Albert Heschong

Albert Heschong (1919-2001) was interviewed for three hours plus in Encino, CA.  Mr. Heschong spoke at length about the craft of art direction for television, and detailed his own background in theatrical productions.  He recalled his first foray into television at ABC in New York, where he worked on such productions as Pulitzer Prize Playhouse, Celanese Theater and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, for which he created the interior of a space-traveling ship.  He also discussed his work on the respected anthology series U.S. Steel Hour, recalling individual teleplays including “Hedda Gabler,” “The Last Notch” and “No Time For Sergeants.”  He then explained his career transition to CBS in Los Angeles, where he was assigned to the famed anthology series Climax! and Playhouse 90.  He discussed the Playhouse 90 teleplay for which he won an Emmy, “Requiem for a Heavyweight.”  Mr. Heschong next talked about his work on the popular western shows Gunsmoke and Wild, Wild West, and the many special effects and technical tricks they employed.  He explained his involvement in the production design of the CBS Affiliate Conventions during the 1960’s and 1970’s, and the elaborate lengths they went to in their décor.  Mr. Heschong recalled working on dozens of television movies in the 1970’s and 1980’s, including one memorable location shoot in Denver, Colorado that nearly pushed his problem solving skills to the limit.  Finally, he discussed his most recent work, prior to his retirement in the early 1990’s, including the pilots for Hawaii Five-0, Major Dad and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.  The interview was conducted by Henry Colman on June 13, 2000.