Sunday, July 26, 2009

Mike Dann and The Golden Age of Television: Next on TV CONFIDENTIAL

Legendary executive Mike Dann will be our special guest on the next edition of TV CONFIDENTIAL, premiering Monday, July 27 at 10pm ET, 7pm PT on Shokus Internet Radio, with a rebroadcast Tuesday, July 28, 10pm ET, 7pm PT on Share-a-Vision Radio, KSAV.org.

Mike Dann may not have created prime time network television, but he knew how to make it work, first as an assistant at NBC in the early 1950s, then as head of programming for CBS from 1958 through 1970. Implementing strategies that he learned at NBC under the tutelage of the great Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, Mike Dann’s keen eye for programming and counterprogramming helped keep CBS at the top of the ratings for 14 consecutive years (a record that has never been broken). And while his job, first and foremost, was to pay attention to the numbers, he never lost sight of the desire to present quality programming that benefitted “the Tiffany Network.” That wasn’t always easy to do, especially when dealing with the likes of the “Smiling Cobra,” Jim Aubrey—Mike’s boss for five years, and a man whose penchant for backstabbing would have made J.R. Ewing proud.

Mike Dann’s memoirs, As I Saw It: The Inside Story of the Golden Age of Television, is a colorful look at the first 25 years of network television, from the birth of the first full network schedule through the creation of such staples as The Today Show and The Tonight Show, to the rise and fall of such prime time giants as Tom and Dick Smothers. It’s also chock full of great anecdotes about working with such legends as Mary Martin, Lucille Ball, Danny Kaye and Judy Garland, as well as broadcast pioneers David Sarnoff, William Paley and Pat Weaver. Mike Dann will be joining us beginning at 10:05pm ET, 7:05pm PT.

If you want to be part of our conversation, if you have questions for Mike Dann or grew up watching The Defenders, The Twilight Zone, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Jackie Gleason Hour, The Smothers Comedy Hour and other CBS shows from the 1960s, we invite you to join us for our live broadcast this Monday, July 27, at 10pm ET, 7pm PT on Shokus Internet Radio. Phone number is (888) 746-5875 (or 888 SHOKUS-5). If you have questions or comments you’d like to send in advance, our email address is talk@tvconfidential.net.

NOTE. If you should miss the live broadcast, you can catch an encore presentation Tuesday, July 28 at 10pm ET, 7pm PT on Share-a-Vision Radio, KSAV.org, as well every night at 10pm ET, 7pm ET on Shokus Internet Radio through August 9. The July 27 show will be then be archived at www.tvconfidential.net beginning August 10.

Ed Robertson

Co-Host, TV CONFIDENTIAL

Mon-Sun 10pm ET, 7pm PT

Shokus Internet Radio

Every other Tuesday at 10pm ET, 7pm PT

Share-a-Vision Radio, KSAV.org

www.tvconfidential.net

blog.tvconfidential.net

Also available as a podcast via iTunes and FeedBurner

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