I represent the first generation who, when we were born, the television was now a permanent fixture in our homes. When I was born people had breakfast with Barbara Walters, dinner with Walter Cronkite, and slept with Johnny Carson. Read the full "Pre-ramble"
| Show No. 130 | First hour: Producer/director Walter Grauman (The Untouchables, The Fugitive, Felony Squad, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, Murder, She Wrote) joins Ed and guest co-host Paul Robert Coyle for a conversation about his career in television, which he began directing live shows in the early 1950s before establishing himself as one of the most prolific directors of scripted drama in TV history. Walter will be honored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive on Friday, Mar. 23 with a special screening of “Fear in a Desert City,” the pilot episode of The Fugitive (which he directed), and “Noise of Death,” the segment of The Untouchables that marked the beginning of Walter’s longtime professional affiliation and personal friendship with Quinn Martin. The event will be held at the Billy Wilder Theater, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., in Los Angeles, beginning at 7:30pm. |
Marvin J.
Wolf began his career as a combat
photographer for the U.S. Army during Vietnam before establishing himself as a
successful freelance journalist, screenwriter and, now, novelist. He has
authored or co-authored more than 15 books, including Fallen Angels, Perfect
Crimes, Where White Men Fear to Tread (the autobiography of Russell Means),
and Beating the Odds: The Untold Story of the Rise of ABC, the memoirs of
ABC founding president Leonard Goldenson, and also one of the best TV history
books ever written. Marv has also written for television, including an
adaptation of his book Perfect Crimes on which he collaborated with Emmy
Award-winning writer/producer Roy Huggins. 
Marv
has embarked on a brand new chapter in his writing career with the publication
of The Tattooed Rabbi, the first in a series of
mystery novels featuring crime-solving Rabbi Ben Maimon, a master of the Torah,
the Talmud and Tae Kwon Do who is also a discerning student of human nature.
We’ll talk about the inspiration for Rabbi Ben, as well as learn about Marv’s
encounters with John Wayne, Peter Jennings, David Janssen, George Takei and
Barbara Walters when he joins us near the end of our first hour. 
Also
joining us this week will be nationally renowned female tribute artist Peter
Mac. Peter has captured the essence of Judy Garland in not
only his critically acclaimed stage show, Judy and Me, but also in a
series of live cabaret shows that are currently playing every
Friday and Saturday night at the historic French
Quarter Restaurant in West Hollywood. Joe Franklin once said
that “Peter Mac is making entertainment history as Judy Garland... his
brilliance is obvious and he has an ingredient that adds up to a great star
quality.” 
We’ll
ask Peter what made Garland one of the world’s greatest entertainers, as well as
why her music has always played a very pivotal (and very personal) role in his
life, when he joins us in our first hour.
Listen to me on TV CONFIDENTIAL:
CLICK HERE for a list of Stations
As always, the further we go back in Hollywood history, the more that fact and legend become intertwined. It's hard to say where the truth really lies.
Plot summary
The new owner of WJM-TV is firing people left and right, and wants to do something about the Six O'Clock News' low ratings. Surprisingly, Lou, Mary, Murray, and Sue Ann are fired, but the person widely perceived as the cause of the Six O'Clock News' low ratings, Ted, is retained.
Mary takes the news particularly hard. To cheer her up, Lou arranges for old friends Rhoda and Phyllis to fly to Minneapolis for a surprise visit at Mary's apartment.
To
quote the Bicentennial Minute, "And that's the way it was".
Stay Tuned
Tony Figueroa
