Latest News from The Interviews

Garry Marshall's Archive of American Television Interview Is Now Online

 Thu, 03/29/2007 '70s/'80s hit-maker Garry Marshall's 6-part Archive interview is now available online. Click here to access the entire interview. Excerpt: Marshall on the initial concept of "Fonzie" on Happy Days from Part 4 "We created this character Fonzie who was originally called Arthur Masharelli, but M*A*S*H was the name of a show so the nickname Mash wouldn’t work so Bob Brunner, who was one of the writers came up with the name, Fonzarelli. We needed something we could have short[ened]. And that was "...

And Then There's Maude Season One

 Tue, 03/20/2007 Walter : Maude, did you wreck the car again? Maude : Did you hear that, everybody? Did you hear that? Not "Maude, are you sick?" Or "Maude, are you unhappy?" Or even, "Maude, are you pregnant?" No, "Maude, did you wreck the car again?" Walter : You're right, darling. You're absolutely right. I'm sorry. So tell me, are you sick? Maude : No. Walter : Are you unhappy? Maude : No. Walter : Are you pregnant? Maude: Yes. -- from the episode "Maude's Dilemma" which first aired on November 14, 1972 The...

Chicago TV Pioneer Sterling "Red" Quinlan Has Died

 Mon, 03/19/2007 Sterling Quinlan, who helped build station WBKB-TV (now WLS) in Chicago, has died at age 90. Quinlan is pictured here at right (in brown jacket) with Archive interviewer Roy Leonard (on left). Quinlan was interviewed by the Archive of American Television on July 20, 1999. Interview description: Sterling “Red” Quinlan was interviewed for nearly three hours in Chicago, IL. He discussed how his career began in 1947 at WBKB in Chicago where he eventually worked his way up to the title of station...

James Sheldon's Interview is Online

 Sat, 03/17/2007 Director James Sheldon's Archive of American Television Interview is now online. In part 4 of his interview, Sheldon talks about working with James Dean in "live" television. James Dean appeared in about twenty television productions in the early 1950s before embarking on his feature film career. PRESS THE PLAY ARROW IN THE PLAYER ABOVE TO WATCH THE SEGMENT NOW. James Sheldon directed one of the quintessential episodes of the classic anthology series The Twilight Zone — "It's A Good Life," in...

Fred Silverman's Interview is Now Online

 Tue, 03/13/2007 We're happy to report that legendary television executive Fred Silverman's interview is now online. At almost 6-1/2 hours, this amazing interview encompasses over three decades of television history and gives a fascinating inside look at the networks and programming so many of us grew up with (just take a look at the brief interview description below and you'll see what we mean!). Not one to rest on his many laurels, Silverman is currently ramping up his Fred Silverman Co. to develop scripted...

Students: The Television Academy Foundation's 2007 Summer Internships Application Deadline is Approaching

 Fri, 03/09/2007 Students: Just a reminder that the deadline applications for the Television Academy Foundation's Student Internship Program -- Summer 2007 is March 15th. Even if you've watched just one Archive interview, you know how life-changing a mentor or on-the-job experience can be. The Academy Foundation's internship program, one of the most prestigious in the country, offers selected students the chance to "get their foot in the door" of today's television industry. The paid internships are designed to...

Art Linkletter's Archive Interview is Now Online

 Thu, 03/08/2007 Take a look at one of the newest interviews online -- show host Art Linkletter . He's truly an engaging and a exceptional storyteller. Here's one of our favorite little-known anecdotes from the interview: On the opening of Disneyland in 1956 (Part 4 at 16 minutes in): Walt Disney asked me if I would be MC [for the opening of Disneyland]. It was live, two hours, no tape in those days, no rehearsal, jumping all over the fairgrounds doing the thing. He knew I was good at that and he wanted me to...

The Archive's Dan Rather Interview featured in Emmy Magazine

 Mon, 03/05/2007 The latest issue of Emmy magazine (Issue No. 1, 2007, with Ryan Seacrest on the cover) includes selections from our Archive of American Television interview with Dan Rather. He was interviewed in 2005 in two sessions totalling 8 hours. Here are some excerpts from the article: Q: When did you know you wanted to be a journalist? I cannot remember a time when I did not want to be a reporter. I think the reason for that was my father’s tremendous interest in newspapers; and to a degree, my mother’s...

Pat Morita's Interview is Now Online

 Tue, 02/27/2007 Noriyuke "Pat" Morita's interview is now online. Best known on television for his role of "Arnold" on Happy Days , this interview provides a fascinating account of his life and career. Click here to access all 7 segments. Interview Description: Pat Morita (1932-2005) talks about his early years, including his childhood internment in a camp in California for Japanese-Americans during World War II. He discusses turning to comedy performance at the age of 30, and his quick rise to his television...

Celebrate TV Legend Sheldon Leonard's Centennial

 Thu, 02/22/2007 The Archive celebrates the 100-year anniversary of Sheldon Leonard's birth today. Sheldon Leonard (1907-97) was one of the first people interviewed when the Archive of American Television began its pilot project in 1996. Although his interview is not yet online, here's a preview of part 3 of Sheldon's Leonard's Archive of American Television interview. In this portion, Dick Van Dyke Show writer-producer Sam Denoff interviews Leonard about The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Spy . PRESS THE PLAY ARROW...