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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. "

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" People don't buy and sell art based on the personality of the artist. Or there wouldn't be much art bought and sold. "

David L. Wolper

Art

People

Artist

" 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. "

" I believe a mini-series has two audiences. The first is the media. Then I go for the television audience. "

" I believe that religion and politics should not mix. Both should be a part of somebody's life - but not together. "

" My main contribution has been that I have educated and entertained people at the same time. "

" Some psychiatrist told me I was interested in sculpture because I dealt in flat surfaces and needed something with dimension. "

" When they did the Olympics in Seoul - or elsewhere - didn't each host country try to show its greatness to the world viewing audience? "

" I don't fall in love with inanimate objects. I don't bond with them. I only fall in love with people. "

" I liked the clear morality of 1941, when you had no doubt about good and evil. There was a lot of idealism, people fighting for a cause. People are searching for morality today. "

" You have to say, 'We think it's going to work. Let's go with it.' Either you're going to kill the world, or you're going to fall on your rear end. "

" 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? "

" I couldn't get my first film on the air. The first film I did was called 'The Race For Space,' about the U.S.-Soviet space race. The networks had a policy that I found out about the hard way. I even had a sponsor for my program, but the networks wouldn't put it on because it was independently produced. "

" My initial goal for the 1984 opening ceremonies was a show that would be majestic, inspirational, and emotional - a 20 goosebump experience. "

" My roots are documentaries. "

David L. Wolper

Roots

Documentaries

" I've asked every grammar schoolteacher in the nation to have their students write on the meaning of the Statue of Liberty. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the winning kid got up to the microphone and, in front of the world, had to dig into a pocket to pull out a crumpled sheet of paper containing the words that would move us all? "

" 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. "

" If people perceive 'Roots' to be a black history show, nobody is going to watch it. "

" There's a fine line between patriotism and corn. "

" Television is like a library. There are a lot of library books in it, and you have to pick and choose what you take out of it. "

" My philosophy as a filmmaker is to inform and entertain at the same time. And when I went away from documentaries into miniseries like 'Roots,' I did the reverse. Instead of just entertaining, I want to inform at the same time. "

David L. Wolper

Want

Philosophy

" I make it happen. Who bought Alex Haley's book 'Roots' for TV? Me. I hired the director, hired the writer. I put them all together. I'm like the chef. If I mix all the ingredients right, it's going to taste terrific. If I don't, it's not going to come out good. "

" I don't want to make an 'Animal House.' I'm not interested in making 'Ghost Busters.' "

" Continuity is a wonderful thing, and it is a very rare thing in show business. "

" I'm not a kid trying to make an impression in the business. I do have 600 films out there that are playing constantly. "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" I make the money, and I don't have to take the abuse some of the stars do, opening up their personal life. I can go into a restaurant, sit down, and have a nice meal without being harassed. Arnold Schwarzenegger can't do that. "

" My definition of a producer is 'the man with the dream.' "

" I don't call four hours a miniseries. "

" I did not intend for there to be an incisive historical lesson in 'North and South.' Basically, it's just a good, juicy story. "