MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO, THE: 15TH ANNUAL
WILLIAM S. PALEY TELEVISION FESTIVAL 1998: THE
NANNY {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 "The Nanny," the hit comedy series about a Jewish cosmetics saleswoman who winds up working as a nanny for a wealthy English businessman in Manhattan. Museum television curator Ron Simon introduces the following members of the creative team of "The Nanny": producer and director Dorothy Lyman; cast members Benjamin Salisbury, Nicholle Tom, Madeline Zima, Rachel Chagall, Ann Guilbert, Renee Taylor, Daniel Davis, Charles Shaughnessy, and Fran Drescher; co-executive producers and writers Frank Lombardi and Caryn Lucas; writers Prudence Fraser and Robert Sternin; executive producer Diane Wilk; and producer and creator Peter Marc Jacobson. Next, Drescher introduces the episodes, "Lamb Chop's on the Menu" and "Hurricane Fran," which are screened in their entirety. After the screening, the panelists comment on the following topics, among others: influences on the show's premise; the story behind the development of the pilot episode; cast members' past experiences which influenced their roles on the series; the nature of the auditions; and their favorite scenes of pure comedy during the run of the series. Following these comments, the panelists answer questions from the audience, leading to discussion about the following topics, among others: their efforts to keep the series fresh and funny as the story lines change; the creation and performance of the theme song; the impact on story lines as the children grow older; the creation and selection of the outlandish costumes that Drescher wears on the series; ideal guest stars for future episodes; the number of months in advance in which story lines are developed; Drescher's feelings about being categorized as a "diva" by her fans; other projects they have planned for the future; the popularity of the series overseas; and the feedback from the Jewish community regarding Drescher's portrayal of a Jewish nanny. (This tape includes the episodes "Lamb Chop's on the Menu" and "Hurricane Fran," which are part of the Museum's collection and may also be viewed separately. See T:51761 and T:51760 respectively for summaries.)

Details

  • NETWORK: Paley
  • DATE: March 10, 1998 7:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:53:27
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:93656
  • GENRE: Seminars
  • SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
  • SERIES RUN: N/A
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Ron Simon … Moderator
  • Fran Drescher … Panelist
  • Dorothy Lyman … Panelist
  • Benjamin Salisbury … Panelist
  • Nicholle Tom … Panelist
  • Madeline Zima … Panelist
  • Rachel Chagall … Panelist
  • Ann Guilbert … Panelist
  • Renee Taylor … Panelist
  • Daniel Davis … Panelist
  • Charles Shaughnessy … Panelist
  • Frank Lombardi … Panelist
  • Caryn Lucas … Panelist
  • Prudence Fraser … Panelist
  • Robert Sternin … Panelist
  • Diane Wilk … Panelist
  • Peter Marc Jacobson … Panelist