William Clotworthy

Executive

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his three-hour interview, William Clotworthy (1926-2021) talks of his early years working as an NBC page in the late 1940s. He describes joining advertising agency BBDO (Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn) in October 1950, and details his 25-year career as a commercial television producer for the agency. He discusses several of the series for which he served as the ad liaison, including G. E. Theater (where he worked closely with host Ronald Reagan), Your Hit Parade, and You Bet Your Life. Clotworthy then outlines his work from 1979-91 as NBC's director of broadcast standards, where he primarily served as the network censor for Saturday Night Live until his retirement. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 28, 2006 in Los Angeles, CA.

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

"Somebody asked me one day, 'what's the first thing you do when you read these [Saturday Night Live] scripts?' I said, 'I laugh.' Now after I laugh, I may go in and cut it to ribbons, but we were human people and we had senses of humor. We also had a job to do to help keep the network on the air and I think we did it pretty well."

People Talking About ...

William Clotworthy

Highlights

William Clotworthy on representing advertisers on General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan

06:20

William Clotworthy on drug humor and Al Franken on Saturday Night Live

00:52

William Clotworthy on working with Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live

02:34

William Clotworthy on escorting Milton Berle's mother on Texaco Star Theater while he was an NBC page

01:10

William Clotworthy on representing advertisers on You Bet Your Life

01:57

William Clotworthy on joining Standards & Practices at NBC, and getting assigned to Saturday Night Live

07:58

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on growing up in New Jersey; on majoring in drama at Syracuse University; on becoming an NBC page in 1948; on working at NBC during the 1948 election

On joining advertising agency BBDO; on working for client American Tobacco; on the television department at BBDO; on Your Hit Parade; on directing commercials on Robert Montgomery Presents; on early baseball; on working on The Jack Benny Program

Chapter 2

On Jack Benny; on Lucky Strike and writing radio shows; on many people making their TV debuts on T his is Show Business; on moving to BBDO in California and representing advertisers on General Electric Theater; on writing Ronald Reagan's lead-ins and lead-outs for General Electric Theater

On the format of General Electric Theater; on writing for the show; on representing advertisers on You Bet Your Life; on working with Bing Crosby

Chapter 3

On Sheree North's dance on General Electric Theater; on the 1952 political campaign and BBDO representing the Republican party - Eisenhower; on how they got Ike to wear makeup; on Eisenhower not liking television; on the Hollywood Blacklist

On his 25 year career at BBDO; on General Electric True with Jack Webb; on radio and television commercials he worked on; on his friendship with Ronald Reagan; on how the television landscape changed over the years; on leaving BBDO and joining Standards & Practices at NBC, and getting assigned to Saturday Night Live

Chapter 4

On the importance of context for Standards and Practices; on Steven Bochco having trouble with Standards and Practices; on Charles Rocket and censorship on Saturday Night Live; on Sam Kinison going against Standards and Practices on Saturday Night Live

On drug humor being allowed on Saturday Night Live; on pressure from outside organizations; on a controversial joke by David Letterman; on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

On a typical work week at Saturday Night Live

Chapter 5

On Saturday Night Live' s production schedule; on Lorne Michaels; on working with the show's writers; on working with Al Franken; on challenges he faced as a Standards & Practices Executive; on memorable and less than ideal guest hosts and performers on Saturday Night Live

On the season that Jean Doumanian ran Saturday Night Live; on Brandon Tartikoff bringing Dick Ebersol in to run the show; on cast members he worked with: Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Steve Martin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Jon Lovitz

Chapter 6

On working with cast members of Saturday Night Live; on a controversial David Bowie appearance; on retiring in 1991

On his last days as the Standards Executive for Saturday Night Live; on becoming a Presidential historian; on consulting for the WB channel; on career regrets; on his title of "Editor" rather than "Censor"; on wanting to allow the word "fart" on Saturday Night Live; on advice to aspiring professionals; on how he'd like to be remembered

Shows

Danny Kaye Show, The

William Clotworthy on The Danny Kaye Show

00:43

General Electric Theater, The

William Clotworthy on representing advertisers on General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan

