On The Bookshelf

ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER
Special to The Jewish News

F

or the better part of four
decades, Alan Rafkin has
directed Hollywood's
hottest television stars.
Now, the Emmy Award-winning
director has emerged from behind
the camera to recount his backstage
b
experiences in a new tell-all book,
Cue the Bunny On the Rainbow
(Syracuse University Press; $26.95),
in which he shares the joys and per-
ils of workinab in over 80 sitcoms.
Rafkin will sign copies of his
book 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28,
at Borders in Birmingham and 7
p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, at Borders in
Ann Arbor.
Rafkin, who still directs, wrote
the book for his daughters, now
ages 34 and 29. "I thought my
career was a lot different from other
daddies who work from 9 to 5, and
I wanted my kids to know all about
what I did," says the new author.
Born and raised in New York
City, Rafkin always wanted to be a
part of the entertainment business.
After graduating from Syracuse
University and a stint in the Army,
where he performed in USO
shows, he landed a job at CBS in
New York.
His first memorable position was
stage manager for "Captain Kangaroo,"
and his book title, Cue The Bunny on
the Rainbow, comes from direction he
gave to a puppeteer about standing on
a fake rainbow with a rabbit.
By the 1960s, Rafkin made his way

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams
— "They behaved like brats. Success
came very early to them and I don't
think they handled it well."
Patty Duke — "I could sense she was
under great pressure. Later it came
out that her guardians were taking
advantage of her financially and in
every other way, and she was diag-

on M*A*S*H' were such joys. And
Shelley Fabares, Bob Newhart and Andy
Griffith made my job so easy," he recalls.
Looking back, Rafkin — who lives
in Montana when he's not working —
says his only regret is that he took his
work too seri-
ously.
"It affected
Burmy
the rest of my
Rairthow
life," says the
director, who
went through
three divorces
and three open-
heart surgeries.
"When I did a
show in front of
an audience that
didn't go well on
Friday, I felt like
my life was com-
ing to an end on
Saturday. The
intensity hurt me in a lot of ways."
However, Rafkin says he has a lot
to be grateful for. "I feel very fortunate
I never had to take a job outside the
industry," he says. "I am very lucky to
have been able to make a living in a
business that I love." ❑

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Alan Rafkin takes
readers behind the
scenes ofAmericas
favorite TV sitcoms.

to Hollywood, where he continue(. ;:o
make a name for himself. "The Andy
Griffith Show," "Make Room For
Daddy," "I Dream of Jeannie" and
"The Donna Reed Show" are some of
his early directorial credits.
For the next three decades he

nosed with manic depres-
sion. But she is a very good
person."
Gilda Radner — "All the
wonderful things I ever
heard about her were true. I directed
her on 'It's the Gary Shandling
Show,' and she was a real pleasure,
even as sick as she was. She was in a
lot of pain from ovarian cancer but
would try and joke about it."
Arthur Godfrey — "He was a known
anti-Semite and kept as far away
from Jews as he could. He was one of
the meanest, bigoted men I ever
knew. I used to hear him call peot)le
likes' and `niggers'."

Behind The Scenes

Here's what director/author Alan
Rafkin had to say about some of the
TV celebs he's directed:

worked on the highest-rated TV
shows, including "Alice," "One Day at
a Time," "Nanny and the Professor"
and "Murphy Brown."
His most recent directorial credits
include episodes of "Friends,"
"Suddenly Susan" and "Veron-
ica's Closet."
Many changes have taken
place since Rafkin first stood
behind the camera. "The
c
younger directors don't have
nearly the control we did," he
says. "Now it's the writers and
producers who run the show.
Directors just do what they
are told."
And the language and
content of sitcoms are a lot
more risque, he adds. "You
can get away with saying
words on the air you never
could [say] before. But I
don't think that necessarily makes for
better TV."
Over the years, Rafkin, who is
Jewish but never encountered anti-
Semitism, has tackled huge egos, back-
stage fighting, demanding actors and
substance abusers.
Who were some of the most diffi-
cult actors? "Craig T. Nelson and Jack-
ie Mason," he says. "Jackie Mason,
who starred in 'Chicken Soup,' was
not an actor and didn't know what he
was doing. Craig T. Nelson of 'Coach'
was extremely moody, and you never
knew which mood he would come to
work with."
Still, Rafkin also has enjoyed the
opportunity to direct the best in the
business. "Jamie Farr and Loretta Swit

Danny Thomas — "He was wonder-
ful, warm and funny. He used to say
he was an honorary Jew. He loved his
family and his work."
Jackie Mason — "He is a brilliant
monologist and his Broadway shows
are wonderful, but I don't think he
was adapted to sitcoms."
Lucille Ball — "I was a staff director
at CBS in Los Angeles directing Ed
Sullivan's 25th anniversary show, and
stars were videotaping vignettes. I
found her to be most unpleasant."
Marto Thomas — "She was extreme-
ly bright but a bit of a prima donna,
in the nicest way. If she had to get
her hair or make-up redone, and I

000•060

Alan Rafkin speaks and signs
copies of his book 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan., 28, at Borders,
34300 Woodward, Birmingham.
(248) 203-0005. He also will
appear 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, at
Borders, 612 E. Liberty, Ann
Arbor. (734) 668-7652.

would be pacing, waiting for her, she
would say, 'This is not coming out of
your pocket and it's my face on the
screen.' She was right."
Redd Foxx — "He openly did drugs
and took it personally when I refused
to do drugs with him."
Candice Bergen — "She was gra-
cious and charming. I was in awe of
her because of the social and political
circles she traveled in."
Bob Newhart — "The most normal
guy. He had his priorities absolutely
in order. His family came first, and
everything else followed."

— Alice Burdick Schweiger

1/22
1999
Detroit Jewish News 101