Moonlighting: An Oral History

Once upon a time ABC-TV's Moonlighting was among the most buzzed-about shows in the country, thanks largely to the bravado of creator Glenn Gordon Caron, who never met a television convention he didn't want to break, and the sizzling on-screen chemistry between glamorous erstwhile film star Cybill Shepherd and a New Jersey bartender nobody had ever heard of before named Bruce Willis, who bickered and flirted ceaselessly on screen and engaged in epic off-screen battles that all these years later remain the stuff of Hollywood legend. This combustible blend of creative brilliance produced some of the most acclaimed, audacious, and innovative programming of the eighties, including a black and white tribute to film noir, with an introduction by Orson Welles; a parody of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, written in iambic pentameter; an homage to The Honeymooners; and countless metafictive episodes breaking through the fourth wall -- almost unheard of at the time for hourlong comedy-dramas. Without a doubt, Moonlighting helped pave the way for the era of prestige television we are now all enjoying. The real story of this pioneering television series and the extraordinary behind-the-scenes challenges, battles, and rewards has never been told -- until now, Author Scott Ryan (The Last Days of Letterman, thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history, The Blue Rose, Scott Luck Stories) conducted over twenty interviews with the actors, writers, directors, and producers who made Moonlighting such a dynamic, unforgettable show, delving deep into their thoughts and feelings as they relive this magical moment in pop culture history in this full color oral history. New Interviews with: Cybill Shepherd (Maddie Hayes), Allyce Beasley (Ms. Dipesto), Curtis Armstrong (Herbert Viola), Glenn Gordon Caron Creator, Executive Producer, Writer Jay Daniel Executive Producer, Director Roger Director Writer, Producer, Season 4 Showrunner Allan Arkush Director Bob Butler and more.

Author: Scott Ryan
Publisher: Fayetteville Mafia Press
Published: 06/01/2021
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 8.70h x 6.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781949024265


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 05/01/2021 pg. 73
Shelf Awareness 06/01/2021

About the Author
Scott Ryan is the author of The Last Days of Letterman (2018), and thirtysomething at thirty: an oral history (2017). He wrote a comic essay book, Scott Luck Stories (2014) about his time as a stay at home dad. He is the managing editor of the Twin Peaks magazine, The Blue Rose, and is a founding partner of Fayetteville Mafia Press.