Frank Liberman

Publicist


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-hour interview, Frank Liberman (1917-2009) chronicles his early career at the New York Daily News and then at Warner Bros. in New York and Chicago, where he began in the publicity department. He talks about moving to Hollywood, where he left Warner Bros. and began his own publicity firm. He recalls representing Bob Hope, whom he handled for 41 years, and Phyllis Diller, whom he handled for 32 years, among many other clients. Liberman speaks of dealing with the press, including powerful columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, and of how the process of publicizing talent has changed over the years. He discusses the craft of publicity and defines some of the components that go into successful publicity campaigns. Karen Herman and Reba Merrill conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Publicists Guild of America on February 21, 2001 at the Publicists Guild's offices in Sherman Oaks, CA.

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

"All of the good contacts are gone because of the fax machine. You don't get to know anybody. They say 'send me a fax' and you do. In the old days, you'd show up at the city desk of a newspaper or Daily Variety or Hollywood Reporter and they'd know it was an important thing for you, because you were there." 

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on his early interest in movies; on the first time he saw television and on going to work for the New York Daily News
On going to work for Warner Bros. and on the kinds of features Warner Bros. was putting out in the '30s and '40s; on going to work at Warner Bros. in Chicago; on some of the stars he worked with at Warner Bros. and on working with the Chicago press
On his experience with World War II; on going back to work at the Warner Bros. publicity department following World War II

Chapter 2

On a publicity stunt involving Ann Sheridan and on working with John Garfield and Olivia de Havilland; on working with Ronald Reagan; on leaving Warner Bros.
On what the publicity department does and on working with Bob Hope; on handling celebrities and working with dificult clients like Judy Garland
On handling celebrities and working with difficult clients like Judy Garland; on the press release, his media contacts, and on the tricks of the trade; on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons
On columnist Earl Wilson and on Ed Sullivan; on Rona Barett; on dealing with celebrity interviews for his clients
On dealing with the death of a client and on the changes in the publicity business over the years; on representing Jack Paar and Bob Hope

Chapter 3

On going overseas with Bob Hope; on representing Phyllis Diller; on his years representing Bob Hope and other comedians
On representing Joan Rivers; on representing comedians; on representing Patty Duke, June Allyson, and Stella Adler
On representing various clients including Lauren Bacall, George Burns, and Diahann Carroll; on representing various clients including Robert Conrad, Henry Fonda, and Eva Gabor; on representing various clients including Larry Hagman, Florence Henderson, and David Janssen

Chapter 4

On various people he's worked with in his career including Leonard Nimoy, Jim Nabors, and Betty White
On his favorite and least favorite clients; on the clients he accepted and the different kinds of publicity; on career highlights and regrets, and on how he'd like to be remembered
Topics

Historic Events and Social Change

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Frank Liberman on his experience with World War II
05:16

Hollywood Blacklist

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Frank Liberman on the Hollywood Blacklist
00:21

Industry Crossroads

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Frank Liberman on the Hollywood Blacklist
00:21

Ronald Reagan

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Frank Liberman on working with Ronald Reagan
01:14

Television Industry

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Frank Liberman on the Hollywood Blacklist
00:21
Frank Liberman on how the field of publicity has changed since he started
01:13

Television and the Presidency

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Frank Liberman on working with Ronald Reagan
01:14

War

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Frank Liberman on his experience with World War II
05:16

World War II

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Frank Liberman on his experience with World War II
05:16
Professions

Publicist

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Frank Liberman on the press release, his media contacts, and on the tricks of the trade
03:15
Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons
02:27
Frank Liberman on dealing with celebrity interviews for his clients
01:58
Frank Liberman on dealing with the death of a client and on the changes in the publicity business over the years
02:21
Frank Liberman on his company Frank Liberman and Associates
01:02
Frank Liberman on his early clients
01:33
Frank Liberman on representing comedians
01:11
Frank Liberman on the clients he accepted and the different kinds of publicity
05:01
Frank Liberman on being a member of the Publicists Guild
02:05
Frank Liberman on advice to aspiring publicists
00:32

Representatives

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Frank Liberman on the press release, his media contacts, and on the tricks of the trade
03:15
Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons
02:27
Frank Liberman on dealing with celebrity interviews for his clients
01:58
Frank Liberman on dealing with the death of a client and on the changes in the publicity business over the years
02:18
Frank Liberman on his company Frank Liberman and Associates
01:02
Frank Liberman on his early clients
01:33
Frank Liberman on representing comedians
01:11
Frank Liberman on the clients he accepted and the different kinds of publicity
04:57
Frank Liberman on being a member of the Publicists Guild
02:00
Frank Liberman on advice to aspiring publicists
00:32
People

