tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8976027163300200828..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: It's James Burrows Night on NBCBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30923141448956061782016-02-23T13:23:17.179-08:002016-02-23T13:23:17.179-08:00Ken, one of the key things you said in this post w...Ken, one of the key things you said in this post was about imperfection. I think many of us have lost sight of what is true perfection and what is not. <br /><br />A flawlessly executed movie with perfect special effects and no seams can be awful. You could see strings in The Wizard of Oz but it's a work of art.<br /><br />Sometimes I pour my heart and soul into a piece and the only thing that is noticed is a typo, an omission, or an error that is a semantic issue. True, we much be as precise as possible with words, but too many times I see people getting so hung up on what they see as a glaring error that they stop reading. Or they see a typo and think the writing itself is lacking. Jack Klugman said "I don't need people who can spell. I need writers who can write."<br /><br />But now that computer graphics and autotune can smooth out all the rough edges, what emerges can be no better than polyester.<br /><br />Listen to the music in this classic scene from The Band Wagon. Master trumpeter Uan Rasey hits a sour note, but they left it in because the performance was so heartfelt and ultimately iconic:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duLFwcsc6Nc<br /><br />"I AM NORAD. I AM PERFECT. YOU ARE NOT PERFECT. MUST ELIMINATE."Greg Ehrbarhttp://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-very-first-mary-poppins-cover-albums/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28983291570472996622016-02-23T13:04:17.558-08:002016-02-23T13:04:17.558-08:00@Gary One of my favorite editing bloopers in a tri...@Gary One of my favorite editing bloopers in a tribute show was in the Dean Martin roast for Johnny Carson. Those shows were infamous for choppy editing and throwing in routines from people who weren't there for the original taping. For some reason, they brought in Ruth Buzzi to roast Johnny as her spinster character Gladys, but it was painfully obvious from the beginning she wasn't really there in the same room with Johnny. Making it even more clear, there were some reaction shots of Johnny edited in where the hand resting on the speaker's dais is clearly that of a black man (presumably reused from the Redd Foxx routine earlier). I thought it was hilarious that not only did they use a cutaway with a different person's hand visible, they couldn't even be bothered to match the appropriate race and sex.Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38076491034216676722016-02-22T18:51:39.143-08:002016-02-22T18:51:39.143-08:00It can only mean that Judd Hirsch's evil twin ...It can only mean that Judd Hirsch's evil twin has escaped from the asylum and is on the loose again.Brettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76760930139900757232016-02-22T18:13:21.058-08:002016-02-22T18:13:21.058-08:00At the 57 minute, 7 second mark, Judd Hirsch is se...At the 57 minute, 7 second mark, Judd Hirsch is seen in an audience shot while he was up on the stage. What gives?Garynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70193326724116964172016-02-22T13:12:54.989-08:002016-02-22T13:12:54.989-08:00Here is the Ken Tucker review that was mentioned a...Here is the Ken Tucker review that was mentioned above<br />https://www.yahoo.com/tv/james-burrows-cheers-taxi-big-bang-theory-140845884.htmlsanfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06580867647162091670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21438968823614664382016-02-22T10:42:21.388-08:002016-02-22T10:42:21.388-08:00I didn't pay attention to how the show was adv...I didn't pay attention to how the show was advertised, but there have been people here, too, complaining because it wasn't the FRIENDS reunion they apparently had been led to expect.<br /><br />Honestly, I wasn't too thrilled with it, but then it can't be easy to put together a tribute -- one that will draw viewers -- to someone whose job is, to most people, either invisible or undervalued. (I've heard more than one person say about TV directors, "If they were REAL directors, they'd be making movies.")Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46433580279998410592016-02-22T10:08:05.758-08:002016-02-22T10:08:05.758-08:00I had the privilege of attending a Newsradio filmi...I had the privilege of attending a Newsradio filming directed by James Burroughs. As soon as I settled in my seat I recognized him and spent more time watching him than the actors. (The show hadn't premiered yet so Phil Hartman was the only one I recognized.) I remember being amazed that, as Ken said, he didn't watch, just paced looking at the floor, listening. But I remember he stopped one take in the middle to move a camera and he pointed out a specific line and position he wouldn't have coverage for. Which he knew without looking. He didn't need to-- he was seeing everything in his head. I may have been the only one in the audience who knew who he was or saw what he was doing, but 20+ years later I'm thrilled that I got to see him at work.Dan Reesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03410461670413630333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42806332809829487942016-02-22T09:59:07.581-08:002016-02-22T09:59:07.581-08:00Ken Tucker had this to say: This was no way to hon...Ken Tucker had this to say: <i>This was no way to honor James Burrows. He looked happy enough, sitting in the audience on Sunday, smiling broadly — though at what, we could not know for sure, because as I said, the editing of the All-Star Salute was so devious, it was impossible to be sure any reaction matched what had just been said. Anyone who was a fan of any of these shows would have known the anecdotes that were told this night — no new light was shed.</i><br /><br />I had to turn it off because it was so hacked up and not interesting.i could be a bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07053667549467002501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76108592512732130902016-02-22T09:25:58.122-08:002016-02-22T09:25:58.122-08:00I did not attend.I did not attend.By Ken Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90501317133323601732016-02-22T09:25:37.769-08:002016-02-22T09:25:37.769-08:00Back when Burrows started, it wasn't practical...Back when Burrows started, it wasn't practical to put video assist on a film camera, so directors had to watch the live performance in front of them and hope it played properly to the camera. They couldn't know for sure until the film was developed and the dailies came in.<br /><br />Do you think modern directors are overreliant on the monitor? I've seen some who almost disappear after the scene is blocked. They seem afraid to leave the village once the picture is up.Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57139949474333201022016-02-22T09:20:22.773-08:002016-02-22T09:20:22.773-08:00Did you attend, Ken? If so (friday question) can y...Did you attend, Ken? If so (friday question) can you tell us one insane thing Andy Dick did? JBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19004616348010971882016-02-22T09:06:25.384-08:002016-02-22T09:06:25.384-08:00Absolutely everything I read about that show discu...Absolutely everything I read about that show discussed it as a FRIENDS reunion special, with barely a word said about James Burrows. Likewise, water cooler discussion I've heard about it this morning has been highly critical of it because it wasn't the FRIENDS reunion special people were led to believe they were going to see.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77138703218228800912016-02-22T06:35:26.131-08:002016-02-22T06:35:26.131-08:00GREAT QUESTION @JLEE!
Ken, looking at Burrows...GREAT QUESTION @JLEE! <br /> Ken, looking at Burrows' credits, one of his earliest directing jobs was on "The Tony Rnadall Show", including one episode, "Franklin vs. McClellan" written by Ken Levine and David Isaacs. Is there anything you remember about that episode, so early in everyone's career, that James added to it though his direction, or anything that, if done a few years later, might have been staged differently?<br /><br /><br /><br />The Bumble Bee Pendanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11782074071758250824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3918077900598061052016-02-21T21:20:39.900-08:002016-02-21T21:20:39.900-08:00They should've had the Newsradio cast there. H...They should've had the Newsradio cast there. He directed more episodes of that than The Big Bang Theory or Wings.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80455411684860575092016-02-21T21:01:58.587-08:002016-02-21T21:01:58.587-08:00Popcorn made, beer cracked open, 5 4 3 2 1. Can`t ...Popcorn made, beer cracked open, 5 4 3 2 1. Can`t wait.mmryan314https://www.blogger.com/profile/03956737239500293977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72914047910261012192016-02-21T19:03:26.346-08:002016-02-21T19:03:26.346-08:00There's a great interview with Burrows on the ...There's a great interview with Burrows on the NPR Bullseye podcast. Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11364319013321143922016-02-21T18:47:01.097-08:002016-02-21T18:47:01.097-08:00Was there a reason why Jim never directed a MASH e...Was there a reason why Jim never directed a MASH episode?opimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08390849661934711092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38510520303379733362016-02-21T17:24:57.593-08:002016-02-21T17:24:57.593-08:00Ken, looking at Burrows' credits, one of his e...Ken, looking at Burrows' credits, one of his earliest directing jobs was on "The Tony Rnadall Show", including one episode, "<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqlag2_case-franklin-vs-mcclellan_shortfilms" rel="nofollow">Franklin vs. McClellan</a>" written by Ken Levine and David Isaacs. Is there anything you remember about that episode, so early in everyone's career, that James added to it though his direction, or anything that, if done a few years later, might have been staged differently?J Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15175515543694122729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80992952666638866382016-02-21T15:58:51.601-08:002016-02-21T15:58:51.601-08:00It's too bad tonight's tribute probably wi...It's too bad tonight's tribute probably will be viewed through the prism of the terribly overrated "Friends."VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65671591689661782692016-02-21T15:17:54.151-08:002016-02-21T15:17:54.151-08:00TWO AND A HALF MEN is considered a "classic&q...TWO AND A HALF MEN is considered a "classic" now? Okay, then.Another Kennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1312629952488977472016-02-21T15:15:21.000-08:002016-02-21T15:15:21.000-08:00I knew James Burrows was a genius. I didn't k...I knew James Burrows was a genius. I didn't know his dad was Abe Burrows. Just ... wow. I'm in awe of both of them.thirteennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42058775426838690352016-02-21T13:22:23.824-08:002016-02-21T13:22:23.824-08:00Friday question:
You have stated that actors have...Friday question:<br /><br />You have stated that actors have a proprietary interest in how their character is portrayed. However, it is very clear that the writer of an episode and even more so the creator of the character would have a proprietary interest in the character. How is that balanced. If an actor simply refuses to do something does it simply come down to who has a bigger fan base? Is this when characters get killed off?Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11777496001166356949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34404497771642777812016-02-21T09:46:21.669-08:002016-02-21T09:46:21.669-08:00Looking forward to seeing this, Ken.
Coincidenta...Looking forward to seeing this, Ken. <br /><br />Coincidentally, prompted by your recent post on Richard Rosenstock, on Friday night I got out and transferred my MARSHALL CHRONICLES episodes from VHS. (Interesting to hear my son say the show summarizes his teenage life, since that's what I thought myself when it was first on.) I had known Burrows directed the pilot, as he has of so many shows, but until this viewing I had never realized he directed the episode you and David wrote and acted in. That seems like a fun and special connection.John Jackson Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02450012837939955658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21312788804643897612016-02-21T09:26:52.478-08:002016-02-21T09:26:52.478-08:00My whole film career was in NYC. Occasionally we&#...My whole film career was in NYC. Occasionally we'd have an LA director come to shoot a few scenes with actors. i.e. NYPD Blue and a few other series. I was always amazed how the director could be reading the Hollywood Reporter, look up say action and nail it every time. Some of those LA guys were brilliant. I learned so much from them and I was the Wardrobe Supervisor....Roseannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08393487748949411049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51920369192878411852016-02-21T08:56:13.163-08:002016-02-21T08:56:13.163-08:00I'm notorious for promising friends that I'...I'm notorious for promising friends that I'll be in the audience when they achieve their dreams. One such friend is Pat Allee who sold her first script to TAXI - "The Ten Percent Solution" in season 3. James Burrows directed, and it was wonderful to watch. There's a method to everything, even the "sloppiness" Ken refers to. You can see it - there was one scene when Banta leaves Bobby's apartment. After a long perfect take, Tony utterly blows the last word of the last line before exiting. Danza fell to the ground outside the door and threw his prop script in the air from frustration. Burrows left it in and just redubbed the line from the audio of a previous take. The result looked like he simply took a clumsy spill just before the fade to black...and it somehow seemed totally natural. He knows the characters better then the actors do.Howard Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05377628524697677407noreply@blogger.com