Making Masterpiece, Rebecca Eaton
Making Masterpiece, Rebecca Eaton
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Making Masterpiece
25 Years behind the Scenes at Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! on PBS

Author: Rebecca Eaton

Narrator: Meredith Mitchell

Unabridged: 9 hr 26 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/29/2013

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included

Synopsis

The Emmy Award–winning producer of PBS's Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! reveals the secrets to Downton Abbey, Sherlock, and its other hit programs.For more than twenty-five years and counting, Rebecca Eaton has presided over PBS's Masterpiece Theatre, the longest-running weekly prime-time drama series in American history. From the runaway hits Upstairs, Downstairs and The Buccaneers to the hugely popular Inspector Morse, Prime Suspect, and Poirot, Masterpiece Theatre and its sibling series Mystery! have been required viewing for fans of quality drama.Eaton interviews many of the writers, directors, producers, and other contributors and shares personal anecdotes about her decades-long career. She reveals what went on behind the scenes during such triumphs as Cranford and the multiple, highly rated programs made from Jane Austen's novels, as well as her aggressive campaign to attract younger viewers via social media and online streaming. Along the way she shares stories about actors and other luminaries such as Alistair Cooke, Maggie Smith, Diana Rigg, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Daniel Radcliffe, whose first television role was as the title character in David Copperfield.Readers will also get to know Eaton on a personal level. With a childhood steeped in theater, an affinity for nineteenth-century novels and culture, and an "accidental apprenticeship" with the BBC, Eaton was practically born to lead the Masterpiece and Mystery! franchises. Making Masterpiece marks the first time the driving force behind the enduring flagship show reveals all.

About Rebecca Eaton

Rebecca Eaton has been executive producer of Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! for more than twenty-five years. She has won multiple Emmys for her work. She lives in Boston.

About Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is the founder of the Renaissance Theatre Company, which boasts Prince Charles as one of its patrons, and is an Academy Award–nominated actor and director. He has brought Shakespeare to the mainstream in such major films as Hamlet, Much Ado about Nothing, and Henry V. He is also an Earphones Award–winning narrator.

About Meredith Mitchell

Meredith Mitchell is an actress who has performed in such films as Mona Lisa Smile and The Reunion, on stage with Shakespeare & Company and the New Repertory Theatre, and on television on Good Morning America. She received her BA in psychology from Emory University and her MFA in acting from Brandeis University.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jean on September 03, 2016

This is a combination memoir of Rebecca Eaton and of Masterpiece Theatre. I have long been a fan of Masterpiece theatre and love the theme music. It was fun to learn where and how the theme music came about and how the program began. Eaton weaves an absorbing story of her own life with that of the M......more

Goodreads review by Barbara on August 05, 2016

All the logistics of putting together a television series, all the problems of finding and maintaining funding as well as the tidbits behind the scenes fills the pages. Interesting if you like to learn about Alistair Cooke's quirks and how "Downton Abbey" found its place on PBS. But the book would h......more

Goodreads review by Mary Ronan on January 16, 2014

Many of us remember that first Masterpiece Theatre production, back in 1969, of the Forsyte Saga. It went on for 26 weeks and since there were no commercial tapes let alone DVDs we had to watch it every single week for half a year on Sunday night at 9 PM. Who could forget? But it turns out The Forsyt......more

Goodreads review by Ann on May 29, 2014

It's not a good sign when reading a memoir makes you like the person who wrote it less. I had thought that I'd find a kindred spirit in Rebecca Eaton since she's produced so much television that I've adored, but there was something about how she wrote about it that made me feel like we weren't on th......more

Quotes

“Eaton reminisces about the show and its numerous notable actors; but she does much more, serving up penetrating interviews with the writers, directors, producers, and other participants in a show that has been credited with revitalizing interest in nineteenth-century classics…[and] also discusses how the recent popularity of Masterpiece series like Prime Suspense, Inspector Morris, Sherlock, and Downton Abbey have revitalized its offerings.” Barnes&Noble.com, editorial review

“Eaton tells the series’ story with the help of dozens of the men and women who contributed, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, to its success. In addition to these sometimes charming, sometimes bawdy anecdotes…A pleasing blend of memoir and retrospective with a wide audience appeal.” Library Journal

“Chronicling her twenty-five-year career with PBS, Eaton provides a behind-the-camera look into the creative process involved in producing Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery!…A delightful trek into the world of TV production and a substantive treat for the truly addicted PBS fan.” Kirkus Reviews

“[A] thoroughly engaging memoir…Eaton stepped into her role in 1985, and she shares her successes here…She is equally candid about her missteps…Eaton is a warm and witty guide to Masterpiece Theatre’s storied history, and this lively memoir will appeal equally to Downton diehards and longtime Masterpiece loyalists.” Booklist

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