Stories and clips from some of TV's famous moments

Posted 11/06/06

He was in the television control room with Edward R. Murrow and with President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy.

He worked on the infamous $64,000 Question quiz show and early, live TV dramas like the U.S. Steel Hour.

Bruce Minnix is the legendary Cape May Mayor who helped to steer the city in its battle over historic preservation. But few realize he had just as legendary a professional life as a TV director and associate director.

Minnix reminisced recently about some of those moments - memories he'll share on the opening night of the NJ State Film Festival at Cape May, Friday, November 17.

• Read more about the Cape May NJ Film Festival 2006

Minnix had a special roll and a ring side seat during Edward R. Murrow's historic See it Now broadcasts. Those were the weekly news broadcasts in which Murrow blasted Sen. Joseph McCarthy. The movie Good Night, and Good Luck captured those moments. (Actor George Clooney sat in Minnix's spot in the control room for the movie version.)

Minnix got to rub elbows with the President and the First Lady while he was the associate director on A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy in the 1960's. He tells the inside story of how President Kennedy worked his way into his wife's production.

One of his favorite shows was the live show celebrating Rogers and Hammerstein's 25th anniversary - starring an incredible cast of stars including Yul Brynner, Jack Benny, Mary Martin and Groucho Marx.

In addition, Minnix was the first director of New York's Shakespeare in the Park, working with theater icon Joseph Papp. He also directed stars like Helen Hayes, John Houseman and Patti La Pone.

Film Festival Gala

You can hear his stories about TV's Golden Age and see some of his clips (which he's donated to UCLA's Library) on Friday night, November 17 at the NJ State Film Festival gala at Congress Hall.

Enjoy a dessert buffet and open bar while Minnix gives you a peek into some of early TV's glamorous moments.

Tickets

Call the film festival at (609) 884-6700 for tickets - $30 for just the gala or $80 for the gala and the entire weekend film festival, including Sunday brunch at Congress Hall.

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Jacqueline Kennedy with Charles Collingwood during televised tour of the White House. Photo courtesy of the John F. Kennedy Library

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