National Geographic Channel Sports/Wildlife Special highlighting the startling similarities between NFL teams with animal names and their corresponding creatures in the wild. Written, produced and executive produced by Hank Saroyan. Hosted by James Brown, narrated by Earl Mann, with original music by Robert Irving.
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The Annual Prism Awards (for the accurate depiction of substance abuse in the media) was an ambitious breakfast event when I first became involved in 1998 ... but with a little coaxing of the PRISM executive staff, some huge favors from IATSE, Laser Pacific Media and a number of other production entities, the tiny but admirable event grew into a star-studded prime time special and gala, airing first on Tribune and ultimately FX. I produced the show (and wrote with Ed Driscoll) for six years and was unexpectedly presented with a Prism Award for my dedication to the production and its cause in my final year.
National Geographic's Geokids was an energetic edu-tainment puppetry-animation-wildlife show idea I had for toddlers in 1992, conceived out of everything I had learned as a single dad and as a zoology major at U.C. Berkeley. Geokids is a frenetically-paced treasure-trove of things that are good for kids, put forth in ways that kids can relate to and view again and again. It has won over eighty awards to date, but for a multitude of political reasons has never been broadcast. Many of its concepts and innovations have, however, been "borrowed" by other children's broadcast entities and shows. When you look at the clips on later pages, see if you can recognize which one's they are. I remain hopeful that perhaps we might be able to clear the rights to put it on the air as a series of specials when kids are home on Easter vacation. The show has demonstrated appeal up to fourth grade and parents seem to love it because they learn things, too and the music doesn't drive them from the room.
Prior to the existence of the "show runner" status in Saturday morning television, I was the Executive In Charge of Series (creative, not fiduciary title) story editor (overseeing all scripts) and voice director of all nine seasons, song producer (working with Janis Liebhart, Alan O'Day and fellow composer Rob Walsh) and as V.P. of Network Production for Marvel, my office was responsible for worldwide clip clearance and licensing for the over 500 movie and television clips used to bring the Muppet Babies' fantasies to life. As the letter from Jim Henson to the Academy of Television indicates, together, Producer Bob Richardson and I controlled all creative aspects of the day-to-day production, execution, the final look and feel of Muppet Babies. This required juggling creative notes from Jim Henson, himself, the Henson staff in New York and CBS VP Judy Price, who paid for the series. All while fighting the ever-present demon of cost control on what was at the time the most ambitious animated show in children's TV history, delivering about seven minutes of animation over live-action per episode, and in some seasons two episodes per week.
Two CBS Prime Time animated specials written by Barry O'Brien and Bob Smith and produced by me during my transition from Marvel to independent producer status, while still in charge of Muppet Babies.
Beetle Bailey "Shape Up or Ship Out" was one of the most exciting animated specials I have produced. Consulting on story and character with Mort Walker, working out character animation with old friend, Fred Crippen and directing a cast which included the amazing Larry Storch of F-troop, Henry Cordon (Fred Flintstone,) the perfect James Whalen of Chicago as Beetle! It aired once in prime time on CBS and thereafter disappeared in a regime change. I believe it is available on DVD or VHS combined with Hagar the Horrible which I also voice-directed, starring Lanie Kazan and Peter Cullen.
Little Muppet Monsters was a short-lived spin-off of Muppet Babies featuring live puppets shot in New York, and several all new animated segments, among them Pigs In Space, produced by Marvel under my tutelage as VP of Network Programming. It was cancelled after four shows, but remains one of my fondest memories , as Jim Henson and I got to work in a live studio situation together. Rob Walsh and I also penned the theme to this little gem and if I can find it I shall post it here. The vocalists are Janis Liebhart and myself. Looking at it today it seems quite wonderful. Such are the vicissitudes of network television.
Director Joshua White (The Joshua Light Show at Fillmore East and West) and I, who met on ABC's late-night In Concert rock series and later became partners, were brought in to re-energize and contemporize this Leonard Bernstein-inspired, Saturday afternoon CBS franchise designed to expose young minds to classical music in a compelling way. We did two annual shows, each time during unprecedented blizzards which buried the Manhattan parking meters in snow. Both shows were hosted by the late and ever-charming and vivacious Beverly Sills, who I adored with featured conductors, Erich Leinsdorf and Gunther Schuller. We pushed the Philharmonic traditions pretty hard in the name of entertainment value. So much so that William Paley called the CBS exec in charge (for the first time in twenty-two years of service) and said, "Whatever Saroyan's doing to the Philharmonic, have him stop." Since Josh and I weren't precisely certain what we were being asked to stop doing, I am not certain we did, but Erich Leinsdorf, Beverly and the orchestra got a ten-minute standing ovation from three thousand thirteen-year-olds at the end of the first show, so the results of our labors drew some praise. In spite of this, the show's ratings did not improve and was eventually cancelled.
