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Army Archerd

Journalist / Host

"Tomorrow's column is a compilation of the 24 hours preceding it plus the 50 years of experience."

About This Interview

A Hollywood staple for over 50 years, Army Archerd covered not only the old-guard, but the emerging industry of television. Archerd describes his early years in New York and his initial desire to be an actor. After his service in World War II, he got a job in the Paramount mail room, which led to a job for Associated Press. He left there to become a "legman" for his mentor Harrison Carroll. In 1953, he joined the staff of Daily Variety, where he covered entertainment in his famous column for over 50 years. Mr. Archerd discusses the changes within the entertainment industry and how the process of publicity has changed. He also discusses the nuts-and-bolts of getting a story as well as keeping in contact with celebrities. Along with his work chronicling entertainment news, Mr. Archerd speaks of his work in front of the camera as a host for various shows, including the pilot of Entertainment Tonight and his work on the red carpet for awards shows. Karen Herman conducted Army Archerd's (1922-2009) two-and-a-half hour interview in Los Angeles, CA on February 25, 2003.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Professions

Shows

  • Academy Awards, The
  • California Suite
  • Diagnosis Murder
  • Ellen
  • Movie Game, The
  • People's Choice Awards, The

People

  • Lucille Ball
  • Milton Berle
  • Humphrey Bogart
  • Richard Crenna
  • John Frankenheimer
  • Bob Hope
  • Jack Lemmon
  • Sheldon Leonard
  • Regis Philbin
  • Barbara Stanwyck

Topics

  • Creative Influences and Inspiration
  • Health and Medicine
  • JFK Assassination and Funeral
  • WWII

Professions

  • Hosts
  • Journalists & News Producers
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  • Interview
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres
  • Professions

Interview

  • Part 1
  • On his name, growing up in New York, his early interests, moving to Los Angeles, and his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II
    Clip begins at: 0:18
  • On his short-lived work in the Paramount mailroom and his first reporting job at Associated Press
    Clip begins at: 11:49
  • On working at Associated Press and his first celebrity nterview (with Barbara Stanwyck)
    Clip begins at: 16:40
  • On moving to the Herold Express newspaper in 1947 and a description of how he covered the Hollywood entertainment and nightclub beat
    Clip begins at: 21:57
  • Part 2
  • On reporting from the Hollywood studios and gaining the trust of celebrities
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On being hired by Variety to write a column and his choice to open each one with "Good Morning"
    Clip begins at: 03:25
  • On working at Variety
    Clip begins at: 10:13
  • On how television has come to dominate the entertainment industry
    Clip begins at: 13:34
  • On the celebrity game show, The Movie Game
    Clip begins at: 15:26
  • On the details of how he writes his column for Variety
    Clip begins at: 19:45
  • Part 3
  • On how he approaches his work and how he deals with the people he covers
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On some stories he's broken including Rock Hudson's AIDS; and the Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Eddie Fisher love triangle; Warren Beatty marriage; the death of Audrey Hepburn
    Clip begins at: 11:51
  • On his criticism of Michael Jackson's "History" album; Charlton Heston and the NRA; and Elia Kazan's honorary Oscar
    Clip begins at: 20:16
  • On what he thinks is his most notable story; and avoiding conflict-of-interest issues
    Clip begins at: 24:25
  • Part 4
  • On other entertainment writers from his early career
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On celebrity accessibility
    Clip begins at: 02:33
  • On covering the red carpet at the Academy Awards
    Clip begins at: 07:44
  • On his television work at KNXT Los Angeles
    Clip begins at: 14:40
  • On hosting the pilot episode of Entertainment Tonight and his two-years as a correpondent on the show
    Clip begins at: 17:20
  • On what makes a good interview and his acting work on various series through the years
    Clip begins at: 18:46
  • On Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, and Gary Morton
    Clip begins at: 24:27
  • Part 5
  • On people he has worked with including: Ingrid Bergman, Milton Berle, Humphrey Bogart, Charlie Chaplin, and Richard Crenna
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On people he has worked with including: Bing Crosby, John Frankenheimer, Jim Henson, Sheldon Leonard, Jack Lemmon, and Roddy McDowell
    Clip begins at: 04:38
  • On people he has worked with including: Lew Wasserman and Julie Andrews
    Clip begins at: 08:14
  • On people he has worked with including: Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn
    Clip begins at: 10:57
  • On Merv Griffin
    Clip begins at: 13:35
  • On summing up his career and style, his advice to aspiring journalists, and how he'd like to be remembered.
    Clip begins at: 14:58

