Michael C. Donaldson. Clearance & Copyright: Everything You Need to Know for Film and Television. 3rd Ed. Los Angeles: Silman James Press, 2008.
This is an excellent resource book on legal issues involving clearance and copyright issues affecting the film industry. Numerous sample contracts are presented within this book.
For the first 150 years of the printing press, printers could print what they wished, excepting censorship from the King. Queen Anne in the 18th century gave authors the right to determine which printers were allowed to print their works. The authors usually were paid by the printers they chose for that right.
The British and French idea of a copyright hold by authors extended to the British colonies. The idea of a copyright
was included in the U.S. Constitution.
A copyright automatically exists to any original book, play, song, photograph, etc. There is no registration required.
It is a violation of the copyright law to make even one copy of a movie.
A copyright lasts 70 years after the death of the author. If a work was written by a corporation, employee or hired employee as a condition of employment, the copyright lasts the lesser of 1.) 120 years from when if was created or 2.) 95 years after it was published.
A derivative work must secure permission from the copyright owner in order to produce an alteration of an original work.
A public performance of copyrighted material, even if performed for free, must request permission from the owner of the owner of the copyright.
Ideas can not be copyrighted. Copyright protects something in a tangible form. Thus, the more written, the more it is protected is someone steals it.
An implied contract bonds an agreement between parties even though the terms have not been settled.
An express contract is an agreement between parties of specific terms, either in writing or orally.
A dispute where a court agrees a story concept was stolen requires both parties to be industry professionals. A studio has no obligation to pay a non-writer for a movie concept. The court also has to agree that the stolen concept was specific enough to the concept used in the movie. The courts in most states will require the concept must be a novel one. Payment for the concept requires showing the author was denied the ability to make money for it in order for it to be a contract dispute rather than a copyright dispute.
A producer who pitched an idea that a studio makes has an implied contract. Courts have upheld this when the studio than made the film with no payment to the producer who pitched the idea. Such cases are often difficult to prove. The person accusing another of stealing ideas has to show by the preponderance of evidence that the accuser’s ideas were sent and received by the defendant, that it was clear the sender expected payment should the idea be used, and the accused knew this and accepted the idea on such payment terms.
Many studios require writers to agree to waive their rights before allowed to pitch ideas. Some studio lawyers avoid making this requirement too overbearing that a court would find it unenforceable.
Writers should keep all writings from a studio mentioning their ideas. This may be useful if a paper trail is every needed. It is helpful to keep a record of all meetings and telephone discussions.
Treatments and scripts should be registered with the Writers Guild (WGA). Mailing a script to oneself and not opening it until a trial may not work as opposing counsel may dispute that the seal can not be proved to have never been altered.
Another may make fair use of another’s work depending upon how it is used, depending whether or not it is used for profit, the nature of the work, the degree to which a copyrighted work is used, and how much the use of the work affects its value. Appellate courts have made inconsistent rulings regarding fair use. There are arguments between the need for copyright protections versus the needs of First Amendment expressions.
The resuse of the Reginald Denny tape by stations that did not obtain a license to show it were found to not have had a fair use to show it. Even though only 30 seconds of the tape was shown, it was considered the “heart” of the film.
It is not fair use to show the heart of someone else’s film.
The reuse of another’s film that is transformative, such as put into a documentary, can be a fair use of that film.
The publishing of concert posters in a book transformed the original use of posters and were fair use in the book/
The test of fair use is whether art of science is advanced move by the use of a copyrighted material than if it is not used.
A copyrighted material may be used for critique, whether social, cultural, or political, so long as the use is a presentation of the work.
Copyrights material should be attributed. Duplication of an attributed copyrighted material should not be more than what is required for the reuse purpose.
A copyrighted material unintentionally filmed for another purpose can be reasonably used so long as the copyrighted material does not become a main focus.
A copyrighted material can be used in a historical documentary, so long as it is not used more than required to make the intended part.
Court rulings have failed to produce clear definitions of what is or is not fair use of copyrighted materials. Fair use will require that it was necessary to make a point, only enough required to make the point was used, and there is a clear connection between what is used and the point.
A resume fee is required to be paid to a Screen Actor Guild, Directors Guild, or Writers Guild member for reuse of a post-1960 film. A reuse fee is not required when it is reused under fair use.
Used works should be credited, including naming the director. This is required in France and other foreign countries.
A copyrighted material on a book cover can only be enough to inform what the book is about but not enough to persuade the buyer to buy the book.
A movie whose advertising noted the existence of clips as an inducement to buy the film violated the fair use of the clips for historical purposes.
There are insurance policies for films that include a fair use rider.
Background music that unintentionally appears in a background and its sound is reduced as much as possible can appear in a documentary.
A short amount of music discussed in a film may be fair use.
A biographical documentary may allow small amounts of the music by the subject of the documentary.
Compositions and recordings have different fair use standards.
Satire can directly take material and comment on it.
A parody can be made of a copyrighted work that criticizes or comments on it so long as it does not diminish the value of the copyrighted work. There is no requirement the parody contain humor. 2 Live Crew’s “Pretty Woman” was ruled a parody of Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman”.
Critical commentary may parody another’s work. Parody may be done by a serious work.
Public figures can be parodied.
A trademark can be parodied.
A copyrighted song presented humorously or by an impersonator is a violation of the copyright.
A slight change to a recognizable song violated its copyright.
A trademark’s reputation can not be abused in a film.
“Animal House” is an example of a movie that made satirical comments without using any copyrighted materials to make those points.
Jokes usually can not be copyrighted, although parodies can.
A comedian’s expressions copied verbatim can have copyright protections.
All pre-1923 works are in the public domain.
Some pre-1978 works have expired or renewed copyrights.
Works produced by Federal government employees as condition of their employment are public domain.
Studios and movie financiers prefer that a film purchase all underlying rights.
The retelling of a story an author claimed as fact cannot than have the author cliam it really is a protected fictional story.
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is a public domain story. Independent additions to the work Disney are copyrighted by Disney.
A pan and scan alteration of a public domain film can be protected and create a copyright infringement if reused by another.
A non-commercial Creative Commons license prohibits any commercial use of the work.
A no-derviative Creative Commons license prohibits any derivative work of that work.
An Attribution Share Alike 3.0 license allows others to obtain the license granted for its use in the same manner as the work itself is licensed.
An Attribution 3.0 license allows use of the owkr so long as attribution is given.
A work whose owner can’t be found after a legitimate substantial written search is an orphan work that can be used. If the orphan work’s owner later appears, fewer copyrighted protections are afforded the owner/
Filmmakers often pay archives for public domain films as payment for the services for the archives/
The updating of the soundtrack in a public domain movie recaptured the film’s copyright.
Popular visual characters or drawn characters are licensed so royalties must be paid on advertising.
A music video using a character looking like Freddy Krueger was prevented from being shown.
A television commercial that used a James Bond copy was successfully sued for violating James Bond’s copyright.
A “holdback period” is when a copyright owner allows one party, but no others, to develop a film proposal.
A “right of first negotiation” requires a copyright owner to conduct good faith negotiations with one set party before negotiating with anyone else.
A “right of last refusal” gives a party the right to match the final offer made by another.
A “franchise” character is a popular character that can be expected to attract many viewers, especially during the first weekend of a movie’s release.
A copyright dispute over a character may depend on whether a character has enough original “character delineation”. Also important, to a lesser degree, is the degree to which the “story being told” concerns the character in dispute.
A copyrighted logo that appears on clothing used as costume in a film that uses the clothing in its intended use should not be a trademark violation. Documentaries have less to worry about. A lawsuit was filed by the trademark owner of the Barney costume, but lost as it was a parody, over the commercial use of a Barney-like costume.
The owner of source material which a script is based upon owns “underlying property”. The “underlying rights” must be obtained from this owner.
A film company has to own the underlying work in order to do anything with the story that involves a film, including re-releases. A work with a –re-1978 copyrighted story may have seen its film rights to a studio cease when a writer died and those rights were inherited.
Often a studio buys an option of a film which gives the studio the right to decide if it will make the film. No other studio could bid on the film while the option remains in effect. The author advises the option be in writing.
A bible is a descriptive detail of a script story. There can be separate owners of a story, bible, and screenplay. Characters can also be separately copyrighted.
Film rights for most books are held by their authors.
The copyrights for most comic books are held by the publishers.
Magazine articles, newspaper stories, and non-fiction books may have two tiers of ownership by the authors and the subjects.
Films based on a song usually need to obtain rights from the song’s publishing company.
The film rights to most plays are held by the playwrights.
Film rights to sequels or prequels can be held separately from other film rights.
Unless a screenwriter is a “work for hire”, the copyright of the screenplay belongs to the screenwriter.
The copyright for a work for hire is the shortest time of either 95 years after publication or 120 years after its creation.
Most studies are double vested, with one production company that signs WGA members to a Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) and another that signs non-union writers without the MBA.
Absent a written agreement, each joint author of a script has a right to make deals and is required to provide a share to the other writers.
In a joint writing effort, if one person has the right to decide what goes into the script, that person has superintendence over the script. Courts have varied over the degree to which superintendence determines the rights between joint authors.
The rights to a spec script remain with the author. The purchaser a script can change it as the purchaser desires/
A submission agreement allows someone to read a script and not be sued bo the author if the reader produces any similar film.
An enforcement contract has to specify what one party gets in return for how much payment, who the parties are, and the length of time the contract will last.
Copyrights are not required to be registered. The author recommends registering a screenplay before pre-production.
A court may award damages if a copyright is infringed.
A bank lender, investor, or creditor may have a security interest in a film.
People have a right of privacy, even to factual information about them. Courts have made different rulings on what can be discussed about a person’s private on film.
A person generally does not have a reasonable expectation to privacy when in public. Usually a person can be filmed in a public place. The following, though, may be disallowed to be shown if an affirmative misrepresentation was made in the filming.
The tort of false light occurs when a false statement harms or embarrasses a person.
A written release should be obtained from a person who is filmed in order to best avoid lawsuits from filming a person.
A Life Story Rights Agreement allows a film to be based on someone’s life.
A trademark used as intended and is not disparaged does not required permission to be used.
Caterpillar sued Disney for diluting its trademark by showing characters misusing their products. Caterpillar lost as it was the characters who were inept and not the product.
Whammo sued Paramount for depicting a character misusing its Slip ‘N’ Slide product. Whammo lost as it was obviously the misuse of the product that was shown.
American Dairy Queen Corporation successfully sued a movie that was planning on using the title “Dairy Queens:. The title was close enough to the established product Dairy Queen and the film title would damage its reputation.
Copied set designs can cause the original set designer to sue. Universal settled in such a lawsuit.
The filming of a building does not require the permission of its architect. Artwork in a public open space can be shown without permission in one court decision.
A documentary does not need a location agreement.
A fictional film should obtain a location agreement for all locations used. Government permits may be necessary for public locations. The author advises making sure the permission is obtained from the right sources. A building owner may not have the right to grant permission for filming inside a tenant’s space. A tenant may not have the right to allow cable for filming brought into a building/
Permission may be required to film a decorate art piece. Different court rulings have been reached on this issue. Issues to consider are whether a short focuses on the original art piece, if it is recognizable, and if it is a focal point rather than set dressing.
Books, magazines, and newspapers are not decorative arts.
A prop used as it is intended can be depicted in a film even if it has a copyright.
A prop created for a film should be an original piece. Using a knock-off protected by a copyright still can violate the copyright. A sculptor sued Warner Brothers seeking an injunction to prevent distribution of a movie using a similar sculpture. Warner Brothers settled the suit.
Music used in a film must be cleared. Deals must be negotiated with the holder of the rights to the music. Even adaptations of songs require approval.
Some films hire original composers.
A film that depicts a TV set another film requires permission from both the holder of the copyright of the film and the actors shown in the film.
A movie title has to be cleared. Movie titles do not have copyrights. They can be a product protected by trademark. Some movie titles have trademark status. The Motion Picture Association of America registers titles.
A title should not indicate an endorsement from anyone when no endorsement exists.
Errors and omissions insurance protects a film against accidental infringement of a copyright, trademark, person’s privacy, etc. Media/Professional and Chubb offers the bulk of this type of insurance.
