It's expensive to produce musicals on television.

We called the head of CBS and said, 'We know how network television feels about musicals. Would you even consider doing 'Gypsy?'' He said, 'If I did say yes, you'd have to have a big movie star who does not do TV.' I told him that, in our fantasy world, we'd like Bette Midler. He said, 'Get Bette Midler, and you have an on-the-air commitment.'

A lot of people feel that 'Music Man' is a good movie musical.

I was captivated by Stephanie Mills.

In the past, once a movie musical was made, it was believed that you were left with that version, good or bad, for posterity.

We zero in on family as a theme because it makes the movies emotionally available to a universal audience.