Sid Sheinberg

Executive

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Sid Sheinberg (1935-2019) talks about his early life and his years in law school. He describes going to work for Revue Productions, the then-television production arm of MCA, where he shepherded shows like Wagon Train and The Virginian. He chronicles Revue Productions' evolution into Universal Television, where he became vice president, and signed a young, unknown filmmaker named Steven Spielberg to a television writing and directing contract. Sheinberg recounts becoming president of Universal Television in 1971, and dealing with a host of issues such as the emergence of home video, cable, and satellite television. He details Matsushita's and later Seagram's acquisition of Universal and his leaving to create his own production company, The Bubble Factory. He concludes by discussing his loyalty to Lew Wasserman, and by giving advice to aspiring television executives. Kathryn Harris conducted the interview on June 21, 2010 in Beverly Hills, CA. 

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I agreed to meet with Columbia. He takes out this little pad of paper and he says, 'Write down the terms under which you will come to Columbia. I'll deliver those terms.' I said, 'No.' He said, 'You can't tell me that there's no terms under which you'd come to Columbia.' I said, 'I will never walk into Lew Wasserman's office and say I'm leaving. Under any terms.' He looked at me for a second and said, 'You know something? I believe you.' And that was the end of that."   

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Sid Sheinberg on his work with Human Rights Watch
01:35
Sid Sheinberg on Steven Spielberg directing a segment of Night Gallery starring Joan Crawford
04:09
Sid Sheinberg on shepherding various shows at Universal Television including The Virginian and Wagon Train
04:02
Sid Sheinberg on becoming President of MCA, and his view of deregulation and media consolidation 
04:56
Sid Sheinberg on advice to aspiring television executives
04:08
Sid Sheinberg on creating his production company, The Bubble Factory
03:16
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on activities he enjoyed growing up; on working for radio stations announcing and writing copy
On attending Columbia University; on meeting his wife, Lorraine Gary
On his participation in the Civil Rights Movement while in law school; on going to law school and later teaching law at UCLA
On going to work for Revue; on his early duties at Revue; on the state of Revue when he started working there

Chapter 2

On working for Jennings Lang at Universal and Lang's relationship with Lew Wasserman; on Revue changing its name to Universal Television and MCA's various acquisitions
On shepherding various shows at Universal Television including The Virginian and Wagon Train; on Universal Television producing movies-of-the-week starting with The Killers; on becoming Vice President of Universal Television and signing Steven Spielberg 
On his concerns and goals for Universal Television when he became President in 1971; on becoming President of MCA, and his view of deregulation and media consolidation 
On MCA taking on Betamax and advocating other home video technology; on the emergence of cable and satellite television 

Chapter 3

On the type of programming Universal Television produced in the '70s; on MCA's syndication and television business in the '80s and the series Law & Order; on NBC's acquisition of Universal and media consolidation 
On Matsushita's acquisition of MCA
On his leaving Universal; on creating his production company, The Bubble Factory; on his work with Human Rights Watch
On his sense of loyalty; on his marriage and his longevity; on advice to aspiring television executives and career regrets
Shows

Killers, The

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Sid Sheinberg on Universal Television producing movies-of-the-week starting with The Killers
03:02

Law & Order

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Sid Sheinberg on MCA's syndication and television business in the '80s and the series Law & Order
03:43

Night Gallery

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Sid Sheinberg on Steven Spielberg directing a segment of Night Gallery starring Joan Crawford
04:09

Virginian, The

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Sid Sheinberg on shepherding various shows at Universal Television including The Virginian and Wagon Train
04:02

Wagon Train

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Sid Sheinberg on shepherding various shows at Universal Television including The Virginian and Wagon Train
04:02
Topics

Advice

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Sid Sheinberg on advice to aspiring television executives
04:08

Civil Rights Movement

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Sid Sheinberg on his participation in the Civil Rights Movement while in law school
07:30

Historic Events and Social Change

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Sid Sheinberg on his participation in the Civil Rights Movement while in law school
07:30

Media Consolidation

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Sid Sheinbergg on becoming President of MCA, and his view of deregulation and media consolidation 
04:57
Sid Sheinberg on NBC's acquisition of Universal 
01:30
Sid Sheinberg on media consolidation in the '80s
07:46
Sid Sheinberg on Matsushita's acquisition of MCA
14:42

Technological Innovation

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Sid Sheinberg on MCA taking on Betamax and advocating other home video technology
09:11
Sid Sheinberg on the emergence of cable and satellite television 
06:23

Television Industry

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Sid Sheinberg on Revue changing its name to Universal Television and MCA's various acquisitions 
06:14
Sid Sheinberg on his concerns and goals for Universal Television when he became President in 1971
06:36
Sid Sheinberg on becoming President of MCA, and his view of deregulation and media consolidation 
04:57
Sid Sheinberg on MCA taking on Betamax and advocating other home video technology
09:11
Sid Sheinberg on the emergence of cable and satellite television 
06:23
Sid Sheinberg on MCA's syndication and television business in the '80s and the series Law & Order
03:43
Sid Sheinberg on NBC's acquisition of Universal 
01:30
Sid Sheinberg on media consolidation in the '80s
07:46
Sid Sheinberg on Matsushita's acquisition of MCA
14:42
Sid Sheinberg on advice to aspiring television executives
04:08
Professions

Executives

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Sid Sheinberg on advice to aspiring television executives
04:08

Television Executive

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Sid Sheinberg on advice to aspiring television executives
04:08
Genres

Classic Anthology Series

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Sid Sheinberg on Steven Spielberg directing a segment of Night Gallery starring Joan Crawford
04:09

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

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Sid Sheinberg on MCA's syndication and television business in the '80s and the series Law & Order
03:43

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

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Sid Sheinberg on Steven Spielberg directing a segment of Night Gallery starring Joan Crawford
04:09

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Sid Sheinberg on Universal Television producing movies-of-the-week starting with The Killers
03:02

Western Series

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Sid Sheinberg on shepherding various shows at Universal Television including The Virginian and Wagon Train
04:02
People

Jennings Lang

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Sid Sheinberg on working for Jennings Lang at Universal and Lang's relationship with Lew Wasserman 
09:27

Joan Crawford

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Sid Sheinberg on Steven Spielberg directing a segment of Night Gallery starring Joan Crawford
04:09

Lew Wasserman

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Sid Sheinberg on working for Jennings Lang at Universal and Lang's relationship with Lew Wasserman 
09:27
Sid Sheinberg on his loyalty to Lew Wasserman and others
04:34

Steven Spielberg

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Sid Sheinberg on becoming Vice President of Universal Television and signing Steven Spielberg 
04:53
Sid Sheinberg on Steven Spielberg directing a segment of Night Gallery starring Joan Crawford
04:09

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