*** The Chat is now starting, please come to Towne Hall

?MISS P: Our special guest this evening is Producer/Director Steve Binder.

Steve is a multi-Emmy and Cable ACE award winner who has worked with everyone from
Diana Ross to Pee wee Herman. Steve has gone down in television history, if for no other
reason than for his outstanding contributions to the career of Elvis Presley!

The 1968 Comeback Special offered an *unplugged* session years before the term became
the vogue, and yielded the finest music of Elvis' career. Steve's career spans four decades as
he honed his craft as a director and later as a producer/director, working with Steve Allen
in the early 1960's.

Northern Lights: )APPLAUSE
*Kompy: Wow!
?Arctic Frost: )applause

?MISS P: But it was music that really caught his attention and imagination. Steve directed
the landmark rock and roll NBC series, HULLABALOO and the feature film T.A.M.I.
considered one of the top ten all time great rock and roll films.

*Kompy: )applause

?MISS P: Music specials and extravaganzas continued featuring Liza Minnelli, Patti LaBelle,
Smokey Robinson, The Soul Train Music Awards, ... the creation of Don Kirschner's Rock
Concert.... But let's give our guest a chance to tell you more!

Please join us in welcoming Steve Binder!!

ID(c): )applause
?Arctic Frost: !Welcome Steve!!!
ID(c): )applause
{~Prince Darien~}: hey there Steve!

Steve Binder: Thanks
ID(c): !hi Steve!!
*? Bo: Welcome Steve!
?Arctic Frost: Ohhh he's cute!!!!
?-G-Jesseª: welcome to the palace
Steve Binder: Can we just begin with questions?
 

?Arctic Frost: Steve, working with all those incredible stars - is it intimidating?

Steve Binder: It's always intimidating when you first meet them, and there's always a
moment where they test you to see if you'll stand up to them, so they know you're there
to make them look good and protect them so they can trust your judgement.

?Arctic Frost: Let's start with the King
Steve Binder: ok elvis time
?Arctic Frost: Was that early in your career? And how did that come about?

Steve Binder: I had just finished producing and directing a Petula Clark & Harry Belafonte
special that became a big controversy, when a black man and a white woman touched each
other in primetime...  and the ad agency and sponsor went berserk!
Bunny: wow
?Arctic Frost: Hahahahaha I'll bet!  What year was that?
Steve Binder: 1968

I then got a call from NBC and executive producer, Bob Finkel, who told me
that they needed to find a young rebel to get involved with the Elvis special.

?Arctic Frost: :hee hee got the biggest rebel of them all:)

Steve Binder: because even though they had a deal with Colonel Parker there was nobody that Elvis could relate to and therefore he was balking at actually showing up and doing the special.  When we first met, I was told that all Elvis would be doing would be to sing 20 or so Christmas songs,  say hello and goodbye... and that would be the special.

I told Elvis if he did that his career would be finished for good. And he believed me.

?Ben(c): wow
?Arctic Frost: LOL!!!
*? Bo: lol
?Arctic Frost: That took guts:)

Steve Binder: We then set out to create a special that he would be comfortable with and most
important, turn him on creatively. He told me he knew how to make records but he was afraid
of television.  I told him:  Let's make a record and I'll put pictures to it.
?Arctic Frost: Man, how cool
*? Bo: Great

guest 208: what's your favorite Elvis song?
Steve Binder: If I Can Dream would have the most meaning for me because when we wrote
the song for the special, with words and music by Earl Brown, the assignment to Earl was to
disguise in the lyrics what Elvis was saying and feeling ... that he was reluctant to "talk"
about on the special.
?Arctic Frost: Oh wow, really?  cool
*?Angelia: cool

Steve Binder: When I first met Elvis I was not particularly into his music...although I was amused by his appearances on Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, etc. And I enjoyed the classics like "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Hound Dog"  When I started working with him and really "tuned in" I really began to appreciate what a great artist he was.
?Arctic Frost: He really was

Steve Binder: and aside from the lousy movie songs that he was obligated to sing, per contract...
?Arctic Frost: hee hee
*Kompy: lol he always "looked" so happy to sing them

Steve Binder: I really realized what a great producer he was, ... his abilities to select great material like "Cant' Help Falling in Love" ... Up until Elvis hit the music most people recorded everything at one time.   Elvis led the way working with a rhythm section and a stack of records picking out great licks that he "arranged" for his songs and layered the rhythm tracks. I guess you could say he opened the door for the technology of recording today that use 24, 48, 72 etc. tracks when they record a single song.

