Barry Kemp

In this three-and-a-quarter hour interview, Barry Kemp talks about his early television influences, including The Dick Van Dyke Show - his inspiration for pursuing a career in television writing. He discusses joining the writing staff of Taxi, where he worked under the tutelage of James L. Brooks on several classic episodes. Kemp wrote for Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, and Andy Kaufman, as well as for Kaufman's alter ego, Tony Clifton. He recalls leaving Taxi to work on the short-lived series Out of the Blue and The Popcorn Kid. He discusses creating the series Newhart, trying to live up to Bob Newhart's first successful TV series, and inventing several memorable characters for the show, including "Larry," "Darryl," and "Darryl." He outlines leaving Newhart and creating Coach with Dabney Coleman in mind, but later casting Craig T. Nelson in the title role. He discusses the challenge of getting Jerry Van Dyke cast on the show and describes staying with the show for its entire run of eight seasons. He concludes by speaking of his term as the president of the Writers Guild Foundation and offers advice to aspiring writers. Nancy Harrington conducted the interview on July 13, 2011 in North Hollywood, CA.

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

Barry Kemp on the challenges of casting a "new" wife for Bob Newhart in Newhart

01:03

Barry Kemp on the Newhart series finale

02:28

Barry Kemp on the opening theme to Newhart and the opening sequence

01:43

Barry Kemp on the characters "Larry", "Darryl" and "Darryl" on Newhart

03:32

Barry Kemp on working with James L. Brooks, Ed. Weinberger, David Davis and Stan Daniels on Taxi

01:43

On producing the feature film "Catch Me If You Can"; on being President of the Writers Guild Foundation; on advice to aspiring writers

Barry Kemp on how Coach came about

05:35

Barry Kemp on the setting of Coach

00:37

Barry Kemp on his role on Coach

02:18

Barry Kemp on the writing process on Coach and the comedy of the show

03:47

Barry Kemp on Craig T. Nelson as "Hayden" on Coach

05:25

Barry Kemp on Jerry Van Dyke as "Luther" on Coach

03:02

Barry Kemp on Shelley Fabares as "Christina" on Coach

01:39

Barry Kemp on Bill Fagerbakke as "Dauber" on Coach

01:08

Barry Kemp on the atmosphere on the set of Coach

01:36

Barry Kemp on the character of "Hayden Fox" on Coach and his real life counterpart Hayden Fry

02:38

Barry Kemp on his favorite episode of Coach

02:04

Barry Kemp on the final episode of Coach

01:19

Barry Kemp on "Larry", "Darryl" and "Darryl" making a cameo on Coach

01:44

Barry Kemp on leaving Coach

01:22

Barry Kemp on how the show Newhart came about

07:25

Barry Kemp on working with Bob Newhart on Newhart

03:11

Barry Kemp on the writing process for Newhart

03:55

Barry Kemp on the comedy of Newhart and doing research for the show

04:12

Barry Kemp on the rules for writing Newhart

01:38

Barry Kemp on Bob Newhart's character on Newhart, "Dick Loudon"

06:21

Barry Kemp on the various Newhart characters

01:40

Barry Kemp on Julia Duffy as "Stephanie" on Newhart

01:19

Barry Kemp on cast changes in Newhart

03:43

Barry Kemp on Mary Frann as "Joanna" on Newhart

05:49

Barry Kemp on the challenges of casting a "new" wife for Bob Newhart in Newhart

01:03

Barry Kemp on Peter Scolari as "Michael" on Newhart

01:52

Barry Kemp on Tom Poston as "George" on Newhart

03:52

Barry Kemp on the characters "Larry", "Darryl" and "Darryl" on Newhart

03:42

Barry Kemp on a typical production week on Newhart

02:39

Barry Kemp on the atmosphere on the set of Newhart

01:18

Barry Kemp on the opening theme to Newhart and the opening sequence

01:43

Barry Kemp on John Rich directing Newhart

01:29

Barry Kemp on the early Newhart writing team

01:39

Barry Kemp on changing "Dick"'s occupation on Newhart

01:17

Barry Kemp on moving on from Newhart

02:41

Barry Kemp on watching Newhart after his departure

02:04

Barry Kemp on coming to write for, and the premise of Taxi

01:30

Barry Kemp on his role in the writing process of Taxi

02:45

Barry Kemp on working with James L. Brooks, Ed. Weinberger, David Davis and Stan Daniels on Taxi

01:43

Barry Kemp on working with James Burrows on Taxi

00:53

Barry Kemp on the atmosphere on the set of Taxi

02:05

Barry Kemp on the comedy of Taxi

01:03

Barry Kemp on using real cab drivers' stories on Taxi and stories from his own personal life

02:52

Barry Kemp on working with Judd Hirsch as "Alex" on Taxi

02:28

Barry Kemp on working with Marilu Henner as "Elaine" on Taxi

01:16

Barry Kemp on working with Randall Carver as "John" on Taxi

00:51

Barry Kemp on working with Jeff Conaway as "Bobby" on Taxi

00:49

Barry Kemp on working with Tony Danza as "Tony" on Taxi

00:42

Barry Kemp on working with Andy Kaufman as "Latka" on Taxi and Kaufman's alter ego Tony Clifton

03:36

Barry Kemp on working with Carol Kane as "Simka" on Taxi

01:36

Barry Kemp on working with Christopher A. Lloyd as "Reverend Jim" on Taxi

01:25

Barry Kemp on the actors being involved in the writing process on Taxi

01:57

Barry Kemp on his favorite Taxi episodes and his Emmy nomination

03:58

Barry Kemp on what he learned from Taxi and why he left the show

03:00

Barry Kemp on the characters "Larry", "Darryl" and "Darryl" on Newhart

03:42

Barry Kemp on the opening theme to Newhart and the opening sequence

01:43

Barry Kemp on the characters "Larry", "Darryl" and "Darryl" on Newhart

03:42

Barry Kemp on the opening theme to Newhart and the opening sequence

01:43

Barry Kemp on the Newhart series finale

02:28

Barry Kemp on his role in the writing process on Taxi

02:45

Barry Kemp on the writing process for Newhart

03:55

Barry Kemp on his writing process

01:42

Barry Kemp on advice to aspiring writers

02:01

Barry Kemp on writing for Taxi

34:29

Barry Kemp on writing and producing Newhart

07:25

Barry Kemp on creating and writing Newhart

59:03

Barry Kemp on creating and writing Coach

34:15

Barry Kemp on how the show Newhart came about

07:25

Barry Kemp on working with Bob Newhart on Newhart

03:11

Barry Kemp on Tom Poston as "George" on Newhart

03:52

Barry Kemp on Jerry Van Dyke as "Luther" on Coach

03:02