“Herbie has earned the respect and admiration of many for all he has created.”Will GivensSVP Network Marketing, Weigel Broadcasting
Writer · Producer · Director · Actor · Performer · TV Personality
Herbie JPilato NOW
HerbieJPilatoNOW.com is your one-stop shop, media, and news source for all things Herbie J Pilato, classic Hollywood, and today's pop culture. Herbie J (no period after the “J”) is an award-winning author, producer, director, actor, TV talk show host, and singer/songwriter who preserves, celebrates, documents, and adds to the programming, productions, and positive spirit of retro and contemporary television, cinema, books, and music. Browse these pages and explore his work on Bewitched, Kung Fu, Batman, Dark Shadows, Star Trek, Mary Tyler Moore, Sean Connery, James Bond, Diana Rigg, and all the monumental movies, TV series, stars, and cherished elements of vintage and modern entertainment.
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Endorsements
Colleagues from television, media, publishing, and education reflect on working with Herbie J.
“Articulate, charismatic, incredibly well-informed, Herbie J is at ease in the spotlight.”Diane SandsFormer District Manager, Barnes & Noble, West Coast
“Herbie’s passion is undeniable, as is his positive attitude and boundless energy.”Tom HillCreative Director, COZI-TV
“Herbie J brings a unique lens for students of the Arts, Media, and Entertainment, and they are forever changed by his expertise.”Adriene “Lexy” DavisCEO/President/Founder, 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Workforce Intermediary Organization
“Herbie is a talented and versatile writer, producer, consultant, and on-screen personality. He’s driven, confident, and creatively collaborative.”Elizabeth YostFormer SVP Development, Crown Media
“Herbie masterfully weaves meticulous research and colorful anecdotes, allowing us to nostalgically relive TV’s Golden Age...”Bella ShawActress/CNN veteran anchor
“Herbie J is a first-rate professional. He has a tremendous work ethic and a fantastic collaborative approach.”Frank BalkinPartner/Head of Television, Worldwide Production Agency
“Herbie J Pilato is one of the kindest, finest, and most professional human beings I know. His integrity is a gift to entertainment.”Ed SpielmanCreator of Kung Fu
Book Reviews
Selective Book Reviews / Celebrity Endorsements
Critical reviews and personal endorsements celebrating selected books by Herbie J Pilato.
One Tough Dame: The Life and Career of Diana Rigg
“One Tough Dame: The Life and Career of Diana Rigg…explores, to full capacity, her humanity, fearlessness, endurance, tenacity, her most beloved performances, and so much more.”— Rupert Macnee (from the Foreword)
“…an honest, in-depth, compelling and straight-forward chronicle.”— Ray Austin (from the Introduction)
“…comprehensive…nuanced…well-researched”— Library Journal
“…dazzling.”— Daily Express
“gives solid idea of who Diana Rigg was”— Psychobabble
“…highly significant”— Pop Culture Shelf
“…exquisitely well-written”— Nat Segaloff, author
“By the time you reach the end of this book, you’ll feel like her best friend.”— Bruce G. Hallenbeck, author
“The trove of lovingly-restored photographs is the icing on the cake!”— Samuel Garza Bernstein, author
“An admiring portrait...rich in details about Rigg’s career and advocacy.”— Publisher’s Weekly
Connery, Sean Connery: Before, During, and After His Most Famous Role
“VERDICT: A fresh perspective on Bond and Connery that fans will enjoy.”— Library Journal
“Notable.”— Closer Magazine
“There’s much I didn’t know about Sean Connery, but this book clarifies it all in a very compelling way. It’s a real page-turner, and I had difficulty putting it down. Herbie J Pilato displays an elegant writing style that is rarely seen today.”— Bill Daly, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Pictures; Connery co-star in The Molly Maguires
“A comprehensive, and thoroughly researched analysis of one of the greatest icons of popular culture…full of fresh insights into Connery’s journey, and the colossal impact he had on our lives. Pilato’s grasp of the screen persona we all came to embrace…and beyond…is fluid, and captivating.”— David Naylor, Telly and Saturn Award-winning producer, director, and documentarian
“CONNERY, SEAN CONNERY is a delicious, yet ethical read.”— Michael Learned, Emmy-winning actor, The Waltons
“CONNERY, SEAN CONNERY is a fascinating and thorough account of the legendary actor’s life and career, from his humble, almost Dickensian childhood, to the peaks of international stardom. With gusto, expertise, and clarity, Herbie J Pilato has crafted a riveting portrait.”— John Schuck, actor, McMillan & Wife
The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas: A Treasure House of December Memories Revealed
“With this book, Herbie J Pilato shares his 12 Best Secrets of Christmas and encourages each of us to embrace, enjoy, and discover our own with those we love.”— Dean Butler (Little House on the Prairie, The New Gidget) [From the Foreword]
“With each nostalgic turn of the page, Herbie J Pilato's 12 Best Secrets of Christmas is written for everyone and very relatable as the youthful Christmas we had or the ones we wished for. I found it inspirational, comforting, and full of joy.”— Barry Williams (A Very Brady Christmas, Blending Christmas/Author, Growing Up Brady)
