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Ann Marcus

️Fri Jan 26 2024

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In her nearly four-hour interview, Ann Marcus (1921-2014) talks about her early interest in writing, which led her to become a "copy boy" at The New York Daily News and later a reporter/researcher at Life magazine. She describes her early, unsuccessful attempts at being an actress and her and her husband's determination to make it in Los Angeles. She recounts her earliest television writing jobs on The Hathaways, Camp Runamuck, and Please Don't Eat the Daisies. She discusses breaking into soap opera writing with Peyton Place and Love is a Many Splendored Thing. She recalls the syndicated serial The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts, which she co-created and co-executive-produced with her husband, Ellis Marcus. Marcus then discusses working with Norman Lear on the groundbreaking soap opera satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and the less successful All That Glitters. She speaks of how the television industry has changed for writers and comments on ageism she encountered in more recent years. She also outlines her time writing for Knot's Landing, Falcon Crest, and General Hospital. Karen Herman conducted the interview on November 16, 2001 at Ann Marcus' home in Sherman Oaks, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"[I'd like to be remembered] as one of the few women who back forty years ago was able to start a career and maintain it for forty years. Had a lot of fun doing it. Lot of ups and downs. Made a lot of money, made a lot of friends, had a marvelously good time, and enjoyed what I did."

Highlights

Ann Marcus on having a script for Lassie rejected

01:09

Ann Marcus on her attempt to integrate the cast of Peyton Place

03:47

Ann Marcus on working with Norman Lear on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:28

Ann Marcus on quitting Days of Our Lives over a controversial storyline

02:03

Ann Marcus on getting fired from Falcon Crest and her "revenge"

02:22

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her early life and influences; on being "copy boy" at The New York Daily News

On being a reporter for Life Magazine; on her early interest in writing

Chapter 2

On moving from New York to Los Angeles; on her husband selling televisions; on her attempts at acting

On her early television writing career; on writing for The Hathaways; on early gender discrimination in television; on how writing for television has changed

Chapter 3

On writing for Please Don't Eat the Daises, Lassie, and Peyton Place

On I Love Lucy director Marc Daniels; on being head writer for Love is a Many Splendored Thing; on quitting Days of Our Lives over a controversial storyline

Chapter 4

On the cancellation of Love is a Many Splendored Thing; on working with actors on soaps; on the process of writing for soaps; on soap opera ratings and demographics

On meeting Norman Lear; on writing for Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman; on Louise Lasser as "Mary Hartman" in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Chapter 5

On Norman Lear's contributions to Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman; on the cast and catchphrases of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

On Louise Lasser as "Mary Hartman" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman; on critical and popular reaction to Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman; on leaving the series for Norman Lear's All That Glitters

Chapter 6

On becoming head writer for Days of Our Lives and establishing her own production company; on working with Days of Our Lives' actors

On creating The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts; on writing for Falcon Crest; on her production deal with Lorimar

Chapter 7

On how she came to write for General Hospital; on the 1988 writer's strike

On how she came to write for Knots Landing; on the demise of the freelance writing pool; on her autobiography

Chapter 8

On the importance of the Writer's Guild; on advice to aspiring writers; on how she'd like to be remembered

On B-roll photos from her career: a glamour shot of Ann Marcus, Marcus with her Emmy, at a buffet celebration, and a scene from Life and Times of Eddie Roberts; Marcus at her desk at the MGM Studio, with Ted Shakleford, with her husband Ellis, and with Donna Mills; a screenshot of her credit from General Hospital, and a photo of her husband Ellis

Shows

All that Glitters

Ann Marcus on leaving Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman for All That Giltters

03:50

Ann Marcus on leaving Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman for All That Giltters

03:50

Days of Our Lives

Ann Marcus on quitting Days of Our Lives over a controversial storyline

02:03

Ann Marcus on writing for Days of Our Lives

01:24

Falcon Crest

Ann Marcus on being supervising producer for Falcon Crest

04:42

General Hospital

Ann Marcus on how she came to write for General Hospital

01:24

Hathaways, The

Ann Marcus on writing for The Hathaways

03:01

I Love Lucy

Ann Marcus on I Love Lucy director Marc Daniels

02:00

Knots Landing

Ann Marcus on how she came to write for Knots Landing

02:05

Ann Marcus on the plot and cast of Knots Landing

05:25

Lassie

Ann Marcus on getting an script for Lassie rejected

01:09

Life and Times of Eddie Roberts

Ann Marcus on creating The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts

06:57

Love Is a Many Splendored Thing

Ann Marcus on writing for Love Is a Many Splendored Thing

07:05

Ann Marcus on the cancellation of Love is a Many Splendored Thing

03:49

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Ann Marcus on how she came to write for Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

08:51

Ann Marcus on writing the pilot for Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

04:33

Ann Marcus on Louise Lasser as "Mary Hartman" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:52

Ann Marcus on the premise of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:37

Ann Marcus on working with Norman Lear on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:28

Ann Marcus on Norman Lear's contributions to Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

04:14

Ann Marcus on the cast of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

06:56

Ann Marcus on the catchphrases of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

02:47

Ann Marcus on the chicken soup episode of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:55

Ann Marcus on critical and popular reaction to Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:34

Ann Marcus on her favorite scenes in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:23

Peyton Place

Ann Marcus on how she came to write for Peyton Place

01:42

Ann Marcus on writing for Peyton Place

06:22

Please Don't Eat the Daisies

Ann Marcus on writing Please Don't Eat the Daises

01:48

Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

Ann Marcus on the catchphrases of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

02:47

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Ann Marcus on her mentors

01:31

Pop Culture

Ann Marcus on the catchphrases of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

02:47

Representation on Television

Ann Marcus on quitting Days of Our Lives over a controversial storyline

02:03

Ann Marcus on her attempt to integrate the cast of Peyton Place

03:47

Television Industry

Ann Marcus on ageism in the television industry

04:03

Ann Marcus on how the television industry has changed

01:39

Underrepresented Voices

Ann Marcus on her attempt to integrate the cast of Peyton Place

03:47

Ann Marcus on her attempt to integrate the cast of Peyton Place

02:03

Professions

Writers

View Profession

Ann Marcus on how writing for television has changed

02:18

Ann Marcus on the process of writing for soap operas

02:08

Ann Marcus on the difference between writing a daytime and night-time serial

05:20

Ann Marcus on advice to aspiring writers

03:21

Genres

Comedy Series

Ann Marcus on writing for Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

13:57

Ann Marcus on writing for Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

24:05

Daytime/Primetime Serials

Ann Marcus on writing for Peyton Place

06:22

Ann Marcus on creating The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts

06:57

Ann Marcus on writing for Knots Landing

07:30

People

Claudia Lamb

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Ann Marcus on Claudia Lamb as "Heather" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:24

Louise Lasser

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Ann Marcus on Louise Lasser as "Mary Hartman" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:52

Ann Marcus on Louise Lasser as "Mary Hartman" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

05:07

Macdonald Carey

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Ann Marcus on working with Macdonald Carey on Days of Our Lives

01:30

Marc Daniels

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Ann Marcus on I Love Lucy director Marc Daniels

02:00

Mary Kay Place

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Ann Marcus on Mary Kay Place as "Loretta Haggers" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

01:11

Norman Lear

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Ann Marcus on how she came to work for Norman Lear on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

08:51

Ann Marcus on Norman Lear's contributions to Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

04:14