Ralph Senensky
Director
About This Interview
In his four-hour Archive interview, Ralph Senensky recalls his childhood in Iowa and his early experiences directing community theater in his home state. He describes his move to Los Angeles, directing at the Pasadena Playhouse, and getting his first job in television at CBS' Playhouse 90. He reflects on what he learned from watching established Playhouse 90 directors Franklin J. Schaffner, John Frankenheimer, and George Roy Hill, and shares how he was asked to begin directing the medical drama Dr. Kildare. Senensky then comments on several series he directed for, including Mission: Impossible, The Fugitive, The Partridge Family, and The Wild, Wild West. He details directing memorable episodes of Star Trek, including "Metamorphosis" and "Obsession"; discusses directing episodes of The F.B.I., and speaks at length about directing The Waltons. He also talks about his contributions to Dallas. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on August 23, 2011 in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.
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Highlights
Ralph Senensky on meeting Norman Felton and how he got his first directing assignment - for Dr. Kildare
Clip begins at: 55:10, Duration: 04m 22s
Ralph Senensky on directing the "Metamorphosis" episode of Star Trek
Clip begins at: 37:04, Duration: 02m 55s
Ralph Senensky on Ron Howard guest-starring on the episode "The Gift" on The Waltons
Clip begins at: 11:40, Duration: 01m 50s- Ralph Senensky on directing the "Grandma Comes Home" episode of The Waltons
Clip begins at: 20:04, Duration: 03m 59s 
Ralph Senensky on directing four episodes of The Fugitive starring David Janssen
Clip begins at: 49:09, Duration: 07m 27s
Interview
- Part 1
- On his childhood and early influences; on playing piano and being the director's assistant in a high school play in Iowa and falling in love with directing; on serving in World War II; on his favorite movies; on directing community theater in Iowa; on his first professional directing job in Chicago and moving to Los Angeles
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On television shows he watched when he was young; on working at the Pasadena Playhouse; on working for CBS radio and transitioning to television; on CBS' Television City; on his first job at Playhouse 90; on the Playhouse 90 production of "The Death of Manolette"; on his on-the-job training at Playhouse 90 and the production process
Clip begins at: 17:17 - On difficulties of live production at Playhouse 90; on Playhouse 90 producers Martin Manulis, John Houseman, Herbert Brodkin, and Fred Coe; on learning from directors Franklin J. Schaffner, John Frankenheimer, and George Roy Hill; on the legacy of Playhouse 90
Clip begins at: 33:42 - On becoming production supervisor on soap opera Full Circle; on working for game shows; on on meeting Norman Felton and how he got his first directing assignment - for Dr. Kildare
Clip begins at: 48:10 - Part 2
- On directing Dr. Kildare; on working with Richard Chamberlain; on being an "actor's director"; on what he learned from the crew of Dr. Kildare; on directing an hour-long episode of The Twilight Zone; on working with Norman Felton; on the editing room of Dr. Kildare
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On directing Burgess Meredith in "The Printer's Devil" episode of The Twilight Zone; on different lighting setups for the episode; on Rod Serling; on producer Herbert Hirschman getting him the job on The Twilight Zone; on directing Route 66 and Naked City; on directing Breaking Point and "The Bull Roarer" episode in which a young man thinks he might be gay
Clip begins at: 10:46 - On directing Arrest and Trial starring Ben Gazarra and Chuck Connors; on directing Barbara Stanwyck in The Big Valley ; on Stanwyck being a class act; on directing Westerns; on directing four episodes of The Fugitive starring David Janssen; on the success of The Fugitive; on directing sixteen episodes of The F.B.I. starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Clip begins at: 36:37 - Part 3
- On actual F.B.I. input on The F.B.I.; on Bette Davis not getting approved by the F.B.I. to appear on The F.B.I.; on sponsor Ford Motor Cars; on specific episodes of the show: "The Death Wind" and "The Assassin"
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his experiences with McCarthyism and the Blacklist; on directing The Wild, Wild West starring Robert Conrad; on shooting in color on The Wild, Wild West; on directing Raymond Burr in Ironside; on Universal wanting people to be loyal to the studio
Clip begins at: 17:28 - On the difficulty of directing Mission: Impossible; on directing Star Trek episodes "This Side of Paradise", "Metamorphosis", "Obsession", "Return to Tomorrow", "Bread and Circuses", "Is There No Truth in Beauty? and "The Tholian Web"; on getting fired from Star Trek
Clip begins at: 29:58 - On directing the cast of Star Trek; on the legacy of the show
Clip begins at: 51:51 - Part 4
- On directing The Courtship of Eddie's Father; on directing several episodes of The Bill Cosby Show and The Partridge Family on Playhouse 90 and how to direct comedies and dramas; on directing The Waltons; on Ron Howard guest-starring on the episode "The Gift" on The Waltons; on "The Conflict," "The Marathon," "The Pony Cart," and "Grandma Comes Home" episodes of The Waltons
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On changing the "Goodnight, John Boy" ending in the "Grandma Comes Home" episode of The Waltons; on directing Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones; on the death of Eight Is Enough's Diana Hyland; on directing Ed Asner in Lou Grant; on directing several episodes of Insight, shot on tape; on the chemistry between leads Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers on Hart to Hart
Clip begins at: 24:03 - On his role in the creation of Dynasty; on George Peppard being the original "Blake Carrington" on Dynasty; on his short tenure with the show
Clip begins at: 30:23 - On directing The Paper Chase on Showtime; on how technology has influenced his directing; on his proudest achievement; on advice to aspiring directors; on how he'd like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 45:19
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