“Einstein suggested to ‘make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.’ With The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas, Herbie J Pilato has done just that, artfully transforming his early experiences into heartfelt, warm, and enduring life lessons. In the guise of a seasonal offering and gleaned from his Christmas past, Pilato has distilled his introspections into a portable, poignant and insightful memoir, a wise and timeless gem of a little book. With this, as with his other work, Herbie J Pilato has again proved himself to be an American Original.”— Ed Spielman (Creator, Kung Fu, The Young Riders, among other Emmy-winning TV classics)
“Herbie J Pilato has prepared for us this delicious feast of Christmas Secrets, which he serves with love. Spend the holidays with this delightful book. It will warm your heart.”— Richard Thomas (Emmy-winning actor, The Waltons)
Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story
“MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY, another of Herbie J Pilato's all-encompassing biographies...a thorough job in giving MTM her due.”— Pete Hammond, Deadline.com
“MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY...explores both her triumphs and struggles on the screen and behind closed doors.”— Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News
“Herbie J Pilato is a true 'keeper of the flame' for classic TV. In MARY, he’s given us an extensive, humanizing look at one of the medium’s biggest icons; the good, the bad and sometimes, ugly. But it’s real. He’s spoken to all the right people...and I’m betting there’s a lot here that will surprise even the most devoted fans.”— Peter King, Correspondent, CBS News Radio
“An absolutely riveting and brilliant biography of an American icon. An instant classic! Only a skilled writer like Herbie J Pilato could bring us this comprehensive look at one of America's greatest television icons. Pilato wonderfully navigates the reader through her ups and downs…her amazing success and failures along the road. Pilato does not pull any punches. He is truthful, candid and frank- yet respectful of Ms. Moore. An amazing biography…Pilato hits a home-run with this great book!”— Rick Lertzman, The Life and Times of Hollywood Blog
“…several hundred pages that slowly peel back the iconic [actress] to introduce the reader to the real woman…the author has done such an excellent job in revealing her to be human, with all the foibles and fears and doubts and issues that brings along with it.”— Steve Thompson, Forces of Geek
“For anyone who's been waiting for a definitive look at the life and career of Mary Tyler Moore, the wait is over. MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY is filled with revelations and delivers the goods.”— Ed Gross, CloserWeekly.com
“MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY - an epic opus about the beloved MTM.”— Greg Hernandez, Greg in Hollywood
Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery
“Wonderful book…terrific author.”— Shannon Devereaux Sanford, Shannon's Corner, WTBQ radio
“[A] comprehensive and touching biography of Montgomery's life…Fans of classic television or of well-written biographies should seek this out . . . an insightful read about an amazing woman!”— Journeys in Classic Film
“. . . [T]ells you all about Bewitched, the magical 1960s-and-'70s sitcom, and other triumphs enjoyed by the talented and beautiful Montgomery.”— Village Voice
“Life's journey is never simple. Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery is a biography from Herbie J Pilato [in which] he tells the Bewitched star's story . . . forming friendships, romances, enemies, and everything in between. An advocate with her own problems, [Montgomery’s] story is one of [an individual] who tried to make a difference with her stardom. Twitch Upon a Star is a strongly recommended addition to Hollywood and television history biography collections; highly recommended.”— Midwest Book Review
“This biography covers it all…Fans will love the three sections of photos and Pilato's respectful, yet truthful, portrait of the woman who will forever be remembered for as the beautiful witch Samantha Stephens.”— SheKnows Book Lounge
“For anyone who only recalls Elizabeth Montgomery…this thoroughly researched, extensively detailed, and wholly fascinating biography will load you up with everything you’ve been missing. It’s a delicious, detailed look at her life and remarkable career.”— American Profile
The Latest News
Read The Latest News from Herbie J, melding yesterday with today.
Herbie J Pays Tribute to Dark Shadows Icon Lara Parker
Three years after Lara Parker’s passing, Herbie J remembers an actress whose beauty, intelligence, and emotional depth helped make Dark Shadows unforgettable. Parker died on October 12, 2023, at 84, but her extraordinary presence as Angelique continues to enchant generations of viewers.
When she joined ABC’s gothic daytime drama in late 1967, Parker brought far more than menace to Angelique Bouchard, the witch whose curse condemned Barnabas Collins to life as a vampire. Behind the character’s fierce jealousy and supernatural power, she revealed a wounded heart. Angelique could be terrifying, yet Parker’s performance invited viewers to recognize the longing beneath her vengeance.
