David L. Wolper

  • When Documentaries Attack

    I recently borrowed producer David L. Wolper’s autobiography, “Producer,” from our local library (a tremendous resource for micro-moguls stretching their research budgets). In it, the award-winning producer of “Roots” and “Willy Wonka,” among other cultural touchstones, details how his production company essentially invented the “dramatic re-enactment” in their television documentaries of the 1950s. It’s interesting…

  • When Documentarians Go Bad

    Been reading producer David L. Wolper’s autobiography, Producer, wherein the author details how his production company essentially invented the ?dramatic re-enactment? in their television documentaries of the 1950s. It’s interesting to consider that such scenes, now ubiquitous on cable and beyond, were once considered verboten by networks and journalists alike. I ‘ve appeared in similar…