[.ca] Quinn Martin, Producer: A Behind-The-Scenes History of ... (ISBN 0786415010)

Behind a Television Legend:
I've been waiting for a book about Quinn Martin... one of televisions most prolific and successful producers... and finally Jonathan Etters have given us one. The book is a comprehensive look at ALL of QM's productions, from THE UNTOUCHABLES through CARIBE and even their unsold pilots. There are plenty of interesting details and lots of back-stabbing trivia about troublesome actors. As much fun as this book is, it doesn't quit hit the mark. The author, an admitted TV outsider, doesn't know enough about production, or the television business, to ask the really interesting questions about the development, production, and ultimate success or failure of the various TV series. He concentrates far too much on the observations of occasional guest-stars rather than indepth interviews with the showrunners (Philip Saltzman, John Wilder,Bill Yates, etc.). While he did talk to those people, he just didn't know the right questions to ask. You don't get any real insight into the creative process behind the shows or the business behind QM Productions. That said, this book is still a great fun and long overdue...!