MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING SEMINAR SERIES, THE: PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY . . . SMITH-HEMION, SEMINAR NO. 3 {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television & Radio, known at the time as The Museum of Broadcasting. This session features variety entertainment specialists Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion of the television production/direction team Smith-Hemion. Television curator Ron Simon introduces highlights from the pair's career, including footage from the programs "Baryshnikov on Broadway," "Julie on Sesame Street," "The Kraft Music Hall: Alan King's Wonderful World of Aggravation Part Two," "Uptown: A Musical Comedy History of Harlem's Apollo Theater" and "Barbra Streisand And Other Musical Instruments." After the screening, Simon describes the team's history together and invites the audience to attend the Museum's current screening series featuring Smith-Hemion specials. Simon, Smith, and Hemion then discuss the initial impetus behind the Baryshnikov and Streisand specials, the pair's decision to form a partnership, and the changing nature of variety entertainment. Simon invites the audience to ask questions, and topics discussed include: Streisand's unique deal with HBO for airing her benefit concert; the relative lack of audience for variety-special re-runs; the primary function of a production company such as Smith-Hemion and the financing and budgeting of variety specials; the small field of variety-entertainment production and Smith and Hemion's friend and competitor Nick Vanoff; the pair's staging of the 1988 Democratic National Convention; their deep commitment to working on television as a medium; Hemion's experience directing live television; the benefits of working in cable television; the pair's use of "man on the street" segments in their variety specials; and Smith's dream projects, including cause-related variety events.
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: June 21, 1989 5:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:32:07
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:16692
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ron Simon … Host, Moderator
- Dwight Hemion … Panelist
- Gary Smith … Panelist
- Julie Andrews
- Mikhail Baryshnikov
- Alan King
- Barbra Streisand
- Nick Vanoff