Allan Burns, co-creator of THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, chats about his life as a writer. Interviewed by Seth Freeman. Filmed on April 11, 2012. Part 2 of 2.
Most people do not understand that it really isn't the actors or scenery that make a movie or show great. A show's success is due almost entirely to the WRITING! Of course, actors and directors et al can ruin excellent writing too. The film "12 Angry Men" illustrates this concept perfectly. It's ALL about the WRITING and the character development. The actor Ed O'Neill has mentioned this fact in several interviews. Mr. Burns is a national treasure. It would have been amazing to see the Sue Ann Nivens character utilized more often on MTM. I wonder if Mr. Burns ever thought about giving the Sue Ann character her own spinoff?
If you ever want to see Allan Burns at the start of his career as a writer see the comedy, Rocky and Bullwinkle show. Totally amazing animation. He obviously created Capn Crunch character. Next time you go buy cereal, and you notice Capn Crunch, well that's his cartoon.
I enjoyed this interview. They couldn't recall another show, like Lou Grant, which was a one-hour drama spun off from a half-hour comedy, but Trapper John MD also did that -- later than Lou Grant.
The interviewer’s forgetting about one of the best and most topical dramas on television - Aaron Spelling’s FAMILY - and they had the Emmys to prove it. It wasn’t all Starsky & Hutch, not even from Spelling.
Bravo for Burns saying Bridesmaids was crude. The film was disgusting and dumb and not funny. Only crude men who hate women think it's funny. Women think it's just ugly and stupid. Crudeness for crudeness's sake is shallow tripe. 90 percent of what was on television in the seventies WAS shallow tripe, actually - more the fault of producers than writers. Except for M*A*S* H, which was superb and topped everything. It's still running and I , for one, rarely miss it, especially the shows from the first three years. When they lost McLean Stevenson the show suffered. Little has changed. But then the ignorance of the American public hasn't changed much either. The HeeHaws and Petticoat Junctions of TV World will go on forever. For every M*A*S*H and Frazier we get, we'll be subjected to three dozen I Love Jeannies and Brady Bunches. and Munsters and Gilligan's Islands and Charlie's Angels and All in the Family- type garbage.
My Life as a Dog is a great film! Love that Allan had such wonderful words to say about it. This whole interview has been terrific. RIP Mr. Burns.
You are terrific, Mr. Burns. Love MTM, but the Rhoda show is the greatest show to me. Thanks so much for this gem.
I read this comment to him, thanks for making my grandpa smile :)
Thank you!
Most people do not understand that it really isn't the actors or scenery that make a movie or show great. A show's success is due almost entirely to the WRITING! Of course, actors and directors et al can ruin excellent writing too. The film "12 Angry Men" illustrates this concept perfectly. It's ALL about the WRITING and the character development. The actor Ed O'Neill has mentioned this fact in several interviews. Mr. Burns is a national treasure. It would have been amazing to see the Sue Ann Nivens character utilized more often on MTM. I wonder if Mr. Burns ever thought about giving the Sue Ann character her own spinoff?
If you ever want to see Allan Burns at the start of his career as a writer see the comedy, Rocky and Bullwinkle show. Totally amazing animation. He obviously created Capn Crunch character. Next time you go buy cereal, and you notice Capn Crunch, well that's his cartoon.
Story telling at its best.. Marshall knows it all
I enjoyed this interview. They couldn't recall another show, like Lou Grant, which was a one-hour drama spun off from a half-hour comedy, but Trapper John MD also did that -- later than Lou Grant.
The interviewer’s forgetting about one of the best and most topical dramas on television - Aaron Spelling’s FAMILY - and they had the Emmys to prove it. It wasn’t all Starsky & Hutch, not even from Spelling.
i could sure stand to hear less of this interviewer
Bravo for Burns saying Bridesmaids was crude. The film was disgusting and dumb and not funny. Only crude men who hate women think it's funny. Women think it's just ugly and stupid. Crudeness for crudeness's sake is shallow tripe. 90 percent of what was on television in the seventies WAS shallow tripe, actually - more the fault of producers than writers. Except for M*A*S* H, which was superb and topped everything. It's still running and I , for one, rarely miss it, especially the shows from the first three years. When they lost McLean Stevenson the show suffered. Little has changed. But then the ignorance of the American public hasn't changed much either. The HeeHaws and Petticoat Junctions of TV World will go on forever. For every M*A*S*H and Frazier we get, we'll be subjected to three dozen I Love Jeannies and Brady Bunches. and Munsters and Gilligan's Islands and Charlie's Angels and All in the Family- type garbage.