Directing The Facts of Life and Who’s The Boss | Asaad Kelada, Part 2

"It is equally treacherous when you are very successful as when you are trying to get your foot in the door in terms of keeping the sense of who you are.”  -- Asaad Kelada, producer/director, The Facts of Life

In Part 2 of their conversation with Asaad Kelada, Susan and Sharon talk with the director about the gifts and pitfalls of success; his reputation as a director who brings harmony to the most disharmonious sets in Hollywood; and the challenge of breaking into the “Hollywood TV Club” for an Egyptian with “a name with all of these vowels!”.

In a career spanning four decades, Asaad Kelada has directed over 340 episodes of television, including Rhoda, Phyllis, The Tony Randall Show, Benson, WKRP in Cincinnati, One Day at a Time, Night Court, Valerie, Who’s the Boss, Family Ties and The Office -- as well as four seasons of The Facts of Life and over five seasons of Who's The Boss?.  

THE CONVERSATION

• How directing his first episode of network television -  "Rhonda Questions Her Life and Flies to Paris" - felt like coming home.
• THE “TIES” THAT BIND: An old friend, Gary David Goldberg, asked Asaad personally to direct the pilot of Family Ties.
• Michael J. Fox ad-libbed the “P” in “Alex P. Keaton” when picking up a call from his girlfriend -- and it got the biggest laugh of the night. That’s when Asaad knew the show was going to be a hit.
• Michael J. Fox was actually the SECOND choice to play Alex Keaton. Matthew Broderick was first.
• ON PERSISTENCE: Observing and learning for five years to direct his first episode of television. “People would wave at me and say hello, but were they looking at an insane man, or were they looking at someone who was just determined? How am I being perceived by persisting and persisting? Was I somebody who was really deluded? When doesn’t he take no for an answer? I think I just outlasted them.” 
• Directing “Les on a Ledge” for WKRP in Cincinnati.
• DIRECTING WHO’S THE BOSS?: Tony Danza had a photographic memory and hated rehearsal.  Katherine Helmond and Judith Light loved to rehearse. Plus, the kids? Everyone had to be directed differently, but it all had to come together.
• The “Requiem” episode of Who’s The Boss? is where Tony Danza and Asaad really connected. After that, he was invited to stay -- for four years.
• WHO REALLY WAS THE BOSS?  “No question -- it was Tony Danza.  Tony was volatile.  He made everybody feel good -- until he didn’t.”
• GETTING TO KNOW BENSON:  Asaad only directed two episodes of Benson -- but he and Robert Guillaume became lifelong friends.
• “LOOKOUT FOR CLORIS LEACHMAN!” -- “I was told ‘She may try to take over, she is always changing things -- and she is a flirt.  Maybe you can use that to tame her’.”
• WELCOME TO THE “TV CLUB”: “Even when you get accepted into the TV club, it is a temporary membership. And it can be revoked at any time.”

So join Susan and Sharon -- and Asaad -- as they talk Danny Pintauro, Alyssa Milano, Jan Hooks, The Last Resort, Julie Kavner, Todd Bridges, Designing Women, Justine Bateman, Chuck Lorre -- and getting stuck in the bathroom with Benson!

AUDIO-OGRAPHY
Find out more about Asaad Kelada at IMDB.
STILL IN FLUX: Watch Season 2 and 3 of The Facts of Life for free on Tubi.
Season 1 and 3 are available for sale on Amazon Prime.
Buy the complete season on DVD at Ebay. Check YouTube for other episodes.

Watch Asaad Kelada Television Academy interviews on YouTube.

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