A chain of title shows all ownership of a film from its beginnings.
A final film, called a locked film, should be registered with the Library of Congress.
A copyright infringement can occur if too many specific details of another film are used in a film. A court prevented the release of the movie “Great White” for being too similar to “Jaws.”
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Gardner's Guide to the Screenplay by Julie Selbo
Julie Selbo. Gardner’s Guide to the Screenplay: From Idea to Successful Script. Washington, D.C.: Garth Gardner Co.m 2007.
The writer states there is an Eleven Step Story Structure to classic storytelling of a character’s storyline.
First, a writer must come up with an idea that will strike the audience’s emotions. A story needs to describer characters and present how they change through the presentation. The characters should stir the audience’s interest and the story should show a character arc.
Ideas can come from reality, which are generally more unusual then fictitious ideas. Note if someone else holds the rights to a story in reality. A story can be high concept, which is described in a few words, or low concept, which requires more description. A screenplay could fit a particular genre since many choose which films to see by genre.
Most first draft screenplays are around 100 pages.
Act One had to set a tone, indicate the genre, describe what a protagonist needs or wants, present supporting characters, present the story, show the back story, provide an inciting incident, show conflict, and end with the first plot point.
The more that can be shown visually, the better.
Act Two presents confrontations, complications facing the protagonist, the stakes for the protagonist’s goals are elevated, more obstacles to those goals emerge, and a crisis ensues.
Act Three presents the climax of the story, resolves the story, and indicates the future results.
The 11 Step Structure is as follows: 1. Show the character goals and why those goals are important. 2. Show the character pursing the goals. 3. Present a reason why the character doesn’t obtain the goals, 4. Give the character a second chance at the goals, 5. Present conflicts over whether the character should take the second chance. 6. Present the character deciding to take the second chance, 7. Have the character taking the second chance, 8. Have the path to the second chance appear impossible, 9. Create a crisis to the story, 10. Provide the climax, and 11. Allow a truth to successfully resolve the character’s story.
All the character’s goals, including immediate goals that contribute to the plot, should tie-in to the character’s overall wants, which demonstrated character.
A character has to achieve an overall want in a logical manner.
The thing that denies a character’s goals should be large enough that a new way to the goal must be found.
There must be conflicts along the path.
The main character needs to pursue the goal above all the conflicts.
The continued path must be one that is denied in a grand manner.
The inability to again reach the goal must test the main character.
A crisis needs to force the main character to question but then decide to continue to reach the goal.
The climax should force the main character to use unforeseen emotional and/or physical abilities.
After the goal has been reached, a truth must emerge that resolves the story.
A story should find its proper rhythm.
A character must act consistently.
The story must change the character.
The antagonist should be strong and pose great difficulties for the protagonist to overcome.
A protagonist should have strong relations with other characters, be they allies, mentors, or rivals.
Audience should learn who the characters are.
Characters should have secrets that are revealed later.
The plot should show key information about the main character.
A character should move by visual actions than by dialogue.
The screenwriter should know the basic ending, but not necessarily all the scenes, before beginning to write. The ending guides the beginning. A good story should have surprise elements.
An inciting incident should deviate the main character from a normal path into the story.
A story should be only about one thing.
The protagonist’s story should be the main focus throughout the story.
An audience should get to know the characters, especially the main characters. Yet the story should not be delayed too long.
The film should move the protagonist along a series of events. When writing, try thinking of what the worst possible obstacle would be thrown at the protagonist.
The story must have lots of conflict.
Subplots can add comedy or drama while helping to move the main plot forward. They can provide insight or create new obstacles. Supporters should intensity matters for the main character.
A “beat” should be written into a screenplay only to signify a highly emotional or tense scene or where no words can be used. It should never be used to suggestion acting direction.
The writing should be strong enough to allow a director or actor to realize how a role should be played.
Acting direction should be written only when the story depends upon the direction, as in when the actor has a line with a hidden contrary meaning.
Every scene, and sequence of scenes, must keep moving the story forward.
The author recommends screenwriters to think sequentially about the story to organize thoughts. Search for the best story sequence.
A screenwriter needs to know what exposition needs to shown about characters and how to show it. Exposition must relate to the story. It is generally better to present something visually, with exposition, than through dialogue.
Attitude should come through in dialogue. Write as people speak. Often this is in incomplete sentences or using just one word. Dialogue should move the story forward.
A screenwriter should not state the obvious. Subtext, which can indicate something different from what is being said, can present a character’s emotions. Great emotionally revealing scenes, though, usually require dialogue with an exact meaning rather than subtext.
The character’s actions should move the story forward.
There should be consequences for every sequence.
The story should have an emotional arc that results in the character having new beliefs. The character’s actions show the evolution of the emotional arc.
Conflict is essential to the story. Denying a character’s needs with obstacles can create conflict. The obstacles should be difficult to overcome. A hero emerges in the story conquering the obstacles. The hero should have a flaw or weakness that must also be overcome in order to triumph over the obstacles. The conflict should escalate in a personal manner towards the hero.
A logline can help the screenwriter concentrate on the story, consider its basics, and create a quick description to others of the story. It tells the full story and does not leave the ending unknown.
An outline displays the story’s overall structure. It is mostly for the screenwriter’s personal use.
A treatment is a 7 to 12 page description of the story. It is seen by studio executives and producers. It can be an official paper as to what the movie will be like.
An author’s personal outlook on the world enters into scripts. A writer does well to write about matters that interest the writer. It should be a dramatic question. It should offer a unifying theme. The story presents the truth of the theme.
A screenwriter should create a natural progression of sequences for a main character, demonstrate the main character’s wants, show at least three logical things the main character can do to obtain these wants, find which obstacle is the biggest denial to those wants, and then analyze these towards creating Act One. The screenwriter should consider the story’s pacing, present scene late in order to concentrate on actors rather than needless dialogue, and should end before exposing what happens next.
In writing Act Two, a screenwriter should consider knowing the story’s direction, show what is really the true needs of the main character, create unforeseen obstacles about the midpoint of the story, create a new avenue for the main character to go after wants, create new conflicts, have the main character proceed towards goals in spite of new obstacles, have the main character find a path to success, and have that path crumble which creates a crisis that puts the main character at a lowest point.
Subplots should work, running gags should be properly paces and appear at least three times, the theme should progress, character’s should be changed by the story, subplots should be presented, the story should reach a climax where all stakes are raised to their highest level, the protagonist and antagonist face off, then the pace quickens with shorter scenes, a truth emerges, the main characters has earned a changed reality, and the end of the story is presented.
The writer states there is an Eleven Step Story Structure to classic storytelling of a character’s storyline.
First, a writer must come up with an idea that will strike the audience’s emotions. A story needs to describer characters and present how they change through the presentation. The characters should stir the audience’s interest and the story should show a character arc.
Ideas can come from reality, which are generally more unusual then fictitious ideas. Note if someone else holds the rights to a story in reality. A story can be high concept, which is described in a few words, or low concept, which requires more description. A screenplay could fit a particular genre since many choose which films to see by genre.
Most first draft screenplays are around 100 pages.
Act One had to set a tone, indicate the genre, describe what a protagonist needs or wants, present supporting characters, present the story, show the back story, provide an inciting incident, show conflict, and end with the first plot point.
The more that can be shown visually, the better.
Act Two presents confrontations, complications facing the protagonist, the stakes for the protagonist’s goals are elevated, more obstacles to those goals emerge, and a crisis ensues.
Act Three presents the climax of the story, resolves the story, and indicates the future results.
The 11 Step Structure is as follows: 1. Show the character goals and why those goals are important. 2. Show the character pursing the goals. 3. Present a reason why the character doesn’t obtain the goals, 4. Give the character a second chance at the goals, 5. Present conflicts over whether the character should take the second chance. 6. Present the character deciding to take the second chance, 7. Have the character taking the second chance, 8. Have the path to the second chance appear impossible, 9. Create a crisis to the story, 10. Provide the climax, and 11. Allow a truth to successfully resolve the character’s story.
All the character’s goals, including immediate goals that contribute to the plot, should tie-in to the character’s overall wants, which demonstrated character.
A character has to achieve an overall want in a logical manner.
The thing that denies a character’s goals should be large enough that a new way to the goal must be found.
There must be conflicts along the path.
The main character needs to pursue the goal above all the conflicts.
The continued path must be one that is denied in a grand manner.
The inability to again reach the goal must test the main character.
A crisis needs to force the main character to question but then decide to continue to reach the goal.
The climax should force the main character to use unforeseen emotional and/or physical abilities.
After the goal has been reached, a truth must emerge that resolves the story.
A story should find its proper rhythm.
A character must act consistently.
The story must change the character.
The antagonist should be strong and pose great difficulties for the protagonist to overcome.
A protagonist should have strong relations with other characters, be they allies, mentors, or rivals.
Audience should learn who the characters are.
Characters should have secrets that are revealed later.
The plot should show key information about the main character.
A character should move by visual actions than by dialogue.
The screenwriter should know the basic ending, but not necessarily all the scenes, before beginning to write. The ending guides the beginning. A good story should have surprise elements.
An inciting incident should deviate the main character from a normal path into the story.
A story should be only about one thing.
The protagonist’s story should be the main focus throughout the story.
An audience should get to know the characters, especially the main characters. Yet the story should not be delayed too long.
The film should move the protagonist along a series of events. When writing, try thinking of what the worst possible obstacle would be thrown at the protagonist.
The story must have lots of conflict.
Subplots can add comedy or drama while helping to move the main plot forward. They can provide insight or create new obstacles. Supporters should intensity matters for the main character.
A “beat” should be written into a screenplay only to signify a highly emotional or tense scene or where no words can be used. It should never be used to suggestion acting direction.
The writing should be strong enough to allow a director or actor to realize how a role should be played.
Acting direction should be written only when the story depends upon the direction, as in when the actor has a line with a hidden contrary meaning.
Every scene, and sequence of scenes, must keep moving the story forward.
The author recommends screenwriters to think sequentially about the story to organize thoughts. Search for the best story sequence.
A screenwriter needs to know what exposition needs to shown about characters and how to show it. Exposition must relate to the story. It is generally better to present something visually, with exposition, than through dialogue.
Attitude should come through in dialogue. Write as people speak. Often this is in incomplete sentences or using just one word. Dialogue should move the story forward.
A screenwriter should not state the obvious. Subtext, which can indicate something different from what is being said, can present a character’s emotions. Great emotionally revealing scenes, though, usually require dialogue with an exact meaning rather than subtext.
The character’s actions should move the story forward.
There should be consequences for every sequence.
The story should have an emotional arc that results in the character having new beliefs. The character’s actions show the evolution of the emotional arc.
Conflict is essential to the story. Denying a character’s needs with obstacles can create conflict. The obstacles should be difficult to overcome. A hero emerges in the story conquering the obstacles. The hero should have a flaw or weakness that must also be overcome in order to triumph over the obstacles. The conflict should escalate in a personal manner towards the hero.
A logline can help the screenwriter concentrate on the story, consider its basics, and create a quick description to others of the story. It tells the full story and does not leave the ending unknown.
An outline displays the story’s overall structure. It is mostly for the screenwriter’s personal use.
A treatment is a 7 to 12 page description of the story. It is seen by studio executives and producers. It can be an official paper as to what the movie will be like.
An author’s personal outlook on the world enters into scripts. A writer does well to write about matters that interest the writer. It should be a dramatic question. It should offer a unifying theme. The story presents the truth of the theme.
A screenwriter should create a natural progression of sequences for a main character, demonstrate the main character’s wants, show at least three logical things the main character can do to obtain these wants, find which obstacle is the biggest denial to those wants, and then analyze these towards creating Act One. The screenwriter should consider the story’s pacing, present scene late in order to concentrate on actors rather than needless dialogue, and should end before exposing what happens next.
In writing Act Two, a screenwriter should consider knowing the story’s direction, show what is really the true needs of the main character, create unforeseen obstacles about the midpoint of the story, create a new avenue for the main character to go after wants, create new conflicts, have the main character proceed towards goals in spite of new obstacles, have the main character find a path to success, and have that path crumble which creates a crisis that puts the main character at a lowest point.
