MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING SEMINAR SERIES, THE: TATTINGER'S PREMIERE {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars presented by The Paley Center for Media, known at that time as The Museum of Broadcasting. This event celebrates "Tattinger's" (also "Tattingers"), the comedy-drama series about a married couple's attempts to revitalize their upscale Manhattan restaurant.
Museum president Robert M. Batscha opens the seminar and introduces executive producer/co-creator/writer/director Bruce Paltrow, who welcomes fellow panelists, executive producer/co-creator Tom Fontana, and producers/writers Channing Gibson and John Tinker. The panelists briefly explain that the show's title comes from the Taittinger champagne brand, and the series pilot is then screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see T88:0508.)
After the screening, the panelists are joined by NBC President Brandon Tartikoff; and cast members Blythe Danner (Hillary Tattinger), Chay Lentin (Winnifred Tattinger), and Zach Grenier (Sonny Franks).
The panelists touch on such topics as: how the origins of the story preceded the casting process; plans for the return of Uta Hagen's character of Honey Epstein; how the writers are "making adjustments" to the show's use of humor and action, including their intentions to use violence "judiciously"; exploring both the good and bad elements of New York City; a sexually themed plotline involving 14-year-old Winnifred; the four- or five-year production process and how they are learning from the first episode; comparisons to "St. Elsewhere," which Paltrow describes as poorly made and poorly rated in its first several episodes; the episode's slightly confusing flashback structure; Danner's previous role on the short-lived series "Adam's Rib"; working alongside husband Paltrow; the "one-at-a-time" writing and shooting schedule; in-story references to Gibson's alma mater, Yale University; the construction of the restaurant set and the use of Wilson's on West 79th Street for the exteriors of Tattinger's; selecting the four real-life famous NYC restaurants – Lutèce, The Quilted Giraffe, Le Cirque, and Petrossian – featured in the episode's opening scenes; and why filming in New York is not more difficult than filming in L.A., with the exception of weather problems and the difficulty of moving film crews east and west in Manhattan.
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: October 24, 1988
- RUNNING TIME: 1:05:05
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:16704
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Robert M. Batscha … Host
- Bruce Paltrow … Panelist
- Tom Fontana … Panelist
- Channing Gibson … Panelist
- John Tinker … Panelist
- Blythe Danner … Panelist
- Chay Lentin … Panelist
- Zach Grenier … Panelist
- Brandon Tartikoff … Panelist
- Uta Hagen