Latest News from The Interviews

Happy New Year 2011!

 Fri, 12/31/2010 Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest reaches its 38th annual edition with the Dec. 31, 2010- January 1, 2011 special. Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest will host the special starting at 10:00 p.m. (ET & PT) with Fergie joining as Los Angeles segment co-host. As noted in Wikipedia, " In terms of years on air, Clark's string of being the permanent host of the series... is the longest of any host of an American entertainment television program." Dick Clark spoke about his first New...

Fred Foy, announcer on "The Lone Ranger" has died

 Wed, 12/22/2010 The Archive of American Television is sad to report that announcer/narrator ("The Lone Ranger," "The Dick Cavett Show") Fred Foy, died today at the age of 89. Best known for his narration of The Lone Ranger, radio historian Jim Harmon described Foy as "the announcer, perhaps the greatest announcer-narrator in the history of radio drama." His stentorian delivery of the program's lead-in thrilled his audience for years and helped the program achieve even greater popularity and status. Most radio...

50th Anniversary of a Christmas TV Classic

 Fri, 12/17/2010 Happy Holidays with Jack Benny! Jack Benny was one of the biggest names in network radio and for years listeners were delighted when the notorious cheapskate did his annual Christmas shopping. When Benny transitioned to TV, the tradition continued. Benny’s December 18, 1960 Christmas shopping episode became a TV classic and is available for viewing online. “Man of a Thousand Voices” Mel Blanc is a prominent guest star—a rare “look” at the beloved voice artist— playing a harried clerk. Watch the...

Alan Armer, Producer of "The Fugitive" and Former TV Academy President, Has Died

 Wed, 12/08/2010 Alan Armer, who won an Emmy Award as the producer of the classic adventure series The Fugitive , has died at the age of 88. Armer served as the President of the Hollywood Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the early 1970s and began his career at local L.A. TV's KNBH (KNBC) in the 1950s. Alan Armer's Archive interview was conducted on July 15, 2008. Interview Description: Alan Armer talked about his early years growing up during the Great Depression. He spoke...

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Wed, 11/24/2010 Have some classic TV with your Thanksgiving dinner this year... Watch The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show 's"Thanksgiving" episode from 1951, and see Archive interview excerpts with writers Paul Henning and Aaron Ruben featured on the Archive's show page for The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show . Mr. Crawford (guest star Charles Lane): "How do y'do? I'm Joe Crawford from the drugstore. Mr. Burns ordered these cigars." Gracie: "...I hope you'll excuse the looks of this house, but I'm very...

Norman Lloyd Marks 70 Years on TV with "Modern Family"

 Mon, 11/22/2010 Norman Lloyd is best known for playing kindly "Dr. Auschlander" on St. Elsewhere (photo below, right) and as the titular character in Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1942 film Saboteur ; he also produced for Alfred Hitchcock Presents and KCET's Hollywood Television Theater and appeared in movies for Charlie Chaplin ( Limelight ) and Jean Renoir ( The Southerner ). This past week he celebrated an over 70 year career in television with a hilarious bit on ABC's Modern Family . Now featured for viewing...

TV Executive & Producer William Self Has Died

 Thu, 11/18/2010 William Self served as an executive at 20th Century Fox where he oversaw such now-classic TV series as Batman , Julia , and M*A*S*H and was an Emmy-nominated producer of the 1991 Hallmark Hall of Fame production Sarah, Plain and Tall . Self died on November 15 at the age of 89. William Self's Archive interview was conducted on March 27, 2001. Interview description: William “Bill” Self was interviewed for three hours in Los Angeles, CA. Mr. Self started off discussing his early acting career in...

Carroll Pratt, Laugh machine expert, has died

 Fri, 11/12/2010 Carroll Pratt, a protege of laugh machine creator Charley Douglass, has died at the age of 89. Carroll Pratt 's Archive Interview was conducted on June 12, 2003. Interview description: Carroll Pratt was interviewed for over two-and-a-half hours in Philo, CA. Pratt talked about his start in feature films at MGM in the sound department where his father worked. He spoke in great detail about the audience reaction (laugh) machine created by engineer Charley Douglass, for whom Pratt worked for after...

Noel Taylor, Emmy-winning Costume Designer— has Died

 Tue, 11/09/2010 Noel Taylor was the first person acknowledged by the Emmy Awards for costume design in 1965 for the Hallmark Hall of Fame production "The Magnificent Yankee"— the first year that costume design was honored; Taylor has died at the age of 97. Noel Taylor began his career on Broadway ("The Teahouse of the August Moon," "Auntie Mame") before his celebrated work for television, that began with his long association with Hallmark Hall of Fame (from the '50s to the '70s). Among his additional costume...