Celebrating Women in Entertainment: "She Made It"
Museum of Television and Radio Kicks Off Bi-Coastal
Initiative Celebrating Women in Entertainment: "She Made
It"
By M. D. Caprario
The Museum of
Television and Radio has kicked off its “She Made It:
Women Creating Television and Radio” program, a
three-year initiative acknowledging and celebrating the
accomplishments of women in the entertainment field.
Co-chaired by trustees
and founding benefactors Loreen Arbus (Loreen Arbus
Productions) and Kay Koplovitz (USA Networks), the
initiative was launched at the Museum’s New York
location on December 1 during which time the 2005
honorees were named and the project’s web site,
www.shemadeit.org, went live.
Honorees for 2005 are
Mildred Freed Alberg, Debbie Allen, Christiane Amanpour,
Lucille Ball, Gertrude Berg, Fanny Brice, Marcy Carsey,
Julia Child, Joan Ganz Cooney, Barbara Corday, Ellen
DeGeneres, Suzanne de Passe, Donna de Varona, Diane
English, Tina Fey, Phyllis George, Terry Gross, Susan
Harris, Catherine Hughes, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Susan
Lacy, Geraldine Laybourne, Mimi Leder, Debra L. Lee, Ida
Lupino, Pat Mitchell, Mary Tyler Moore, Sheila Nevins,
Agnes Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cokie Roberts,
Marlene Sanders, Cristina Saralegui, Diane Sawyer, Susan
Stamberg, Anne Sweeney, Lela Swift, Nancy Tellem, Marlo
Thomas, Dorothy Thompson, Ethel Winant, and Oprah
Winfrey. Programs for each honoree are available to
watch or listen to at Museum facilities in both New York
and California.
From Marlo Thomas’
“That Girl” to Jenji Kohan’s “Weeds” the evolution of
female-led television has an interesting story. As the
California Museum’s curator, Ron Simon, explains it,
“Women have left an indelible mark on radio and
television programming. They created several genres
crucial to the broadcasting industry, including
situation comedy, the soap opera, and, most recently,
reality.”
 |
|
Jenji Kohan, Jill Hennessy, Jane Seymour,
Susanne Daniels, and Barbara Corday strike a
pose for the media cameras before the panel
presentation |
At the core of "She
Made It" is a 2,000-hour collection of programming,
part of which will be drawn from the Museum’s extensive
holdings. It will serve as an invaluable resource for
scholars, industry professionals, and the public. The "She
Made It" collection and the many Museum programs and
events designed around it—including the web site,
seminars, and screenings—will "pull the camera back" to
view the accomplishments of women within the framework
of television and radio history, including the history
being made today.
The Museum’s California
(Beverly Hills) location kicked off its program with a
satellite seminar entitled “Taking the Lead: Women and
the Changing Face of Television Drama.”
This event featured a
panel moderated by Cynthia Littleton, Deputy Editor of
“The Hollywood Reporter,” and included actresses Jane
Seymour (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”) and Jill Hennessy
(“Crossing Jordan”), businesswoman Susanne Daniels
(President, Entertainment, Lifetime Entertainment
Services), and creators/writers Jenji Kohan (“Weeds”)
and Barbara Corday (“Cagney and Lacey”).
 |
|
Jenji Kohan, Jill Hennessy, Jane Seymour,
Susanne Daniels, and Barbara Corday respond to
Cynthia Littleton's thought-provoking questions |
The informative evening
began with clips from some favorite shows with female
leads, including the Loretta Lynn Show (1956), The
Nurses (1963), Cagney & Lacey (1985), Dr. Quinn,
Medicine Woman (2001), Desperate Housewives (2004),
Weeds (2005) and Crossing Jordan (2005).
 |
|
Barbara Corday tackles a question, Susanne
Daniels readying for her own response |
Prompting discussion
about a time when television featured few female leads,
Littleton’s highly insightful and creative questions
brought about thought-provoking discussion of the kinds
of roles- and dearth of them- for women.
“Much of television
featuring female roles was for a long time ‘giggle TV
drama,’ like Charlie’s Angels,” Jenji Kohan opined. “It
was (not serious), more like winking at the audience.”
“There has been a kind
of ‘disconnect’ about how a male might write female’s
lines,” Jill Hennessey agreed.
