Blog Post Composer Fred Steiner, best known for the "Perry Mason" theme, has died Legendary composer Fred Steiner passed away on June 23rd at the age of 88. The prolific composer (and musicologist) worked on many series including Playhouse 90 , The Twilight Zone , Perry Mason , Star Trek , The Bullwinkle Show , and Gunsmoke . He also received an Oscar nomination for his work on...
Blog Post Diane English on "Murphy Brown", "My Sister Sam" and more! Archive Interviewee Diane English is no stranger to the big or small screen. In her two-and-a-half hour interview, she discusses writing for television’s Foley Square , My Sister Sam , and Ink , among others; tells of her feature-film directing debut for The Women ; and describes the creation of...
Blog Post Katherine Helmond to appear on "True Blood" Archive Interviewee Katherine Helmond is schedule to return to the small screen as "Caroline Bellefleur" on the HBO series True Blood . Ms. Helmond is of course, well-known to our followers as "Jessica Tate" on Soap and "Mona" on Who's the Boss as well as her numerous roles on Everybody Loves...
Blog Post Katie Couric on her career at CNN, CBS, and more In her newly released 2010 interview, journalist Katie Couric describes her career in front of the camera as correspondent, reporter, co-host & anchor of some of television’s most respected programs. She tells of her first on-camera debut at CNN, her role as co-host of NBC’s Today , and how she...
Blog Post Irving Fein, longtime manager of Jack Benny and George Burns turns 100! Happy 100th birthday to manager/producer Irving Fein ! Fein is best known for his 28-year association with comedian Jack Benny, and later, his 22-year association with comedian (and now fellow centenarian ) George Burns. He was interviewed by the Archive of American Television in 1998. Interview...
Blog Post Happy Birthday, Bob Vila! A very happy birthday to show host ( This Old House , Bob Vila ) and renovation expert Bob Vila, who turns 65 today. In this clip from his Archive of American Television interview , Vila discusses his first guest appearance on the sitcom Home Improvemen t : Link to Bob Vila's website
Blog Post Celebrate Father's Day with Rob Petrie, Frank Costanza, Homer Simpson, and Mr. C. Happy Father's Day! To celebrate we've highlighted interview clips from some of our favorite TV Dads: Tom Bosley on playing Howard "Mr. C." Cunningham on Happy Days Jerry Stiller on playing Seinfeld's "Frank Costanza" Dan Castellaneta on the origin of Homer Simpson's "d'oh" Dick Van Dyke on The...
Blog Post Noted TV Producer Bob Banner Dies at 89 We've just learned that legendary TV producer Bob Banner has passed away at 89. Banner was one of the pioneers in the new medium of television, beginning his career at WBKB, and later WMAQ in Chicago -- part of the historic "Chicago School" -- where he worked on Kukla, Fran and Ollie and produced...
Blog Post "The Gong Show" turns 35! Happy 35th anniversary to the wacky TV talent show, The Gong Show , which premiered on June 14, 1976! Did you know that the show was originally pitched as a legitimate talent show? Creator/host Chuck Barris talks about the genesis of The Gong Show : See more about the show at the Archive of...
Blog Post 50 Years Later: A Vaster Wasteland? On May 9, 1961 FCC Chairman Newton N. Minow, an appointee of President Kennedy's administration, delivered his historic speech to the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, DC. The speech is best known for two words he uttered in reference to the programming found on TV stations...
