Sidney Lumet
Director
About This Interview
Sidney Lumet was interviewed for three-hours in New York, NY. Mr. Lumet spoke of his work as an actor on the stage before he became a director in television. He recalled his work on the television series Danger (1950-55), and You Are There (1953-57) both "live" dramatic shows of the time. He discussed the use of blacklisted writers on these shows and how the material they wrote often reflected the era of McCarthyism. He also discussed other television dramatic anthology series he directed for including Omnibus, Goodyear Playhouse, The Alcoa Hour, Studio One , and Kraft Television Theatre. He described his direction of the well-known television special The Sacco-Vanzetti Story and The Play of the Week: "The Iceman Cometh" both of which aired in 1960. He spoke of his transition to a feature film director with "12 Angry Men" in 1957 and his work on such other feature films as the Paddy Chayefsky's satire, "Network" (1976). The interview was conducted by Dr. Ralph Engleman on October 28, 1999.
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Interview
- Part 1
- Introduction
Clip begins at: 0:27 - On his early years and influnces; on his early political awareness; on the start of his work ethic; on being a young actor; on his World War II military service; on being part of the Actors Studio
Clip begins at: 00:40 - Part 2
- On his experiences at Actors Studio; on his transition to directing; on joining CBS television as an assistant director; on the state of early television at the time; on his work on the series Danger; on the technical challenges of early television
Clip begins at: 0:26 - Part 3
- On the early technical challenges of live TV; on working on Danger and You Are There; on working with Charlie Russell; on working with actors; on his encounters with the Blacklist
Clip begins at: 0:21 - Part 4
- On his encounters with the Blacklist (continued); on directing theatre; on working on The Aloca Hour
Clip begins at: 0:36 - Part 5
- On directing for The Alcoa Hour; on Twelve Angry Men (the original television version vs. his feature film version); on Studio One; on the process of directing for television; on being known as "an actor's director"; on directing for Kraft Television Theatre
Clip begins at: 0:30 - Part 6
- On directing the television movie The Sacco-Vanzetti Story; on the end of the "golden age" of televion sion; on directing feature films; on directing Network; on then-current television; on his advice to aspiring directors; on his legacy
Clip begins at: 0:31


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