Talking Film
(1978)Streaming Episode Guide
Season 1
Hollywood Portraits: Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse Lasky
Episode 80 - 7-09-1986
The life and career of Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse Lasky.
Haven't Seen
Two Film Critics: Richard Schickel and David Robinson
Episode 79 - 7-08-1986
Elwy Yost talks with authors and film critics Richard Schickel (Time magazine) and David Robinson (Times of London).
Haven't Seen
A Portrait of Billy Wilder
Episode 78 - 7-07-1986
Discussion of the film director and writer. Guests include screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond, writer Maurice Zolotow, film critic Sheila Benson, lyricist Ray Evans, composer Jay Livingston, and actors Tom Ewell and Jack Lemmon.
Haven't Seen
Two Film Directors: Ronald Neame and Richard Fleischer
Episode 77 - 7-04-1986
Elwy Yost interviews Richard Fleischer, who began his career as a film editor; and Ronald Neame, who began as a cameraman.
Haven't Seen
The Preston Sturges Story (2)
Episode 76 - 7-03-1986
Elwy Yost looks at the work of director-writer Preston Sturges, including The Great McGinty, Sullivan's Travels, and The Palm Beach Story. Rudy Vallee, James Curtis, Sandy Sturges, Cesar Romero, and Eddie Bracken are interviewed.
Haven't Seen
The Preston Sturges Story (1)
Episode 75 - 7-02-1986
Elwy Yost discusses the life and work of director Preston Sturges with Sturges' widow; James Curtis, author of the Sturges biography "Between Flops"; L.A. Times film critic Sheila Benson; and actors Lionel Stander, Rudy Vallee, and Eddie Bracken.
Haven't Seen
An Interview with Greer Garson
Episode 74 - 7-01-1986
Academy Award-winning actress Greer Garson recounts her experiences in the movies and shares glimpses of her life.
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Superstars: Bing Crosby and Bob Hope
Episode 73 - 6-30-1986
Composer-conductor Jay Livingston, writer-film historian Tony Thomas, and actress Gloria Jean are among Elwy Yost's guests who discuss Bing Crosby and Bob Hope's road movies. (60m) [1 of 8]
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Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
Episode 72 - 9-09-1985
Elwy Yost discusses the films of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy and interviews MacDonald's husband, actor Gene Raymond, and Bill Blass who wrote her biography.
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Mystery Film and the Detective on Screen
Episode 71 - 8-28-1985
Film historian William K. Everson on the mystery film and the portrayal of the detective on screen. Discussed are the Charlie Chan, Thin Man, and Sherlock Holmes series. Also with actors Leon Ames, Cesar Romero, Kirk Douglas, Ralph Bellamy, and Keye Luke; screenwriters Philip Yordan, Nicholas Meyer, Art Arthur, and Irving Brecher; and director Lindsay Anderson.
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Stars on Stars
Episode 70 - 8-21-1985
Hollywood stars on the subject of being famous: Ray Bolger, Noah Beery, Jr., Leon Ames, Carl Reiner, Rudy Vallee, Margaret O'Brien, Janet Leigh, Tom Ewell, Kirk Douglas, Virginia Mayo, Cesar Romero, John Houseman, Richard Deacon, Jack Lemmon, Ralph Bellamy, Cornel Wilde, and Eddie Quillan.
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The Producer (2)
Episode 69 - 8-19-1985
In the conclusion of a two-part look at the role of the producer in the filmmaking process, producers Tony Bill, Ralph Bakshi, Tamara Asseyev, and Alex Rose offer comment and insights from their own careers.
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Hollywood Portraits: David O. Selznick and Alfred Hitchcock
Episode 68 - 8-14-1985
Interviews with Selznick's son Daniel Mayer Selznick, Lyle Wheeler of MGM Studios; Ron Haver, author of David O. Selznick's Hollywood"; actors James Stewart, Janet Leigh, Tom Ewell, and Richard Deacon; director Richard Franklin (Psycho II); and screenwriter Sterling Silliphant.
