Andy Rooney
Writer/Producer/Commentator
About This Interview
Full 8-part oral history interview with commentator /writer Andy Rooney. He speaks about his 50-year career in TV. He talks about his entrance into radio and television as a staff writer for Arthur Godfrey and later on television's The Morning Show with Will Rogers, Jr. and The Seven Lively Arts. He describes his shift to the non-fiction form working on such CBS series as The Twentieth Century and Calendar. He speaks about the many CBS documentary specials he and Harry Reasoner collaborated on including: An Essay on Doors (1964), A Bird's Eye View of America (1964), and The Strange Case of the English Language (1968). Rooney talks about several other documentaries: Sinatra (1965, re-shown on CBS in 1998) and Black History: Lost, Stolen, or Straye d (1968, Emmy winner). He talks about his long association with 60 Minutes, which began in 1968. He talks about his temporary break with CBS when it refused to air an anti-Vietnam War piece An Essay on War, and the subsequent airing of it on PBS's The Great American Dream Machine. Rooney speaks of writing and appearing in "A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney" the essays on everyday life that appear on 60 Minutes. Conducted June 22, 1999 by Don Carleton.
Related To This Video
Resources
Article: USA Today: "'A few minutes with Andy Rooney' becomes 91 Years"
Article: "Thank You, Andy Rooney" by Bob Sassone, September 28, 2011
YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
Highlights
Andy Rooney discusses "On Being Famous"
Clip begins at: 00:07, Duration: 02m 37s
Andy Rooney discusses his essay "Black History Lost Stolen or Strayed"
Clip begins at: 00:07, Duration: 05m 21s
Andy Rooney on his start on 60 Minutes
Clip begins at: 00:07, Duration: 01m 45s
Andy Rooney discusses "An Essay on War"
Clip begins at: 00:07, Duration: 03m 18s
Andy Rooney on "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney"
Clip begins at: 00:07, Duration: 05m 27s
Interview
- Part 1
- Introduction
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his early years, education, and influences; on his interest in journalism; on serving in World War II; on becoming a reporter for the U.S. military newspaper "Stars and Stripes"
Clip begins at: 00:18 - Part 2
- On his work on Stars and Stripes during World War II
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 3
- On his transition to radio after World War II; on joining CBS as a writer for Arthur Godfrey; on the beginnings of television; on working with Arthur Godfrey; on Godfrey's firing of Julius La Rosa; on on Herb Shriner's tragic death; on writing for Sam Levenson's show
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 4
- On writing for The Morning Show with Will Rogers, Jr. ; on the challenges of doing live television broadcasts; on the power of innovation; on his start in documentary work (including An Essay on Doors; on his encounter with the Blacklist
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 5
- On working on Calendar; on working with Harry Reasoner; on his famous documentary essays
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 6
- On his work on Black History: Lost, Stolen, or Strayed (1968, Emmy winner); on his temporary break with CBS when it refused to air an anti-Vietnam War piece An Essay on War, and the subsequent airing of it on PBS's The Great American Dream Machine; on his work for ABC; on returning to CBS and doing his "Mr Rooney Goes to..." essays
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 7
- On working at 60 Minutes and some of the major stories covered
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 8
- On his books; on his thoughts about journalism today (1999); on how he would like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 0:0
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I just watched this interview and loved it. Rooney was very candid and always pointed out the obvious truths in our screwed up culture.
The generation of people that gave us television, the transistor, integrated circuits, digital computers, molecular biology, quantum physics, refrigeration, jet travel, the civil rights movement, the mathematics that makes modern communication possible, and countless other things that make our lives better and have created the opportunities that make for a better futue is sadly becoming extinct. Andy Rooney reported on this grand show with integrity, style, and class. He and his kind will be sorely missed.
There was a time when journalism sought to provide us with "truths." Sadly, we are poorer today because there is one less "voice" to remind us of that.
What a great man.
this is my grandpa best friend he came to his funeral
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