Shows

  • Academy Awards, The
    • Army Archerd on his dismay at Elia Kazan receiving an honorary Oscar
      Clip begins at: 22:55, Duration: 01m 30s
    • Army Archerd on covering the red carpet at The Academy Awards
      Clip begins at: 07:44, Duration: 05m 42s
    • Army Archerd on Ingrid Bergman being shunned then accepted by the Hollywood community
      Clip begins at: 00:10, Duration: 01m 03s
    • Army Archerd on Charlie Chaplin's return to Hollywood
      Clip begins at: 02:30, Duration: 00m 56s
  • California Suite
    • Army Archerd on filming a scene of California Suite at the Academy Award s
      Clip begins at: 20:10, Duration: 01m 36s
  • Diagnosis Murder
    • Army Archerd on guesting (with friend Regis Philbin) on an episode of Diagnosis Murder
      Clip begins at: 23:37, Duration: 00m 34s
  • Ellen
    • Army Archerd on appearing as a guest star on Ellen
      Clip begins at: 23:11, Duration: 00m 26s
  • Movie Game, The
    • Army Archerd on the celebrity game show, The Movie Game
      Clip begins at: 15:26, Duration: 02m 21s
  • People's Choice Awards, The
    • Army Archerd on being the first co-host (with Richard Crenna) of The People's Choice Awards
      Clip begins at: 03:28, Duration: 00m 43s

People

  • Julie Andrews
    • Army Archerd on Julie Andrews
      Clip begins at: 09:01, Duration: 01m 42s
  • Desi Arnaz
    • Army Archerd on Desi Arnaz
      Clip begins at: 24:31, Duration: 00m 16s
  • Lucille Ball
    • Army Archerd on Lucille Ball
      Clip begins at: 24:51, Duration: 00m 42s
  • Warren Beatty
    • Army Archerd on Warren Beatty's marriage to Annette Bening
      Clip begins at: 18:34, Duration: 00m 35s
  • Annette Bening
    • Army Archerd on Warren Beatty's marriage to Annette Bening
      Clip begins at: 18:34, Duration: 00m 35s
  • Ingrid Bergman
    • Army Archerd on Ingrid Bergman being shunned then accepted by the Hollywood community
      Clip begins at: 00:10, Duration: 01m 03s
  • Milton Berle
    • Army Archerd on Milton Berle
      Clip begins at: 01:14, Duration: 00m 44s
  • Humphrey Bogart
    • Army Archerd on Humphrey Bogart's impending death
      Clip begins at: 01:58, Duration: 00m 30s
  • Richard Burton
    • Army Archerd on his friendship with actor Richard Burton
      Clip begins at: 21:57, Duration: 02m 00s
    • Army Archerd on covering the Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Eddie Fisher love triangle
      Clip begins at: 17:09, Duration: 01m 25s
  • Michael Caine
    • Army Archerd on filming a scene of California Suite at the Academy Award s
      Clip begins at: 20:10, Duration: 01m 36s
  • Harrison Carroll
    • Army Archerd on his mentor, Harrison Carroll
      Clip begins at: 21:11, Duration: 01m 38s
  • Johnny Carson
    • Army Archerd on Johnny Carson
      Clip begins at: 11:36, Duration: 00m 17s
  • Charlie Chaplin
    • Army Archerd on Charlie Chaplin
      Clip begins at: 02:30, Duration: 00m 56s
  • Richard Crenna
    • Army Archerd on Richard Crenna
      Clip begins at: 03:28, Duration: 00m 43s
  • Bing Crosby
    • Army Archerd on Bing Crosby
      Clip begins at: 04:38, Duration: 00m 20s
  • Doris Day
    • Army Archerd on breaking the story of Rock Hudson's AIDS
      Clip begins at: 11:51, Duration: 05m 18s
  • Ellen DeGeneres
    • Army Archerd on appearing as a guest star on Ellen
      Clip begins at: 23:11, Duration: 00m 26s
  • Eddie Fisher
    • Army Archerd on covering the Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Eddie Fisher love triangle
      Clip begins at: 18:09, Duration: 00m 25s
  • John Frankenheimer
    • Army Archerd on John Frankenheimer
      Clip begins at: 05:05, Duration: 01m 01s
  • Merv Griffin
    • Army Archerd on Merv Griffin
      Clip begins at: 13:35, Duration: 01m 15s
  • Jim Henson
    • Army Archerd on Jim Henson
      Clip begins at: 06:08, Duration: 00m 26s
  • Audrey Hepburn
    • Army Archerd on the death of Audrey Hepburn
      Clip begins at: 19:09, Duration: 00m 41s
  • Katharine Hepburn
    • Army Archerd on being on the set of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner for Spencer Tracy's last scene
      Clip begins at: 12:03, Duration: 00m 40s
  • Charlton Heston
    • Army Archerd on trying to get Charlton Heston's comments about the National Rifle Association (NRA)
      Clip begins at: 22:14, Duration: 00m 41s
  • Bob Hope
    • Army Archerd on Bob Hope
      Clip begins at: 10:57, Duration: 00m 28s
  • Rock Hudson
    • Army Archerd on breaking the story of Rock Hudson's AIDS
      Clip begins at: 11:51, Duration: 05m 18s
  • Michael Jackson
    • Army Archerd on his criticism of the anti-semitic lyrics in Michael Jackson's "History" album
      Clip begins at: 20:16, Duration: 01m 58s
  • Elia Kazan
    • Army Archerd on his dismay at Elia Kazan receiving an honorary Oscar
      Clip begins at: 22:55, Duration: 01m 30s
  • Jack Lemmon
    • Army Archerd on Jack Lemmon
      Clip begins at: 07:18, Duration: 00m 19s
  • Sheldon Leonard
    • Army Archerd on Sheldon Leonard
      Clip begins at: 06:42, Duration: 00m 16s
  • Roddy McDowall
    • Army Archerd on the death of Roddy McDowall
      Clip begins at: 07:39, Duration: 00m 24s
  • Gary Morton
    • Army Archerd on Lucille Ball
      Clip begins at: 24:51, Duration: 00m 42s
  • Regis Philbin
    • Army Archerd on guesting (with friend Regis Philbin) on an episode of Diagnosis Murder
      Clip begins at: 23:37, Duration: 00m 34s
  • Sidney Poitier
    • Army Archerd on being on the set of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner for Spencer Tracy's last scene
      Clip begins at: 12:03, Duration: 00m 40s
  • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Army Archerd on his first celebrity interview
      Clip begins at: 16:40, Duration: 00m 59s
  • Elizabeth Taylor
    • Army Archerd on covering the Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Eddie Fisher love triangle
      Clip begins at: 17:09, Duration: 01m 25s
  • Danny Thomas
    • Army Archerd on Danny Thomas suggesting the "Good Morning" tagline of his future Variety column
      Clip begins at: 04:47, Duration: 04m 55s
  • Spencer Tracy
    • Army Archerd on being on the set of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner for Spencer Tracy's last scene
      Clip begins at: 12:03, Duration: 00m 40s
  • Lew Wasserman
    • Army Archerd on Lew Wasserman
      Clip begins at: 08:14, Duration: 00m 42s

