20/20 {DAVID FROST INTERVIEWS THE SHAH OF IRAN} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of news magazine programs. This edition features excerpts of David Frost's exclusive interview with the Shah of Iran, during the Shah's exile in Contadora Island, Panama. Hugh Downs opens the program with information about the Shah's exile and relations between the U.S. and Iran, and Frost then outlines his goals for the interview. The first excerpt of Frost's interview includes the following topics, among others: the Shah's reaction to the United Nations tribunal; the reasons the Shah refuses to go to trial in Iran; and his response to charges that he diverted twenty billion dollars for personal use, donated money to the campaigns of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and profited from numerous business deals with Textron and other companies. In the next excerpt, Frost and the Shah discuss the following subjects: discrepancies between the Ayatollah Khomeini's reports and the Shah's reports on the number of people tortured and killed during the Shah's regime; the SAVAK operation in the U.S., which uncovers Iranian subersives and communists; the origins of civilian torture in Iran; the Shah's ignorance of the torture occurring under his reign, until he was notified by outside intelligence; and his response to charges that he ordered the execution of those deemed enemies of the state. The final segment covers the following subjects: Iran's political instability arising from a possible conspiracy by the oil consortium to raise oil prices; the relationships between Iran and the U.S. and Great Britain; the pros and cons of Khomeini's exile; the Shah's disbelief that Khomeini orchestrated the takeover of a new regime; the Shah's refusal to abdicate as King; and his present health. The program concludes with Downs and Frost's closing remarks about the interviewer's delicate approach for the interview, and the Shah's views on U.S. power in Iran and the relatively repressive nature of his regime. Includes commercials and promos. Commercials include Sammy Davis, Jr., for Alka-Seltzer; John McEnroe and Larry Bird for 7 Up; and Sandy Duncan for Wheat Thins.
Cataloging of this program has been made possible by the Bell Atlantic Foundation, 1999.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: January 17, 1980 Thursday 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:51
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T80:0356
- GENRE: News magazine
- SUBJECT HEADING: Corruption (in politics); Iran - Officials - Talk/Interviews; Torture; U S - Foreign relations - Iran
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1978-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - 7 Up beverage
- TV - Commercials - Alka-Seltzer pain reliever
- TV - Commercials - Anbesol antiseptic anesthetic
- TV - Commercials - Carlo RossiÕs Vin Rose
- TV - Commercials - Dry Idea anti-perspirant
- TV - Commercials - Easter airline
- TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Mazda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Oldsmobiles automobiles
- TV - Commercials - One A Day vitamins
- TV - Commercials - Pontiac automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Wheat Thins crackers
- TV - Promos - "ABC's Wide World of Sports"
- TV - Promos - "B.A.D. Cats"
- TV - Promos - "Pro Bowlers Tour"
- TV - Promos - "Tenspeed and Brown Shoe"
- TV - Promos - "The American Music Awards"
- TV - Promos - "The Love Boat"
CREDITS
- Michael Deakin … Producer
- David Frost … Producer, Reporter, Interviewer
- Hugh Downs … Host
- Shah of Iran (see also: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi) … Guest
- Gerald Ford
- Ayatollah Rudollah Khomeini
- Richard M. Nixon