Latest News from The Interviews

Noted TV Producer Bob Banner Dies at 89

 Wed, 06/15/2011 We've just learned that legendary TV producer Bob Banner has passed away at 89. Banner was one of the pioneers in the new medium of television, beginning his career at WBKB, and later WMAQ in Chicago -- part of the historic "Chicago School" -- where he worked on Kukla, Fran and Ollie and produced Garroway at Large . He later moved to the The Fred Waring Show in New York and then produced The Dinah Shore Chevy Show among others. He also executive produced a number of memorable TV movies (...

Happy Birthday to Jerry Stiller!

 Wed, 06/08/2011 Archive Interviewee Jerry Stiller celebrates his 84th birthday today. We interviewed Jerry back in 2005 along with his wife, Anne Meara. The full interview with Jerry and Anne can be viewed online . In this clip, Jerry discusses how he came to be cast as "Frank Costanza" on Seinfeld . He talks about how initially, Frank's character was to be a meek man in a bald cap, subservient to Estelle Harris's "Estelle Costanza"; but Jerry's "Frank" wound up shouting back at her, just as loudly. And we...

TV comedy writing legend (and Mad Libs co-creator) Leonard Stern dies at 88

 Wed, 06/08/2011 We're very sad to report that legendary comedy writer Leonard Stern died at 88 on Tuesday. Stern was a passionate advocate for writers and was a great friend of the Archive of American Television. Known as a "comedy writer's comedy writer," Leonard began his career in radio, writing for such luminaries as Milton Berle and Abbott and Costello. He transitioned to television for The Jackie Gleason Show , and is credited with turning the "The Honeymooners" sketches into longform shows (best known...

Recap: The TV Academy Celebrates Women in Comedy

 Fri, 06/03/2011 [caption id="attachment_3086" align="alignnone" width="286" caption="(l-r): Margaret Cho, Caroline Rhea, Bonnie Hunt, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carol Leifer, Elayne Boosler & Lily Tomlin (PictureGroup)"] [/caption] Recently, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences hosted "Ladies Who Make Us Laugh" , an event devoted to women in comedy hosted at the Academy's Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre. Guests included comedians Bonnie Hunt, Margaret Cho, Caroline Rhea, Carole Leifer, Elayne Boosler, Lily...

Western star James Arness passes at 88

 Fri, 06/03/2011 Sad news to report: TV Legend James Arness passed away today at the age of 88. He was best known for his longtime portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon on the classic Western series Gunsmoke and later on How the West Was Won . The publicity-shy star was interviewed by the Archive of American Television in 2002. Here's a clip from his two-and-a-half hour interview where he discusses his career success: The entire interview is available at http://emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/james-arness...

Calling all "Dallas" Fans - Larry Hagman to auction off personal memorabilia on June 4

 Thu, 06/02/2011 Actor (and Archive of American Television interviewee ) Larry Hagman has put some of his memorabilia up for auction-- including Dallas memorabilia and furnishings from his California estate as well as items from the estate of his mother, Mary Martin. According to the catalog: choice TV memorabilia items include Dallas scripts (estimates ranging between $250 to $800), games, trading cards, photographs, instruments, and clothing. There are also a variety of awards and items representing Hagman’s...

Happy Birthday to Leave it to Beaver's Jerry Mathers!

 Thu, 06/02/2011 Today is actor Jerry Mathers' 63rd birthday! Best known for his role as Beaver Cleaver on the classic series Leave it to Beaver (and The New Leave it to Beaver ), he also appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock feature, The Trouble with Harry . To celebrate, we're highlighting this fun clip from his Archive of American Television interview where he discusses how we has cast on Leave it to Beaver . You can watch his full Archive of American Television interview here .