MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SEMINAR SERIES, THE: A CONVERSATION WITH ROB REINER {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television & Radio. This seminar, held in Los Angeles and moderated by Museum vice president and director Steven A. Bell, features a discussion with acclaimed film director and television icon Rob Reiner. Reiner first achieved national prominence for his portrayal of the idealistic liberal Mike Stivic on the long-running series "All in the Family." The recipient of two Emmy Awards for acting, Reiner has gone on to produce, write, and direct many television projects, and has earned a reputation as one of Hollywood's most popular and respected film directors.
The seminar begins with a highlight reel spanning Reiner's work on television, including scenes from "That Girl," "The Odd Couple," "All in the Family," "Saturday Night Live," and "The T.V. Show," which features an early appearance by the parody rock band Spinal Tap. Bell and Reiner then discuss the following topics, among others: the legendary comedy writer, actor, producer, and director Carl Reiner's (Rob's father) move with his family from New York to Los Angeles, and his subsequent creation of "The Dick Van Dyke Show"; Reiner's upbringing amidst comedy greats such as Mel Brooks, Sid Caesar, and Neil Simon; the creation by Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks of the Two Thousand Year-Old Man; Reiner's youthful attempts to emulate his father; Reiner's comic bit about the derivation of applause, which his father and Brooks revived at the Emmy Awards; Reiner's film debut at age nineteen in "Enter Laughing," directed by his father; Reiner's role in the movie "Where's Poppa?"; Reiner's ubiquitous presence on television sit-coms in the late 1960s; Reiner's writing stint teamed with Steve Martin on the Smothers Brothers variety show; Reiner's role as Michael Stivic on "All in the Family," and Reiner's writing for that show; Norman Lear's refusal to compromise on "All in the Family's" controversial subject matter; Reiner's Emmy awards; Reiner's career expectations when he quit "All in the Family"; the difficulty of making the transition from acting in television to directing movies; the short-lived television show "Free Country"; Reiner's directorial debut and subsequent cult favorite "This is Spinal Tap"; Reiner's popular breakthrough in the movies directing "Stand by Me," and that movie's deep emotional significance for him; the founding of Reiner's production company Castle Rock; Reiner's proclivity for making cameo appearances in movies; and Reiner's recent project exploring early childhood development called "I Am Your Child." Reiner then takes questions from the seminar audience, discussing the following topics, among others: the extent to which Reiner consciously planned the path of his career; Reiner's preference for directing over acting; the television shows Reiner enjoys, including "Biography," "The Actors Studio," news, and sports; a mobster's reaction to Reiner's movie "The Princess Bride"; the origin of the fake orgasm scene in his film "When Harry Met Sally"; writing a skit for his father to perform in the special "I Am Your Child"; the evolution of television from a primarily theatrical form to the fractured, mosaic nature of cable; the amount of improvisation by John Cusack in the movie "The Sure Thing"; the changes made in Reiner's television show "Morton and Hayes"; the homogenization of television in the age of political correctness, and the ascendancy of the ensemble sit-com; Reiner's upcoming project about domestic terrorism; and Reiner's casting methods.
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: September 17, 1997 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:22:43
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:50390
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Steven A. Bell … Moderator
- Rob Reiner … Guest
- Mel Brooks
- John Cusack
- Norman Lear
- Steve Martin
- Carl Reiner
- Spinal Tap