Subplots should work, running gags should be properly paces and appear at least three times, the theme should progress, character’s should be changed by the story, subplots should be presented, the story should reach a climax where all stakes are raised to their highest level, the protagonist and antagonist face off, then the pace quickens with shorter scenes, a truth emerges, the main characters has earned a changed reality, and the end of the story is presented.
Roone by Roone Arledge
Roone Arledge. Roone: A Memoir. New York: Harper Collins Publishes, 2003.
The author, who headed ABC News and ABC Sports, studied English at Columbia where he was classmates with Dick Wald and Larry Grossman, both future Presidents of NBC News. Arledge decided to try becoming a Middle East specialist in Columbia’s International Relations School. He couldn’t learn Arabic though and dropped out, taking a job as head waiter at the Wayside Inn in Chatham, Ma. Fate would intervene. He told a couple being turned away from their closed dining room that he would wait on them. Several months later, while job hunting in New York, he interviewed with the grateful diner, James Cadigan, programming head of the DuMont TV network. Cadigan hired him.
DuMont had only 16 stations on the East Coast and Mid West and would fial to compete with the other networks Yet they did have the first daytime schedule of programs, first soap opera, first prime time showing of an NFL game, and first news casting from Washington, D.C. Their programs included Jackie Gleason’s” Honeymooners”, “Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour”, Bishop Sheen, Howdy Doody, and the Joe McCarthy Senate hearings.
Drafted into the Army, Arledge was made a base radio station announcer. After service, DuMont did not respond to his requests to return to work until he threatened them with a lawsuit as solders were entitled to return to the jobs. He discovered the DuMond network was in financial difficulties and someone would be fired in order for him to return. The FCC had stopped issuing broadcast licenses. John Klug purchased the DuMond stations, changed them to Metromedia, and earned billions of dollars.
Arledge found a job as a stage manager at NBC’s New York WRCA channel 4, earning $66 a week. He then became a unit supervisor, which included making sure all union rules were followed, including seeing only assigned union personnel did specified jobs or else a work stoppage would occur if someone else did such a job.
Arledge became producer of the Sunday morning programming of cartoons, talk, news, and dancing to music. This programming was a critical failure and was cut. Yet, Arledge was moved to producing a daily show “Hi. Mom” featuring Shari Lewis. Shari was an excellent puppeteer whose lips didn’t move. The puppets were a part of her personality and had to always be with her, even on her honeymoon. “Hi, Mom” won an Emmy. Jimmy Weldon replaced Shari Lewis. Weldon required more skillful directing as his lips moved, so the camera could only show his puppet when it was talking.
Arledge pitched ideas for shows that were rejected. Pat Schenck wanted to know who had produced one of the rejected ideas when learning of it and liking it. He asked Arledge to produce sports show for Gillette as Gillette was moving its sponsorship from NBC to ABC.
ABC then was the smallest of the three networks. ABC kept quiet that they were going to outbid NBC for the rights to broadcast NCAA sports. They waited until NBC submitted its bid, which they correctly surmised was a low bid, and then submitted a higher bid.
On Arledge’s third day at ABC’s Sports Programs, Inc., a trade article announced that a 29 year old local children’s show producer was now in charge of producing NCAA games. It was feared Gillette would disown Arledge. They calmed down and Arledge was able to stay. Arledge’s first broadcast was a heavyweight championship fight between Ingemar Johannson and Floyd Patterson at Yankee Stadium won by Patterson. Arledge noted the skills of the ring announcer, Howard Cosell.
ABC Sports added the American Football League to its broadcasts. The NCAA programs began regional broadcasts, meaning three shows had to be produced where before it was one national show. The author tracked all production personnel, which allowed him to know all the staff. Sometimes Arledge would travel to work on a production.
When it came to broadcasting baseball, Arledge found the Baseball Commissioner insisted that only distant cameras showing the entire field be used. The Commissioner argued that no TV viewer should have a better view than the person at the worst ball park seat. Arledge knew TV viewers required the best view.
Arledge enjoyed producing sports, declaring that “sports were life condensed”. He knew not all viewers appreciate sports but they liked a good show. High sports ratings helped AVC to have the revenues to develop as a network.
Arledge wanted viewers to feel the excitement of seeing a game. Cameras would show not just the game on the field, but reactions from coaches, fans, cheerleaders, etc. The human drama of the game would make for good show business. Referees would wear microphones. The hometown of the game would be presented. Gillette was hesitant to try these changes, because they feared Arledge did not have enough experience. Yet, they agreed to it. Curt Gowdy and Paul Christman were the first announcers. Alrledge than added even something else new by hiring Bob Neal to conduct sideline interviews.
The NCAA feared that TV would destroy game attendance. The University of Michigan Athletic Director stated he would not be fully cooperative. So Arledge put in additional requests for things he didn’t need that Michigan refused to provide so that Arledge got what he wanted from them.
The NCAA began trying to restrict TV access to big while by pushing the broadcast of Ivy League games.
Arledge, while watching slow motion in a movie, realized it would be good to show plays in slow motion. The first experiments looked grainy. It took three months of work before instant replay was developed.
Arledge came up with the idea of showing many kinds of sports, many of which were little known. “The Wide World of Sports” was created and is the longest running sports program. Arledge notes the concept from the show evolved with input from several people. The rights to some sports were inexpensive to purchase since no one else was interested in showing them. Foreign sports presentations were shown in cooperation with foreign networks. The show presented sports in 53 countries.
ABC created a sports division and hired Arledge to run it. Arledge produced ten Olympic games for ABC. He got Chris Schenkel to move from CBS, where he earned $175,000 in 1964, by offering him $250,000 to work for ABC.
Arledge, without knowing ABC was no longer bidding to continue to broadcast the Orange Bowl, suggested it could improve its ratings by being moved to New Year’s Ev. The Orange Bowl made the move and its ratings improved, but for NBC.
The first sports broadcast from the Soviet Union, due to the time difference, had to preempt Porky Pig on Saturday morning. It took a decision by CEO Leonard Boldenson to get the sports even shown instead of Porky Pig.
AC was outbid for pro football yet had the highest bid for NCAA football, paying $15.5 million for the 1966 and 1967 seasons, $2 million more than NBC had paid. With no pro football, ABC promised their top announcers would broadcast college football. Arledge sold the NCAA on the idea that ABC would be their own network and, as part of the bid agreement, had Chris Schenkel and Bud Wilkinson broadcast the games.
ABC won the rights to the 1968 Olympics by topping CBS and NBC’s opening bids, which were both around $2 million, with a close out bid of$4.8 million. The Olympics grabbed the ABC bid. Crtics claim ABC overpaid, yet it was possible, without a one time offer of a closeout bid, bidding could have gone even higher.
Howard Cosell had been banned from local TV sports broadcasting for informing viewers that Mets manager Casey Stengle napped during games. To boost dragging Olympic baseball ratings, Arledge hired the self-destructive pompous Cosell.
The Federal government banned broadcasting pro football on Friday and Saturday nights so they wouldn’t compete with high school games. Sunday day broadcasts made it iffy if Sunday evening broadcasts would be successful. Games Tuesday through Thursday would upset weeklong practices. Arledge though Monday night broadcasts might work. ABC bid for Monday night football. NBC insisted on giving CBS and NBC rights of refusal for matching the NBC offer. CBS had a strong Monday night lineup and wasn’t interested. NBC had a weak Monday night lineup yet worried that overtime games could hurt their financially successful “Tonight Show”. ABC won Monday night primetime football. Howard Cosell became the announcer people watched to hate while announcing with Don Meredith to about 30 million viewers.
In bidding for the 1972 Olympic games, ABC had figured that $10 million was the most that could be offered without suffering a loss. NBC’s bid was $11 million. Then, Barry Frank determined that if Olympic coverage was broadcast over 67 hours during all prime times, selling commercials averaging$48,000, revenue would be just under $24 million. This allowed for a good profit. ABC bid $13.5 million. The Olympics profit would be useful as ABC had lost $20 million the previous year, 1968.
The 1972 Olympics were marred by the Black September holding and killing Israelis athlete hostages. The sports broadcasts turned into live news broadcasts.
ABC Sports earned almost $200 million in 1973, which was more than the total earned in aggregate by CBS Sports and NBC Sports.
Arledge led ABC Sports in gaining the rights to the 1976 Olympics by going straight to the Olympic Committee instead of their intermediary with a $25 million take it or leave it offer. They took it. Arledge felt the intermediary was guiding the award towards CBS so he decided instead to go straight to the body that awarded the deal. Arledge also got the rights to the 1976 Winter Olympics for $10 million. Only NBC was mildly interested in also attempting to broadcast them. Noting the Winter Olympics lacked any notable athletes, ABC focused on ice skater Dorothy Hamill.
The three networks agreed to split coverage of the 1980 Olympics. Yet there were no broadcasts due to the US boycott of the games.
Arledge was asked to run ABC News as well as ABC Sports. Its broadcasting of Barbara Walters with Harry Reasoner was ridiculed and had half as many viewers as watched Walter Cronkite at CBS and two thirds the viewers as had NBC’s David Brinkley and John Chancellor.
Alrdge saw Walters as the future and took Reasoner off the show. He removed non-news information segments. Sandy Vanocur was placed in charge of a news investigative unit.
Arledge took the U.S. Boxing Championships off the air after discovering some boxers had altered boxing records.
Arledge was informed and had confirmed by Massad that Anwar Sadat, if so asked by ABC News, would agree to an invitation to fly to Israle for a joint interview with Menachem Begin. A suspicious Peter Jennings was sent to interview Sadat who indeed agree to this arrangement.
In 1978, “World News Tonight” became ABC’s mews show with Barbara Walters, Frank Reynolds, Peter Jennings, Max Robinson, and Howard K. Smith. Smith became upset at the little amount of air time he received. He felt his seniority entitled him to more air time. He left at the end of his contract.
Arledge noted how CBS’s “60 Minutes” began in 1968 yet it did not achieve strong ratings until 1972 when it was aired an hour earlier at 7 pm Sundays. Arledge decided ABC should have a similar show but not a copycat. “20/20” was created. He admits the first show was one of the worse shows he’d seen. He replaced Harold Hayes and Bob Hughes as the hosts. He decided to take great control over the show.
Barbara Walters made being added to “20/20” as a part of her contract renogiation demands to remain on “World News Tonight”. She initially asked to be made the show host. Yet Arledge writes that Hugh Downs was the soul of the show.
ABC began nightly news coverage of the Iranian hostage coverage. They announced they would continue nightly updates as long as the crisis continued. They did not realize there would be no quick resolution. Frank Reynolds hosted “America Held Hostage” for three weeks. Ted Koppel substitute for Reynolds on his birthday. When Reynolds began Presidential campaign coverage, Koppel took over permanently. Ratings rose and occasionally even outdrew NBC’s “Tonight Show”. Arledge sold ABC on making the show a permanent news show after the crisis ended. A powerful affiliate’s stations manager, Larry Pollack at WFIL in Philadelphia, objected as he feared his highest rated ABC local news show was being hurt being followed by another news show. In order to get WFIL to broadcast Ted Koppel’s news show, ABC agreed that Koppel’s show would run for 20, not 30, minutes and only four nights a week.
Arledge produced the 1980 Winter Olympics. When the American hockey team pulled ahead of the Soviet team, it was decided to show a tape delay of the game following the local news. The game ended with a U.S. upset win.
“Nightline” with Ted Koppel became the late night ABC news show. The show remained successful following the hostage crisis, which lasted 444 days. WFIL withdrew its objections 10 months later and the show began running five days a week for half an hour.
David Brinkley was upset at being switched from co-anchor of NBC’s “Evening News_ to being weekly host of the lowest rated news program than ran opposite the top rated TV show “Dallas”. Arledge told Brinkley of his idea of a Sunday morning news show which Brinkley agreed was the type show he wanted to do. Brinkley switched to ABC for a four year $850,000 a year contract. Some at ABC objected, arguing ABC’s overall push for a younger audience would be harmed by hiring the 61 year old Brinkley. Arledge believed Brinkley would improve the stature of ABC News.
“This Week With David Brinkley” made news by getting Mulammer Qaddafi to provide an interview. This news boosted the show’s reputation and ratings. Sam Donaldson was added to give the show more zip. The show overtook the ratings lead from longtime ratings holder “Meet the Press”. ABC also liked the profits it earned.
