Tom Werner

Producer
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In the half-hour solo portion of his interview, Tom Werner speaks of working first in documentaries, then joining ABC's planning and development department. He recalls the shows he helped develop on ABC, including Mork & Mindy. Werner speaks about discovering Tom Hanks and fighting for Hanks to appear in Bosom Buddies, and leaving ABC to join Marcy Carsey at her own production company.

In the one-and-a-half-hour joint portion of their interview, Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner talk about developing a number of shows before creating their major 1984 hit, The Cosby Show. They speak of producing hit series A Different World, Roseanne, Grace Under Fire, Cybill, and 3rd Rock from the Sun. Carsey and Warner also speak about their longtime partner Caryn Mandabach and the challenges facing independent production companies. Karen Herman conducted the interviews on March 10, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.

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

"They've got their own demands, the networks. And they've got their own schedules. But we would rather get it right and not screw it up, because you've got only one chance with the audience."

People Talking About ...
Tom Werner
Highlights
Tom Werner on developing a show for Robin Williams, which became Mork & Mindy
02:38
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on casting "Theo" on The Cosby Show
01:26
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on The Cosby Show's long tapings
01:14
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on wanting the comedienne Roseanne for their new sitcom when developing Roseanne  
00:52
Tom Werner on helping to get Three's Company made
01:43
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on making documentaries during and after college
On his first job at ABC as a junior research assistant; on working in the ABC entertainment division and methodologies used in research
On studying British shows and helping to get Three's Company made; on working with Fred Silverman
On moving to Los Angeles and becoming Manager of ABC Comedy Development; on shows he helped develop, including Mork & Mindy
On Marcy Carsey leaving ABC; on discovering Tom Hanks

Chapter 2
On fighting for Tom Hanks to appear in Bosom Buddies; on leaving ABC to join Marcy Carsey as an independent producer
START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH MARCY CARSEY AND TOM WERNER: on the Carsey Company and not making a studio deal early on; on their business partnership and getting Oh Madeline on the air
On developing their first big hit, The Cosby Show; on the difficulty of selling the show; on the program's success once it aired
On casting The Cosby Show; on their day-to-day duties as Executive Producers of The Cosby Show

Chapter 3
On the end of The Cosby Show; on working with Bill Cosby; on the Cosby spin-off A Different World 
On developing Roseanne; on casting the show, how fame changed Roseanne, and the end of the show 
On having several hit shows on the air at the same time; on negotiations with networks for a joint venture
On developing and executive producing Grace Under Fire  and Cybill

Chapter 4
On the structure of their company and their division of duties; on their partnership and their strengths
On what makes a successful producer; on what they look for in a writer; on the importance of syndication
On producing and casting 3rd Rock From the Sun
On producing That '70s Show
On their favorite stories about each other
On producing Grounded For Life; on Caryn Mandabach
Shows

3rd Rock From the Sun

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on producing 3rd Rock From the Sun
03:49
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on casting 3rd Rock From the Sun
02:57

Bosom Buddies

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Tom Werner on the show Bosom Buddies starring Tom Hanks
00:25

Cosby Show, The

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing their first big hit, The Cosby Show
04:44
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on when they realized that The Cosby Show would be a hit (the Monopoly scene in the pilot)
02:05
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the difficulty of selling The Cosby Show; on pitching the show and hiding from NBC executives
05:39
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the success of The Cosby Show once it aired
01:28
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on casting The Cosby Show
05:05
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on their day-to-day duties as Executive Producers of The Cosby Show
02:26
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the end of The Cosby Show run; on working with Bill Cosby
02:29

Cybill

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing and executive producing Cybill
03:05

Different World, A

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the Cosby spin-off A Different World and the awareness the program brought to black colleges
02:38

Grace Under Fire

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing and executive producing Grace Under Fire
01:34

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

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Tom Werner on methodologies used in research and ways to manipulate it (and how it was manipulated to keep Kolchak: The Night Stalker on the air)
02:19

Mork & Mindy

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Tom Werner on developing a show for Robin Williams, which became Mork & Mindy
02:38

Oh Madeline

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on getting Oh Madeline on the air
00:22

Roseanne

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing and casting Roseanne  
09:21
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on how Roseanne evolved throughout the run of the show
01:07
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the end of Roseanne  
00:48

