Roy Huggins

In his five-hour interview, Roy Huggins (1914-2002) talks about his early years as a novelist and member of the Communist Party. He recalls getting into screenwriting at Columbia Pictures with films like Hangman's Knot, and subsequently being blacklisted. He describes testifying in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee, where he confirmed the names of several suspected communists. He recounts his early years with Warner Bros. Television, where he wrote for shows like King's Row and Cheyenne, as well as creating the smash hit Western series Maverick starring James Garner and Jack Kelly. Huggins discusses creating 77 Sunset Strip for Warner Bros. before leaving for Universal Television where he wrote and produced The Virginian and created the smash hit The Fugitive. He speaks of creating the movie of the week concept, which he claims was stolen from him, and outlines having a hand in creating several hit 1970s shows including Toma, The Rockford Files, and Baretta. He concludes by talking about the many television and feature film revivals of his shows, and recalling several people with whom he has worked in his career. Lee Goldberg conducted the interview on July 21, 1998 in Brentwood, CA.