Television and Popular Culture
1 total work
For director Alan Rafkin, television is probably the silliest and most volatile business in the world. Yet whether he was catching a pie in the face or working with an array of eccentric and talented stars, Rafkin was addicted to television from day one. In this autobiography, Rafkin recounts his behind-the-scenes experience working in over 80 different television series. Some of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, such as "The Andy Griffith Show", "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "M*A*S*H", "Murphy Brown" and "Coach" adorn his directorial resume and illuminate Rafkin's ability to change with the times and persevere in the young world of show business. He recounts how directing strung-out actors and dodging their blows made life on the set a world unto itself. Rafkin further describes how having a good sense of humour helped him survive three divorces and three open-heart surgeries. Rafkin's career spans most of the history of the medium, making him one of the most prolific and valued television directors of four generations, while serving as producer and executive producer for a number of programmes wielding a significant amount of creative control over several others.