About
"It's important to every writing team to spend an inordinate amount of time trying not to write. David [Pollock] and I went to great lengths to figure out ways to talk about other things besides whatever we were working on. We would talk about our families, or trips we would take. In doing so we both came to some of the same conclusions about what the important things are in life, and that helped our process."
In the half-hour solo portion of his interview, Elias Davis talks about his early interest in television and writing, and programs he watched with his family growing up. He describes his first job as an usher at CBS Television City, where he corralled the audience for shows like The Danny Kaye Show. He recounts his time as secretary-treasurer of the Writers Guild of America, during which there was an extended writers' strike. Davis concludes the solo portion of his interview by outlining his job teaching comedy writing at USC.
In the three-hour joint portion of their interview, Elias Davis and David Pollock detail how they met and began writing together, and discuss their collaborative process (which has remained basically the same since they started).They talk about their early years writing comedy bits for KNX Los Angeles radio personalities, which led to their first television gig for The Joey Bishop Show. They speak of going to write for the syndicated, daytime Pat Boone Show, which became The Steve Allen Show the following season. They talk of becoming showrunners for The Steve Allen Show, and recall writing for other variety shows, including The Don Knotts Show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and The Carol Burnett Show. Davis and Pollock also discuss writing for several sitcoms, including The New Dick Van Dyke Show, All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and finally M*A*S*H, where they worked on the last few seasons and helped write the finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen." They conclude by discussing their time as writers on Frasier and relating their favorite stories about each other. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Writers Guild Foundation on January 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Elias Davis on his first job in the entertainment business as an usher for CBS
Elias Davis and David Pollock on getting help from the Writers Guild and what they learned from writing for The Joey Bishop Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their favorite stories about each other
Elias Davis and David Pollock on working with Paddy Chayefsky on Your Place or Mine?
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the legacy of M*A*S*H and its creator Larry Gelbart
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his interests growing up; on what he wanted to be when he grew up; on the first time he saw television
On his first job in the entertainment business as an usher for CBS; on his involvement with the Writers Guild of America; on teaching writing
Chapter 2
START OF JOINT INTERVIEW with Elias Davis and David Pollock; on how they met as ushers at CBS; on how they started writing together; on their collaborative process
On their first big break as writers for Pat Buttram on the radio; on writing for Bill Dana as "Jose Jimenez"; on writing comedy for KNX radio in Los Angeles
On going to write for The Joey Bishop Show; on the process of writing for The Joey Bishop Show; on Regis Philbin as announcer of The Joey Bishop Show; on getting help from the Writers Guild and what they learned from writing for The Joey Bishop Show
On going to write for The Pat Boone Show; on going to write for The Steve Allen Show
On writing for sketches versus writing monologue jokes and why they enjoyed writing for The Steve Allen Show; on becoming showrunners for The Steve Allen Show
Chapter 3
On writing for The Don Knotts Show; on writing for The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour; on writing for Don Rickles: Alive and Kicking; on writing The Monkees episode "Monkees Race Again"
On writing for The New Dick Van Dyke Show under producer Carl Reiner; on writing for All in the Family; on writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
On working with Paddy Chayefsky on Your Place or Mine?; on why Your Place or Mine? didn't work
On writing for The Carol Burnett Show; on various Carol Burnett Show sketches they wrote or participated in writing; on leaving the show after one year
Chapter 4
On how they came to write for M*A*S*H; on rewriting scripts for M*A*S*H; on the writers' room of the show
On the research that went in to writing stories for M*A*S*H and using military and medical jargon in the scripts; on keeping M*A*S*H fresh; on writing the M*A*S*H final episode "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"; on the legacy of the show and its creator Larry Gelbart
On dealing with writer's block; on their mentors; on creating the show One Big Family starring Danny Thomas; on writing for Frasier
On advice to an aspiring television writer; on their favorite stories about each other; on how they'd like to be remembered
Shows
All in the Family
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for All in the Family
Carol Burnett Show, The (1967-78)
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Carol Burnett Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the process of writing for The Carol Burnett Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on various Carol Burnett Show sketches they wrote or participated in writing
Elias Davis and David Pollock on leaving The Carol Burnett Show
Don Knotts Show, The
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Don Knotts Show
Frasier
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for Frasier
Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Joey Bishop Show, The (1967-69)
Elias Davis and David Pollock on going to write for The Joey Bishop Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the process of writing for The Joey Bishop Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on Regis Philbin as announcer of The Joey Bishop Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on getting help from the Writers Guild and what they learned from writing for The Joey Bishop Show
M*A*S*H
Elias Davis and David Pollock on how they came to write for M*A*S*H
Elias Davis and David Pollock on rewriting scripts for M*A*S*H
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the writers' room of M*A*S*H
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the research that went in to writing stories for M*A*S*H and using military and medical jargon in the scripts
Elias Davis and David Pollock on keeping M*A*S*H fresh
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing the M*A*S*H final episode "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the legacy of M*A*S*H and its creator Larry Gelbart
M*A*S*H: "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing the M*A*S*H final episode "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Monkees, The
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing The Monkees episode "Monkees Race Again"
New Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The New Dick Van Dyke Show under producer Carl Reiner
Steve Allen Show, The (1968-72)
Elias Davis and David Pollock on going to write for The Steve Allen Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on becoming showrunners for The Steve Allen Show
Topics
Advice
Elias Davis and David Pollock on advice to an aspiring television writer
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their mentors
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the legacy of M*A*S*H and its creator Larry Gelbart
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the legacy of M*A*S*H and its creator Larry Gelbart
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their mentors
First Big Break
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their first big break as writers for Pat Buttram on the radio
Pivotal Career Moments
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their first big break as writers for Pat Buttram on the radio
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their mentors
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the legacy of M*A*S*H and its creator Larry Gelbart
Television Industry
Elias Davis and David Pollock on advice to an aspiring television writer
Professions
Writers
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their collaborative process
Elias Davis and David Pollock on dealing with writer's block
Elias Davis and David Pollock on advice to an aspiring television writer
Genres
Comedy Series
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The New Dick Van Dyke Show under producer Carl Reiner
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing The Monkees episode "Monkees Race Again"
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for All in the Family
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on creating the show One Big Family starring Danny Thomas
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for Frasier
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for M*A*S*H
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Don Knotts Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Carol Burnett Show
Talk Shows
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Joey Bishop Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Pat Boone Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for and showrunning The Steve Allen Show
People
Steve Allen
Elias Davis and David Pollock on going to write for The Steve Allen Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on becoming showrunners for The Steve Allen Show
Joey Bishop
Elias Davis and David Pollock on going to write for The Joey Bishop Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the process of writing for The Joey Bishop Show
Elias Davis and David Pollock on Regis Philbin as announcer of The Joey Bishop Show
Pat Boone
Elias Davis and David Pollock on going to write for The Pat Boone Show
Carol Burnett
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Carol Burnett Show
Pat Buttram
Elias Davis and David Pollock on their first big break as writers for Pat Buttram on the radio
Glen Campbell
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Paddy Chayefsky
Elias Davis and David Pollock on working with Paddy Chayefsky on Your Place or Mine?
Elias Davis and David Pollock on why Your Place or Mine? their collaboration with Paddy Chayefsky, didn't work
Bill Dana
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for Bill Dana as "Jose Jimenez"
Larry Gelbart
Elias Davis and David Pollock on the legacy of M*A*S*H and its creator Larry Gelbart
Don Knotts
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Don Knotts Show
Shari Lewis
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for Shari Lewis and "Lambchop"
Mary Tyler Moore
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Regis Philbin
Elias Davis and David Pollock on Regis Philbin as announcer of The Joey Bishop Show
David Pollock
Elias Davis on meeting writing partner David Pollock
Carl Reiner
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The New Dick Van Dyke Show under producer Carl Reiner
Danny Thomas
Elias Davis and David Pollock on creating the show One Big Family starring Danny Thomas
Dick Van Dyke
Elias Davis and David Pollock on writing for The New Dick Van Dyke Show under producer Carl Reiner