11:07

William Clotworthy on working with Bing Crosby

04:54

General Electric True

William Clotworthy on General Electric True with Jack Webb

00:36

Jack Benny Program, The

William Clotworthy on working on The Jack Benny Program

01:00

William Clotworthy on working on the premiere of The Jack Benny Program with Ben Hogan as guest

01:30

Kukla, Fran & Ollie

William Clotworthy on NBC getting the Kukla, Fran & Ollie feed from Chicago

01:07

Robert Montgomery Presents

William Clotworthy on representing client American Tobacco in television shows Robert Montgomery Presents, Your Hit Parade, and This is Show Business

05:46

William Clotworthy on working on Robert Montgomery Presents

02:17

Saturday Night Live

William Clotworthy on joining Standards & Practices at NBC, and getting assigned to Saturday Night Live

07:58

William Clotworthy on Charles Rocket and censorship on Saturday Night Live when Rocket swore live on air

03:08

William Clotworthy on doing Standards and Practices for Saturday Night Live; on drug humor, pressure from outside groups, and a typical work week

23:45

William Clotworthy on the famous "Nude beach" sketch on Saturday Night Live

02:07

William Clotworthy on Saturday Night Live' s production schedule, Lorne Michaels, and the cast of the show

27:33

William Clotworthy on working with cast members of Saturday Night Live, on retiring

16:29

Texaco Star Theater

William Clotworthy on working on Texaco Star Theater while he was an NBC page

01:53

This Is Show Business

William Clotworthy on representing client American Tobacco in television shows Robert Montgomery Presents, Your Hit Parade, and This is Show Business

05:46

William Clotworthy on working onT his is Show Business

02:39

You Bet Your Life

William Clotworthy on representing advertisers on You Bet Your Life

01:57

Your Hit Parade

William Clotworthy on representing client American Tobacco in television shows Robert Montgomery Presents, Your Hit Parade, and This is Show Business

05:46

William Clotworthy on remotes and the popularity of Your Hit Parade

03:06

Topics

Anthology Drama

William Clotworthy on working on Robert Montgomery Presents

02:17

William Clotworthy on the format of General Electric Theater, produced by William Frye

07:31

Censorship / Standards & Practices

William Clotworthy on language he was allowed to use in an episode of General Electric Theater that he wrote, dealing with therapeutic abortion

03:04

William Clotworthy on joining Standards & Practices at NBC

07:58

William Clotworthy on the importance of context for Standards and Practices; on censorship on Saturday Night Live

28:12

William Clotworthy on his style as a Standards Executive for Saturday Night Live

00:56

William Clotworthy on how standards changed from the '70s to '90s

02:18

Dwight D. Eisenhower

William Clotworthy on the 1952 political campaign and BBDO representing the Republican party - Eisenhower; on how they got Ike to wear makeup

06:44

Hollywood Blacklist

William Clotworthy on the Hollywood Blacklist

03:24

TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

William Clotworthy on working on Robert Montgomery Presents

02:17

William Clotworthy on the format of General Electric Theater, produced by William Frye

07:31

Television Industry

William Clotworthy on language he was allowed to use in an episode of General Electric Theater that he wrote, dealing with therapeutic abortion

03:04

Underrepresented Voices

William Clotworthy on working with Garrett Morris on Saturday Night Live

01:21

Professions

Television Executive

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William Clotworthy on joining Standards & Practices at NBC

07:58

Genres

Commercials

William Clotworthy on commercials for American Tobacco

01:29

William Clotworthy on the Lucky Strike bulls eye

01:30

William Clotworthy on the 1952 political campaign and BBDO representing the Republican party - Eisenhower; on how they got Ike to wear makeup

06:44

William Clotworthy on loving radio commercials

01:09

William Clotworthy on memorable TV commercials on which he worked

01:33

Late Night

William Clotworthy on doing Standards and Practices for Saturday Night Live; on drug humor, pressure from outside groups, and a typical work week

