MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO, THE: WILLIAM S. PALEY TELEVISION FESTIVAL 2000: DHARMA & GREG {DHARMA AND GREG} {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Museum of Television & Radio's William S. Paley Television Festival in Los Angeles. Held this year at the Directors Guild of America Theatre Complex, the festival celebrates the excellence and diversity of American television, and is dedicated to television's creative community. This evening honors "Dharma & Greg," a comedy series about two unlikely soulmates: Dharma, a yoga instructor who was raised by hippies, and her husband Greg, an assistant U.S. attorney for the Justice Department. Los Angeles Museum vice president and director Steven A. Bell begins by introducing the evening's panelists: creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre; writer and executive producer Bill Prady; executive producer Regina Stewart; and actors Shae D'lyn (Jane), Jenna Elfman (Dharma Finkelstein), Thomas Gibson (Greg Montgomery), Mimi Kennedy (Abby Finkelstein), Joel Murray (Pete), Alan Rachins (Larry Finkelstein), Mitchell Ryan (Edward Montgomery), and Susan Sullivan (Kitty Montgomery). Next, Lorre introduces the series pilot and the episode "Valet Girl," which are screened in their entirety. After the screening, the panelists discuss the following topics: Lorre's initial plans for the series in terms of the Dharma character, as well as his feelings about the unlikely relationship between Dharma and Greg and the use of San Francisco as a setting; influences and factors in Elfman's childhood that led to her sense of comedy; Gibson's experience working on his first situation comedy; the cast members' backgrounds in theater; several examples of the lucky casting of the program; Gibson's experiences working on the series "Chicago Hope"; the writers' decision to send Greg on a journey of self-discovery; Dharma's adaptability to all situations, including Greg's spiritual mission; the series' character-based writing; and Kennedy's perspective comparing theater and television work. Next, panelists respond to questions from the audience, leading to a discussion of the following subjects, among others: the development of Pete and Jane's characters; the background element of Jewish culture in the program; Elfman's experience of playing music with Bob Dylan during his appearance on one episode; the writers' attachment to the characters; the development of "Dharma & Greg" from an earlier pilot script that Lorre had written; Elfman's contract with 20th Century Fox Television; and the inclusion of Lorre's vanity cards at the end of each show.
(This tape includes the "Dharma & Greg" pilot and the episode "Valet Girl," which are part of the MuseumÕs collection and may also be viewed separately. See T:50651 and T:59274 for summaries.)
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: March 8, 2000 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:53:52
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:59896
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Steven A. Bell … Moderator
- Shae D'lyn … Panelist
- Jenna Elfman … Panelist
- Thomas Gibson … Panelist
- Mimi Kennedy … Panelist
- Chuck Lorre … Panelist
- Joel Murray … Panelist
- Bill Prady … Panelist
- Alan Rachins … Panelist
- Mitchell Ryan … Panelist
- Regina Stewart … Panelist
- Susan Sullivan … Panelist
- Bob Dylan