Buz Kohan
Writer
About This Interview
Alan "Buz" Kohan was interviewed for nearly five hours in Los Angeles, CA. He talks about growing up in NY, his early childhood, and attending Eastman School of Music. He discusses working with longtime writing partner Bill Angelos on The Perry Como Special, and The Sammy Davis Jr. Show, and speaks of becoming a producer/writer on The Carol Burnett Show, for which he won an Emmy award. He speaks of his "speciality" - writing awards shows - and details events from the twenty-plus Academy Award shows on which he was a writer (from 1973-1991). He comments on writing for several variety shows, including The Ann-Margret Special, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, The Neil Diamond Special, Bette Midler: Ol' Red Hair is Back, The Bob Hope Special, Shirley MacLaine at the Lido, George Burns and John Denver: Two of a Kind; Baryshnikov in Hollywood, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Comic Relief, Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration, among many others. Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 1, 2011.
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Highlights
Buz Kohan on his "speciality" when it comes to writing for Awards shows
Clip begins at: 39:00- Buz Kohan on Billy Crystal as host of the Oscars
Clip begins at: 24:03 - On the stigma of being an Awards show writer
Clip begins at: 04:13 - Buz Kohan on writing for the Academy Awards shows; on why Johnny Carson was a good host
Clip begins at: 21:02 
Buz Kohan on how he got his nickname
Clip begins at: 01:25
Buz Kohan on his advice to aspiring writers
Clip begins at: 54:06
Interview
- Part 1
- On his childhood, education and family; on his time serving in the Army
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On getting his start as a writer; on working in animation
Clip begins at: 32:00 - On writing for Goodman Ace on radio; working with Sammy Davis Jr, Carol Burnett
Clip begins at: 00:01 - Part 2
- On writing on the Carol Burnett Show; on ending his writing partnership with Bill Angelos; on how changes in technology affected his writing style; on winning an Emmy
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his solo career as a writer; on The Beatles at Shea Stadium; on working with Bette Midler, Cher, Shirley Maclaine, Barbra Streisand
Clip begins at: 21:00 - Part 3
- On his long tenure writing for the Academy Awards shows
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On the process of writing the Oscars; on staying topical; on the unscripted moments
Clip begins at: 04:02 - On some memorable unscripted moments on the Academy Awards shows; on Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg as hosts of the show
Clip begins at: 21:02 - On the difficulties of hosting the Academy Awards show; on the changes to the show through the years; on why he thinks he is asked to keep writing for the show
Clip begins at: 27:50 - On writing for Comic Relief; Motown 25;
Clip begins at: 44:12 - Part 4
- On working on "Baryshnikov in Hollywood" special; The Muppets special;
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On working with Sammy Davis, Jr. on his 60th Anniversary Celebration and with Michael Jackson, Gregory Hines, and Frank Sinatra
Clip begins at: 12:04 - On his advice to aspiring writers
Clip begins at: 54:00
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This is exactly what an oral history interview should be!!!!! My compliments to the amazing Buz Kohan and to the unobtrusive interviewer who let him tell his story. I'll be using this one as an example in my class.
Terrific interview. Thank you TV legend.
Please make a correction in my piece where you write that I was in the Air Force. It was the good old United States Army. And if you could, please add me to the alphabetical listings under "K". As of now, I am not listed there and it is difficult forf those few people who might be interested to know that I have an interview at all. Thanks vety much. Alan Buz Kohan
You got me again, Buz! Fixed and Fixed. Thanks!
Buz----Terrific!!! But---- how're we gonna fit all that on the gravestone???
SP3 USs 51376718
I' ve spent all of my career trying to get anyone who referred to me in one form or another to please spell my name correctly. It's Buz with one "z" and Kohan with a "k".
Of all people to get it wrong, it is a shame that it turns out to be you. Please make the correction as soon as you can, and also refer to my alma mater as the Eastman School of Music.
Otherwise thank you for the genuine effort you showed in telling about my career and life.
Buz Kohan
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