Bob Vila
Host
About This Interview
Television host and "grandfather of home improvement" Bob Vila was interviewed for 90 minutes at his home in New York City. Vila discusses growing up in Miami and Havana, studying architecture in college and graduate school, and serving in the Peace Corps before starting his own business renovating brownstones and converting them into condominiums. He describes his unintentional foray into television as the featured guest on the local Boston show House Calls -- a program that soon morphed into This Old House and aired nationally on PBS with Vila as host. He explains how the program was a natural pairing of his passion for restoration and construction and his easy-going demeanor. Vila details his departure from This Old House, the creation of his own program, Bob Vila's Home Again, and shares his thoughts on Home Improvemen t - a television sitcom that may have been based on Mr. Vila himself. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 10, 2010.
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Highlights
On his childhood interest in architecture and building
Clip begins at: 07:40, Duration: 00m 47s- On his education in architecture
Clip begins at: 13:36, Duration: 01m 23s - On being telegenic and creating This Old House
Clip begins at: 27:24, Duration: 00m 48s - On the audience and appeal of This Old House
Clip begins at: 33:16, Duration: 00m 57s - On making others feel at ease in front of the camera
Clip begins at: 42:30, Duration: 00m 48s - On the importance of a great relationship with your cameraman
Clip begins at: 44:35, Duration: 01m 25s - On starting to direct his own shows
Clip begins at: 46:56, Duration: 00m 50s - On being the forefather of home improvement shows
Clip begins at: 56:37, Duration: 00m 21s 
On going green
Clip begins at: 16:26, Duration: 00m 53s- On his longevity in television
Clip begins at: 26:18, Duration: 00m 58s - On advice to people renovating their homes
Clip begins at: 28:56, Duration: 01m 43s
Interview
- Part 1
- On his childhood and living in Havana for 3 years; on his early influences
Clip begins at: 0:13 - On college; on serving in the Peace Corps; on rekindling his interest in architecture, pursuing a graduate degree and starting R.J. Vila Design Build
Clip begins at: 13:36 - On getting into television and the beginnings of This Old House
Clip begins at: 24:32 - On the first episode of This Old House; on going national on PBS and the production schedule
Clip begins at: 31:11 - On being forced out of This Old House; on creating his own show, Bob Vila's Home Again; on partnering with Sears Craftsman Tools
Clip begins at: 50:47 - On the contractors at This Old House and his favorite projects on the show; on television parodies of This Old House
Clip begins at: 54:46 - Part 2
- On Bob Vila's Home Again and its middle class target audience; on traveling for the program
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On losing Sears as a sponsor and changing the title of the show to Bob Vila
Clip begins at: 08:53 - On the projects that meant the most to him; on Bob Vila going off the air
Clip begins at: 12:15 - On going green; on serving as a correspondent for Today and The CBS Early Show
Clip begins at: 16:26 - On bobvila.com; on Home Improvement; on (then) current projects and advice to home renovators and to aspiring television hosts; on how he'd like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 20:18
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Lovely interview
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