Treva Silverman

Treva Silverman was interviewed for two-and-a-half-hours in Sherman Oaks, CA. Silverman talked about her early interests and the first time she recalled getting a laugh, at age six. She described her early career in comedy, writing for television specials and as a writer for Joan Rivers. She discussed her work as a writer on the popular ‘60s series The Monkees: commenting on the characterizations created for each performer and the process of writing series episodes. She spoke about her writing for such late ‘60s series as Captain Nice and He & She, both of which were well-received but short-lived, as well as the landmark drama Room 222.  She spoke in great detail about the series for which she is most associated The Mary Tyler Moore Show, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series and Writer of the Year (Series) in 1974. She talked about working with series creators James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and the fact that the show observed no pecking order with the writers (“the best line wins”). She talked about the creation of the Georgette character (played by Georgia Engel) and the basis of many of Rhoda’s (Valerie Harper) traits and storylines on her own personal life.  She detailed such classic episodes as “Today I Am a Ma’am,” “Rhoda the Beautiful,” and “The Lou and Edie Story.” She then talked about her semi-retirement from writing and her later contributions to writing in television and films. The interview was conducted by Allan Neuwirth on September 18, 2007.