Steve Binder
Producer & Director
About This Interview
Producer/Director Steve Binder was interviewed for the Archive's Living Television Collection in 2004. He talks about his early work at Los Angeles' KABC, and directing The Steve Allen Westinghouse Show in the early 60s. He discusses at-length writing and directing his breakthrough rock documentary, The T.A.M.I. Show, which showcased such stars as The Supremes, The Rolling Stones, and James Brown. He also discusses many other programs he worked on including Hullabaloo, The Danny Kaye Show, Gilligan's Island, Diana Ross in Central Park and Lucy in London, a CBS special starring Lucille Ball. He talks at length about producing and directing NBC's Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special which relaunched Elvis Presley's career and set the bar for music specials. Steve Binder was interviewed at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences headquarters in North Hollywood, CA on March 4, 2004 by Stephen J. Abramson.
Related To This Video
Featured Content
Video: Opening of Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special, directed and produced by Steve Binder.
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Watch By Chapter
- Chapter 1
- On his early years and influences
- On first seeing TV, his military service, and his work as a radio announcer and film narrator
- On working at the Blue Danube Network in Austria as a radio announcer
- On transitioning to television at ABC in the mailroom and then as Operations Director (OD) at KABC in Los Angeles
- On getting his first directing job Hank Weaver, Chucko the Clown, Soupy Sales
- On directing The Steve Allen Westinghouse Show
- Chapter 2
- On The T.A.M.I. Show and other theatrical film shows
- Steve Binder on Shindig and Hullabaloo
- On directing episodes of Gilligan's Island and working with Lucille Ball in Lucy in London
- On producing Petula, and the controversy surrounding a segment of it (part 1)
- Chapter 3
- On producing Petula, and the controversy surrounding a segment of it (part 2)
- On co-producing and directiing Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special
- On working on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert
- On producing the variety show featuring mimes Shields and Yarnell
- On producing and directing The Barry Manilow Special (1977)
- On directing four Primetime Emmy Awards telecasts
- Chapter 4
- On producing the Emmy Awards telecast from 1984 to 1987
- On producing Pee-Wee's Playhouse
- On producing Jane Fonda's Complete Workout videos and The Chevy Chase Show
- On directing Diana Ross in Central Park (1985) and VH1's Divas 2000
- On how television has changed since he began in the business; on his producing and directing style; on some of the people he's worked with; how he would like to be remembered
Discussed In This Interview
shows
people
- Lucille Ball
- Bob Banner
- Harry Belafonte
- Chevy Chase
- Petula Clark
- Mac Davis
- Bob Finkel
- Jane Fonda
- Dwight Hemion
- Michael Jackson
- Danny Kaye
- Nat King Cole
- Sid Krofft
- Burt Lancaster
- Jerry Lester
- Jerry Lewis
- Tina Louise
- Barry Manilow
- Olivia Newton-John
- Jack Paar
- Tom Parker
- Elvis Presley
- Paul Reubens
- Diana Ross
- Soupy Sales
- Gary Smith