23:45

William Clotworthy on Saturday Night Live' s production schedule, Lorne Michaels, and the cast of the show

27:33

William Clotworthy on working with cast members of Saturday Night Live

16:29

People

Abe Burrows

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William Clotworthy on working on T his is Show Business

02:39

Al Franken

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William Clotworthy on drug humor and Al Franken on Saturday Night Live

00:52

William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

02:07

William Clotworthy on working with Al Franken

00:36

Arlene Francis

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William Clotworthy on working on T his is Show Business

02:39

Arthur Penn

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William Clotworthy on working with floor managers Bud Yorkin and Arthur Penn on Robert Montgomery Presents

01:14

Arturo Toscanini

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William Clotworthy on shuttling messages for Toscanini while he was an NBC page

00:11

Ben Hogan

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William Clotworthy on working on the premiere of The Jack Benny Program with Ben Hogan as guest

01:30

Bill Murray

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

00:52

William Clotworthy on arguing with Lorne Michaels over the "Nerds Nativity" sketch on Saturday Night Live

03:10

William Clotworthy on working with Bill Murray on Saturday Night Live

00:56

William Clotworthy on Bill Murray's eulogy for Gilda Radner

01:21

Billy Crystal

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William Clotworthy on Dick Ebersol bringing new talent to Saturday Night Live

01:26

William Clotworthy on working with Billy Crystal on Saturday Night Live

00:12

Bing Crosby

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William Clotworthy on working with Bing Crosby

04:54

Bob Hope

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William Clotworthy on a Bob Hope drug joke on Saturday Night Live

01:28

Bob Wright

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William Clotworthy on Bob Wright's opinion of Standards & Practices

00:35

Brandon Tartikoff

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William Clotworthy on Brandon Tartikoff bringing Dick Ebersol in to run Saturday Night Live

01:26

William Clotworthy on he, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Brandon Tartikoff having the same birthday - January 13th

00:16

Bud Yorkin

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William Clotworthy on working with floor managers Bud Yorkin and Arthur Penn on Robert Montgomery Presents

01:14

Charles Rocket

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William Clotworthy on Charles Rocket and censorship on Saturday Night Live when Rocket swore live on air

03:08

Conrad Nagel

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William Clotworthy on Eisenhower not liking television

03:39

Dana Carvey

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William Clotworthy on working with Dana Carvey on Saturday Night Live

00:36

Danny Kaye

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William Clotworthy on The Danny Kaye Show

00:52

David Bowie

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William Clotworthy on David Bowie appearing on Saturday Night Live

00:53

David L. Wolper

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William Clotworthy on working with David Wolper

00:09

David Letterman

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William Clotworthy on a controversial joke by David Letterman

01:08

David Sarnoff

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William Clotworthy on NBC President David Sarnoff

00:11

Dennis Miller

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William Clotworthy on a typical work week at Saturday Night Live

00:49

William Clotworthy on Lorne Michaels tribute to him when Cloworthy left Saturday Night Live

01:47

Dick Ebersol

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

01:56

William Clotworthy on Brandon Tartikoff bringing Dick Ebersol in to run Saturday Night Live

01:26

Don Pardo

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William Clotworthy on working with Don Pardo on Saturday Night Live

01:24

Don Rickles

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William Clotworthy on memorable guest hosts and performers on Saturday Night Live

01:08

Dorothy Collins

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William Clotworthy on the Lucky Strike bulls eye

01:30

Earl Holliman

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William Clotworthy on language he was allowed to use in an episode of General Electric Theater that he wrote, dealing with therapeutic abortion

03:04

Eddie Murphy

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William Clotworthy on Brandon Tartikoff bringing Dick Ebersol in to run Saturday Night Live

01:26

William Clotworthy on working with Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live

01:30

Faye Emerson

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William Clotworthy on working on T his is Show Business

02:39

Garrett Morris

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William Clotworthy on working with Garrett Morris on Saturday Night Live

01:21

Geraldine Brooks

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William Clotworthy on language he was allowed to use in an episode of General Electric Theater that he wrote, dealing with therapeutic abortion

