Fade Up: 26 The Movers and Shakers of Variety Television By Mary Beth Leidman

The Total Tutor Neil Haley will interview author Mary Beth Leidman.

The variety format has been a cornerstone of television since the first images flickered on the small screen back in 1948.  Culled from lengthy interviews with 26 of the most prominent directors, producers, and director/producers, Fade Up: 26 The Movers and Shakers of Variety Television is a history of variety television as told by the voices of the men and women who were and are responsible for bringing these shows and stars into our homes for the past 65 plus years.

These are the people who conceptualized and morphed this incredible genre and here in Fade Up, one will discover the story of variety television programming.  They are Emmy-winning directors and producers who even to this day, continue to dominate the field of primetime variety television through their work on the four major award shows: the “Academy Awards,” the “Emmys,” the “Grammys,” and the “Tony Awards.”

Fade Up traces the paths of variety television, by objectively comparing voices - allowing each person to speak for him or herself and share specifics from their perspectives.   And because of the ever-changing landscape of variety television, one will see how these individuals learned to utilize the new technical advances that have taken place and which may or may not impact variety television’s success and future.

The depth of these directors and producers’ passion for television and for the genre of variety television knows no bounds; their collective knowledge about television in general is unsurpassed.  And without exception, all these individuals bring the reader insightful and unique perspectives to their given artistic endeavors.