“CBS with Douglas Edwards” was the first long running top rated news program until NBC’s “Huntley Brinkley Report” became the top rated program in the late 1950s. Walter Cronkite became the ratings leader in the late 1960s. ABC News consistently was third in ratings. ABC’s “World News” tonight improved by about two million households total watching. It moved into second place for two and a half years.
Arledge tried to lure Dan Rather from CBS. When Rather was picked by CBS to take over from retiring Walter Cronkite, Roger Mudd left CBS for ABC.
The Los Angeles District Attorney investigated $30,000 weekly payments ABC made to producing partners Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. There were concerns the payments were designed to avoid splitting them as required by contract with co-creators Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood. The financial issue was settled out of court. No criminal charges resulted. “World News Tonight” researched and broadcast the story. Arledge approved even though the story was embarrassing to ABC. He felt the news department’s reputation was at stake.
Frank Reynolds died. Arledge had to convince Peter Jennings to become the new anchor, and he finally agreed.
Howard Cosell drew great controversy in 1983 for calling an African American football player a “little monkey”. He took three weeks off but his star image began fading.
ABC won the rights to broadcast the 1988 Olympics for $304 million. This was $217.5 million more than for the rifhgts to the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics. The rising costs of the Olympics changed the game, as professional athletes were then allowed to compete. The Soviet Union and other Communist nations withdrew from the 1984 Los Angeles Winter Olympics as payback for the US boycott of their Olympics. Arledge predicted this would increase viewership as this meant more medals for Americans. A record 180 million Americans watched the Winter Olympics, bringing ABC a record $75 million profits.
Howard Cosell, who had resigned from announcing football several times and been convinced to return, resigned again. He had just published an autobiography where he criticized Arledge. This time his resignation was accepted.
ABC got Bishop Tuto and South African Foreign Minister F.P. Botha to discuss apartheid. This broadcast helped shed light onto this issue.
Capitol Cities Broadcasting, a group of affiliate stations, purchased ABC for $3.5 billion. This was four times what ABC was worth in 1981.
ABC was projected to earn $70 million in 1985 but was forecast to break even in 1986. This did not please the new owners. As sports advertising was down, ABC Sports lost $40 million in 1985, with “Monday Night Football” losing $25 million of that.. Ironically, ABC’s own ESPN, purchased from Getty Oil, accounted for some of that loss due to its competition. Right fees had risen to 82% of the budget. Half of all sports advertising for all networks went to the Los Angeles Olympics.
Cutbacks were made. Football rights were cut by one third. Rights to other events such as World Cup soccer were left to other networks. Hirings were frozen and production costs lowered. ABC let the Olympics go to another network.
News broadcasts were required by the FCC and traditionally were expected to lose money. Arledge disagreed and made news broadcasts profitable. ABC News had a $55 million profit in 1985. ABC News had a $275 million budget then, an increased from a budget of $55 million in 1977. ABC News had more airtime than other network news did, and did so with the smallest network staff. CNN and later Fox News began drawing away viewers.
The United States Football games were shown on ABC. When they moved from a spring season to a fall season, saturating the football market, the league folded.
CBS News, once the dominant leader, fell to last place. ABC News had a $37 million profit in 1986 while NBC News lost $64 million. The new owners of ABC continued to demand costs be cut.
Diane Sawyer had been impressive at CBS. Arledge hired her for a new ABC newsmagazine, “Prime Time Live”. Diane Sawyer would later have the good fortune to be in Moscow broadcasting during the fall ofGorbachev and the rise of Yeltsin.
Capital Cities continued tightening finances. The Gulf War reporting cut into profits by $20 million. Arledge created a plan to reduce costs by $25 million.
Alrdege saved Sam Donaldson from leaving ABC when cost cutting reduced his salary by $500,000. Arledge was upset at the restructuring that Capital Cities created. Arledge had Sam Donaldson’s salary cut reinstated. Bureaucratic changes, though, began to pit parts of news divisions against each other.
Disney then bought ABC. Disney wanted a round the clock news and network created that would appeal to 18 to 49 year olds. NBC’s MSNBC, started in 1996, lost $100 million. Disney withdrew their plans for a similar network.
In 1998, David Weston replaced Arledge as the head of ABC News.
The author, who headed ABC News and ABC Sports, studied English at Columbia where he was classmates with Dick Wald and Larry Grossman, both future Presidents of NBC News. Arledge decided to try becoming a Middle East specialist in Columbia’s International Relations School. He couldn’t learn Arabic though and dropped out, taking a job as head waiter at the Wayside Inn in Chatham, Ma. Fate would intervene. He told a couple being turned away from their closed dining room that he would wait on them. Several months later, while job hunting in New York, he interviewed with the grateful diner, James Cadigan, programming head of the DuMont TV network. Cadigan hired him.
DuMont had only 16 stations on the East Coast and Mid West and would fial to compete with the other networks Yet they did have the first daytime schedule of programs, first soap opera, first prime time showing of an NFL game, and first news casting from Washington, D.C. Their programs included Jackie Gleason’s” Honeymooners”, “Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour”, Bishop Sheen, Howdy Doody, and the Joe McCarthy Senate hearings.
Drafted into the Army, Arledge was made a base radio station announcer. After service, DuMont did not respond to his requests to return to work until he threatened them with a lawsuit as solders were entitled to return to the jobs. He discovered the DuMond network was in financial difficulties and someone would be fired in order for him to return. The FCC had stopped issuing broadcast licenses. John Klug purchased the DuMond stations, changed them to Metromedia, and earned billions of dollars.
Arledge found a job as a stage manager at NBC’s New York WRCA channel 4, earning $66 a week. He then became a unit supervisor, which included making sure all union rules were followed, including seeing only assigned union personnel did specified jobs or else a work stoppage would occur if someone else did such a job.
Arledge became producer of the Sunday morning programming of cartoons, talk, news, and dancing to music. This programming was a critical failure and was cut. Yet, Arledge was moved to producing a daily show “Hi. Mom” featuring Shari Lewis. Shari was an excellent puppeteer whose lips didn’t move. The puppets were a part of her personality and had to always be with her, even on her honeymoon. “Hi, Mom” won an Emmy. Jimmy Weldon replaced Shari Lewis. Weldon required more skillful directing as his lips moved, so the camera could only show his puppet when it was talking.
Arledge pitched ideas for shows that were rejected. Pat Schenck wanted to know who had produced one of the rejected ideas when learning of it and liking it. He asked Arledge to produce sports show for Gillette as Gillette was moving its sponsorship from NBC to ABC.
ABC then was the smallest of the three networks. ABC kept quiet that they were going to outbid NBC for the rights to broadcast NCAA sports. They waited until NBC submitted its bid, which they correctly surmised was a low bid, and then submitted a higher bid.
On Arledge’s third day at ABC’s Sports Programs, Inc., a trade article announced that a 29 year old local children’s show producer was now in charge of producing NCAA games. It was feared Gillette would disown Arledge. They calmed down and Arledge was able to stay. Arledge’s first broadcast was a heavyweight championship fight between Ingemar Johannson and Floyd Patterson at Yankee Stadium won by Patterson. Arledge noted the skills of the ring announcer, Howard Cosell.
ABC Sports added the American Football League to its broadcasts. The NCAA programs began regional broadcasts, meaning three shows had to be produced where before it was one national show. The author tracked all production personnel, which allowed him to know all the staff. Sometimes Arledge would travel to work on a production.
When it came to broadcasting baseball, Arledge found the Baseball Commissioner insisted that only distant cameras showing the entire field be used. The Commissioner argued that no TV viewer should have a better view than the person at the worst ball park seat. Arledge knew TV viewers required the best view.
Arledge enjoyed producing sports, declaring that “sports were life condensed”. He knew not all viewers appreciate sports but they liked a good show. High sports ratings helped AVC to have the revenues to develop as a network.
Arledge wanted viewers to feel the excitement of seeing a game. Cameras would show not just the game on the field, but reactions from coaches, fans, cheerleaders, etc. The human drama of the game would make for good show business. Referees would wear microphones. The hometown of the game would be presented. Gillette was hesitant to try these changes, because they feared Arledge did not have enough experience. Yet, they agreed to it. Curt Gowdy and Paul Christman were the first announcers. Alrledge than added even something else new by hiring Bob Neal to conduct sideline interviews.
The NCAA feared that TV would destroy game attendance. The University of Michigan Athletic Director stated he would not be fully cooperative. So Arledge put in additional requests for things he didn’t need that Michigan refused to provide so that Arledge got what he wanted from them.
The NCAA began trying to restrict TV access to big while by pushing the broadcast of Ivy League games.
Arledge, while watching slow motion in a movie, realized it would be good to show plays in slow motion. The first experiments looked grainy. It took three months of work before instant replay was developed.
Arledge came up with the idea of showing many kinds of sports, many of which were little known. “The Wide World of Sports” was created and is the longest running sports program. Arledge notes the concept from the show evolved with input from several people. The rights to some sports were inexpensive to purchase since no one else was interested in showing them. Foreign sports presentations were shown in cooperation with foreign networks. The show presented sports in 53 countries.
ABC created a sports division and hired Arledge to run it. Arledge produced ten Olympic games for ABC. He got Chris Schenkel to move from CBS, where he earned $175,000 in 1964, by offering him $250,000 to work for ABC.
Arledge, without knowing ABC was no longer bidding to continue to broadcast the Orange Bowl, suggested it could improve its ratings by being moved to New Year’s Ev. The Orange Bowl made the move and its ratings improved, but for NBC.
The first sports broadcast from the Soviet Union, due to the time difference, had to preempt Porky Pig on Saturday morning. It took a decision by CEO Leonard Boldenson to get the sports even shown instead of Porky Pig.
AC was outbid for pro football yet had the highest bid for NCAA football, paying $15.5 million for the 1966 and 1967 seasons, $2 million more than NBC had paid. With no pro football, ABC promised their top announcers would broadcast college football. Arledge sold the NCAA on the idea that ABC would be their own network and, as part of the bid agreement, had Chris Schenkel and Bud Wilkinson broadcast the games.
ABC won the rights to the 1968 Olympics by topping CBS and NBC’s opening bids, which were both around $2 million, with a close out bid of$4.8 million. The Olympics grabbed the ABC bid. Crtics claim ABC overpaid, yet it was possible, without a one time offer of a closeout bid, bidding could have gone even higher.
Howard Cosell had been banned from local TV sports broadcasting for informing viewers that Mets manager Casey Stengle napped during games. To boost dragging Olympic baseball ratings, Arledge hired the self-destructive pompous Cosell.
The Federal government banned broadcasting pro football on Friday and Saturday nights so they wouldn’t compete with high school games. Sunday day broadcasts made it iffy if Sunday evening broadcasts would be successful. Games Tuesday through Thursday would upset weeklong practices. Arledge though Monday night broadcasts might work. ABC bid for Monday night football. NBC insisted on giving CBS and NBC rights of refusal for matching the NBC offer. CBS had a strong Monday night lineup and wasn’t interested. NBC had a weak Monday night lineup yet worried that overtime games could hurt their financially successful “Tonight Show”. ABC won Monday night primetime football. Howard Cosell became the announcer people watched to hate while announcing with Don Meredith to about 30 million viewers.
In bidding for the 1972 Olympic games, ABC had figured that $10 million was the most that could be offered without suffering a loss. NBC’s bid was $11 million. Then, Barry Frank determined that if Olympic coverage was broadcast over 67 hours during all prime times, selling commercials averaging$48,000, revenue would be just under $24 million. This allowed for a good profit. ABC bid $13.5 million. The Olympics profit would be useful as ABC had lost $20 million the previous year, 1968.
The 1972 Olympics were marred by the Black September holding and killing Israelis athlete hostages. The sports broadcasts turned into live news broadcasts.
ABC Sports earned almost $200 million in 1973, which was more than the total earned in aggregate by CBS Sports and NBC Sports.
