Making Masterpiece: 25 Years Behind the Scenes at Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Prime Suspect, Cranford, Upstairs Downstairs, and Other Great ShowsThe Emmy Award-winning producer of PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! reveals the secrets to Downton Abbey, Sherlock, and its other hit programs For more than twenty-five years and counting, Rebecca Eaton has presided over PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre, the longest running weekly prime time drama series in American history. From the runaway hits Upstairs, Downstairs and The Buccaneers, to the hugely popular Inspector Morse, Prime Suspect, and Poirot, Masterpiece Theatre and its sibling series Mystery! have been required viewing for fans of quality drama. Eaton interviews many of the writers, directors, producers, and other contributors and shares personal anecdotes—including photos taken with her own camera—about her decades-spanning career. She reveals what went on behind the scenes during such triumphs as Cranford and the multiple, highly-rated programs made from Jane Austen’s novels, as well as her aggressive campaign to attract younger viewers via social media and online streaming. Along the way she shares stories about actors and other luminaries such as Alistair Cooke, Maggie Smith, Diana Rigg, Benedict Cumberbatch and Daniel Radcliffe, whose first TV role was as the title character in David Copperfield. Readers will also get to know Eaton on a personal level. With a childhood steeped in theater, an affinity for nineteenth century novels and culture, and an “accidental apprenticeship” with the BBC, Eaton was practically born to lead the Masterpiece and Mystery! franchises. Making Masterpiece marks the first time the driving force behind the enduring flagship show reveals all. |
Contents
THIRTEEN | |
THREE Upstairs Downstairs Take | |
The Learning Curve | |
SEVEN | |
EIGHT | |
Pitching the Pitchers | |
ELEVEN Made in America | |
TWELVE | |
But What Does an Executive Producer Do All Day? | |
FIFTEEN | |
The Downton Effect | |
Photographs | |
Illustration Credits | |
Other editions - View all
Making Masterpiece: 25 Years Behind the Scenes at Masterpiece Theatre and ... Rebecca Eaton,Patricia Mulcahy No preview available - 2014 |
Making Masterpiece: 25 Years Behind the Scenes at Masterpiece Theatre and ... Rebecca Eaton,Patricia Mulcahy No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
actress aired Alistair Cooke American asked audience Boston British actors called Carnival Film cast coproduce costume drama course Cranford culture daughter Diana Diana Rigg director documentary Downstairs Downton Abbey Eileen Eileen Atkins Elizabeth Emmy England English episode eventually executive producer father favorite felt film Henry Becton Herb Schmertz Hollywood host Hugh Bonneville idea Inspector Morse interested Jane Jean Marsh Jeremy Brett Judi Judi Dench Julian Julian Fellowes Katherine knew lives London looking Maggie Smith Masterpiece Theatre Middlemarch miniseries Mobil mother movie Mystery never novel Paul play Prime Suspect producer of Masterpiece public broadcasting public television Rebecca remember Russell Baker Sarson scene screen scripts Sherlock shoot star story talk tell Theatre’s there’s things thought told took Upstairs viewers Vincent wanted watch WGBH who’d write York