MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO, THE: WILLIAM S. PALEY TELEVISION FESTIVAL 1999: L.A. LAW {LA LAW} {TAPE 2 OF 2} {LONG VERSION}
Summary
Continued from T:57437. Tape two of two. One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Museum of Television & Radio's William S. Paley Television Festival in Los Angeles. Held this year at the Directors Guild of America Theatre Complex, the festival celebrates the excellence and diversity of American television, and is dedicated to television's creative community. This evening honors "L.A. Law," the critically acclaimed hit drama series about the employees of the Los Angeles law firm of McKenzie Brackman. Museum television curator David Bushman begins this segment by introducing the evening's panelists, consisting of producers and directors Gregory Hoblit, Elodie Keene, Michael Robin, Mark Tinker, Rick Wallace, and Steven Bochco; and cast members Corbin Bernsen, Amanda Donohoe, Larry Drake, Richard Dysart, Jill Eikenberry, Dan Florek, Michele Greene, Harry Hamlin, Cecil Hoffmann, Diana Muldaur, Alan Rachins, Susan Ruttan, Jimmy Smits, Michael Tucker, and Blair Underwood. Bochco defines the series as one about morality and legal ethics, and Hoblit explains how the style and look of the show were determined in the pilot episode; he also touches on the importance of the script and dialogue to the overall effect of each episode. Next, Keene, Robin, Tinker, and Wallace describe what it was like to direct episodes of the series. Bernsen, Donohoe, Hamlin, Drake, and Hoffmann then discuss the symbiotic relationship between the show's writers and cast, explaining that the lack of input from the actors stemmed from the writers' knowledge of the complexity and depth of the characters. Bochco reveals which characters were created with specific actors in mind, and Underwood, Hoffmann, Bernsen, Ruttan, and Smits reminisce about auditioning for the roles they eventually landed. In recalling favorite episodes, Eikenberry takes note of the Venus Butterfly, Dysart mentions a certain chimpanzee, Florek remembers the breakup of his character's marriage and a situation with a soufflŽ, Greene explains a period in which her character defended a drug dealer, and Tucker and Wallace recall shooting the last scene of the series' final episode. The panelists then respond to audience questions concerning the following: the gruesome demise of Muldaur's character, Bernsen's embarrassment during a surprise birthday episode, the relationship between the show's fictional cases and some in real life, Bochco's experiences with network censors, and the reasons for which "L.A. Law" ended when it did.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: March 13, 1999 Saturday 7:58 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:06:17
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57438
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Bushman … Moderator
- Corbin Bernsen … Panelist
- Steven Bochco … Panelist
- Amanda Donohoe … Panelist
- Larry Drake … Panelist
- Richard Dysart … Panelist
- Jill Eikenberry … Panelist
- Dann Florek … Panelist
- Michele Greene … Panelist
- Harry Hamlin … Panelist
- Gregory Hoblit … Panelist
- Cecil Hoffmann … Panelist
- Elodie Keene … Panelist
- Diana Muldaur … Panelist
- Alan Rachins … Panelist
- Michael Robin … Panelist
- Susan Ruttan … Panelist
- Jimmy Smits … Panelist
- Mark Tinker … Panelist
- Michael Tucker … Panelist
- Blair Underwood … Panelist
- Rick Wallace … Panelist