Arledge led ABC Sports in gaining the rights to the 1976 Olympics by going straight to the Olympic Committee instead of their intermediary with a $25 million take it or leave it offer. They took it. Arledge felt the intermediary was guiding the award towards CBS so he decided instead to go straight to the body that awarded the deal. Arledge also got the rights to the 1976 Winter Olympics for $10 million. Only NBC was mildly interested in also attempting to broadcast them. Noting the Winter Olympics lacked any notable athletes, ABC focused on ice skater Dorothy Hamill.
The three networks agreed to split coverage of the 1980 Olympics. Yet there were no broadcasts due to the US boycott of the games.
Arledge was asked to run ABC News as well as ABC Sports. Its broadcasting of Barbara Walters with Harry Reasoner was ridiculed and had half as many viewers as watched Walter Cronkite at CBS and two thirds the viewers as had NBC’s David Brinkley and John Chancellor.
Alrdge saw Walters as the future and took Reasoner off the show. He removed non-news information segments. Sandy Vanocur was placed in charge of a news investigative unit.
Arledge took the U.S. Boxing Championships off the air after discovering some boxers had altered boxing records.
Arledge was informed and had confirmed by Massad that Anwar Sadat, if so asked by ABC News, would agree to an invitation to fly to Israle for a joint interview with Menachem Begin. A suspicious Peter Jennings was sent to interview Sadat who indeed agree to this arrangement.
In 1978, “World News Tonight” became ABC’s mews show with Barbara Walters, Frank Reynolds, Peter Jennings, Max Robinson, and Howard K. Smith. Smith became upset at the little amount of air time he received. He felt his seniority entitled him to more air time. He left at the end of his contract.
Arledge noted how CBS’s “60 Minutes” began in 1968 yet it did not achieve strong ratings until 1972 when it was aired an hour earlier at 7 pm Sundays. Arledge decided ABC should have a similar show but not a copycat. “20/20” was created. He admits the first show was one of the worse shows he’d seen. He replaced Harold Hayes and Bob Hughes as the hosts. He decided to take great control over the show.
Barbara Walters made being added to “20/20” as a part of her contract renogiation demands to remain on “World News Tonight”. She initially asked to be made the show host. Yet Arledge writes that Hugh Downs was the soul of the show.
ABC began nightly news coverage of the Iranian hostage coverage. They announced they would continue nightly updates as long as the crisis continued. They did not realize there would be no quick resolution. Frank Reynolds hosted “America Held Hostage” for three weeks. Ted Koppel substitute for Reynolds on his birthday. When Reynolds began Presidential campaign coverage, Koppel took over permanently. Ratings rose and occasionally even outdrew NBC’s “Tonight Show”. Arledge sold ABC on making the show a permanent news show after the crisis ended. A powerful affiliate’s stations manager, Larry Pollack at WFIL in Philadelphia, objected as he feared his highest rated ABC local news show was being hurt being followed by another news show. In order to get WFIL to broadcast Ted Koppel’s news show, ABC agreed that Koppel’s show would run for 20, not 30, minutes and only four nights a week.
Arledge produced the 1980 Winter Olympics. When the American hockey team pulled ahead of the Soviet team, it was decided to show a tape delay of the game following the local news. The game ended with a U.S. upset win.
“Nightline” with Ted Koppel became the late night ABC news show. The show remained successful following the hostage crisis, which lasted 444 days. WFIL withdrew its objections 10 months later and the show began running five days a week for half an hour.
David Brinkley was upset at being switched from co-anchor of NBC’s “Evening News_ to being weekly host of the lowest rated news program than ran opposite the top rated TV show “Dallas”. Arledge told Brinkley of his idea of a Sunday morning news show which Brinkley agreed was the type show he wanted to do. Brinkley switched to ABC for a four year $850,000 a year contract. Some at ABC objected, arguing ABC’s overall push for a younger audience would be harmed by hiring the 61 year old Brinkley. Arledge believed Brinkley would improve the stature of ABC News.
“This Week With David Brinkley” made news by getting Mulammer Qaddafi to provide an interview. This news boosted the show’s reputation and ratings. Sam Donaldson was added to give the show more zip. The show overtook the ratings lead from longtime ratings holder “Meet the Press”. ABC also liked the profits it earned.
“CBS with Douglas Edwards” was the first long running top rated news program until NBC’s “Huntley Brinkley Report” became the top rated program in the late 1950s. Walter Cronkite became the ratings leader in the late 1960s. ABC News consistently was third in ratings. ABC’s “World News” tonight improved by about two million households total watching. It moved into second place for two and a half years.
Arledge tried to lure Dan Rather from CBS. When Rather was picked by CBS to take over from retiring Walter Cronkite, Roger Mudd left CBS for ABC.
The Los Angeles District Attorney investigated $30,000 weekly payments ABC made to producing partners Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. There were concerns the payments were designed to avoid splitting them as required by contract with co-creators Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood. The financial issue was settled out of court. No criminal charges resulted. “World News Tonight” researched and broadcast the story. Arledge approved even though the story was embarrassing to ABC. He felt the news department’s reputation was at stake.
Frank Reynolds died. Arledge had to convince Peter Jennings to become the new anchor, and he finally agreed.
Howard Cosell drew great controversy in 1983 for calling an African American football player a “little monkey”. He took three weeks off but his star image began fading.
ABC won the rights to broadcast the 1988 Olympics for $304 million. This was $217.5 million more than for the rifhgts to the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics. The rising costs of the Olympics changed the game, as professional athletes were then allowed to compete. The Soviet Union and other Communist nations withdrew from the 1984 Los Angeles Winter Olympics as payback for the US boycott of their Olympics. Arledge predicted this would increase viewership as this meant more medals for Americans. A record 180 million Americans watched the Winter Olympics, bringing ABC a record $75 million profits.
Howard Cosell, who had resigned from announcing football several times and been convinced to return, resigned again. He had just published an autobiography where he criticized Arledge. This time his resignation was accepted.
ABC got Bishop Tuto and South African Foreign Minister F.P. Botha to discuss apartheid. This broadcast helped shed light onto this issue.
Capitol Cities Broadcasting, a group of affiliate stations, purchased ABC for $3.5 billion. This was four times what ABC was worth in 1981.
ABC was projected to earn $70 million in 1985 but was forecast to break even in 1986. This did not please the new owners. As sports advertising was down, ABC Sports lost $40 million in 1985, with “Monday Night Football” losing $25 million of that.. Ironically, ABC’s own ESPN, purchased from Getty Oil, accounted for some of that loss due to its competition. Right fees had risen to 82% of the budget. Half of all sports advertising for all networks went to the Los Angeles Olympics.
Cutbacks were made. Football rights were cut by one third. Rights to other events such as World Cup soccer were left to other networks. Hirings were frozen and production costs lowered. ABC let the Olympics go to another network.
News broadcasts were required by the FCC and traditionally were expected to lose money. Arledge disagreed and made news broadcasts profitable. ABC News had a $55 million profit in 1985. ABC News had a $275 million budget then, an increased from a budget of $55 million in 1977. ABC News had more airtime than other network news did, and did so with the smallest network staff. CNN and later Fox News began drawing away viewers.
The United States Football games were shown on ABC. When they moved from a spring season to a fall season, saturating the football market, the league folded.
CBS News, once the dominant leader, fell to last place. ABC News had a $37 million profit in 1986 while NBC News lost $64 million. The new owners of ABC continued to demand costs be cut.
Diane Sawyer had been impressive at CBS. Arledge hired her for a new ABC newsmagazine, “Prime Time Live”. Diane Sawyer would later have the good fortune to be in Moscow broadcasting during the fall ofGorbachev and the rise of Yeltsin.
Capital Cities continued tightening finances. The Gulf War reporting cut into profits by $20 million. Arledge created a plan to reduce costs by $25 million.
Alrdege saved Sam Donaldson from leaving ABC when cost cutting reduced his salary by $500,000. Arledge was upset at the restructuring that Capital Cities created. Arledge had Sam Donaldson’s salary cut reinstated. Bureaucratic changes, though, began to pit parts of news divisions against each other.
Disney then bought ABC. Disney wanted a round the clock news and network created that would appeal to 18 to 49 year olds. NBC’s MSNBC, started in 1996, lost $100 million. Disney withdrew their plans for a similar network.
In 1998, David Weston replaced Arledge as the head of ABC News.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Here's the Story by Maureen McCormick
Maureen McCormick. Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My Voice. New York: Harper Collins Books, 2008.
The author performed the role of Marcia Brady on “The Brady Bunch” initially for five consecutive years. As the author puts it, Marcia “was perfect. I was anything but that.” McCormick has battled cocaine addiction, bulimia, been through rehab, and time in a psychological ward.
McCormick began acting in commercials, her first with Mattel’s Baby Pattaburp in 1964 at age 8. Her second commercial was Mattel’s Chatty Cathy doll. Then came a play at La Jolle Playhouse. She played Tabitha in a dream sequence before the Tabitha character was born in an episode of “Bewitched”. Then came a role in a movie “The Arrangement” followed by commercials where she was the first person in appear with the Pillsbury Doughboy, poking his stomach. Numerous commercials followed.
1,200 auditioned for “The Brady Bunch”. Initially she was considered for the middle girl’s part until it was decided to make the children younger. Thus she was switched from the middle child to the oldest girl’s part. She immediately made friends with costars Eve Plumb and Susan Olsen. The children were asked to bring in some of their own belongings to help decorate the Brad household set. McCormick brought in a toy giraffe and her Miss Baby San Fernando Valley Trophy she had one. Ironically, the trophy was placed in the boys’ room.
Susan Olsen and Mike Lookinland were the first Brady children to profess for love for each other and have a make-out session.
117 episodes of “The Brady Bunch” were filmed. Despite overall poor critical reviews, the show usually was in the top 30 despite appearing opposite CBS’s “Get Smart”.
McCormick’s real family life was not as nice as the Bradys. Her father had affairs and her mother drank heavily. Her mother had contracted syphilis from her mother during childbirth. McCormick lived with the belief she had also contracted syphilis at birth and for much of her life feared she was destined to become mentally ill from it.
McCormick appeared in a show “A Kid’s Eye View of Washington” where several children interviewed President Richard Nixon. She recalls one of the children asked Nixon to name the first President, to which Nixon replied “Abraham Lincoln…oh my gosh, no. It was George Washington.”
During the 4th season, McCormick started kissing and dating Barry Williams. Although they only portrayed being step siblings, part of her still felt strange as if she were kissing her brother. She states she almost lost her virginity to Williams, but they were caught and stopped beforehand.
McCormick also learned about the Hollywood nightlife. She discovered wine and cocaine. She had a car accident where she hurt her nose, ironically on the same evening an episode was broadcast showing Marcia hurting her nose. She hated filming that scene, as it required several takes involving getting hit on the nose with a Nerf football.
McCormick shoplifted with singer Susie Cowsill, who got caught while McCormick ran. McCormick denied shoplifting and her friendship with Cowsill ended, something she now regrets.
The actors playing the Brady kids started rebelling. Barry Williams smoked pot, Susan Olsen drank wine, and McCormick as well as Eve Plumb filmed episodes braless until someone noticed while watching the dailies.
Word came during the fifth season that the show would not be renewed. Bob Reed didn’t like the final script and did not appear in the final episode. McCormick descries the end of the show as a mostly unemotional event, although she believes that was because the cast believed they would always be a lifelong family.
McCormick began using pills in high school. She used pills to stay awake and then pills to lose weight. She had trouble handling reality. She gave dating advice in fan magazines yet had trouble getting dates.
McCormick found sporadic TV work following the cancellation. She went on auditions and was on a few episodes of a few shows. She was promised her own TV series from a producer until she realized he was only promising that in attempting to romance her. He never developed a TV series for her.
McCormick faced struggles in life. She used cocaine. She got pregnant and had an abortion. She once hallucinated while taking drugs and thought she was a molecule. She placed cocaine above her relationships. She was a drug addict and had a second abortion.
McCormick filmed an episode of “The Streets of San Francisco” which led to a several month relationship with the show’s star, Richard Hatch.
McCormick joined some Brady Bunch costars on an episode of the “Donny and Marie” TV show. The show’s ratings were so good that ABC decided to do a Brady Bunch variety special. The special had such good ratings that ABC filmed eight more. McCormick admits she often filmed this show while high on cocaine. Her drug use began to affect her work, causing her to claim having the flu when she should have been filming a scene. She checked herself into a psychiatric hospital. Unfortunately, after treatment, she relapsed and began doing cocaine again.
