PF: Obviously, the content has changed dramatically. If you’re familiar with that episode, Norton’s “Hello, Ball” is a famous line from it.Ĭafé: Having interviewed writers from the 1950s to today, what do you see as the most significant changes in the American television sitcom? Just when Ralph thinks he lucked out-it turns out he didn’t. Norton tries to teach Ralph how to do it, but he doesn’t know anything more about golf than Ralph does.

And the episode would be “The Golfer.” After telling his boss he plays golf, Ralph’s under pressure to prove it when his boss invites him to play with him. My dad later wrote a Flintstones episode where Pebbles won a beauty/talent contest.Ĭafé: Of all the shows your father worked on, which one was your favorite? And do you have a favorite episode? For those familiar with the San Fernando Valley, I was crowned “Miss Valleyheart Drive” for a year. PF: When I was eight I won a neighborhood beauty/talent contest. Perks he brought home from work included a personally-autographed photo of Jay North, (when Jay was my favorite!), the Flintstones cels (I didn’t keep mine, but some of them are worth thousands of dollars today!), or record albums of performers on The Garry Moore Show.Ĭafé: Have you ever watched a sitcom episode written by your father and realized it was based on something that happened in your family? Dennis the Menace and The Flintstones made for great summer reading. Also, the bookshelves in my dad's office were filled with TV scripts. To say it was a thrill is an understatement. These were closed sets, meaning you had to know someone at the studio, give your name to security at the gate, etc., to gain access. Paula Finn: One of the best things about it was that my dad could always get me in to see my favorite TV shows filmed. Finn was kind enough to let us be the interviewer and ask her some questions.Ĭafé: What was it like having a sitcom writer for a parent? A UCLA graduate with a degree in anthropology, Paula Finn is no stranger to the world of TV sitcoms-her father Herbert Finn wrote episodes of The Honeymooners, The Flintstones, Gilligan's Island, and other classic sitcoms.

However, she also talks with lesser-known writers who are widely recognized by their peers for their excellent writing, creating indelible characters, and breaking barriers. Brooks ( The Mary Tyler Moore Show), and Carl Reiner ( The Dick Van Dyke Show). Her subjects include many of the genre's heavyweights, such as Norman Lear ( All in the Family), James L. Her in-depth interviews feature fifteen sitcom writers, who discuss classic comedies from the 1950s to today. In her new book, Sitcom Writers Talk Shop, Paula Finn provides a fascinating look behind the scenes of a beloved American TV genre: the situation comedy or sitcom.

Sitcom Writers Talk Shop by Paula Finn