David Shaw

Writer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his two-hour interview, David Shaw (1916-2007) discusses his prolific career as a television writer. He talks of his start in TV with the 1949 ABC "live" dramatic anthology series Actors Studio. He details his work on the series Philco-Goodyear Playhouse, comments on several of his individual teleplays (he contributed the most teleplays of any writer), and talks about working with legendary producer Fred Coe. Shaw describes knowing and working with other figures of the Golden Age of Television, such as director Delbert Mann, writer Paddy Chayefsky, and actress Eva Marie Saint. He discusses several series for which he served as a story editor including Mr. Peepers and The Defenders. He describes his teleplays for Producers' Showcase (including his Emmy-nominated adaptation of Our Town) and the six shows he wrote for Playhouse 90. B-roll consists of a headshot from the 1960s and a photo of Shaw behind the scenes on his Tony award-winning musical Redhead, starring Gwen Verdon. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on August 31, 2004 in Beverly Hills, CA.

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

"The Golden Age of Television was bound to happen because all the young writers at the time were thinking they were playwrights, and then suddenly this medium came along where you could do the same thing in two weeks and there was an audience for it. There was a market for it."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

David Shaw on the directors and actors of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

02:22

David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist

02:14

David Shaw on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show

04:06

David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement

01:04

David Shaw on how he'd like to be remembered

00:50

David Shaw on writing the Broadway musicals "Redhead" and "Tovarich"

01:22

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on his activities during World War II; on writing the story for the Billy Wilder feature "The Foreign Affair" and getting into television

On writing for the series Actors Studio and Prudential Family Playhouse; on writing for The Hartmans; on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

Chapter 2

On the production of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and writing the musical "Redhead" for Gwen Verdon; on writing "The Huntress" for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse starring Judy Holliday; on the process of writing scripts for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

On the producer's relationship with the sponsor on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse going live on-air; on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show

On Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "Rescue" and "The Lantern Copy"; on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production of "Double Jeopardy"; on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "The Recluse," "Nothing to Sneeze At," and "The New Process"

Chapter 3

On the directors and actors of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on "Kitchen Sink Dramas" and leaving Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse; on writing for Studio One and Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

On the Hollywood Blacklist; on writing for Mr. Peepers

On writing for Bonino; on writing for Producers' Showcase

Chapter 4

On writing "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase; on writing for Playhouse 90; on writing various episodes of Playhouse 90

On becoming involved with The Defenders; on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist; on the cast and storylines of The Defenders

Chapter 5

On writing for The Defenders and Shane; on writing the Broadway musicals "Redhead" and "Tovarich"; on writing the special Mirror, Mirror Off the Wall for George C. Scott

On writing the feature "If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium"; on writing for various series; on the Golden Age of Television

On advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement; on how he'd like to be remembered

On B-roll pictures from his career- with Gwen Verdon, a head shot from 1962, and others

Shows

Actors Studio

David Shaw on writing for the series Actors Studio

05:44

Bonino

David Shaw on writing for Bonino

01:45

Defenders, The

David Shaw on becoming involved with The Defenders

01:49

David Shaw on working with Reginald Rose on The Defenders

02:43

David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist

02:14

David Shaw on the cast of The Defenders

02:38

David Shaw on the storylines of The Defenders

03:21

David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane

01:25

Hartmans, The

David Shaw on writing for The Hartmans

01:47

Mister Peepers

David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers

07:38

Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

David Shaw on writing for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

02:25

David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

06:05

David Shaw on the production of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and writing the musical "Redhead" for Gwen Verdon

02:46

David Shaw on writing "The Huntress" for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse starring Judy Holliday

01:27

David Shaw on the process of writing scripts for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

02:18

David Shaw on the producer's relationship with the sponsor on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

01:07

David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse going live on-air

02:50

David Shaw on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show

04:06

David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "Rescue" and "The Lantern Copy"

04:48

David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production of "Double Jeopardy"

02:15

David Shaw on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse productions of "The Recluse," "Nothing to Sneeze At," and "The New Process"

07:39

David Shaw on the directors and actors of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

02:22

David Shaw on "Kitchen Sink Dramas" and leaving Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

01:33

Playhouse 90

David Shaw on writing for Playhouse 90

01:49

David Shaw on writing various episodes of Playhouse 90

12:00

Producers' Showcase

David Shaw on writing for Producers' Showcase

04:26

David Shaw on writing "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase

01:31

Prudential Family Playhouse

David Shaw on writing for Prudential Family Playhouse

01:15

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars aka Celebrity Playhouse

David Shaw on writing for Schlitz Playhouse of Stars and The Autobiography of Grandma Moses

03:59

Shane

David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane

01:25

Studio One

David Shaw on writing for Studio One

01:31

Topics

Advice

David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement

01:04

Historic Events and Social Change

David Shaw on his activities during World War II

01:28

Hollywood Blacklist

David Shaw on the Hollywood Blacklist

04:04

David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist

02:14

Industry Crossroads

David Shaw on the Hollywood Blacklist

04:04

David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist

02:14

TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

David Shaw on the Golden Age of Television

01:00

Television Industry

David Shaw on the Hollywood Blacklist

04:04

David Shaw on The Defenders dealing with the Hollywood Blacklist

02:14

David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement

01:04

War

David Shaw on his activities during World War II

01:28

World War II

David Shaw on his activities during World War II

01:28

Professions

Writers

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David Shaw on the process of writing scripts for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

02:18

David Shaw on advice to aspiring writers and his proudest career achievement

01:04

Genres

Classic Anthology Series

David Shaw on writing for the series Actors Studio

05:44

David Shaw on writing for Prudential Family Playhouse

01:15

David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

06:05

David Shaw on writing various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

29:16

David Shaw on writing for Philco-Goodyear Playhouse

03:55

David Shaw on writing for Studio One

01:31

David Shaw on writing for Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

03:59

David Shaw on writing for Producers' Showcase

04:26

David Shaw on writing "Our Town" for Producers' Showcase

01:31

David Shaw on writing for Playhouse 90

13:49

Comedy Series

David Shaw on writing for The Hartmans

01:47

David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers

07:38

David Shaw on writing for Bonino

01:45

Legal Dramas

David Shaw on writing for The Defenders

12:45

David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane

01:25

Western Series

David Shaw on writing for The Defenders and Shane

01:25

People

Billy Wilder

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David Shaw on writing the story for the Billy Wilder feature "The Foreign Affair" getting into television

03:57

Delbert Mann

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David Shaw on various episodes of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse he wrote and working with director Delbert Mann on the show

04:06

Fred Coe

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David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

06:05

David Shaw on Fred Coe

01:29

George C. Scott

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David Shaw on writing the special Mirror, Mirror Off the Wall for George C. Scott

01:33

Gwen Verdon

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David Shaw on the production of Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse and writing the musical "Redhead" for Gwen Verdon

02:46

Judy Holliday

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David Shaw on writing "The Huntress" for Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse starring Judy Holliday

01:27

Paddy Chayefsky

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David Shaw on working for producer Fred Coe and with writer Paddy Chayefsky on Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse

06:05

Reginald Rose

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David Shaw on working with Reginald Rose on The Defenders

02:44

Robert Reed

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David Shaw on the cast of The Defenders - Robert Reed

02:38

Tony Randall

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David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers starring Wally Cox and Tony Randall

07:38

Wally Cox

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David Shaw on writing for Mr. Peepers starring Wally Cox and Tony Randall

07:38