Latest News from The Interviews

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Thu, 11/26/2009 The Archive has posted an interview with Producer-Director Bill Melendez, who is best know for his work on the classic "Peanuts" specials. Take a look at Melendez's interview and find a link for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on his Archive page . Interview Description: Bill Melendez (1916-2008) was interviewed for four hours in Los Angeles, CA. Melendez spoke about his beginnings at Walt Disney Studios and later at Warner Bros., where he animated cartoons featuring popular characters including...

"Daniel Boone"-- Fess Parker's Picks Out on DVD Today

 Tue, 11/24/2009 Daniel Boone is getting a special release today: Fess Parker's favorites, featuring eight series episodes. Following Fess Parker's success as "Davy Crockett" on ABC's Disneyland , he starred as Daniel Boone , which ran from 1964-70 on Thursdays on NBC at 7:30-8:30 PM for its entire run. Trivia: Did you watch Daniel Boone ? What four series had Daniel Boone as a lead-in during its run? (answer below). Click on the Archive's Daniel Boone page to hear executive William Self and star Fess Parker...

"Studs' Place" 60th Anniversary

 Fri, 11/20/2009 A classic example of the "Chicago School of Broadcasting," which featured intimate, improvisational entertainment in the early days of TV, Studs' Place starred Studs Terkel as the proprietor, with his, as The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows puts it, "garrulous, philosophical ramblings the center of attention." The comedy-variety style show also featured a considerable amount of music, especially jazz performed by notable talents. In its Nov. 30, 1949 review of the...

"Wagon Train" Season One now out on DVD-- Classic Western Series

 Wed, 11/18/2009 Wagon Train was the #2 series from 1958-61 (behind Gunsmoke each of these seasons), and featured an array of Hollywood guest stars. In season one alone, Ernest Borgnine, Linda Darnell, Ricardo Montalban, Agnes Moorehead, and Cesar Romero were among the guest stars. The series, starring Ward Bond as Wagonmaster from 1957-61 and Christopher Hale from 1961-65, was one of the five nominees in the one year (1958-59) that the Emmys gave an Award for Best Western Series. The Archive's Wagon Train page...

Cast and Creators Appear at the TV Academy's "Funnybone of the '80s"

 Tue, 11/17/2009 The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences hosted "Funnybone of the '80s" last night with the cast and creators of some of the great sitcoms of the 1980s— Cheers , Designing Women , Murphy Brown , and Night Court . The Archive spoke to a few of the guests on the press line, including cast members Ted Danson ( Cheers ), Kelsey Grammer ( Cheers ), Joe Regalbuto ( Murphy Brown ), and Charles Robinson ( Night Court ).

Seven New Inductees Into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame

 Tue, 11/10/2009 The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame Committee has selected Candice Bergen, Charles Lisanby, Don Pardo, Gene Roddenberry, Tom and Dick Smothers and Bob Stewart to be the next inductees into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame, Television Academy Chairman-CEO John Shaffner announced today. The new group of inductees will be honored at a special ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Producing the Hall of Fame Gala are Lee Miller and Kevin Hamburger...

Charles Van Doren Admitted the Truth about "21"— 50 Years Ago Today

 Mon, 11/02/2009 Charles Van Doren, the Columbia professor who was at the center of the quiz show scandal of the 1950s, appeared before a congressional committee on November 2, 1959 to admit he'd been given questions and answers in advance when he appeared on the quiz show 21 . In a story for the New Yorker last year, Van Doren broke a long silence and wrote about the experience ( "All the Answers" ). The Archive of American Television interviewed Herbert Stempel (who was "beat" by Van Doren on 21 ), as well as...

Lon Chaney, Jr. in "Frankenstein" on "Tales of Tomorrow" -- Famed "Live" Production that Chaney thought was the Dress Rehearsal

 Sat, 10/31/2009 Tales of Tomorrow (1951-53) is described by the Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows as "one of TV's earliest adult science-fiction series." These days, the series is known for early performances by such up-and-coming stars as James Dean and Leslie Nielsen, and later performances by such Hollywood legends as Boris Karloff and Sylvia Sidney. With biopic Amelia currently in theaters, take a look at Veronica Lake as lost aviatrix "Paula Bennett" on Tales of Tomorrow : "...

The Barbara Stanwyck Show Now on DVD

 Thu, 10/29/2009 “She had grit, sex appeal and vulnerability, in spades. No one played a saucy dame better.” -People Magazine E1 ENTERTAINMENT AND THE ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN TELEVISION BRING A CLASSIC, EMMY® AWARD-WINNING ANTHOLOGY SERIES TO DVD FOR THE FIRST TIME -- THE BARBARA STANWYCK SHOW: VOLUME 1 3-DVD Set Includes 15 Memorable Dramas Featuring All-Star Ensemble Casts that Include Stanwyck as well as Guest Stars Ralph Bellamy, Milton Berle, Julie London, Lee Marvin, Vic Morrow, Michael Rennie, Robert Strauss...