Betty White

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Frank Liberman on Betty White, Mae West, and Gig Young
03:25

Bob Hope

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Frank Liberman on what the publicity department does and on working with Bob Hope
02:52
Frank Liberman on how he came to represent Bob Hope
00:58
Frank Liberman on going overseas with Bob Hope
02:49
Frank Liberman on his years representing Bob Hope and other comedians
02:29

Budd Schulberg

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Frank Liberman on Richard Simmons, Budd Schulberg, and King Vidor
02:02

David Janssen

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Frank Liberman on David Janssen and Louis Jourdan
01:50

Diahann Carroll

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Frank Liberman on Diahann Carroll
01:07

Ed Sullivan

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Frank Liberman on columnist Earl Wilson and on Ed Sullivan
01:19

Elinor Donahue

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Frank Liberman on Elinor Donahue, Harry Ackerman, and Troy Donohue
00:58

Eva Gabor

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Frank Liberman on Eva Gabor and Larry Hagman
01:19

Florence Henderson

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Frank Liberman on Florence Henderson, Hildegarde, and Burl Ives
02:23

George Burns

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Frank Liberman on George Burns and Nat King Cole
01:54

George Cukor

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Frank Liberman on Robert Conrad and George Cukor
01:10

Geraldine Brooks

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Frank Liberman on Geraldine Brooks
00:38

Gig Young

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Frank Liberman on Betty White, Mae West, and Gig Young
03:25

Harry Ackerman

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Frank Liberman on Elinor Donahue, Harry Ackerman, and Troy Donohue
00:59

Harry Belafonte

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Frank Liberman on Harry Belafonte
01:03

Hedda Hopper

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Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons
02:27

Henry Fonda

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Frank Liberman on Henry Fonda and Jose Ferrer
01:23

Hugh O'Brian

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Frank Liberman on Jim Nabors, Hugh O'Brien, and Margaret O'Brien
01:42

Jack Paar

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Frank Liberman on representing Jack Paar
01:14

Jay Livingston

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Frank Liberman on Dorothy Lamour, and Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
02:58

Jim Nabors

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Frank Liberman on Jim Nabors, Hugh O'Brien, and Margaret O'Brien
01:42

Joan Rivers

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Frank Liberman on representing Joan Rivers
00:44

Jose Ferrer

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Frank Liberman on Henry Fonda and Jose Ferrer
01:23

Judy Garland

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Frank Liberman on handling celebrities and working with difficult clients like Judy Garland
02:11

June Allyson

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Frank Liberman on representing June Allyson
02:00

Larry Hagman

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Frank Liberman on Eva Gabor and Larry Hagman
01:19

Lauren Bacall

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Frank Liberman on Lauren Bacall
00:48

Leonard Nimoy

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Frank Liberman on Marcel Marceau, Sal Mineo, and Leonard Nimoy
02:05

Louella Parsons

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Frank Liberman on dealing with the media as a publicist and on Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons
02:27

Mae West

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Frank Liberman on Betty White, Mae West, and Gig Young
03:25

Margaret O'Brien

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Frank Liberman on Jim Nabors, Hugh O'Brien, and Margaret O'Brien
01:40

Mort Sahl

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Frank Liberman on representing Mort Sahl and Nancy Walker
00:42

Nancy Walker

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Frank Liberman on representing Mort Sahl and Nancy Walker
00:42

Nat King Cole

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Frank Liberman on George Burns and Nat King Cole
01:57

Natalie Schafer

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Frank Liberman on Robert Reed, William Shatner, and Natalie Schafer
03:00

Patty Duke

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Frank Liberman on representing Patty Duke
00:52

Phyllis Diller

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Frank Liberman on representing Phyllis Diller
01:51

Polly Bergen

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Frank Liberman on Polly Bergen
01:03

Richard Simmons

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Frank Liberman on Richard Simmons, Budd Schulberg, and King Vidor
02:02

Robert Conrad

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Frank Liberman on Robert Conrad and George Cukor
01:10

Robert Reed

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Frank Liberman on Robert Reed, William Shatner, and Natalie Schafer
03:00

Rona Barrett

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Frank Liberman on Rona Barett
01:23

Ronald Reagan

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Frank Liberman on working with Ronald Reagan
01:14

Sal Mineo

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Frank Liberman on Marcel Marceau, Sal Mineo, and Leonard Nimoy
02:05

Stella Adler

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Frank Liberman on Stella Adler
00:17

William Shatner

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Frank Liberman on Robert Reed, William Shatner, and Natalie Schafer
03:00

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