American - Producer | January 11, 1928 - August 10, 2010
Sometimes if you tell me what a story is about in just a few sentences, I can tell you if it's going to be a success.
David L. Wolper
SuccessMeStoryYouI CanTell
Some psychiatrist told me I was interested in sculpture because I dealt in flat surfaces and needed something with dimension.
MeSculptureDealtSomethingBecause
Why is it that if you hit a shot to within a tenth of an inch of the hole, it's a great shot, but if it goes in, it's luck?
GreatLuckYouWhyWithinInch
Somebody said something funny to me the other day. They said, 'Wolper, until two weeks ago, your tombstone was going to say, 'David Wolper, the man who produced 'Roots.' I think the tombstone now has a new inscription. It's going to be 'David Wolper, the man who produced the opening ceremony of the 1984 Olympics.'
FunnyDayManMeRootsThink
I'm not a kid trying to make an impression in the business. I do have 600 films out there that are playing constantly.
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I have to do popcorn for movies. I can do more important things for television. You're going down when you're making a movie, not going up.
YouTelevisionDownI CanMoviesUp
You need an actor who can maintain a character over a long period of time. If you have a weak actor, it won't be obvious in two hours, but you'll begin to see his weaknesses over four or five days.
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For a two-hour movie on a 20-day shooting schedule, it's O.K. to have an actor who's a pain in the neck.
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I don't call four hours a miniseries.
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'Roots' did show that the audience would be receptive to black talent and a black story.
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What prevailed was that it was a family story, so it didn't matter what the color. It was also the perfect subject matter for a miniseries: A best-selling book, a generational story, a social problem - they all made 'Roots' what a miniseries should be.
FamilyRootsBookColorStoryMade
Continuity is a wonderful thing, and it is a very rare thing in show business.
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