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Lotusland
Episode 67 - 8-07-1985
A look at the dark side of the Hollywood picture with authors Bob Thomas and Tony Thomas; Steffi Sidney; actors Cornel Wilde, Cesar Romero, and Tom Ewell; screenwriter Art Arthur; and director Lindsay Anderson. Richard Lamparski, author of the book Hidden Hollywood, talks about the destructive effects of fame.
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The Screenwriter (3)
Episode 66 - 7-31-1985
The job of the screenwriter. Guests: Sterling Silliphant (The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno), Norman Corwin (Lust for Life), Daniel Taradash (Desiree), Andrew V. McLaglen (Fool's Paradise), Nicolas Meyer (The Seven Percent Solution), Robert Pirosh (The Young Lions), Richard Brooks, David S. War, and Lindsay Anderson.
Haven't Seen
Powell and Pressburger
Episode 65 - 7-29-1985
British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger talk with Elwy Yost about their careers; cameraman Jack Cardiff, actor David Niven, and film writer Leslie Halliwell describe what it was like to work with them.
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All Singing, All Dancing
Episode 64 - 7-17-1985
Interviews with people associated with the big Broadway musicals, including actors Gene Raymond, Ray Bolger, and Rudy Vallee, and dance director Hermes Pan who worked with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
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The Cinematic Genius of Rouben Mamoulian
Episode 63 - 7-10-1985
Elwy Yost interviews Hollywood director Rouben Mamoulian (Blood and Sand, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Queen Christine, Summer Holiday, and The Mark of Zorro), who distinguished himself with a fluid and rhythmic style.
Haven't Seen
The Marx Brothers and Their Writers
Episode 62 - 7-03-1985
Elwy Yost interviews comedy screenwriters Irving Brecher, Nat Perrin, Robert Pirosh, and MGM story editor Sam Marx about their work with Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo Marx.
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Two Tragic Stars: Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift
Episode 61 - 6-19-1985
Guests: Betty Robin, Monroe's assistant; Tom Ewell; Jack Lemmon; John Houseman; Brooks Clift; and Edward Dmytryk.
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An Afternoon with Jack Lemmon
Episode 60 - 6-12-1985
Elwy Yost interviews actor Jack Lemmon about his career, his early failures, his first big break, and his experiences with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Billy Wilder, and Delmer Daves.
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The Classic Western
Episode 59 - 10-03-1984
Gregory Peck, Harry Morgan, Jack Elam, and Albert S. Ruddy discuss the development of western films.
Haven't Seen
The Cinema of Frank Capra (2)
Episode 58 - 8-09-1984
Elwy Yost talks to Frank Capra about his film career.
Haven't Seen
Stars of the Cinema: Richard Widmark
Episode 57 - 8-01-1984
Richard Widmark talks about the difficult craft of acting.
Haven't Seen
The Documentary: An Interview with Pare Lorentz (2)
Episode 56 - 7-19-1984
Elwy Yost talks to Pare Lorentz, director of films from the 1930s.
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The Cinema of Henry King
Episode 55 - 7-17-1984
American director Henry King discusses his film career, which began in 1915 and includes Jesse James, The Gunfighter, and Twelve O'Clock High; film clips of Gregory Peck and Harry Morgan.
Haven't Seen
Special Effects
Episode 54 - 7-16-1984
In this examination of the craft and magic of special effects in the movies, host Elwy Yost interviews Bruce Pittman, special-effects specialist Joe Zomar, and optical-effects genius Linwood Dunn.
Haven't Seen
Cinematography (2)
Episode 53 - 7-14-1984
Elwy Yost talks to Joseph Biroc about the distinct photographic styles of film studios and to Joseph Walker, the inventor of the zoom lens.
