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Ben Starr

Writer / Show Creator

"All you have to do is say to anybody who was a teenager at that time, 'pork chops and applesauce' and they know what you're talking about."

About This Interview

In his Archive interview, Ben Starr talks about writing for such classic television series as Climax!, Mr. Ed, The Brady Bunch, All in the Family, and Diff’rent Strokes and his development of such later series as The Facts of Life and Silver Spoons.  Ben Starr was interviewed in Los Angeles CA on November 9, 2009; Dan Harrison conducted the three-hour interview.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • People

Shows

  • All in the Family
  • Brady Bunch, The
  • Climax!
  • Diff'rent Strokes
  • Jack Carter Show, The
  • Mister Ed

People

  • Milton Berle

Featured Content

Video: Embeddable excerpt from Ben Starr's Archive of American Television Interview (click through to You Tube to reveal the embed code)

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  • Highlights
  • Chapters
  • Shows
  • People

Highlights

  • Ben Starr on coming up with the catchphrase "Whatchu talkin' bout Willis?"Ben Starr on coming up with the catchphrase "Whatchu talkin' bout Willis?"
  • Ben Starr on how he came to write an episode of the <i>Brady Bunch</i> that had the line "pork chops and apple sauce"Ben Starr on how he came to write an episode of the Brady Bunch that had the line "pork chops and apple sauce"
  • Ben Starr on writing for <i>All in the Family</i> and the tough topics it hit on; it "changed the character of our country" (01m 08s)Ben Starr on writing for All in the Family and the tough topics it hit on; it "changed the character of our country" (01m 08s)
  • Ben Starr on how <i>Mister Ed</i> came aboutBen Starr on how Mister Ed came about

Chapters

  • Chapter 1
  • Full Chapter One
  • Chapter 2
  • Full Chapter Two
  • Chapter 3
  • Full Chapter Three

Shows

  • All in the Family
    • Ben Starr on writing for All in the Family; working with Norman Lear
    • Ben Starr on writing for All in the Family and the tough topics it hit on; it "changed the character of our country" (01m 08s)
  • Brady Bunch, The
    • Ben Starr on how he came to write an episode of the Brady Bunch that had the line "pork chops and apple sauce"
  • Climax!
    • Ben Starr on how he came up with the idea for a Climax! episode Thin Air
  • Diff'rent Strokes
    • Ben Starr on how Diff'rent Strokes came about
    • Ben Starr on coming up with the catchphrase "Whatchu talkin' bout Willis?"
  • Jack Carter Show, The
    • Ben Starr on his first television job, writing for the Jack Carter Show
  • Mister Ed
    • Ben Starr on how Mister Ed came about

People

  • Milton Berle
    • Ben Starr on the first time he saw television and Uncle Miltie
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