Topics

  • Creative Influences and Inspiration
    • Army Archerd on his mentor, Harrison Carroll
      Clip begins at: 21:11, Duration: 01m 38s
  • Historic Events and Social Change > Health and Medicine
    • Army Archerd on breaking the story of Rock Hudson's AIDS
      Clip begins at: 11:51, Duration: 05m 18s
  • Historic Events and Social Change > JFK Assassination and Funeral
    • Army Archerd on being on a lot when he found out about JFK's death and not using his "Good Morning" tagline in his column the day after JFK's assassination
      Clip begins at: 08:07, Duration: 01m 35s
  • Historic Events and Social Change > War > WWII
    • Army Archerd on serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II
      Clip begins at: 09:27, Duration: 02m 22s

Genres

  • Awards Shows
    • Army Archerd on covering the red carpet at The Academy Awards
      Clip begins at: 07:44, Duration: 05m 42s
    • Army Archerd on filming a scene of California Suite at the Academy Award s
      Clip begins at: 20:10, Duration: 01m 36s
    • Army Archerd on Ingrid Bergman being shunned then accepted by the Hollywood community
      Clip begins at: 00:10, Duration: 01m 03s
  • Game Shows
    • Army Archerd on the celebrity game show, The Movie Game
      Clip begins at: 15:26, Duration: 02m 21s

Professions

  • Journalists & News Producers > Correspondent
    • Army Archerd on covering the Hollywood beat for print news outlets
      Clip begins at: 23:57, Duration: 05m 01s
    • Army Archerd on his advice to aspiring entertainment reporters
      Clip begins at: 16:40, Duration: 01m 43s
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Submitted by aqibarif74 on Mon, 2012-08-06 13:59.

Army was one of the sweetest, kindest, honestly open, and admired journalists to walk the planet - he is missed - there will never be another like him.

Submitted by movieprod on Mon, 2011-12-05 19:20.

Army was one of the sweetest, kindest, honestly open, and admired journalists to walk the planet - he is missed - there will never be another like him.

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