03:04

Gilda Radner

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

00:52

William Clotworthy on arguing with Lorne Michaels over the "Nerds Nativity" sketch on Saturday Night Live

03:10

William Clotworthy on working with Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live

02:34

Groucho Marx

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William Clotworthy on representing advertisers on You Bet Your Life

01:57

Herbert Sargent

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William Clotworthy on a typical work week at Saturday Night Live

00:49

William Clotworthy on working with Jon Lovitz on Saturday Night Live

01:13

William Clotworthy on Lorne Michaels tribute to him when Cloworthy left Saturday Night Live

01:47

Irving Mansfield

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William Clotworthy on working on T his is Show Business

02:39

Jack Benny

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William Clotworthy on working on The Jack Benny Program

01:00

William Clotworthy on working on the premiere of The Jack Benny Program with Ben Hogan as guest

01:30

Jack Webb

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William Clotworthy on General Electric True with Jack Webb

00:36

Jane Curtin

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

00:52

Jean Doumanian

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

01:56

William Clotworthy on Jean Doumanian bringing in less than ideal hosts on Saturday Night Live

00:53

William Clotworthy on the season that Jean Doumanian ran Saturday Night Live

01:12

Joe Piscopo

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William Clotworthy on working with Joe Piscopo on Saturday Night Live

00:34

Jon Lovitz

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William Clotworthy on working with Jon Lovitz on Saturday Night Live

01:13

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

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William Clotworthy on working with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Saturday Night Live

01:35

Laraine Newman

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

00:52

William Clotworthy on working with Laraine Newman on Saturday Night Live

00:47

Lorne Michaels

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

02:07

William Clotworthy on a typical work week at Saturday Night Live

03:39

William Clotworthy on Lorne Michaels

06:25

William Clotworthy on Lorne Michaels tribute to him when Cloworthy left Saturday Night Live

01:47

Martin Short

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William Clotworthy on Dick Ebersol bringing new talent to Saturday Night Live

01:26

William Clotworthy on working with Martin Short on Saturday Night Live

00:55

Mary Gross

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William Clotworthy on working with Mary Gross on Saturday Night Live

00:55

Michael O'Donoghue

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William Clotworthy on the people he worked with on Saturday Night Live

01:56

Mike Myers

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William Clotworthy on working with Mike Myers on Saturday Night Live

00:24

Milton Berle

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William Clotworthy on working on Texaco Star Theater while he was an NBC page

01:53

William Clotworthy on Lorne Michaels' belief that Milton Berle was the worst host of all time on Saturday Night Live

00:31

Norman Felton

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William Clotworthy on working with director Norman Felton on Robert Montgomery Presents

01:14

Phil Hartman

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William Clotworthy on working with Phil Hartman on Saturday Night Live

01:08

Red Barber

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William Clotworthy on baseball announcers in the early days of TV

01:02

Richard Pryor

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William Clotworthy on doing Standards and Practices for Saturday Night Live

00:20

Robert Culp

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William Clotworthy on less than ideal hosts on Saturday Night Live

00:24

Robert Montgomery

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William Clotworthy on working on Robert Montgomery Presents

02:17

Robin Williams

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William Clotworthy on memorable guest hosts and performers on Saturday Night Live

01:08

Ronald Reagan

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William Clotworthy on representing advertisers on General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan

06:20

William Clotworthy on his friendship with Ronald Reagan

01:05

Sheree North

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William Clotworthy on Sheree North's dance on General Electric Theater

00:36

Steve Martin

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William Clotworthy on working with Steve Martin on Saturday Night Live

01:13

Steven Bochco

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William Clotworthy on Steven Bochco having trouble with Standards and Practices

00:32

Tim Kazurinsky

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William Clotworthy on working with Tim Kazurinsky on Saturday Night Live

01:08

Vin Scully

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William Clotworthy on baseball announcers in the early days of TV

01:02

William Frye

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William Clotworthy on the format of General Electric Theater, produced by William Frye

01:11