Elliot Norton Interviews; Josh Logan

WGBH Educational Foundation · May 1, 1963

Joshua Logan, a veteran of two areas of the entertainment world, openly and frankly outlines some of the problems of the theater on Broadway and in Hollywood during this episode. His predictions for the future of the New York theater are not altogether optimistic; he sees increasing costs and various kinds of censorship curtailing the producers freedom. The program finds Logan and his interviewer, Elliot Norton, in a set that gives the illusion of being a huge empty theater. The discussion begins with the problem of handling controversial subjects in motion pictures, with Fanny used as the example. Mr. Logan comments on the changing moral climate in Hollywood. The talk moves to Broadway, and the economic difficulties that are forcing producers to mount only a certain type of play. Such economics, according to Mr. Logan, are forcing the theater to conform to the will of pressure groups. He wonders whether this pressure will kill freedom of expression in the theater and concludes by suggesting that we may have to let the theater die in order to save it. Josh Logan with Elliot Norton is a production of WGBH-TV in Boston. This 30 minute program was produced in 1961. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche) Elliot Norton Interviews brings together nine interviews conducted by Boston drama critic Elliot Norton for the National Educational Television audience.