Donald L. Taffner, Sr.

In his one-and-a-half-hour interview, Donald L. Taffner, Sr. (1930-2011) talks about his work in the television division at the William Morris Agency in the 1950s, commenting on the shows that the agency packaged in those days. He recalls his move to Paramount, running their New York office and selling series such as the adventure program Mr. Garlund. He describes founding DLT Entertainment in the early 1960s, representing broadcasters overseas in the purchase of U.S. shows. He describes his company's association with Thames Television and the tradition of programming on the BBC. Taffner chronicles the packaging of The Benny Hill Show for American television, and comments on Benny himself. He details the adaptation of several British sitcoms into successful American series, including: Three's Company, Too Close for Comfort, and Check It Out!  He speaks about his later work in live theater and the series Mystery Wheel of Adventure, As Time Goes By, and My Family. John Fitzgerald conducted the interview in a joint venture with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) on August 26, 2008 in New York, NY.