Latest News from The Interviews

Classic "Sesame Street" Comes to DVD!

 Tue, 10/24/2006 Today sees the release of highlights from the early years of Sesame Street on DVD. This revolutionary children's show was developed by Joan Ganz Cooney and made its debut on November 10, 1969. The Archive of American Television has interviewed many of the key talents associated with this series. Click here to access Joan Ganz Cooney's interview. Click here to access Big Bird himself, Carroll Spinney's interview. Click here to access performer Bob McGrath's interview. Among the many other...

Actress Jane Wyatt has Died

 Mon, 10/23/2006 Jane Wyatt talks about working on Father Knows Best Actress Jane Wyatt died at her home on Friday, October 20 at the age of 96. For six years, she starred on Father Knows Best , where she played Margaret Anderson, one of the most beloved television moms. The Archive of American Television interviewed Ms. Wyatt for two hours on November 16, 1999. Click here to access Jane Wyatt's interview. Interview Description: Ms. Wyatt described her lengthy career in film, stage, and television. She talked...

For Golden Girls Fans in Los Angeles

 Tue, 10/17/2006 This Wednesday, October 18th, those of you in the Los Angeles-area can join author Jim Colucci at 7:30 pm at the A Different Light bookstore (8853 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood) for a signing of his book, The Q Guide to The Golden Girls . Also to be in attendance: Sirius OutQ host Frank DeCaro, author of the book's introduction, and Glen Hanson, the book's cover artist. The book chronicles the genesis and key gay-themed episodes of The Golden Girls with interviews with the stars,...

Ben Wolf's Archive of American Television Interview Is Now Online

 Mon, 10/16/2006 Cameraman Ben Wolf's four-hour Archive of American Television interview has been added to the online collection at Google Video. This is tape 6 of his interview in which he talks about working on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour . Click here to view the entire 8-part interview. Ben Wolf worked on many of the first shows produced at CBS Television City including Carson's Cellar (with Johnny Carson), The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show , and My Favorite Husband . Interview description: Ben...

Happy 60th ATAS!

 Fri, 10/13/2006 The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences celebrated its 60th anniversary yesterday with a gala event hosted by Beau Bridges. The event was held at Academy Headquarters in North Hollywood at the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre. The nostalgic evening offered clips from television's past and featured many special guests. In person were such television luminaries as Dick Van Dyke, Florence Henderson, and Art Linkletter. Many of the Television Academy's past presidents were also in attendance...

"Playhouse 90" Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary!

 Wed, 10/04/2006 In Americ an television in the 1940s and 50s, one of the staple genres of the day was the "live" drama tic anthology series. Productions within these series featured the writing of such luminaries as Paddy Chayefsky, Rod Serling, and Horton Foote and defined what has been termed the "golden age of television." Among the anthology series were Kraft Television Theater , Philco-Goodyear Playhouse , Studio One , The U.S. Steel Hour , and Playhouse 90 . As described by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh in...

Longtime Jack Benny Radio and TV Writer George Balzer Has Died

 Tue, 10/03/2006 George Balzer (pictured above with interviewer Dan Pasternack), who spent twenty-five years writing for Jack Benny, was interviewed by the Archive of American Television for two hours on January 25, 2001. Balzer died on September 28, at the age of 91. Here are some excerpts from his Archive of American Television Interview: On moving to Los Angeles: [When I was] four, my dad came home one night and said to my mother … our family was eight … eight people, my mother and father and six kids. Came...

Don Hastings' Archive of American Television Interview Is Now Online

 Mon, 10/02/2006 This is part two of Don Hastings's six part interview, where he talks about Captain Video and his Video Rangers . Click here to watch the entire interview. Don Hastings has played "Dr. Bob Hughes" on As the World Turns since 1960. Interview Description: Hastings begins by talking about his early years in theater and radio. He then talks about his television debut on the Du Mont network. He describes in great detail his regular role as the “the Ranger” on the popular Du Mont children’s...

Students: Be All That You Can TV!

 Thu, 09/28/2006 Although we usually highlight things from television's past, we thought we'd pass on this terrific opportunity for television's future.... Each year, hundreds of students from all across the nation enter the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation's College Television Awards competition. If someone you know is in a degree program at a small community college or a large university, this is an opportunity to make their film, video or digital work known to the television community...