{~Prince Darien~}: When you worked w/Elvis, did you know about his drug problem?

Steve Binder: I was young, naive and sometimes stupid, ... but the truth is, I never once knew of any negative Elvis problem in the entire time I worked with him. He was bright, articulate, imaginative and fun to work with. He was always responsible and on time, and open to trying anything creative that was challenging. In his own words he told me. ... he loved appearing in front of the public, and for at least 10 years had not been able to do that because of the kind of commitments the Colonel was making for him,   including the string of movies that he wasn't particularly proud of. He was thrilled and scared to get back where he belonged in front of his audience.

*McNeeley: Many TV specials were famous for being "canned" Did Elvis always perform live on TV?

Steve Binder: The '68 special was really a well planned script that had elements of performance in front of a live audience. It wasn't until after the fact that we came up with the idea of the acoustic improv that was shown on HBO, in its entirety, under the title One Night With You. The 68 special was really Elvis' only planned television production special.

He followed that with two photographed "concerts" -- one in Hawaii, and the other close to
his death, that was aired on CBS immediately following his death...but it showed Elvis at his worst and was, from my understanding, erased and will never be shown again.
?Arctic Frost: Oh wow!
*McNeeley: :wow
?Ben(c): wow
*? Bo: Wow
Steve Binder: Other than those 3 specials, Elvis had only appeared on television from time to time as a guest on somebody else's show. I was sorry to see him end up in Las Vegas because I knew deep down he really wanted to tour the world live...and meet new challenges in his life rather than be sold as a saloon act in Vegas.

guest 208:  Did Elvis give you any momentos?
 
Steve Binder: There is a new book out, by Joseph Tunzi, in Chicago, that focuses on the '68 Special exclusively.  I have the signed master director script as well as a lot of the score. and also a membership in Colonel Parker's "snowman's club" as well as an Elvis bust made in Tijuana and some wristbands, etc....

*? Bo: That's neat
?Ben(c): wow
?Arctic Frost: Bet they are worth tons now
Steve Binder: I'm sure they were momentos that meant a lot to me at the time and probably
I will always hang on to them or pass them on to my kids.
{~PD~}: :wish I was his kid ;)

Bunny: Based on the success of his TV appearances, did he want to star in his own show?

Steve Binder: When Elvis saw the edited special, before it aired on NBC, he told me he
would never sing a song or make a movie that he didn't believe in...
?Arctic Frost: Oh what a compliment to you!

Steve Binder: and I told him that I heard what he said but that he would have to break away from the "inner circle"  of friends and especially Colonel Parker, who for some reason really had a hold on him. Unfortunately,  I never saw Elvis pursue his dreams after we parted. I personally feel what really probably killed him, other than drugs, ... was the fact that he was so bottled up and never had a chance to climb any new mountains.

*McNeeley: The Colonel built a a brilliant career for Elvis. But honestly, do you think the Colonel destroyed Elvis's personal life? Was the Colonel a real megalomaniac?

Steve Binder: I think the Colonel did a brilliant job promoting and publicizing Elvis, as many businessmen do with a product, but there is a thin line between knowing what the public really wants and I think Elvis even doubted his own talent when we met...wondering whether it was all the hype and publicity that really made him a star.

After 5 seconds with Elvis, I knew he needed to realize how special he was and forgetting all the business of the business, he had something the public wanted to hear and see!

 
?Arctic Frost: Any projects underway right now we can look forward too?

