PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: MEDIA AS LENS: BACK IN CIRCULATION: A LOU GRANT REUNION {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media’s Media as Lens series. This evening, held at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, honors “Lou Grant,” a drama about the daily trials of a hard-hitting newspaper editor and his staff. Christy Carpenter (executive vice president, chief operating officer, The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles) offers opening remarks before introducing the evenings’ moderator, Robert Scheer (columnist, San Francisco Chronicle). Scheer introduces a series of clips from the show. Clips are interspersed throughout, including: Lou discussing a controversial story with his staff; Joe and Billie’s tumultuous relationship; Dennis talking to Lou about his Vietnam experiences; Art revealing his mother’s illness to Lou; Lou confronting Billie about the dire consequences of a story she wrote; Joe investigating a mental hospital; and a montage of the show’s numerous famous guest stars. Scheer then introduces the panelists: executive producers/co-creators/writers Allan Burns and Gene Reynolds; producer/writer Seth Freeman; director/cast member Allen Williams (Adam Wilson); and cast members Daryl Anderson (Dennis “Animal” Price); Linda Kelsey (Billie Newman); Jack Bannon (Art Donovan); Robert Walden (Joe Rossi); and Edward Asner (Lou Grant). Topics of discussion include: the panelists’ opinions about the differences between 1970’s television and modern television; Burns’s recollection of “Lou Grant’s” near-cancellation; the show’s network troubles in its later years and its eventual “political cancellation;” Asner’s political activism and how it may have played a role in attitudes towards the show; the show’s controversial content or lack thereof; how “Lou Grant” helped to effect change in legislation due to its exposure of pressing issues; Freeman’s observations on how the writers kept the show current; the level of censorship on the show; a particular episode revolving around Kelsey’s character which had a profound impact on cancer victims; how Kelsey’s character was “groundbreaking” for women in television; reactions from the real-life organizations that the show talked about; the show’s commentary on issues such as homophobia and homelessness; how Asner’s liberalism often clashed with his character’s “conservative instincts;” the writers’ recollections of the decision-making and research processes that went into each episode; and Walden’s encounter with David Shaw, the journalist his character was based on. Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: the panelists discussing their favorite episodes; whether Asner was ever concerned about becoming typecast because of “Lou Grant;” Asner’s memories of a particularly grueling shooting sequence; the challenges of filming a one-camera show versus a multiple-camera show; Reynold’s meeting at the Washington Post; the appeal of the show to real-life journalists; Asner and the writers’ difficult transition from a comedy series to a drama; the panelists’ thoughts on the changing role and perception of journalism and mass media; and the possibility of the “return” of “Lou Grant.”
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 16, 2007 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:59:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91981
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Christy Carpenter … Host
- Robert Scheer … Moderator
- Seth Freeman … Panelist
- Allen Williams … Panelist
- Daryl Anderson … Panelist
- Linda Kelsey … Panelist
- Jack Bannon … Panelist
- Robert Walden … Panelist
- Edward Asner … Panelist
- Allan Burns … Panelist
- Gene Reynolds … Panelist
- David Shaw