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Tom Fontana

Show Creator/Producer

"Whether it's comedy or drama, tell the truth. And whatever your truth is, tell it as boldly and as loudly as you can get away with."

About This Interview

In his Archive interview, Tom Fontana talks about his work as an Emmy Award-winning writer of St. Elsewhere , as well as the writer/producer of such series as Homicide: Life on the Street  and Oz .  Tom Fontana was interviewed in New York, NY on June 30, 2009; Karen Herman conducted the three-hour interview.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • Topics
  • Professions

Shows

  • Homicide: Life on the Street
  • Oz
  • St. Elsewhere

Topics

  • 9/11
  • Censorship / Standards & Practices

Professions

  • Producer
  • Writers & Show Creators

Featured Content

tomfontana.com

Official website

Resources

Link: Emmy magazine site featuring excerpts from Tom Fontana's Archive interview

Emmy magazine 10/2009

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

Highlights

  • Tom Fontana on advice he would give aspiring writers and producers, how he'd like to be rememberedTom Fontana on advice he would give aspiring writers and producers, how he'd like to be remembered
    Clip begins at: 14:17, Duration: 03m 19s
  • Tom Fontana on being allowed creative freedom on<i> Oz</i>, and HBO head Chris Albrecht telling him the characters could be unlikable, so long as they were interestingTom Fontana on being allowed creative freedom on Oz, and HBO head Chris Albrecht telling him the characters could be unlikable, so long as they were interesting
    Clip begins at: 26:28, Duration: 02m 17s
  • Tom Fontana on the nature of show business and the distraction of ego and how it affected his writing on St. ElsewhereTom Fontana on the nature of show business and the distraction of ego and how it affected his writing on St. Elsewhere
    Clip begins at: 41:46, Duration: 01m 34s
  • Tom Fontana on producing <i>Homicide: Life on the Street</i>Tom Fontana on producing Homicide: Life on the Street
    Clip begins at: 00:03, Duration: 23m 59s
  • Tom Fontana on working with the cast of St. ElsewhereTom Fontana on working with the cast of St. Elsewhere
    Clip begins at: 00:02
  • Tom Fontana on creating <i>Oz</i> Tom Fontana on creating Oz 
    Clip begins at: 24:02, Duration: 02m 26s

Interview

  • Part 1
  • On his early years and education; on his early attempts at playwrighting
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On meeting Bruce Paltrow and becoming a writer, then producer of St. Elsewhere
    Clip begins at: 17:02
  • Part 2
  • On producing St. Elsewhere; the show's cast; the show's famous "snowglobe" finale; the legacy of MTM
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On the genesis and production of Homicide: Life on the Street
    Clip begins at: 39:17
  • Part 3
  • On producing Homicide: Life on the Street
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On creating and producing Oz
    Clip begins at: 24:02
  • On creating Strip Search; on the 9/11 terrorist attacks
    Clip begins at: 51:25
  • Part 4
  • On America: A Tribute to Heroes; on The Philanthropist (then-in-production); on his involvement with the Writers Guild of America; on advice to writers and producers; on his legacy
    Clip begins at: 0:12

Shows

  • Homicide: Life on the Street
    • Tom Fontana on the genesis of Homicide: Life on the Street
      Clip begins at: 41:30
    • Tom Fontana on producing Homicide: Life on the Street
      Clip begins at: 00:03, Duration: 23m 59s
  • Oz
    • Tom Fontana on creating and producing Oz  
      Clip begins at: 24:02, Duration: 27m 23s
  • St. Elsewhere
    • Tom Fontana on he he got his first job in television, writing for St. Elsewhere
      Clip begins at: 17:02, Duration: 26m 18s
    • Tom Fontana on how he came to become a producer for St. Elsewhere after being a writer on the first season
      Clip begins at: 43:20
    • Tom Fontana on working with the cast of St. Elsewhere; on producing the series; on the series finale
      Clip begins at: 00:02, Duration: 39m 15s

People

  • Chris Albrecht
    • Tom Fontana on being allowed creative freedom on Oz , and Chris Albrecht telling him the characters could be unlikable, so long as they were interesting
      Clip begins at: 26:28, Duration: 02m 17s
  • Blythe Danner
    • Tom Fontana on he he got his first job in television, writing for St. Elsewhere
      Clip begins at: 17:02, Duration: 26m 18s
  • Bruce Paltrow
    • Tom Fontana on he he got his first job in television, writing for St. Elsewhere
      Clip begins at: 17:02, Duration: 26m 18s
  • David Simon
    • Tom Fontana on the genesis of Homicide: Life on the Street
      Clip begins at: 41:30

Topics

  • Historic Events and Social Change > 9/11
    • Tom Fontana on being in New York City on 9/11
      Clip begins at: 57:33, Duration: 02m 14s
  • Television Industry > Censorship / Standards & Practices
    • Creator/Writer Tom Fontana on incidents of censorship of his shows 
      Clip begins at: 11:02, Duration: 03m 05s

Professions

  • Writers & Show Creators
    • Tom Fontana on his advice to the next generation of writers and producers
      Clip begins at: 14:15, Duration: 01m 37s
  • Writers & Show Creators > Writer
    • Tom Fontana on being allowed creative freedom when writing Oz , and Chris Albrecht telling him the characters could be unlikable, so long as they were interesting
      Clip begins at: 26:28, Duration: 02m 17s
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Submitted by Jerry1 on Sun, 2013-01-06 11:46.

Watched the whole thing. A very good interview from the master who brought us the fabulous Oz.

Submitted by Morgan Hill on Sat, 2012-08-18 00:28.

This interviewer is terrific. Doesn't miss a beat. Fontana's good, too ;)

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2012-01-03 17:20.

It is a very long but incredible interview.

Submitted by TonyV on Mon, 2011-12-26 01:45.

OMG this interview is incredible

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