Beverly Sills
Erich Leinsdorf
Gunther Schuller
Beverly and I discuss the feel of the talk segments. Her personality was indeed worthy of her nickname "Bubbles." We had a grand time working together.
I direct Erich Leinsdorf toward the host seating area. In the end, he was not comfortable with this arrangement and we felt it took too much time to go back and forth, so we let him talk to Beverly from the conductor's stand.
Me, in my "Serpico" days, "Whatever Saroyan is doing to the Philharmonic have him stop."
Above, guess who? C'mon.
Above, The Shirelles ... below, Jackie Wilson.
Dick Clark's Rock n'Roll Years was series of prime-time ABC half-hours featuring live and nostalgic kinescope performances by classic rock acts taped at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, one of my favorite venues for shooting. In front of thousands of appreciative fans of every age, Dick Clark hosted guests like Chubby Checker, The Shirelles, The Coasters, The Crystals, Jackie Wilson, Dion, Bobby Rydell and more. The show had hot Shindig-type style dancers choreographed by Jeff Kutash who went on to great acclaim with the Splash shows in Vegas.
Chicago, In The Rockies was ABC Prime Time Rock N'Roll Special idea created by me, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, long before MTV or music videos, Dick Clark, Bill Lee, John Moffitt and I honed this live, on-location and in-studio style that led to the released album track with Al Green and Chicago performing an Al Green Classic, Tired of Being Alone.
Chicago, Meanwhile Back at The Ranch, was a folow up, hour-long sequel to the show above, pre-MTV, pre-music video special from executive producer, Dick Clark, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, shot at Caribou Ranch, with guest stars Anne Murray and Charlie Rich and a featured two live concert performance on the ranch grounds. Produced by Bill Lee and me.
ABC Prime Time Music Special from Dick Clark Productions starring Roberta Flack on television for the first time as a solo headliner with special guests, Seals and Crofts. Produced by Bill Lee and myself. Directed by John Moffitt. My first prime time producer credit, age 24.
"Three Dog Night ... Night" was the first in Dick Clark Productions' ever-evolving series of prime time rock music specials with special guest, Roberta Flack. Taped at NBC in the studio next to Dean Martin and the Goldiggers. A real thrill for a 23-year-old altar boy from the San Francisco Bay area. One day, I did my best Jerry Lewis impression for tuxedo-clad Dean Martin, approaching in the backstage hallway. He laughed, shook his head and said, "Stop it, kid. I already did that movie." Bill Lee produced. I associate produced.
I am proud to lay claim here to having written and produced, when twenty-four, what now qualifies as the worst-reviewed movie in made-for-TV history, The Werewolf of Woodstock. The back story behind its creation is a comedy-of-errors project I am trying to sell, even now. Maybe Quentin Tarantino will read this and call me. Luckily I was a kid in my third year in the business, but still ... let it suffice to say, Bill Lee and I wrote it as a farcical comedy spoof of all "werewolf, gore and beach-blanket anything" movies. It was meant to be camp, non-sensical, and irreverent. Somehow through the machinations of television, our eight-page premise got sold by Dick Clark as a serious ABC Late Night Mystery on their Wide World of Entertainment Series. At this point there was no way out. The underlying story deliberately made little or no scientific sense and while vaguely linear, is only so in a stoned-and-synapsially disjointed way. It starred Tige Andrews as Bert the farmer-turned-werewolf, Michael Parks, Meredeth MacRae, Richard Webb, Harold J. Stone, Belinda Balasky, Ann Doran and Andrew Stevens in his first TV role. When I read the on-line reviews recently, I nearly died laughing. If you want a good laugh, rent it. At the time we were sincere and we were trying to shoot high-band videotape outdoors and at night, which was like having a blind man build the Golden Gate Bridge in a typhoon.
Even the type font of the original broadcast titles suggests something less than serious.
Stuntman Bud Cardos in full werewolf makeup which took hours to apply. Yet, to my eye looked like a cross between Charleton Heston as Moses and Goofy.
After jumping through his bedroom window and shedding his PJ's the werewolf roams the countryside looking for hippies to kill. Please forgive me.
The late and wonderful Meredeth MacRae, a dear personal friend, plays Kendra,the non-science-science-rich parapsychologist.
A DVD box and disc which leads me to believe you can still find this film if you look really hard. Perhaps there will be a liquor store nearby to help you decipher the plot. If I can find a way to include that Gawd-awful review, I will.
