Latest News from The Interviews

50th Anniversary of the Beginning of the Quiz Show Scandals

 Fri, 08/15/2008 A year before Charles Van Doren and Herb Stempel squared off on Twenty-One , a contestant on the quiz show Dotto discovered that the program he was on was rigged. As related in Jeff Kisseloff's The Box: An Oral History of Television 1920-1961 , on August 15, 1958 Dotto contestant Edward Hilgemeier, Jr. walked into the office of Assistant New York District Attorney Joseph Stone, with his complaint about the quiz show's rigging, the first spark that ignited the quiz show scandal flame. Quiz shows...

Manager Bernie Brillstein Has Died

 Fri, 08/08/2008 Bernie Brillstein, who represented many comedy legends and helped shephard classic television programming, has died at age 77. Bernie Brillstein full 8-part interview will be online soon and can be viewed in its entirety at Academy Headquarters. Interview description: Brillstein talked about his experiences growing up in the various entertainment worlds of New York City, and how he eventually landed a job in the mailroom at the William Morris Agency. He discussed his meeting with WMA client...

2008 Summer Olympics Begin Today

 Fri, 08/08/2008 The Summer Olympics begin today from Beijing, China. NBC Universal will be airing the most Olympic coverage in history with 3,600 hours on NBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen, Telemundo, Universal HD and NBCOlympics.com. American television began to air the Olympic Games as early as August 1936. Variety described this early attempt, thusly: "Definition of 180 lines, 25 frames per second, was very unclear and unsatisfactory.... General feeling is that commercially practical television is still several...

Sherman Hemsley's Interview Is Now Online

 Fri, 08/01/2008 Sherman Hemsley's Archive Interview is now online. Forever "George Jefferson" in the minds of TV fans, Hemsley also had a hit with the highly-rated sitcom Amen . Click here to view Sherman Hemsley's three part Archive Interview. Interview Description: During his interview, Mr. Hemsley spoke of his early career as a stage actor (while continuing to work a day-job at the post office) and his rise to fame as “George Jefferson” on All in the Family . Hemsley spoke of his being cast for the role and...

"I Dream of Jeannie" Season Five on DVD

 Fri, 07/25/2008 With the release of season five, the complete run of I Dream of Jeannie is now available on DVD. The 1965-70 sitcom about a 2,000 year-old genie in the form of Barbara Eden and her exploits with "master" Major Anthony Nelson (Larry Hagman) has become one of the most beloved of sitcoms. Variety began its review of the series premiere with, "The star of this blithering comedy is Barbara Eden's cleavage," but had changed their tone by the time they reviewed the last season's premiere episode: "...

Legendary William Morris Agent Ruth Engelhardt Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

 Fri, 07/25/2008 Ruth Engelhart was associated with the William Morris Agency for over fifty years. She died at the age of 86 on July 23. Click here to watch Ruth Engelhardt's entire 8-part interview. Interview Description: Ruth Engelhardt was interviewed for three-and-a-half hours in Los Angeles, CA. Engelhardt vividly described her over 55-year association with the William Morris Agency. She recalled how she worked her way up from being a secretary to an executive in Business Affairs by earning her law degree...

This Weekend - The Official Dark Shadows Convention in Burbank

 Sat, 07/19/2008 This weekend (July 19th & 20th), Dark Shadows Festival, the annual official Dark Shadows convention salutes the cult-classic gothic soap in Burbank, CA. Events include appearances by cast and crew, question and answer sessions, autograph sessions, a banquet with the stars, a memorabilia merchandise room, performances and more. Among the luminaries attending: Jonathan Frid Lara Parker Kathryn Leigh Scott John Karlen Jerry Lacy Marie Wallace Chris Pennock Robert Rodan Sy Tomashoff Lisa...