Haven't Seen
The Screenwriter (2)
Episode 52 - 7-06-1984
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Music in the Cinema
Episode 51 - 6-26-1984
Elwy Yost talks with composers Miklos Rozsa, Henry Mancini, and David Raskin about the role of music in movies.
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The Western Revisited
Episode 50 - 6-25-1984
Richard Widmark, James Stewart, Henry King, Harry Carey Jr., Henry Hathaway, and Hal B. Wallis reminisce about early westerns.
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The Making of a Musical
Episode 49 - 6-15-1984
A visit to the set of Pennies From Heaven where Elwy Yost talks with the production designer, costume designer, set decorator, and choreographer.
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The Cinema of King Vidor
Episode 48 - 6-12-1984
King Vidor, who directed his first film in 1918, talks about The Big Parade, The Crowd, and War and Peace, and offers views on the maturation of movies.
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Stars of the Cinema: Stewart Granger
Episode 47 - 6-11-1984
Stewart Granger discusses the advantages and disadvantages of being a film star and his relationship with directors Compton Bennett, Sir Carol Reed, and George Cukor.
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Women in the Cinema: The Writer
Episode 46 - 6-08-1984
Three writers - Joan Tewkesbury, Harriet Frank Jr., and Nancy Dowd - discuss their writing techniques and their work with various directors.
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An Interview with Samuel Fuller
Episode 45 - 6-07-1984
A conversation with Sam Fuller, director of Pickup on South Street, about his experiences as a crime reporter and his thoughts on cult films.
Haven't Seen
Two Film Critics
Episode 44 - 6-06-1984
Film critics Arthur Knight and Charles Champlin discuss the ethics of criticism and their favorite movies.
Haven't Seen
The Producer (3)
Episode 43 - 9-15-1983
Elwy Yost talks with three Hollywood producers - Richard Roth, Albert S. Ruddy, and Frank Yablans - on how they come up with ideas for movies.
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A Conversation with Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Episode 42 - 8-31-1983
The renowned director talks about his career and the artists he has launched.
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A Portrait of John Ford (2)
Episode 41 - 8-26-1983
Elwy Yost's guests - director George Sidney and actors James Stewart and Richard Widmark - talk about veteran film director John Ford, whose films include Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, and How Green Was My Valley.
Haven't Seen
A Portrait of George Stevens (2)
Episode 40 - 8-30-1982
The second of two programs about director George Stevens, one of Hollywood's most talented filmmakers. Elwy Yost talks with actors Joel McCrea and Charlton Heston, screenwriter Evan Moffat, and editor William Hornbeck about their memories of Stevens.
Haven't Seen
A Conversation with Otto Preminger
Episode 39 - 6-05-1982
Elwy Yost questions the film director about his numerous works, which include Anatomy of a Murder, the once-controversial The Moon Is Blue, and Advise and Consent.
Haven't Seen
The Big Studios: Twentieth Century-Fox
Episode 38 - 5-08-1982
Guests discuss how Twentieth Century-Fox operated and flourished during its heyday. Featuring producer Milton Sperling, studio publicist Jet Fore, music department head Lionel Newman, production manager Raymond Klune, and actor Vincent Price.
Haven't Seen
The Making of a Motion Picture (4)
Episode 37 - 9-22-1981
Actor John Justin and director Michael Powell discuss Sir Alexander Korda's 1940 film The Thief of Baghdad, and actor Sir John Clements reminisces about his work in Korda's 1939 film Four Feathers.
Haven't Seen
Anatomy of Suspense
Episode 36 - 8-19-1981
A look at how suspense is developed, through the films of directors Alfred Hitchcock and Henri-Georges Clouzot and discussions with actor James Stewart, actress Janet Leigh, critic Pauline Kael, filmmaker Saul Bass, and director John Badham.
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Gods and Goddesses of the Cinema
Episode 34 - 7-29-1981
Actors David Niven, Henry Fonda, Janet Leigh, and Vincent Price; composer Henry Mancini; director George Sidney; and producer Hal Wallis discuss the phenomenon of movie idols.