He entire Brady Bunch cast agreed to film a TV movie “The Brady Brides”. Her cocaine use slowed down production. The producers offered to get her help. She was sent to a round the clock psychiatrist she thought was crazy and she convinced the producers to fire the psychiatrist. She then decided to try and quit cold turkey.
The TV movie was converted into three series episodes. Strong ratings led to its continuation as a series. Unfortunately, McCormick relapsed and began using cocaine again. She saw and felt Jesus and took that as a sign from God. She dreamed her brother Kevin died only to learn Kevin was alive but was with John Belushi shortly before Belushi died from a drug overdose. McCormick contracted dengue fever, which she believed was a punishment from God. Religion became important to McCormick. She realized that Hollywood tended to be more accepting of drug addicts than born again Christians.
McCormick began a family with her second husband. Her acting jobs were infrequent. While filming a TV movie “Get to the Heart”, she had a panic attack that made her doubt she could still act that followed her finding new strength and rediscovering herself.
McCormick was on the TV series “Teen Angel” yet was fired after 11 episodes when executives rearranged the show due to low ratings. She was replaced by Jerry Van Dyke. She had never been fired before and felt rejected. She feels she might have committed suicide had she not already been on Prozac.
McCormick appeared on the show “Celebrity Fit Club” on MTV. She went from 154 pounds to 117 pounds. She then appeared on the reality show “Gone Country” on
CMT.
The author performed the role of Marcia Brady on “The Brady Bunch” initially for five consecutive years. As the author puts it, Marcia “was perfect. I was anything but that.” McCormick has battled cocaine addiction, bulimia, been through rehab, and time in a psychological ward.
McCormick began acting in commercials, her first with Mattel’s Baby Pattaburp in 1964 at age 8. Her second commercial was Mattel’s Chatty Cathy doll. Then came a play at La Jolle Playhouse. She played Tabitha in a dream sequence before the Tabitha character was born in an episode of “Bewitched”. Then came a role in a movie “The Arrangement” followed by commercials where she was the first person in appear with the Pillsbury Doughboy, poking his stomach. Numerous commercials followed.
1,200 auditioned for “The Brady Bunch”. Initially she was considered for the middle girl’s part until it was decided to make the children younger. Thus she was switched from the middle child to the oldest girl’s part. She immediately made friends with costars Eve Plumb and Susan Olsen. The children were asked to bring in some of their own belongings to help decorate the Brad household set. McCormick brought in a toy giraffe and her Miss Baby San Fernando Valley Trophy she had one. Ironically, the trophy was placed in the boys’ room.
Susan Olsen and Mike Lookinland were the first Brady children to profess for love for each other and have a make-out session.
117 episodes of “The Brady Bunch” were filmed. Despite overall poor critical reviews, the show usually was in the top 30 despite appearing opposite CBS’s “Get Smart”.
McCormick’s real family life was not as nice as the Bradys. Her father had affairs and her mother drank heavily. Her mother had contracted syphilis from her mother during childbirth. McCormick lived with the belief she had also contracted syphilis at birth and for much of her life feared she was destined to become mentally ill from it.
McCormick appeared in a show “A Kid’s Eye View of Washington” where several children interviewed President Richard Nixon. She recalls one of the children asked Nixon to name the first President, to which Nixon replied “Abraham Lincoln…oh my gosh, no. It was George Washington.”
During the 4th season, McCormick started kissing and dating Barry Williams. Although they only portrayed being step siblings, part of her still felt strange as if she were kissing her brother. She states she almost lost her virginity to Williams, but they were caught and stopped beforehand.
McCormick also learned about the Hollywood nightlife. She discovered wine and cocaine. She had a car accident where she hurt her nose, ironically on the same evening an episode was broadcast showing Marcia hurting her nose. She hated filming that scene, as it required several takes involving getting hit on the nose with a Nerf football.
McCormick shoplifted with singer Susie Cowsill, who got caught while McCormick ran. McCormick denied shoplifting and her friendship with Cowsill ended, something she now regrets.
The actors playing the Brady kids started rebelling. Barry Williams smoked pot, Susan Olsen drank wine, and McCormick as well as Eve Plumb filmed episodes braless until someone noticed while watching the dailies.
Word came during the fifth season that the show would not be renewed. Bob Reed didn’t like the final script and did not appear in the final episode. McCormick descries the end of the show as a mostly unemotional event, although she believes that was because the cast believed they would always be a lifelong family.
McCormick began using pills in high school. She used pills to stay awake and then pills to lose weight. She had trouble handling reality. She gave dating advice in fan magazines yet had trouble getting dates.
McCormick found sporadic TV work following the cancellation. She went on auditions and was on a few episodes of a few shows. She was promised her own TV series from a producer until she realized he was only promising that in attempting to romance her. He never developed a TV series for her.
McCormick faced struggles in life. She used cocaine. She got pregnant and had an abortion. She once hallucinated while taking drugs and thought she was a molecule. She placed cocaine above her relationships. She was a drug addict and had a second abortion.
McCormick filmed an episode of “The Streets of San Francisco” which led to a several month relationship with the show’s star, Richard Hatch.
McCormick joined some Brady Bunch costars on an episode of the “Donny and Marie” TV show. The show’s ratings were so good that ABC decided to do a Brady Bunch variety special. The special had such good ratings that ABC filmed eight more. McCormick admits she often filmed this show while high on cocaine. Her drug use began to affect her work, causing her to claim having the flu when she should have been filming a scene. She checked herself into a psychiatric hospital. Unfortunately, after treatment, she relapsed and began doing cocaine again.
He entire Brady Bunch cast agreed to film a TV movie “The Brady Brides”. Her cocaine use slowed down production. The producers offered to get her help. She was sent to a round the clock psychiatrist she thought was crazy and she convinced the producers to fire the psychiatrist. She then decided to try and quit cold turkey.
The TV movie was converted into three series episodes. Strong ratings led to its continuation as a series. Unfortunately, McCormick relapsed and began using cocaine again. She saw and felt Jesus and took that as a sign from God. She dreamed her brother Kevin died only to learn Kevin was alive but was with John Belushi shortly before Belushi died from a drug overdose. McCormick contracted dengue fever, which she believed was a punishment from God. Religion became important to McCormick. She realized that Hollywood tended to be more accepting of drug addicts than born again Christians.
McCormick began a family with her second husband. Her acting jobs were infrequent. While filming a TV movie “Get to the Heart”, she had a panic attack that made her doubt she could still act that followed her finding new strength and rediscovering herself.
McCormick was on the TV series “Teen Angel” yet was fired after 11 episodes when executives rearranged the show due to low ratings. She was replaced by Jerry Van Dyke. She had never been fired before and felt rejected. She feels she might have committed suicide had she not already been on Prozac.
McCormick appeared on the show “Celebrity Fit Club” on MTV. She went from 154 pounds to 117 pounds. She then appeared on the reality show “Gone Country” on
CMT.
Pufnstuf & Other Stuff by David Martindale
David Martindale. Pufnstuf & Other Stuff: The Weird and Wonderful World of Sid & Morty Krofft. Los Angeles: Renaissance Books, 1998.
Sid and Morty Krofft produced Saturday morning children’s TV programs that aired from 1969, beginning with “H.R. Pufnstuf” and ending with “The Last Saucer”, which went off the air in 1976. Their shows were known for the wholesome entertainment. The shows were colorful and often followed the then popular psychedelic color patterns. Thus, the shows had a crossover appeal to young adults who like the psychedelic touches, often taking drugs while watching. While the Kroffts opposed drug use, they knew their “trippy” style shows appealed to children and drug using adults.
The dialogue was youth oriented trendy. The writers insist there were no drug references placed into the shows. The references fans deduced were unintentional, such as those who thought Pufnstuff referred to “puffing marijuana” and Lidsville referred to “a lid of pot”.
The Kroffts believe in intelligent dialogue that did not talk down to children. The show was meant for entertainment. They were not presenting an educational show, as they felt educational shows did not attract as many viewers.
The Krofft production company also produced TV shows such as “Donny & Marie” as well as a few movies.
The Krofft children’s shows have made comebacks in re-runs.
The Krofft brothers are fifth generation puppeteers. The Kroffts had puppets on the first ever color TV broadcast as well as on several variety shows in the 1950s.
A third Krofft brother Harry was their office manager.
Marty Krofft started out as a car salesman. He was the top Ford salesman at age 17. This sales experience helped sell their TV shows. He made people believe in how good whatever it was that he was selling.
The Kroffts made popular the idea of transforming puppetry into one where a person would wear a puppet costume.
The Kroffts had puppet shows at Six Flags parks and other attractions. They were grossing a million dollars annually. They received recurring work on the Dean martin Show. Liberace liked the puppets and asked his fans to write NBC in support of the puppets. Dean Martin didn’t appreciate the mail, especially since many of the puppet fans were critical of him. He fired the Kroffts after eight shows even though they were contracted for 26 shows.
NBC had the Kroffts create suits for the Banana Splits TV characters. While making the suits, a network executive suggested they should create their own show. Sid Krofft quickly sold the NBC’s programming executive on the idea of “H.R. Pufnstuff”. The idea was creating within hours , given to NBC executive Larry White on a Friday, and on Monday NBCL agreed to the idea as the first new show chosen by them for its 1969-70 season.
The show had a million dollar cost overrun that could have bankrupted the Kroffts had it not been a hit. The last show was a dream show of clips from previous shows because they had run out of money. NBC paid them $52,000 per episode and their lack of TV experience led them to fail to keep costs under control.
The Kroffts were so inexperienced they refused the network’s request to change the name of the show, which usually is not something newcomers stand up to network executives about. NBC executives though Pufnstuf seemed too feminine a name. The Kroffts also refused to show network executives a rough cut of the first show before music and sound effects were added. Fortunately for the Kroffts, the network executives did not force these issues.
The name Pufnstuf was inspired by the song “Puff the Magic Dragon”. H.R. is Royal Highness reversed.
The Kroffts sued McDonald’s in 1971 for copyright law violations for the McDonaldland characters that appeared similar to Krofft intellectual property. A leading point in the dispute was that McDonald’s employees had consulted with the Kroffts and then created characters without their assistance. In 1983, the Kroffts they used one lawyer versus a team of lawyers for McDonalds.
Ludicrous Lion was inspired by W.C. Fields. Judy Frog was inspired by Judy Garland.
Cassandra Peterson was hired for one day of work to help guide Pufnstuf around a syndication show convention. Peterson would later become famous as Elvira, Mistress of the Dead.
The Kroffts felt 17 good episodes were enough. They moved on to produce a different show, “The Bugaloos”. “The Bugaloos” featured original songs and was an early music video show, before such shows existed. Phil Collins’s mother was the Bugaloo’s music agent. Phil Collins was one of three under final consideration for the role of IQ Bugaloo, yet the role went to John McIndoe. The actors did both TV shows and song recordings. Their work days often left them only 3 to 4 hours of sleep.
“Lidsville” was the next Krofft TV show. It starred Butch Patrick as a boy transformed to a magic land.
“Sigmund and the Sea Monster”, starring Johnny Whitaker, was based on a real experience Sid Krofft had finding large seaweed on the beach. Whitaker later worked as a computer help desk specialist at CBS. The show’s set once caught fire. No one was hurt yet Rip Taylor gained notice for fleeing the fire in public while still dressed in costume. “Sigmund and the Sea Monster” was the first Krofft show to drop its appeal to the adult market while focusing on the children’s market.
“Land of the Lost” was the next Krofft TV series. A linguist. Victoria Fromkin, was hired to create a new Pakuni language for the show. UCLA basketball players portrayed the Sleestaks, including Bill Laimbeer, who would later play in the NBA.
“For Our Nuts” was a Krofft series starring Bob Denver and Chuck McCann. The Kroffts also had another space themed show on ABC, “The Lost Saucer”. Both appeared on Saturday mornings.
The “Krofft Supershow” on ABC presented serialized segments with rock and roll music.
