Robert Butler - Archive of American Television Interview

Full 10-part oral history interview with television director Robert Butler. He describes breaking into the business as an usher at CBS. He describes his experiences in various behind-the-scenes capacities on such classic "live" anthology series as Climax! and Playhouse 90 as well as his first break in TV directing on the comedy/drama series Hennesey. He details his assignments in series television in the 1960s on The Detectives, Bonanza, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Dr. Kildare, Gunsmoke, The Defenders, The Fugitive, Hogan's Heroes, The Twilight Zone, Batman, and Star Trek. Butler describes his work in the 1970s on television movies (such as Columbo MOWs and James Dean) and feature films and his groundbreaking work on the look of Hill Street Blues, for which he directed several of the initial episodes (including the pilot). He talks about his later work on such series as Remington Steele, Moonlighting (pilot), Out on a Limb, Midnight Caller (which he also executive-produced), Sisters, and Lois & Clark. Conducted January 14, 2004 by Stephen J. Abramson.