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A Conversation with Pauline Kael
Episode 33 - 7-22-1981
Film critic Pauline Kael talks about her career and the reactions to her harsh reviews.
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The Making of a Motion Picture (3)
Episode 32 - 7-18-1981
Elwy Yost discusses cinematographic technique in action films with film designer and consultant Saul Bass, photographer William Fraker, director Franco Zeffirelli, actor Jon Voight, and makeup artist Bob Dawn.
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The Making of a Motion Picture (2)
Episode 31 - 7-11-1981
Explores the art of making motion pictures with film designer Saul Bass, director Robert Aldrich, and photographer William Fraker.
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The Business of Directing
Episode 30 - 7-04-1981
Interviewing some of today's most successful directors - Stanley Kramer, Robert Aldrich, and Richard Brooks.
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The Cinema of Henry Hathaway
Episode 29 - 6-17-1981
Elwy Yost interviews director Henry Hathaway (Lives of a Bengal Lancer, Kiss of Death, How the West Was Won, and True Grit). James Stewart, Richard Widmark, Pauline Kael, Hal Wallis, and Jet Fore share their recollections of Hathaway.
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The Serial
Episode 28 - 6-10-1981
A conversation with actor Buster Crabbe and director William Witney about the making of the serial cliffhangers of the 30s and 40s.
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Women in the Cinema
Episode 27 - 6-03-1981
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David Lean and Sir Carol Reed
Episode 26 - 5-27-1981
David Niven, Margaret Lockwood, and Phyllis Calvert discuss the work of British directors David Lean and Sir Carol Reed.
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Thirty Years of British Cinema
Episode 25 - 5-20-1981
Elwy Yost and industry craftspeople review the past thirty years in British cinema, including the present trend to produce dramatic television series rather than feature films. With cinematographer Jean Coquillon and actors John Justin, Anna Neagle,George Cole, and Hayley Mills.
Haven't Seen
Powell and Pressburger
Episode 24 - 5-13-1981
British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger talk about their careers and the films The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and Stairway to Heaven; cameraman Jack Cardiff, actor David Niven, and film writer Leslie Halliwell describe what it was like to work with them.
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More Film Criticism
Episode 23 - 5-12-1981
Husband and wife Andrew Sarris and Molly Haskell describe their careers as film critics, the difficulty of maintaining objectivity in film reviewing, contemporary trends in filmmaking, and the effect of their careers on their lives.
Haven't Seen
The Cinema of Frank Capra (1)
Episode 22 - 5-06-1981
Actor-director John Howard, cameraman George Folsey, and Frank Capra Jr. reminisce about the life and works of the American director Frank Capra.
Haven't Seen
The Cinema of John Huston
Episode 21 - 4-28-1981
Elwy Yost talks with director John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen, and The Man Who Would Be King) about his long career and his relationships with Orson Welles, Humphrey Bogart, and Truman Capote.
Haven't Seen
The Animators
Episode 20 - 4-22-1981
Elwy Yost talks with veteran Warner Studios animators Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng.
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The Animators
Episode 19 - 4-22-1981
Elwy Yost talks with veteran Warner Studios animators Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng.
Haven't Seen
The Nightmare People: Horror in the Cinema
Episode 18 - 4-15-1981
Elwy Yost discusses techniques employed in the making of horror films, both classic and contemporary.
Haven't Seen
More Special Effects
Episode 17 - 4-08-1981
George Pal (When Worlds Collide and War of the Worlds) and Colin Chilvers (Superman) discuss special effects.
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A Portrait of George Stevens (1)
Episode 16 - 2-25-1980
The legendary motion picture director responsible for such screen classics as Shane and A Place in the Sun is recalled by his son George Stevens, Jr.