“The Brady Bunch Variety Hour” brought the Brady Bunch cast back together, except for Eve Plumb who was replaced by Geri Reisch. The show was quickly slapped together. It was ravaged by some critics by others give it cultural significance.
The Krofft’s “Pink Lady and Jeff” lasted one month in 1980. The Krofft’s “Barbara and the Mandrell Sisters” was successful.
“D.C. Follies of the Kroffts” in 1987 presented puppets of politicians.
Sid and Morty Krofft produced Saturday morning children’s TV programs that aired from 1969, beginning with “H.R. Pufnstuf” and ending with “The Last Saucer”, which went off the air in 1976. Their shows were known for the wholesome entertainment. The shows were colorful and often followed the then popular psychedelic color patterns. Thus, the shows had a crossover appeal to young adults who like the psychedelic touches, often taking drugs while watching. While the Kroffts opposed drug use, they knew their “trippy” style shows appealed to children and drug using adults.
The dialogue was youth oriented trendy. The writers insist there were no drug references placed into the shows. The references fans deduced were unintentional, such as those who thought Pufnstuff referred to “puffing marijuana” and Lidsville referred to “a lid of pot”.
The Kroffts believe in intelligent dialogue that did not talk down to children. The show was meant for entertainment. They were not presenting an educational show, as they felt educational shows did not attract as many viewers.
The Krofft production company also produced TV shows such as “Donny & Marie” as well as a few movies.
The Krofft children’s shows have made comebacks in re-runs.
The Krofft brothers are fifth generation puppeteers. The Kroffts had puppets on the first ever color TV broadcast as well as on several variety shows in the 1950s.
A third Krofft brother Harry was their office manager.
Marty Krofft started out as a car salesman. He was the top Ford salesman at age 17. This sales experience helped sell their TV shows. He made people believe in how good whatever it was that he was selling.
The Kroffts made popular the idea of transforming puppetry into one where a person would wear a puppet costume.
The Kroffts had puppet shows at Six Flags parks and other attractions. They were grossing a million dollars annually. They received recurring work on the Dean martin Show. Liberace liked the puppets and asked his fans to write NBC in support of the puppets. Dean Martin didn’t appreciate the mail, especially since many of the puppet fans were critical of him. He fired the Kroffts after eight shows even though they were contracted for 26 shows.
NBC had the Kroffts create suits for the Banana Splits TV characters. While making the suits, a network executive suggested they should create their own show. Sid Krofft quickly sold the NBC’s programming executive on the idea of “H.R. Pufnstuff”. The idea was creating within hours , given to NBC executive Larry White on a Friday, and on Monday NBCL agreed to the idea as the first new show chosen by them for its 1969-70 season.
The show had a million dollar cost overrun that could have bankrupted the Kroffts had it not been a hit. The last show was a dream show of clips from previous shows because they had run out of money. NBC paid them $52,000 per episode and their lack of TV experience led them to fail to keep costs under control.
The Kroffts were so inexperienced they refused the network’s request to change the name of the show, which usually is not something newcomers stand up to network executives about. NBC executives though Pufnstuf seemed too feminine a name. The Kroffts also refused to show network executives a rough cut of the first show before music and sound effects were added. Fortunately for the Kroffts, the network executives did not force these issues.
The name Pufnstuf was inspired by the song “Puff the Magic Dragon”. H.R. is Royal Highness reversed.
The Kroffts sued McDonald’s in 1971 for copyright law violations for the McDonaldland characters that appeared similar to Krofft intellectual property. A leading point in the dispute was that McDonald’s employees had consulted with the Kroffts and then created characters without their assistance. In 1983, the Kroffts they used one lawyer versus a team of lawyers for McDonalds.
Ludicrous Lion was inspired by W.C. Fields. Judy Frog was inspired by Judy Garland.
Cassandra Peterson was hired for one day of work to help guide Pufnstuf around a syndication show convention. Peterson would later become famous as Elvira, Mistress of the Dead.
The Kroffts felt 17 good episodes were enough. They moved on to produce a different show, “The Bugaloos”. “The Bugaloos” featured original songs and was an early music video show, before such shows existed. Phil Collins’s mother was the Bugaloo’s music agent. Phil Collins was one of three under final consideration for the role of IQ Bugaloo, yet the role went to John McIndoe. The actors did both TV shows and song recordings. Their work days often left them only 3 to 4 hours of sleep.
“Lidsville” was the next Krofft TV show. It starred Butch Patrick as a boy transformed to a magic land.
“Sigmund and the Sea Monster”, starring Johnny Whitaker, was based on a real experience Sid Krofft had finding large seaweed on the beach. Whitaker later worked as a computer help desk specialist at CBS. The show’s set once caught fire. No one was hurt yet Rip Taylor gained notice for fleeing the fire in public while still dressed in costume. “Sigmund and the Sea Monster” was the first Krofft show to drop its appeal to the adult market while focusing on the children’s market.
“Land of the Lost” was the next Krofft TV series. A linguist. Victoria Fromkin, was hired to create a new Pakuni language for the show. UCLA basketball players portrayed the Sleestaks, including Bill Laimbeer, who would later play in the NBA.
“For Our Nuts” was a Krofft series starring Bob Denver and Chuck McCann. The Kroffts also had another space themed show on ABC, “The Lost Saucer”. Both appeared on Saturday mornings.
The “Krofft Supershow” on ABC presented serialized segments with rock and roll music.
“The Brady Bunch Variety Hour” brought the Brady Bunch cast back together, except for Eve Plumb who was replaced by Geri Reisch. The show was quickly slapped together. It was ravaged by some critics by others give it cultural significance.
The Krofft’s “Pink Lady and Jeff” lasted one month in 1980. The Krofft’s “Barbara and the Mandrell Sisters” was successful.
“D.C. Follies of the Kroffts” in 1987 presented puppets of politicians.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
American Prince by Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis. American Prince. New York: Harmony House, 2008.
The author knew from childhood he wanted to be an actor. Curtis acted at the Cherry Lane Theater in New York when an agent recommend Universal do a screen test on him. Universal signed him under his real name Bernie Schwartz to a seven year contract which had to be renewed every six months by Universal, beginning at $75 a week in 1948 at age 22. Fellow actors criticized his New York accent so he learned how to speak in other accents. He also dated a young actress, Marilyn Monroe.
Early in his movie career, he gained notice for his unique hair style.
Lou Costello was a serial prop stealer. Studio employees finally confronted him, even though he was a big star, because they needed the props for future filming.
Shelley winters was an insecure woman who pretended to be pretentious on sets to mask her fears.
Curtis played Houdini in “Houdini”, a film that boosted his career. His acting was so good that once during filming prop personnel rescued him because his acting made them think he was in bodily danger.
Curtis married actress Janet Leigh. Together, they attended two or three studio parties a week and became friends with other actors. He proudly noted despite all the parties he was almost always on time on sets the next day. They were close friends with Jerry Lewis. Curtis notes while Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin worked well as a professional team they never became close as friends. Later on, Curtis would become friends with Dean Martin and the Rat Pack.
While filming “Beachhead” in Hawaii for Universal, his wife miscarried in California. The move required a few more days of shooting. Universal refused to accept the costs of delaying completion of the movie and stated they just drop and never finish the movie if Curtis left. Curtis completed the movie.
Curtis credits his agent Lew Wasserman for his skills in timely finding great roles for Curtis.
While filming “Trapeze”, Curtis saw some dangers of filmmaking. A lion in the movie attacked a custodian and badly injured him.
When filming “The Vikings” with Kirk Douglas, Douglas offered to pay $200 to every male actor who grew a beard. All the men, including Curtis, did this. Kirk Douglas thus is the only clean shaved male in the movie.
Curtis filmed “The Defiant One” in 1958 with Sidney Poitier only to learn the movie needed approximately one million dollars to be completed. The movie was a controversial story concerning race relations. Curtis convinced a friend Al hart to invest the money. An irony in the movie is actor Carl Switzer’s character gets into an argument over a hunting dog. Soon after the movie was completed, Switzer was shot to death following a real life argument over a hunting dog.
Curtis filmed “Some Like it Hot” with noted directed Billy Wilder. Marilyn Monroe often failed to show up on time and became enraged at times on the set. Billy Wilder became so stressed directing her that he required a muscle relaxant. Curtis enjoyed filming the love scenes with Monroe. He flippantly answered a question as to what it was like to kiss Monroe by responding with a sarcastic answer to what he thought was a stupid question. He answered “Kissing Marilyn is like kissing Hitler.” Unfortunately, his response has been reprinted often as it it were his real opinion.
Yul Brynner was a pretentious actor, even having an assistant on sets light cigarettes for him.
Curtis divorced Janet Leigh. He later, at age 37, married Christine Kaufman, age 18. They met while filming “Taras Bulba” and after marriage filmed “Wild and Wonderful” together.
Director Blake Edwards knew how to get actors to give their best performances. He did so without even using harsh or belittling words.
Curtis found it difficult to work with Joan Collins. She wouldn’t film a scene until she felt ready. This often kept others waiting.
Curtis filmed “Sextette” in what would be Mae West’s last movie. Mae West repeated her lines after hearing them through transmission from the director to an earpiece she worn. She even repeated when the director accidentally coughed and the words from a police broadcast that broke into her frequency.
Curtis began using cocaine. It was expensive but some actors found ways to charge it to the studios. Curtis noted that cocaine users tended to hang out tougher while their non-drug using friends were forgotten. Cocaine is a very addicted drug. Curtis turned to freebasing that led to many days with blank memories of the previous evenings. Cocaine didn’t ruin his career because cocaine was prevalent in the film industry. Curtis went to the Betty Ford Clinic to overcome his cocaine addiction. The clinic gets patients to realize why they take drugs and then guides patients to overcome the feeling of needing drugs.
The author knew from childhood he wanted to be an actor. Curtis acted at the Cherry Lane Theater in New York when an agent recommend Universal do a screen test on him. Universal signed him under his real name Bernie Schwartz to a seven year contract which had to be renewed every six months by Universal, beginning at $75 a week in 1948 at age 22. Fellow actors criticized his New York accent so he learned how to speak in other accents. He also dated a young actress, Marilyn Monroe.
Early in his movie career, he gained notice for his unique hair style.
Lou Costello was a serial prop stealer. Studio employees finally confronted him, even though he was a big star, because they needed the props for future filming.
Shelley winters was an insecure woman who pretended to be pretentious on sets to mask her fears.
Curtis played Houdini in “Houdini”, a film that boosted his career. His acting was so good that once during filming prop personnel rescued him because his acting made them think he was in bodily danger.
Curtis married actress Janet Leigh. Together, they attended two or three studio parties a week and became friends with other actors. He proudly noted despite all the parties he was almost always on time on sets the next day. They were close friends with Jerry Lewis. Curtis notes while Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin worked well as a professional team they never became close as friends. Later on, Curtis would become friends with Dean Martin and the Rat Pack.
While filming “Beachhead” in Hawaii for Universal, his wife miscarried in California. The move required a few more days of shooting. Universal refused to accept the costs of delaying completion of the movie and stated they just drop and never finish the movie if Curtis left. Curtis completed the movie.
Curtis credits his agent Lew Wasserman for his skills in timely finding great roles for Curtis.
While filming “Trapeze”, Curtis saw some dangers of filmmaking. A lion in the movie attacked a custodian and badly injured him.
When filming “The Vikings” with Kirk Douglas, Douglas offered to pay $200 to every male actor who grew a beard. All the men, including Curtis, did this. Kirk Douglas thus is the only clean shaved male in the movie.
Curtis filmed “The Defiant One” in 1958 with Sidney Poitier only to learn the movie needed approximately one million dollars to be completed. The movie was a controversial story concerning race relations. Curtis convinced a friend Al hart to invest the money. An irony in the movie is actor Carl Switzer’s character gets into an argument over a hunting dog. Soon after the movie was completed, Switzer was shot to death following a real life argument over a hunting dog.
Curtis filmed “Some Like it Hot” with noted directed Billy Wilder. Marilyn Monroe often failed to show up on time and became enraged at times on the set. Billy Wilder became so stressed directing her that he required a muscle relaxant. Curtis enjoyed filming the love scenes with Monroe. He flippantly answered a question as to what it was like to kiss Monroe by responding with a sarcastic answer to what he thought was a stupid question. He answered “Kissing Marilyn is like kissing Hitler.” Unfortunately, his response has been reprinted often as it it were his real opinion.
