NET PLAYHOUSE: THOUGHTS OF THE ARTIST ON LEAVING THE 60s (TV)
Summary
One in this series of plays and films. This program diverts from the regular format to review the decade of the 1960s in a special New Year's broadcast composed of segments produced by various public television stations around the country. Each segment represents a different aspect of the artistry and talent that typified the era. Highlights include the following: an audio-video montage depicting 1960s pop culture and the impact of the Beatles and their music; a complete performance of Edward Albee's "The Sandbox," illustrating Albee's perception of the American dream; Mason Williams, Emmy Award-winning writer from "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," expressing his views on commercial television; a movie produced by students and faculty at the University of Texas parodying film cliches of the 1960s; Lawrence Ferlinghetti reciting his satirical poem "Tyrannus Nix?" against a backdrop of photographs of Nixon and film footage of combat in Vietnam; and comedians Dick Gregory and George Carlin examining the changing humor of the 1960s. Also included are animated film shorts by Bogdan Nowicki and Manuel Otero. Other highlights include the following: Mad magazine editor Albert B. Feldstein examines the changing humor of the 1960s; Robert Cromie, host of public television's "Book Beat," offers a rebuttal to Marshall McLuhan's theory predicting the end of the written word; musician Taj Mahal discusses the soul of 1960s music and performs with his group; Fred Rogers, creator and host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," examines the effects of the decade on children; and various renditions of Bob Dylan's song "The Times They Are A-Changing" are played, accompanied by film footage of Vietnam and civil rights protest demonstrations.
Details
- NETWORK: WNDT-TV (New York, NY) / NET National Educational Television / PBS forerunner
- DATE: January 2, 1970 Friday 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:26:50
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T89:0212
- GENRE: Arts documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Animation; Children and television; Demonstrations - United States; Drama; Music, popular (songs, etc.); TV - Parody; U S - Civil rights
- SERIES RUN: WNDT (New York, NY) - TV series, 1966-1970
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jac Venza … Producer, Director
- Robert M. Fresco … Writer
- John Q. Adams … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Consultant
- Andrew Duncan … Narrator
- For "The '60s - The Beatles":
- Fred Barzyk … Producer, Director
- Dave Wilson … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Consultant
- Ron Finley … Animation
- The Beatles … Music Group
- For "Ten Minute Tube Show":
- Robert Foshko … Producer
- Allan Muir … Director
- Mason Williams … Writer, Cast
- For "Tyrannus Nix?":
- Irving Saraf … Producer, Director, A film by
- Bill Yahraus … Producer, Director, A film by
- Lawrence Ferlinghetti … Cast
- For "The Sandbox":
- Glenn Jordan … Producer, Director
- Edward Albee … Writer
- John C. Becher … Cast, Daddy
- Sudie Bond … Cast, Grandma
- Alice Drummond … Cast, Mommy
- Hal McKusick … Cast, the Musician
- Christopher Walken … Cast, the Young Man
- For "Cine Mania":
- Ron Policy … Producer
- Rod Whitaker … Director
- For "What's So Funny About That?":
- Mike Moyle … Producer
- Barry Nye … Director
- George Carlin … Cast
- Dick Gregory … Cast
- Albert B. Feldstein … Cast
- For "Television Set":
- Bogdan Nowicki … Producer, Director, A film by
- For "Mars Against Atlas":
- Manuel Otero … Producer, Director, A film by
- For "Child of the '60s":
- Fred Rogers … Producer, Writer, Cast
- David Chen … Director
- For "In Defense of Books":
- Robert Bohacek … Producer, Director
- Robert Cromie … Cast
- For "Times They Are A-Changing" and "Soul":
- Fred Barzyk … Producer
- Dave Atwood … Director, For "Taj Mahal"
- Bob Dylan … Performer, For "Times They Are A-Changing"
- Taj Mahal … Music Group, For "Soul"
- Dave Wilson … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Consultant
- Ron Finley … Animation
- Marshall McLuhan