Prime Time, Prime Movers: From I Love Lucy to L.A. Law--America's Greatest TV Shows and the People Who Created Them

From dominant performers such as Jackie Gleason and Carol Burnett to powerhouse producers such as Norman Lear and Steven Bochco, this book reviews the stories and styles of the most important architects of the airwaves. Milton Berle brought a "hellzapoppin'" vaudeville aesthetic to TV. Gleason used it as an autobiographical medium. Red Skelton was the classic clown from the heartland. Paul Henning, who created, wrote, and produced The Beverly Hillbillies, was himself a kid from Missouri who grew up to become a millionaire in Los Angeles. Norman Lear modeled Archie Bunker after his own cantankerous father. Steven Bochco productions, such as Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law, made TV watching respectable for yuppies. Authors David Marc and Robert J. Thompson are the most outspoken proponents of the auteur argument. Covering a broad spectrum of TV programming formats, from old-time variety shows to sitcoms, from action/adventure shows to documentaries, from gameshows to soap operas, they challenge the tastes and interests of television viewers--a group roughly equivalent to the American population at large.

Author: David Marc, Robert Thompson
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Published: 06/01/1995
Pages: 348
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.12lbs
Size: 9.28h x 6.17w x 0.81d
ISBN: 9780815603115

About the Author

David Marc is the author of Leveling the Playing Field: The Story of the Syracuse Eight.

Robert J. Thompson is an American educator and media scholar.