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Arthur Penn

Director

"None of us realized the potency yet of this medium--how many homes it was going to, what kind of affect it was having on people and so forth.. I think everybody who works in the visual medium would love to have that kind of innocence again."

About This Interview

Noted director Arthur Penn (1922-2010) gives a fascinating perspective on directing for television, by highlighting his early jobs with many live shows including Producer's Showcase, Philco Television Playhouse, and  Playhouse 90. Penn reminisces about legendary producer Fred Coe and relates how his television experience prepared him for his motion picture career, which include the classics "Miracle Worker," "Bonnie and Clyde," and "Little Big Man." Conducted October 21, 1998 by Henry Colman.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics

Shows

  • Colgate Comedy Hour, The
  • Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
  • Playhouse 90
  • Playwrights ‘56
  • Producers’ Showcase

People

  • Tad Mosel

Topics

  • Memorable Moments on Television
  • TV’s Golden Age (1940s & ‘50s)
  • Television and the Presidency
YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
  • Highlights
  • Chapters
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics

Highlights

  • Arthur Penn on directing the finale of Bonnie and ClydeArthur Penn on directing the finale of Bonnie and Clyde
    Clip begins at: 00:01
  • Arthur Penn on                            <i>First Person</i>, an NBC dramatic anthology summer replacement, produced by Fred Coe, leading to a job directing                            <i>Philco Playhouse</i>for CoeArthur Penn on First Person, an NBC dramatic anthology summer replacement, produced by Fred Coe, leading to a job directing Philco Playhousefor Coe
    Clip begins at: 16:02
  • Arthur Penn on the Nixon-Kennedy debates. When asked by a Kennedy friend his advice on shooting the televised debate, he and Fred                           Coe made the suggestion "close-ups"; on the potency of televisionArthur Penn on the Nixon-Kennedy debates. When asked by a Kennedy friend his advice on shooting the televised debate, he and Fred Coe made the suggestion "close-ups"; on the potency of television
    Clip begins at: 20:37, Duration: 06m 00s
  • Arthur Penn on an early job as a floor manager for the                            <i>Colgate Comedy Hour</i>starring Bob Hope, Eddie Cantor, Jerry Lewis; on the Colonial Theater where the show was filmedArthur Penn on an early job as a floor manager for the Colgate Comedy Hourstarring Bob Hope, Eddie Cantor, Jerry Lewis; on the Colonial Theater where the show was filmed
    Clip begins at: 09:03
  • Arthur Penn on Fred Coe's producing style; he once stopped a play mid-performance Arthur Penn on Fred Coe's producing style; he once stopped a play mid-performance 
    Clip begins at: 17:41

Chapters

  • Chapter 1
  • On his childhood, early influences from theater and radio, 
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Chapter 2
  • On his college years where he met John Cage, Merce Cunningham and R. Buckminster Fuller; his first job in television as a floor manager at NBC and on the Colgate Comedy Hour  starring Bob Hope, Martin & Lewis, and Eddie Cantor; on live television; his first job directing on  First Person  and then the Philco Playhouse  for producer Fred Coe
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Chapter 3
  • On directing live television from a control room; on Philco Playhouse   actors; on the Producer's Showcase  ; on "The Battler" episode of Playwrights' 56   which James Dean was to appear on, replaced by Paul Newman
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Chapter 4
  • On directing Playhouse 90;  on directing Paul Newman in The Left-Handed Gun; on the Nixon-Kennedy Debates
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Chapter 5
  • On directing the Broadway play "The Miracle Worker" with Anne Bancroft; on directing "Bonnie & Clyde" with Warren Beatty; on the NBC special Flesh and Blood; directing "Little Big Man" with Dustin Hoffman; on the best television has to offer as a medium; on Fred Coe's legacy; 
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Chapter 6
  • On actors, directors and producers he's worked with: Rod Serling, Ethel Winant, William Gibson, Marlon Brando, Fred Coe
    Clip begins at: 0:0

Shows

  • Colgate Comedy Hour, The
    • Arthur Penn on an early job as a floor manager for the Colgate Comedy Hour starring Bob Hope, Eddie Cantor, Jerry Lewis; on the Colonial Theater where the show was filmed
      Clip begins at: 09:03
  • Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
    • Arthur Penn on First Person, an NBC dramatic anthology summer replacement, produced by Fred Coe, leading to a job directing Philco Playhouse for Coe
      Clip begins at: 16:02
    • Arthur Penn on directing Philco from the control room; the atmosphere on a live television show
      Clip begins at: 00:03
    • Arthur Penn on "The Lawn Party" show on Philco, written by Tad Mosel; describing the talents of Mosel
      Clip begins at: 06:17
    • Arthur Penn on the writing process on Philco and Fred Coe's involvement on the show
      Clip begins at: 12:26
  • Playhouse 90
    • Arthur Penn on directing for Playhouse 90; the potency of television at the time
      Clip begins at: 23:14
  • Playwrights ‘56
    • Arthur Penn on the Playwright's 56 episode "The Battler" which was to star James Dean, who was killed. Penn suggested that Paul Newman should replace him.
      Clip begins at: 25:56
  • Producers’ Showcase
    • Arthur Penn on how Producer's Showcase came about
      Clip begins at: 16:28

People

  • Fred Coe
    • Arthur Penn on Fred Coe's producing style; he once stopped a play mid-performance 
      Clip begins at: 17:41
    • Arthur Penn on the writing process on Philco and Fred Coe's involvement on the show
      Clip begins at: 12:26
    • Arthur Penn on the Nixon-Kennedy debates. When asked by a Kennedy friend his advice on shooting the televised debate, he and Fred Coe made the suggestion "close-ups"
      Clip begins at: 20:37, Duration: 06m 00s
  • James Dean
    • Arthur Penn on the Playwright's 56 episode "The Battler" which was to star James Dean, who was killed. Penn suggested that Paul Newman should replace him.
      Clip begins at: 25:56
  • Tad Mosel
    • Arthur Penn on "The Lawn Party" show on Philco, written by Tad Mosel; describing the talents of Mosel
      Clip begins at: 06:17

Topics

  • Memorable Moments on Television > We Considered
    • Arthur Penn on the Nixon-Kennedy debates. When asked by a Kennedy friend his advice on shooting the televised debate, he and Fred Coe made the suggestion "close-ups"; on the potency of television
      Clip begins at: 20:37, Duration: 06m 00s
  • TV’s Golden Age (1940s & ‘50s)
    • Arthur Penn on the coaxial cable which connected the two coasts
      Clip begins at: 08:10
  • Television and the Presidency > Kennedy
    • Arthur Penn on the Nixon-Kennedy debates. When asked by a Kennedy friend his advice on shooting the televised debate, he and Fred Coe made the suggestion "close-ups"; on the potency of television
      Clip begins at: 20:37, Duration: 06m 00s
  • Television and the Presidency > Nixon
    • Arthur Penn on the Nixon-Kennedy debates. When asked by a Kennedy friend his advice on shooting the televised debate, he and Fred Coe made the suggestion "close-ups"; on the potency of television
      Clip begins at: 20:37, Duration: 06m 00s
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