Steve Binder: I've kind of reached the point in my life where I really don't want to do anything I don't believe in, so I've taken a little time to regroup, and develop some new projects with a few of my special creative friends. I have gone almost non-stop for my entire career with a lot of ups and downs. Of course I am always open when a special star calls and says they're doing a project and would like me to be involved. It seems making the deals take forever, and then when they are done, they want the creative product yesterday.
?Ben(c): :sounds like my job

?Ben(c): anyone you would like to work with?
Steve Binder: I would have loved to work again with Garth Brooks I can't wait to see his special tonight on HBO ... When I did work with him a few years ago on the Grand Ole Opry's 65th Anniversary Show. I knew he was special even though he was just taking off at the time and surrounded by the biggest country stars. I never had the chance to work with Streisand, ... though all of her specials were directed by a good friend of mine, Dwight Hemion, who I
have always respected as a director.

=[?Caesar]=: Why did Elvis go meet with Richard Nixon??

Steve Binder: It has never been a high priority in my life to find out the answer to that question.

*? Bo: Steve What project did you enjoy the most working on?

Steve Binder: I always say the next show because I know too many people over the years who always talk about the good ol' days ...  like to think my best days are still ahead.

I would like to say that no matter what the press says about how difficult it is to work with stars like Diana Ross I can tell you firsthand, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with some of the greatest talents in the entertainment business.  Diana Ross, for example, who I've worked with practically my whole career deserves everything she has worked for because she gives 110% to everything she does and makes anyone working for
her feel they are the best or they wouldn't be there.

I've learned that there is never the one man taking credit for everything theory. Whoever
can put the most talented, best team together usually ends up getting the credit for the success of a project. No matter what show I have produced and/or directed, I have always relied on my "team" to make me look good and some of the most creative ideas come from people you'd least expect it from .... and I thank them all.

*McNeeley: You directed a feature film that garnered an Oscar nomination for James Whitmore, but you seem to prefer TV to Cinema.  What is it about TV that makes you focus on that medium?

Steve Binder: McNeeley... I guess I was a television baby. I love the speed and excitement of going to work with a new challenge and its own beginning, middle and end. I had to make a choice, because I also love film. I'm a huge moviegoer. But I made the decision after a few experiences that it takes forever to get a movie made and I could have done 10 or 20 projects instead of waiting for the deal to get a green light. Movies and television have sort of
melded together with respectability that it never had in the beginning and to me it's just another palette to paint on.

*Kompy: What do u think is the biggest difference in the entertainment industry.....from the 60's to the 90's?

Steve Binder: Kompy...I think we are in the midst of the greatest revolution in the entertainment global world.   The 90s are just the tip of the iceberg in opening new worlds to the masses in communication. The 60s 70s and 80s  were basically everybody tuning in to 3 stores ABC, NBC and CBS. Now through the use of computer technology we haven't even scratched the surface of what we'll all be tuning into in the future. I'm just sorry I won't be around that much longer to see all that is ahead of us!

*Kompy: Thanks Steve : )

Steve Binder: Thank you for letting me share this hour with you!   I can only tell you that I started out thinking I was going to be a doctor to please my parents and never realized the opportunities that were open to me.... and only hope you all realize your dreams as well.
Bunny: )applause
ID(c): )applause
ID(c): )applause

Steve Binder: Thank you.
*? Bo: Thank you very much Steve
?-G-Jesseª: are you a palace member?
Bunny: Thanks Steve!!!!
Steve Binder: This is my first time online at all actually
*? Bo: Great Show!
Steve Binder: thanks
?-G-Jesseª: congrats
 

Bunny:  Everyone!  Thanks for joining us for the Steve Binder chat
*McNeeley:   Thank you Steve for chatting with us and sharing your insight.
Northern Lights:  Thanks USR for hosting Steve's chat.
*? Bo:  !This is only the first of may great shows to come at Towne Square.

?MISS P: You can see some of Steve's work this Saturday night -- Beauty and The Beast on Ice -- which has received 3 Emmy nominations,  will be on CBS this Saturday at 8:00pm.
!Check your TV listings!

*?Angelia:  you can learn more about Steve's career in film and television, by visiting:
http://members.aol.com/palacechat/steve.html
 

?MISS P: thanks everyone!!!

 - Closing Log