on leaving Seinfeld; on the show's final episode and legacy
On directing Ellen, Caroline in the City, and Newsradio
On teaching at the University of Alabama; on then-current projects; on advice to aspiring directors; on career achievements and regrets
Shows

Academy Awards, The

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Tom Cherones on directing the Academy Awards
01:19

Annie McGuire

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Tom Cherones on producing and directing Annie McGuire
01:50

Caroline in the City

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Tom Cherones on directing Caroline in the City
01:08

Ellen

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Tom Cherones on directing Ellen
05:01

Growing Pains

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Tom Cherones on producing Growing Pains
02:06

My Sister Sam

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Tom Cherones on directing My Sister Sam
02:40

NewsRadio

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Tom Cherones on directing Newsradio
03:49

Seinfeld

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Tom Cherones on how he came to direct and produce Seinfeld
01:25
Tom Cherones on directing and producing Seinfeld
01:41
Tom Cherones on shooting Seinfeld and the look of the show
00:40
Tom Cherones on dealing with the actors in Seinfeld
01:54
Tom Cherones on the producing team of Seinfeld
01:09
Tom Cherones on the production process of Seinfeld
01:46
Tom Cherones on his style of filming Seinfeld
00:59
Tom Cherones on post production on Seinfeld
01:10
Tom Cherones on Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's style of comedy
02:16
Tom Cherones on the characters on Seinfeld
02:10
Tom Cherones on shooting Jerry Seinfeld's standups on Seinfeld
00:57
Tom Cherones on working with Jerry Seinfeld
02:04
Tom Cherones on Larry David and the characters of Seinfeld
01:49
Tom Cherones on Julia Louis-Dreyfus as "Elaine" and Michael Richards as "Kramer" on Seinfeld
01:21
Tom Cherones on working with Larry David
01:13
Tom Cherones on being the "father" on Seinfeld
00:54
Tom Cherones on working with the older Seinfeld guest stars
00:52
Tom Cherones on directing the Seinfeld episode "The Stakeout"
02:02
Tom Cherones on directing the Seinfeld episode "The Pony Remark"
01:08
Tom Cherones on directing the Seinfeld episode "The Chinese Restaurant"
03:22
Tom Cherones on how NBC dealt with Seinfeld
03:20
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Parking Garage"
03:01
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Pez Dispenser" 
02:19
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Contest"
01:41
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Bubble Boy"
01:13
Tom Cherones on guest stars on Seinfeld
02:13
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Junior Mint"
01:32
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Pilot"
02:51
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episodes "The Mango" and "The Puffy Shirt"
02:39
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Opposite"
00:32
Tom Cherones on Seinfeld catchphrases
01:17
Tom Cherones on leaving Seinfeld
01:28
Tom Cherones on the legacy of Seinfeld
01:17

Seinfeld: "The Bubble Boy"

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Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Bubble Boy"
01:13

Seinfeld: "The Chinese Restaurant"

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Tom Cherones on directing the Seinfeld episode "The Chinese Restaurant"
03:22

Seinfeld: "The Contest"

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Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Contest"
01:41

Seinfeld: "The Finale"

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Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Finale"
00:31

Seinfeld: "The Parking Garage"

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Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Parking Garage"
03:01

Seinfeld: "The Pilot"

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Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Pilot"
02:51

Welcome Back, Kotter

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Tom Cherones on being a production manager on Welcome Back, Kotter
02:22
Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

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Tom Cherones on Seinfeld catchphrases
01:17

Memorable Moments on Television

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Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Finale"
00:31
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Junior Mint"
01:32
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Bubble Boy"
01:13
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Contest"
01:41
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Parking Garage"
03:01

Pop Culture

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Tom Cherones on Seinfeld catchphrases
01:17

We Laughed

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Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Finale"
00:31
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Junior Mint"
01:32
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Bubble Boy"
01:13
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Contest"
01:41
Tom Cherones on the Seinfeld episode "The Parking Garage"
03:01
Professions

Directors

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Tom Cherones on directing multi-camera verses single camera
00:40
Tom Cherones on advice to aspiring television directors
01:10
Genres

Comedy Series

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Tom Cherones on directing and producing Seinfeld
24:24
Tom Cherones on directing Seinfeld
32:08
Tom Cherones on directing Ellen
05:01
People

Elizabeth Taylor

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Tom Cherones on directing the Academy Awards and a request from Elizabeth Taylor
01:19

Jerry Seinfeld

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Tom Cherones on Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's style of comedy
02:16
Tom Cherones on working with Jerry Seinfeld
02:04

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

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Tom Cherones on Julia Louis-Dreyfus as "Elaine" and Michael Richards as "Kramer" on Seinfeld
01:21

Larry David

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Tom Cherones on working with Larry David
01:13

Michael Richards

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Tom Cherones on Julia Louis-Dreyfus as "Elaine" and Michael Richards as "Kramer" on Seinfeld
01:21

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