That '70s Show

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on producing 3rd Rock From the Sun
01:45

Three's Company

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Tom Werner on helping to get Three's Company made
02:13
Topics

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Tom Werner on lessons learned from Michael Eisner about development
00:30

Fame and Celebrity

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on problems with Roseanne on the set of Roseanne and how fame changed her
02:52

Historic Events and Social Change

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the Cosby  spin-off A Different World  and the awareness the program brought to black colleges
02:38

Memorable Moments on Television

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on when they realized that The Cosby Show would be a hit (the Monopoly scene in the pilot)
02:05

Representation on Television

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the Cosby spin-off A Different World  and the awareness the program brought to black colleges
02:38

Television Industry

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on problems with Roseanne on the set of Roseanne  and how fame changed her
02:52
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on negotiations with networks for a joint venture upon the end of the fin-syn rules
05:25

Underrepresented Voices

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the Cosby spin-off A Different World and the awareness the program brought to black colleges
02:38

We Laughed

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on when they realized that The Cosby Show would be a hit (the Monopoly scene in the pilot)
02:05
Professions

Producers

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on their day-to-day duties as Executive Producers of The Cosby Show
02:26
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on what makes a successful producer
02:47
Genres

Comedy Series

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing and casting their first big hit, The Cosby Show
21:27
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing and casting Roseanne  
10:28
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the end of The Cosby Show and the Cosby spin-off A Different World 
05:08
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on producing and casting 3rd Rock From the Sun
06:46
People

Bill Cosby

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing their first big hit, The Cosby Show
03:37
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on Bill Cosby's conditions for agreeing to do The Cosby Show
01:07
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on The Cosby Show's long tapings
01:14
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on telling Bill Cosby The Cosby Show was the number one show on television
00:35
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on their day-to-day duties as Executive Producers of The Cosby Show
02:26
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the end of The Cosby Show  run; on working with Bill Cosby
02:29
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on what makes a successful producer
02:47

Brandon Tartikoff

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on working with Brandon Tartikoff at NBC and selling The Cosby Show
00:44

Christine Baranski

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on working with Christine Baranski on Cybill
01:15

Chuck Lorre

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on Chuck Lorre as head writer of Cybill
00:26

Cybill Shepherd

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on developing and executive producing Cybill
01:24

Fred Silverman

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Tom Werner on helping to get Three's Company made
01:43
Tom Werner on working with Fred Silverman and other talented ABC Executives
04:11

Frederick S. Pierce

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Tom Werner on methodologies used in research and ways to manipulate it
02:19

Garry Marshall

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Tom Werner on developing a show for Robin Williams, which became Mork & Mindy
02:38

Jane Curtin

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on casting Jane Curtin on 3rd Rock From the Sun
00:30

Jay Sandrich

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on The Cosby Show's long tapings
01:14

John Goodman

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on the importance of John Goodman on Roseanne  
01:27

John Lithgow

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on casting John Lithgow on 3rd Rock From the Sun
02:57

Lisa Bonet

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on casting Lisa Bonet on The Cosby Show
00:25

Marcy Carsey

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Tom Werner on interviewing with Marcy Carsey to work in ABC comedy development and his working relationship with Marcy Carsey
02:40
Tom Werner on Marcy Carsey leaving ABC
01:26
Tom Werner on leaving ABC to join Marcy Carsey as an independent producer
01:05
Tom Werner on his favorite story about Marcy Carsey
01:28

Michael Eisner

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Tom Werner on lessons learned from Michael Eisner about development
00:30

Pam Dawber

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Tom Werner on developing a show for Robin Williams, which became Mork & Mindy
02:38

Phylicia Rashad

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on The Cosby Show's long tapings
01:14
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on casting Phylicia Rashad on The Cosby Show
01:26

Robin Williams

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Tom Werner on developing a show for Robin Williams, which became Mork & Mindy
02:38

Roseanne

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Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on wanting the comedienne Roseanne for their new sitcom when developing Roseanne  
00:52
Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner on Roseanne's input in developing Roseanne and problems with her on set
05:05

Tom Hanks

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Tom Werner on discovering Tom Hanks
00:49

Tom Werner

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Marcy Carsey on her favorite story about Tom Werner
01:20

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