“After ‘Sarah, Plain
and Tall,’ (Hallmark made for television movie) ’Dr.
Quinn, Medicine Woman,’ was just a test,” Jane Seymour
said about her much-loved and long-running television
show. “The network didn’t believe in it.”
 |
|
Jill Hennessy and Jane Seymour laugh at their
tongue-in-cheek suggestions for career
advancement in the world of entertainment |
The panel discussion
was augmented by a question-and-answer period with
call-ins via satellite from campuses around the
country. Callers queried the panelists about many
things, and some great advice was offered.
A caller from Hamilton
College in Clinton, New York asked how women can best
break into the business. Kohan had this tongue-in-cheek
answer, “Sleep with the male executives.” Hennessey
took her playful lead, offering, “be sure to be
aggressive and fudge your resume.”
Perhaps the best advice
came from Kohan: “keep going.” She speaks from
experience since she wrote some 15 pilots before one of
her stories was picked up.
Other events are joined
by debut of a unique collection of radio and television
programs, including companion screenings and listening
series highlighting women who have influenced the
television and radio industries. Topics for screenings
include “Women Directing for Television” (January 13 to
February 16, 2005), “She Made It On Her Own” (February
17 to March 23, 2006), and “Theatrically Speaking”
(March 24 to April 30, 2006).
“She Made It” Executive
Committee members include Geraldine Laybourne, Dawn
Ostroff, Nancy Tellem, and Marlo Thomas. Steering
committee members include Wallis Annenberg, Karey Burke,
Judith G. Clabes, Betty Cohen, Joan Ganz, Barbara Corday,
Suzanne de Passe, Mary Desjardins, Susan Douglas, Tracey
Edmonds, Patricia Fili-Krushel, Ann Fudge, Joan E.
Gerberding, Mona Golabek, Bonnie Hammer, Christie
Hefner, Michele Hilmes, Michele James, Debra L. Lee,
Francine Lefrak, Dolly Lenz, Susan Lyne, Judy McGrath,
Carol Mendelsohn, Dina Merrill, Patricia Mitchell,
Sharon Patrick, Lynn Picard, Abbe Raven, Terri M.
Santisi, Cristina Saralegui, Susan Stamberg, Hannah
Storm, Carolyn Strauss, Anne Sweeney, Linda Kaplan
Thaler, Pamela Thomas-Graham, Sarah Timberman, Dana
Walden, Rosalind P. Walter, Mimi White.
 |
|
Jill Hennessy and Jane Seymour clown for the
cameras |
Sponsors of the “She
Made It” initiative include AETN, The Blanche and Irving
Laurie Foundation, Disney ABC Television Group, James &
Co., Lifetime, MTV Networks, CBS, BET, Harry Winston,
Dolly Lenz, Martha Steward Living Omnimedia, The
Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, USA and Sci Fi networks,
the Kaplan Thaler Group, Playboy Foundation, Terri M.
Santisi, Barbara Walters, Carole Black, and BMI.
With this initiative,
the Museum hopes to encourage women now working in the
television and radio industries, and those who will do
so in the future, to experience "She Made It" and be
inspired by the many dramatic, funny, moving, and
surprising stories it tells.
The Museum of
Television and Radio is a nonprofit organization founded
by William S. Paley to collect and preserve television
and radio programs and advertisements and to make them
available to the public. Since opening in 1976, the
Museum has organized exhibitions, screening and
listening series, seminars, and education classes to
showcase its collection of over 120,000 television and
radio programs and advertisements. Programs in the
Museum’s permanent collection are selected for their
artistic, cultural, and historic significance.
The Museum of
Television and Radio in California, located at 465 North
Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, is open Wednesdays
through Sundays from noon to 5:00 p.m.
The Museum of
Television and Radio in New York, located at 25 West
52nd Street, is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to
6:00 p.m. and until 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays. Both
museums are closed on New Year’s Day, Independence Day,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Suggest contribution:
Members are free; $10.00 for adults, $8.00 for senior
citizens and students, and $5.00 for children under
fourteen. Admission is free in Los Angeles.
Images, used with
permission, courtesy of the Museum of Television and
Radio
Text copyright 2006 M.
D. Caprario
M.D. Caprario is a free
lance writer working in NY, LA, and San Francisco.
