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Bob Vila

Host

"From the point of view of the personality coming into your living room, I think I've always had the ability to help people just kind of kick back and relax and listen. Or watch. I've been approachable and the subject matter has been well received. I think that's one of the most important things."

About This Interview

In his one-and-a-half-hour Archive interview, television host and "grandfather of home improvement" Bob 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 in New York City on June 10, 2010.  

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Professions

Shows

  • Bob Vila
  • Bob Vila's Home Again
  • CBS Early Show, The
  • Extreme Makeover
  • Home Improvement
  • In Living Color
  • Saturday Night Live
  • This Old House
  • Today

People

  • Katie Couric

Topics

  • Fame & Celebrity
  • Technological Innovation

Professions

  • Hosts
YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
  • Highlights
  • Interview
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres
  • Professions

Highlights

  • On his childhood interest in architecture and buildingOn his childhood interest in architecture and building
    Clip begins at: 07:40, Duration: 00m 47s
  • On his education in architectureOn his education in architecture
    Clip begins at: 13:36, Duration: 01m 23s
  • On being telegenic and creating         <i>This Old House</i>On being telegenic and creating This Old House
    Clip begins at: 27:24, Duration: 00m 48s
  • On the audience and appeal of         <i>This Old House</i>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 cameraOn 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 cameramanOn the importance of a great relationship with your cameraman
    Clip begins at: 44:35, Duration: 01m 25s
  • On starting to direct his own showsOn starting to direct his own shows
    Clip begins at: 46:56, Duration: 00m 50s
  • On being the forefather of home improvement showsOn being the forefather of home improvement shows
    Clip begins at: 56:37, Duration: 00m 21s
  • On going greenOn going green
    Clip begins at: 16:26, Duration: 00m 53s
  • On his longevity in televisionOn his longevity in television
    Clip begins at: 26:18, Duration: 00m 58s
  • On advice to people renovating their homesOn 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

Shows

  • Bob Vila
    • Bob Vila on renaming the show Bob Vila after Sears pulled out as a sponsor
      Clip begins at: 08:53, Duration: 07m 33s
  • Bob Vila's Home Again
    • Bob Vila on starting his program Bob Vila's Home Again
      Clip begins at: 54:14, Duration: 06m 20s
    • Bob Vila on Bob Vila's Home Again
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 12m 15s
  • CBS Early Show, The
    • Bob Vila on serving as a correspondent for Today and The CBS Early Show
      Clip begins at: 17:19, Duration: 01m 30s
  • Extreme Makeover
    • Bob Vila on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
      Clip begins at: 19:24, Duration: 00m 53s
  • Home Improvement
    • Bob Vila on guest starring on Home Improvement
      Clip begins at: 21:51, Duration: 03m 37s
  • In Living Color
    • Bob Vila on parodies of This Old House on Saturday Night Live and In Living Color
      Clip begins at: 57:59, Duration: 00m 28s
  • Saturday Night Live
    • Bob Vila on parodies of This Old House on Saturday Night Live and In Living Color
      Clip begins at: 57:59, Duration: 00m 28s
  • This Old House
    • Bob Vila on the beginnings of This Old House
      Clip begins at: 26:10, Duration: 34m 24s
    • Bob Vila on promoting green methods of construction
      Clip begins at: 16:26, Duration: 00m 53s
  • Today
    • Bob Vila on serving as a correspondent for Today and The CBS Early Show
      Clip begins at: 17:19, Duration: 01m 30s

People

  • Tim Allen
    • Bob Vila on guest starring on Home Improvement
      Clip begins at: 21:51, Duration: 03m 37s
  • Katie Couric
    • Bob Vila on serving as a correspondent for Today and The CBS Early Show
      Clip begins at: 17:19, Duration: 01m 30s
  • Bryant Gumbel
    • Bob Vila on serving as a correspondent for Today and The CBS Early Show
      Clip begins at: 18:46, Duration: 00m 03s

Topics

  • Technological Innovation
    • Bob Vila on new media
      Clip begins at: 20:18, Duration: 01m 33s
  • Television Industry > Fame & Celebrity
    • Bob Vila on losing his anonymity 
      Clip begins at: 34:45, Duration: 01m 38s
    • Bob Vila on his fan mail
      Clip begins at: 27:16, Duration: 01m 41s

Genres

  • Service Shows
    • Bob Vila on his first home improvement show, This Old House
      Clip begins at: 26:10, Duration: 34m 24s
    • Bob Vila on his home improvement show, Bob Vila's Home Again
      Clip begins at: 54:14, Duration: 06m 20s
    • Bob Vila on Bob Vila's Home Again and Bob Vila
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 16m 26s

Professions

  • Hosts
    • Bob Vila on advice he was given for hosting This Old House
      Clip begins at: 32:03, Duration: 01m 13s
    • Bob Vila on making others feel at ease in front of the camera
      Clip begins at: 42:30, Duration: 00m 49s
    • Bob Vila on being telegenic and creating This Old House
      Clip begins at: 27:24, Duration: 00m 48s
    • Bob Vila on advice to aspiring hosts
      Clip begins at: 30:38, Duration: 01m 20s
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Submitted by Laurie on Mon, 2013-03-11 06:42.
Lovely interview

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