Latest News from The Interviews

For Golden Girls Fans in Los Angeles, the Sequel

 Sat, 01/20/2007 Join author Jim Colucci for a look inside the world of The Golden Girls this Sunday, January 21st, 2 PM at the Santa Monica Public Library (601 Santa Monica Blvd). We attended his last book signing ( Archive of American Television: For Golden Girls Fans in Los Angeles) and are happy to report that Jim is an engaging speaker and really knows the show. Also planned, a panel discussion focusing on the show's enduring appeal to the gay and lesbian community with writers Marc Cherry, Stan Zimmerman...

Larry Rhine's Archive of American Television Interview Is Now Online!

 Wed, 01/17/2007 Writer Larry Rhine wrote or co-wrote several of television's most classic sitcom episodes including The Brady Bunch 's "The Subject Was Noses," The Odd Couple 's "Felix Remarries" (the series finale), and All in the Family 's "Archie the Hero." His full interview is now posted online. Click here to access Larry Rhine's 8-part Archive of American Television Interview . Rhine was one of Red Skelton and Bob Hope's writers. Larry Rhine on writing for Red Skelton (Excerpt from Part 4): "He didn’t...

Lee Grant's Archive of American Television Interview is Now Online!

 Wed, 01/10/2007 Actress/Director Lee Grant's interview is now posted on Google Video. Click here to access all interview segments. Interview Description: In her seven-part (each 30-minute segement is posted separately) oral history interview, actress/director Lee Grant discusses her long and distinguished career in stage, television, and film. She describes her breakthrough role in the stage and film versions of Detective Story . She talks about her early television work in the anthology series The Play’s The...

David Shaw's Archive Interview Is Now Online!

 Thu, 01/04/2007 Writer David Shaw's five-part interview is now available for viewing on Google Video. Shaw was one of the most prolific writers during television's "Golden Age." In part 2 of his interview, David Shaw talks about his work as a writer on Philco-Goodyear Playhouse , one of the key dramatic anthology series of the "Golden Age," for which he wrote the most teleplays of any single writer. From Part 3: Q: There was a term called "kitchen sink" dramas. What did that refer to? A: It referred to many of...

A New Book by the Author of "The Box"

 Thu, 01/04/2007 Anyone interested in the history of television, has undoubtedly come across the book, The Box: An Oral History of Television, 1929-1961 by Jeff Kisseloff, published in 1995 (Penguin Books). For the book, Jeff interviewed over 300 individuals involved in all aspects of early television -- the audiotaped collection of interviews now resides at the Archive of American Television. What most people don't know, is how instrumental Jeff was in the early days of the Archive, particularly in guiding us...

Jack Lemmon's Archive of American Television Interview is Now Online!

 Mon, 01/01/2007 Happy New Year from the Archive of American Television. More interviews are on the way! The late Jack Lemmon's interview has just been posted online at Google Video. Click here to access all segments. (The interviews are done chronologically, so be sure to watch the parts in order to hear the whole story.) Interview Description: In this 4-part (each 30 minute part is posted separately) oral history interview, actor Jack Lemmon discusses his early television appearances on sitcoms, anthology...

Dick Clark Celebrates 35 Years of "New Year's Rockin' Eve"

 Thu, 12/28/2006 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve celebrates its 35th anniversary with the Dec 31, 2006-January 1, 2007 special. Dick Clark spoke about his first New Year's special in 1959 and his inaguaration of New Year's Rockin' Eve in 1972, when he was interviewed by the Archive of American Television (scroll to 24 minutes into the segment below) on July 29, 1999. To access Dick Clark's entire Archive intervew, click here. This year, the show expands from one to a record three performances, live from the...

Former CBS President Frank Stanton Dies at 98

 Tue, 12/26/2006 Dr. Frank Stanton, who served as President of CBS from 1946 to 1973, died Sunday, December 24th at the age of 98. He granted the Archive of American Telev ision a rare 2-part videotaped interview in 2000 and 2001. Below are some excerpts from the three hour interview. The entire interview can be accessed by clicking here : On joining CBS in 1935. I got my doctorate in late August, 1935. We got in the car the next day and drove to New York and I think my first day at CBS was the 4th of September...

Spice of Life -- The Story of "It's a Wonderful Life" on TV

 Fri, 12/22/2006 “ It’s a Wonderful Life shows that every human being on this earth matters—and that’s a very powerful message.” --Steven Spielberg by guest blogger Stephen Cox What was on the cover of Newsweek for the fledgling periodical's fifteen-cent December 30, 1946 issue? Answer: The cast of It's a Wonderful Life . Here we are, exactly sixty years later, and the Frank Capra motion picture--which was never intended to be a holiday movie at all--is being celebrated with more homespun enthusiasm than ever...

Animation Legend Joseph Barbera Has Died

 Tue, 12/19/2006 Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame Honoree and Archive Interviewee Joseph Barbera has died at the age of 95. Barbera was interviewed by Leonard Maltin for the Archive in 1997. Click here to access Joseph Barbera's entire three hour-plus interview. Interview description: Joseph Barbera discussed his start as a young animator at the Van Beuren Studios in New York, before his move to California and MGM's cartoon studio. He recalled working for executive Fred Quimby, and his...