Yul Brynner was a pretentious actor, even having an assistant on sets light cigarettes for him.
Curtis divorced Janet Leigh. He later, at age 37, married Christine Kaufman, age 18. They met while filming “Taras Bulba” and after marriage filmed “Wild and Wonderful” together.
Director Blake Edwards knew how to get actors to give their best performances. He did so without even using harsh or belittling words.
Curtis found it difficult to work with Joan Collins. She wouldn’t film a scene until she felt ready. This often kept others waiting.
Curtis filmed “Sextette” in what would be Mae West’s last movie. Mae West repeated her lines after hearing them through transmission from the director to an earpiece she worn. She even repeated when the director accidentally coughed and the words from a police broadcast that broke into her frequency.
Curtis began using cocaine. It was expensive but some actors found ways to charge it to the studios. Curtis noted that cocaine users tended to hang out tougher while their non-drug using friends were forgotten. Cocaine is a very addicted drug. Curtis turned to freebasing that led to many days with blank memories of the previous evenings. Cocaine didn’t ruin his career because cocaine was prevalent in the film industry. Curtis went to the Betty Ford Clinic to overcome his cocaine addiction. The clinic gets patients to realize why they take drugs and then guides patients to overcome the feeling of needing drugs.
Pieces of My Heart by Robert Wagner
Robert J. Wagner with Scott Eyman. Pieces of My Heart. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2008.
The author knew by age 14 he wanted to be a movie actor. He walked around Hollywood and hung around where he had heard a director hung out, waiting to be discovered. While this method didn’t work, it helped set his goal at an early age.
Losing his virginity age age 12, his youth included dating daughters of actors Alan Ladd, Harold Lloyd, and Joan Bennett. He become childhood and longtime friends with Roddy McDowell and Elizabeth Taylor.
Wagner’s father was friends with director William Weldman. His father persuaded Weldman to hire his son. Wagner earned $37.50 appearing in the movie “The Happy Years” at age 18. He later signed a $75 a week contract (for work over 40 weeks) that was later raised to $125 a week. 12 years later he earned $5,000 a week.
Darryl Zanuck then ran 20th Century Fox. Zanuck had a successful publicity expert in Harry Brand. William Goetz ran the studio while Zanuck served in World War II. Goetz tore apart Zanuck so much that when Zanuck returned the two of the fought bitterly. Goetz left and formed International Pictures which later merged with Universal.
Wagner learned some studio contract employees were more appropriately hired as prostitutes.
Wagner appeared in small parts in several movies. He once needed 49 takes to film one scene. His contract work included going on publicity tours.
Wagner’s Hollywood life included a one night stand with Joan Crawford and a three month intense flight with Yvonne DeCarlo. He was a longtime friend with Tony Curtis, except for a split that was later fixed, and with Robert Stack.
Wagner’s fan mail increased, which was good. Movie studios looked at the volume of fan mail as an indication of an actor’s popularity.
The author considers Barbara Stanwyck as his first love. They were close friends for four years even though she was 23 years older.
Wagner admired Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. They were excellent actors with strong skills in projecting their characteristics into their roles.
Fox Studios tried to hide the fact that Terry Moore was pregnant with Howard Hughes’s child. They issued a release that she and Wagner were getting married. The studio neglected to tell Wagner this. They hoped Wagner and Moore would be convinced to marry. Wagner was upset, as was his girlfriend, Barbara Stanwyck. Wagner told Fox he refused to marry Moore. Fox never issued another statement and let the matter rest. Wagner notes Moore never gave birth to the baby.
In 1953, Wagner was on seven magazine covers and was told he had passed Marilyn Monroe in the volume of fan mail. His contract increased from $350 a week to $1,250 a week.
Sterling Hayden is recalled as one of the few actors who didn’t care about the film business.
Spencer Tracy taught the author not to think about portraying each moment of a scene and not to overanalyze by considering how to overplay or underplay a scene. As Tracy put it, “don’t learn the tricks of the trade. Learn the trade!: Tracy usually needed one or two takes when filming a scene. As Wagner put it, Tracy “possessed simplicity, the most valuable thing an artist can have and the hardest thing to achieve.”
Wagner dated and then married Natalie Wood when he was 27 and she was 19. Natalie Wood started turning down parts from Jack Warner who then suspended her. Wagner continued acting. Wood returned to film a movie “Cash McCall” designed to profit from her costar Jim Garner’s recent success on TV.
Frank Sinatra felt there was a lot of wasted time involved in filming movies. He wanted scenes done in one or two takes. He also recorded music in much the same way, singing for one or two takes.
Jack Warner once walked into Judy Garland’s and Sid Luft’s house to realize they had stolen all their furniture from their set of Warner’s “A Star is Born”. Warner was upset for years and withheld roles from Garland.
Jack Warner tried to talk director Elia Kazan out of hiring Natalie Wood for “Splendor in the Grass” as Warner was still mad at her. Kazan liked how Wood was willing to let him define the role his way and Wood got the part.
Wagner denied Kazan ‘s allegations that Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty had an affair while filming “Splendor in the Grass” and that Wagner was on the set when it happened. Wagner writes he saw no reason to suspect an affair. Wagner states neither he nor Wood cheated on the other.
Wagner notes Natalie Wood’s career was growing as she continued to be in the successful “West Side Story” while his career was becoming less successful. They argued and the marriage ended, even though he still loved her. They would remarry.
Wagner burned his eyes while filming “The Pink Panther” during a bathtub scene when strong detergent was used by mistake instead of baby detergent. His eyes were shut for three weeks.
Two thirds of Universal’s work was in television then. Wagner starred in the TV series “It Takes a Thief”. The show had high ratings when canceled, yet new studio executives wanted their own new shows. Wagner married a woman named Marion and admits infidelity in that marriage. Ironically, Marion incorrectly claimed Wagner had an affair with Jill St. John, ten years before he would.
Wagner and Natalie Wood re-met and remarried.
Wagner and Wood owned half interest in the TV show “Charlie’s Angels”.
Wagner starred in the TV series “Switch” for three years. CBS moved its time slot six times which hurt the show’s chances of finding an audience for a longer run. He also felt the show should have focused more on the characters rather than emphasizing plot gimmicks.
Lawrence Olivier was the actor Wagner saw who had the least indicating. Indicating is when an actor forces trying to make audiences feel a particular emotion. Olivier had the confidence that the emotions he portrayed would create the desired audience reactions. Wagner writes Natalie Wood also had this talent.
Wagner accepted, and Natalie Wood turned down, roles on the TV show “Hart to Hart”. They decided it was best not to mix their private and working lives. Natalie Wood later drowned off Catalina Island.
Wagner married Jill St. John. After “Hart to Hart” ended, Wagner starred in a TV series “Lime Street” with a similar character. The show lasted a month.
The author knew by age 14 he wanted to be a movie actor. He walked around Hollywood and hung around where he had heard a director hung out, waiting to be discovered. While this method didn’t work, it helped set his goal at an early age.
Losing his virginity age age 12, his youth included dating daughters of actors Alan Ladd, Harold Lloyd, and Joan Bennett. He become childhood and longtime friends with Roddy McDowell and Elizabeth Taylor.
Wagner’s father was friends with director William Weldman. His father persuaded Weldman to hire his son. Wagner earned $37.50 appearing in the movie “The Happy Years” at age 18. He later signed a $75 a week contract (for work over 40 weeks) that was later raised to $125 a week. 12 years later he earned $5,000 a week.
Darryl Zanuck then ran 20th Century Fox. Zanuck had a successful publicity expert in Harry Brand. William Goetz ran the studio while Zanuck served in World War II. Goetz tore apart Zanuck so much that when Zanuck returned the two of the fought bitterly. Goetz left and formed International Pictures which later merged with Universal.
Wagner learned some studio contract employees were more appropriately hired as prostitutes.
Wagner appeared in small parts in several movies. He once needed 49 takes to film one scene. His contract work included going on publicity tours.
Wagner’s Hollywood life included a one night stand with Joan Crawford and a three month intense flight with Yvonne DeCarlo. He was a longtime friend with Tony Curtis, except for a split that was later fixed, and with Robert Stack.
Wagner’s fan mail increased, which was good. Movie studios looked at the volume of fan mail as an indication of an actor’s popularity.
The author considers Barbara Stanwyck as his first love. They were close friends for four years even though she was 23 years older.
Wagner admired Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. They were excellent actors with strong skills in projecting their characteristics into their roles.
Fox Studios tried to hide the fact that Terry Moore was pregnant with Howard Hughes’s child. They issued a release that she and Wagner were getting married. The studio neglected to tell Wagner this. They hoped Wagner and Moore would be convinced to marry. Wagner was upset, as was his girlfriend, Barbara Stanwyck. Wagner told Fox he refused to marry Moore. Fox never issued another statement and let the matter rest. Wagner notes Moore never gave birth to the baby.
In 1953, Wagner was on seven magazine covers and was told he had passed Marilyn Monroe in the volume of fan mail. His contract increased from $350 a week to $1,250 a week.
Sterling Hayden is recalled as one of the few actors who didn’t care about the film business.
Spencer Tracy taught the author not to think about portraying each moment of a scene and not to overanalyze by considering how to overplay or underplay a scene. As Tracy put it, “don’t learn the tricks of the trade. Learn the trade!: Tracy usually needed one or two takes when filming a scene. As Wagner put it, Tracy “possessed simplicity, the most valuable thing an artist can have and the hardest thing to achieve.”
Wagner dated and then married Natalie Wood when he was 27 and she was 19. Natalie Wood started turning down parts from Jack Warner who then suspended her. Wagner continued acting. Wood returned to film a movie “Cash McCall” designed to profit from her costar Jim Garner’s recent success on TV.
Frank Sinatra felt there was a lot of wasted time involved in filming movies. He wanted scenes done in one or two takes. He also recorded music in much the same way, singing for one or two takes.
Jack Warner once walked into Judy Garland’s and Sid Luft’s house to realize they had stolen all their furniture from their set of Warner’s “A Star is Born”. Warner was upset for years and withheld roles from Garland.
Jack Warner tried to talk director Elia Kazan out of hiring Natalie Wood for “Splendor in the Grass” as Warner was still mad at her. Kazan liked how Wood was willing to let him define the role his way and Wood got the part.
Wagner denied Kazan ‘s allegations that Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty had an affair while filming “Splendor in the Grass” and that Wagner was on the set when it happened. Wagner writes he saw no reason to suspect an affair. Wagner states neither he nor Wood cheated on the other.
Wagner notes Natalie Wood’s career was growing as she continued to be in the successful “West Side Story” while his career was becoming less successful. They argued and the marriage ended, even though he still loved her. They would remarry.
Wagner burned his eyes while filming “The Pink Panther” during a bathtub scene when strong detergent was used by mistake instead of baby detergent. His eyes were shut for three weeks.
Two thirds of Universal’s work was in television then. Wagner starred in the TV series “It Takes a Thief”. The show had high ratings when canceled, yet new studio executives wanted their own new shows. Wagner married a woman named Marion and admits infidelity in that marriage. Ironically, Marion incorrectly claimed Wagner had an affair with Jill St. John, ten years before he would.
Wagner and Natalie Wood re-met and remarried.
Wagner and Wood owned half interest in the TV show “Charlie’s Angels”.
Wagner starred in the TV series “Switch” for three years. CBS moved its time slot six times which hurt the show’s chances of finding an audience for a longer run. He also felt the show should have focused more on the characters rather than emphasizing plot gimmicks.
Lawrence Olivier was the actor Wagner saw who had the least indicating. Indicating is when an actor forces trying to make audiences feel a particular emotion. Olivier had the confidence that the emotions he portrayed would create the desired audience reactions. Wagner writes Natalie Wood also had this talent.
Wagner accepted, and Natalie Wood turned down, roles on the TV show “Hart to Hart”. They decided it was best not to mix their private and working lives. Natalie Wood later drowned off Catalina Island.
Wagner married Jill St. John. After “Hart to Hart” ended, Wagner starred in a TV series “Lime Street” with a similar character. The show lasted a month.
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