Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-24
ON THE AIR
BY HARRY MACARTHUR

BY HARRY MACARTHUR
If you can know a man by
his book, you ought to be able
to interview him through it.
too. The man with us today
via the printed word, is Paddy
Chayefsky. The book is "Tele-
vision Plays" a collection Of
six he has produced on NBC-
TVS 'TeleviSion Playhouse"
Just published by Simon and
SchuSter.
The 32-year-old. Bronx
born Chayefsky probably is
television's best-known play
wright. He won his greatest
fame with a play called
Marty" the motion picture
version of which is threaten
ing to become one Of the SEN
sations Of the movie year.
He has written a number Of
other TV plays. almost all of
them for "Television Play
house." Virtually all of them
have revealed his sensitivity.
insight into human relations
and sharp eye and ear for the
drama in everyday life.
A man who sets high stand
ards for himself, Mr.. Chayef-
sky obviously has little pa
thence with writer's who aim
at lesser goals.
"Television can be an art
medium for the writer, but
most Of the writer's I know
affect a skilled labor atti-
tude." he once said. "They
approach each assignment
like plumber who is about
to fit a couple of pipes to-
gether."
Not So Theatrical
An insight into the Chayef-
sky approach is provided by
his comments on the plays in
the published collection. The
questions here are after the
fact, of course: the answers"
are the playwright's own
words, culled from the oages
of his book.
@. Mr.. Chayefsky, you have
written for the stage as well
as for television. What are
some of the facts of television
life you have had to learn to
adapt to it?
A. Obviousness is, unfortu-
nately. one Of the properties
Of the stage play. The stage
play is directed at a large
group of people - many of
whom must be shouted to so
that the words can be heard.
On the stage. the writer does
not capture the relationships
between his characters; rather
he projects them. In
terms Of craft, this means that
every scene-almoSt every line
is dominated by the height
ened urgency of the story. It
is my tentative belief that
television does not do its best
with dramas centered around
a peak of tremendous crisis.
Television is better suited to
everyday crises through which
the same depth Of insight can
be achieved but without the
excessive theatricality.
Croft Is Unique
@. You mean, then, that
television does require q diff
ferent approach on the part
Of the writer?
A. Television drama is o
form of writing peculiar to it
self, more peculiar than any
of us now writing for the me-
dunn really know. There is q
special technique for writing
television, a special craft, and
its uniqueness is best shown
by the dismal failure Of sue
cessful Broadway playwrights
and scenario writer's to mere
ly transfer to television. The
technique of a new writing
form is not something that
springs full-blown from any
ones head. The television
writer has had to adjust la
boriously to the distinct limi-
tations OF the medium, and 1t
is within these adjustments
that q new style and q particu-
lar sort of material Is pre-
scribed. Television has end
less limitations that force upon
the writer a distinct approach
to his work.
@. And you. Mr.. Chayef-
sky. obviously have adjusted TO
the limitations. Have you de-