Haven't Seen
Hooray for Hollywood
Episode 15 - 2-18-1980
Host Elwy Yost visits several Hollywood landmarks: the sidewalk in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and Paramount Studios. Yost talks to actors Richard Arlen, Buddy Rogers, and Pat O'Brien about Hollywood past and present.
Haven't Seen
The Western
Episode 14 - 2-04-1980
In an exploration of the myth and reality of Hollywood westerns, Elwy Yost interviews actor Joel McCrea and directors John Sturges, Robert Aldrich, and Mark Rydell.
Haven't Seen
The Documentary: An Interview with Pare Lorentz (1)
Episode 13 - 1-28-1980
A creator of the documentary film, Pare Lorentz (The River, The Plough That Broke the Plains, and The Fight for Life), discusses his long career and aspects of the documentary genre.
Haven't Seen
The Hollywood Ten: An Interview with Writer Ring Lardner Jr.
Episode 12 - 8-03-1979
Ring Lardner Jr. talks about his years of blacklisting during the McCarthy era.
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Zanuck
Episode 11 - 8-02-1979
A portrait of the last great movie mogul Darryl F. Zanuck, who ruled 20th Century Fox for thirty years, through the words of Fox personnel who knew him well. With director Henry King, producers Milton Sperling and Raymond Klune, screenwriter Philip Dunne, and actor Henry Fonda.
Haven't Seen
A Portrait of John Ford (1)
Episode 10 - 9-04-1978
Actors Henry Fonda and Frank Baker and screenwriters Nunnally Johnson and Philip Dunne reminisce about one of Hollywood's greatest film directors: John Ford.
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How Movies Are Sold
Episode 9 - 8-28-1978
Sidney Pollack, Robert Altman, John Milius, and Roger Corman voice their opinions on the marketing of films, the importance of profits, and the control they have over how their movies are sold.
Haven't Seen
Sex and Violence in the Cinema
Episode 8 - 8-21-1978
The controversial twin issues of sex and violence are discussed by filmmakers Robert Altman, Roger Corman, David Picker, John Milius, Sydney Pollack, and Stanley Kramer.
Haven't Seen
The Making of a Motion Picture (1)
Episode 7 - 8-14-1978
Elwy Yost asks three American directors about favorite films they have worked on: George Cukor talks about A Star Is Born, Henry King about Twelve O'Clock High, and Vincente Minnelli reminisces about the making of Lust for Life.
Haven't Seen
Designing Movies
Episode 6 - 8-07-1978
Richard Sylbert, one of Hollywood's foremost production designers (Chinatown, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Carnal Knowledge) talks about the function of the various people who work on design, and the relationship of the designer to the director.
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Cinematography
Episode 5 - 7-31-1978
Lee Garmes, Stanley Cortez, Haskell Wexler, and Victor Kemper discuss some of the films they have photographed and look at their varying relationships with directors and actors.
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Acting in the Cinema
Episode 4 - 7-24-1978
Henry Fonda, Anthony Hopkins, Marsha Mason, Leslie Nielsen, Albert Salmi, Sidney Pollack, Roger Corman, and John Milius discuss acting methods for the stage and screen, the actor's relationship to the director, and reminisce about some of the films they have worked on.
Haven't Seen
The Screenwriter
Episode 3 - 7-17-1978
Screenwriters John Milius, Sterling Silliphant, and Bernard Slade talk about the role of the screenwriter in filmmaking, the auteur theory, and working relationships between writers, directors, and producers.
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The Director
Episode 2 - 7-10-1978
George Cukor, Roger Corman, Robert Wise, Abraham Polonsky, and Richard Brooks discuss the role of the film director.
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The Producer (1)
Episode 1 - 7-03-1978
Producers David Picker and Walter Mirisch and producer-directors Robert Altman, Roger Corman, Sydney Pollack, and Stanley Kramer discuss their important roles, throwing light on what a producer does to ensure the success of a movie.
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