Latest News from The Interviews

Inventor of All-Electronic TV Celebrates Centennial

 Tue, 08/15/2006 Celebrate the centennial of Philo T. Farnsworth's (1906-71) birth on August 19. As described by Jeff Kisseloff in his book The Box : "That Farnsworth succeeded in becoming anything other than a poor Utah farmer is amazing in itself.... his college education ended midway through his freshman year with the sudden death of his father. To keep the family going, he worked as a radio installer, an electrician's trainee, and a janitor, without ever losing sight of his dream of perfecting a television...

Talk Show Host Mike Douglas Has Died

 Fri, 08/11/2006 Legendary talk show host Mike Douglas died today on his 81st birthday. The Archive of American Television interviewed him about his life and career for three hours in 2005. Below are some excerpts from that interview: On voicing Prince Charming in the Disney feature, Cinderella . I probably was in dire need of a job and an income. Suddenly, this agent called me, and he said – they’ve auditioned 500 people at Disney, and I got you an appointment. Disney himself is there listening. I walk in and...

Aaron Spelling's Interview Now Available on Google Video

 Fri, 08/04/2006 Aaron Spelling, who died at the age of 83 on June 23rd, was interviewed for three hours by the Archive of American Television in a two-part interview on November 18 and 24, 1999. Interview Description: During his interview, Mr. Spelling spoke of his early career as an actor before turning to writing. He described the role of a producer and discussed the creation of such programs as Charlie’s Angels , Dynasty , Fantasy Island , The Love Boat , Beverly Hills 90210 , and Melrose Place . He also...

"Twilight Zone" and "Playhouse 90" Story Editor Del Reisman's Archive Interview is now online

 Fri, 08/04/2006 This video is Part 8 of Del Reisman's 12-part interview. In this segment, he talks about Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone . Click here to access the interview. "I always knew when [Rod] came to the Twilight Zone offices because I’d hear the Coca-Cola machine going... he had a coke in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He needed neither of them. I mean, he was tremendously energetic on his own." Del Reisman's six-hour Archive of American Television Interview is now available for viewing on...

Just sit right back... and watch Russell Johnson's Interview on Google Video

 Tue, 08/01/2006 Actor Russell Johnson's two hour Archive of American Television Interview is now available for viewing on Google Video. This video is Part 3 of Russell Johnson's 4-part interview in which he talks about his favorite episodes of Gilligan's Island . Click here to access all 4 interview segments . (Remember, if you'd like to watch the interview in the order in which it was conducted, select the parts in order (1,2,3...).) Full interview description: Johnson begins by talking about his early years...

See Cliff Robertson In-Person

 Fri, 07/28/2006 Actor Cliff Robertson will appear in person on Wednesday, August 9, for UCLA Film & Television Archive's 13th Festival of Preservation, in Los Angeles, CA. Robertson will appear for a screening of two classic television dramas that aired as a part of the series The U.S. Steel Hour, one of the longest running and most prestigious of early television anthologies. The shows to be presented are: "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon" (which originally aired on February 22, 1961) and "Man on the...

Ira Skutch's Archive of American Television Interview Is Now Online

 Wed, 07/26/2006 This video is Part 1 of Ira Skutch's 6-part interview. Click here to view the entire interview. Producer/Director Ira Skutch's three hour Archive of American Television Interview is available for viewing on Google Video. Ira Skutch started working at NBC in 1942 as an NBC Page. Interview Description: Skutch talks about his early years as a page and later manager of guided tours at NBC. He describes in detail the layout of the NBC building, listing the various studios and the radio series that...

D. C. Fontana's Archive of American Television Interview Is Now Online

 Tue, 07/18/2006 Writer D. C. Fontana's three-and-a-half hour Archive of American Television interview has been added to the online collection at Google Video. This video is Part 3 of D.C. Fontana's 7-part interview. In this segment, she speaks in-depth about her work on Star Trek . To access all segments, click here. (Remember, if you'd like to watch the interview in the order in which it was conducted, select the parts in order (1,2,3...).) Interview Description: Fontana begins by recalling her early career...

New Book Highlights the History of Television Taboos

 Wed, 07/12/2006 From the July 14th, 2006 Issue of Entertainment Weekly : Ten Things We Love This Week BOOKS 3. ' THEY'LL NEVER PUT THAT ON THE AIR ,' BY ALLAN NEUWIRTH From All in the Family to Seinfeld : Sharp analysis and firsthand anecdotes illuminate the stories behind TV's most taboo-busting comedies. The book is a fun oral history of the behind-the-scenes machinations of those who fought to break down television taboos. Nobably, writer (and Archive interviewer) Allan Neuwirth used excerpts from three...

Stanley Rubin's Archive of American Television Interview Is Now Online

 Tue, 07/11/2006 Producer Stanley Rubin's two-and-a-half-hour Archive of American Television interview has been added to the online collection at Google Video. Rubin won an Emmy at the very first Emmy Awards in 1949. Interview Description: Rubin begins by talking about his early years in the entertainment business working in the mailroom at Paramount Pictures and then as a reader for several studios, including Universal. He talks about his transition to screenwriting and ultimately producing, which began with...