That tension gave the character her enduring fascination. Angelique was capable of cruelty, but she was never merely a villain. Parker made her desire to be loved feel painfully human, even as her actions brought misery to Barnabas and the inhabitants of Collinwood. In a series filled with memorable monsters, her most powerful magic was the complexity she brought to the role.
Beyond Angelique
Born Mary Lamar Rickey in Knoxville, Tennessee, and raised in Memphis, Parker brought a thoughtful, inquisitive spirit to her work. Her career extended well beyond Dark Shadows, including the 1975 thriller Race with the Devil, with Peter Fonda, and appearances in Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Incredible Hulk, and Galactica 1980.
Acting was only one expression of her creativity. Parker earned a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Antioch University and taught English and writing, sharing her love of language and storytelling with students.
She also returned to the world of Collinwood as a novelist. Her four Dark Shadows books—Angelique’s Descent, The Salem Branch, Wolf Moon Rising, and Heiress of Collinwood—expanded the series’ mythology and gave readers new ways to explore its characters, secrets, and troubled histories.
An Enduring Legacy
Parker’s legacy reaches beyond a single performance. She was an actress, author, and teacher who understood the lasting power of a well-told story. For Dark Shadows fans, however, Angelique remains the unforgettable introduction: a figure of elegance, danger, and aching vulnerability.
Three years later, the loss is still felt. So, too, is the gift Lara Parker left behind—a body of work that continues to move, entertain, and cast its spell.
For more about Dark Shadows, click the link below:
Herbie J's "Forever Young" Birthday Gala: One Year Later
Hello, Everyone,
It’s been one year since The Herbie J Pilato Forever Young Birthday Gala at The Castaway in Burbank, CA, on October 9, 2025.
So many wonderful people attended including (among others) Hollywood icons Ron Dante (of ‘The Archies,’ who performed his legendary hit, “Sugar, Sugar”), Dean Butler (‘Little House on the Prairie’), Eric Scott (‘The Waltons’), Lydia Cornell (‘Too Close For Comfort’/‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’), ‘Kung Fu’ series creator Ed Spielman, Larry Thomas (‘The Soup Nazi’), Caryn Richman (‘The New Gidget’/ ‘The Bradys’), Jerry Houser (‘The Bradys’/ ‘Summer of ’42’), BarBara Luna (‘Star Trek’+hundreds more TV and movie appearances), trailblazing actress Irene Tsu, Oscar-winning designer Doug Drexler; singers Gretchen Keskeys and Angie B. Wonderful; Hollywood historians/writers Rob Ray, Randy Skretvedt, Edgar Bullington, Ken Gehrig; talent agents Pierre Patrick, Pilar Carrington, Shari Quallenberg; creative producers/directors/writers/artists Howard Richman, Mina Lozano, Lawrence Levy, Phil Miller, Ken Martin, Bruce Gordon, Omar Mortaza, Eric McKnight, Rudy Anderson, Jim Keily, Dan Wingate, Diane Sands, Christopher Pufall, Roger Hyman, Wilson Bell; and special video messages from actors Louis Herthum (‘Murder, She Wrote’), Tina Cole (‘My Three Sons’/‘The King Family’), Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman (‘Land of the Lost’), and podcasting humanitarian/writer Bob Barnett, and so many more.
Such a memorable and remarkable night.
See some pics below, and click HERE to watch the highlight video of the evening.
LUV HJP
Infinity Magazine publishes Herbie J Pilato's new article, “Roots of '66: A Big Year for the Small Screen”
(Features edited material from Herbie J Pilato award-winning book, Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective on Classic TV's Social Circuitry).
Biography
From a red brick house on Erie Street to the soundstages of Hollywood, Herbie J Pilato has built a life and career around the enduring power of entertainment.
Rochester roots
Herbert James Pilato was born on October 9, 1960, in Rochester, New York, to Frances Mary and Herbert Pompeii Pilato. He grew up in a red brick house on Erie Street, across from the site where Frontier Field now stands and in the shadow of Kodak’s global headquarters. Family, community, and an early love of entertainment defined his childhood.
In an Italian-American family in which both parents had ten siblings, life often felt like an endless celebration. Summers were spent with extended family in Honeoye Lake and Waterport, New York. A cousin worked in the music business, leading to remarkable moments: Pilato’s mother cooked backstage for stars such as The Beach Boys at Rochester’s War Memorial, and members of The Who were once welcomed into the family home. Yet it was television—not rock music—that ultimately charted his course.
Finding escape on Erie Street
The entertainment bug arrived early. By age three, Pilato was dancing to Chubby Checker’s “The Twist,” and family dinners out often became impromptu performances. Known as the neighborhood “Andy Hardy,” he staged shows for local children on a shipping dock and made his official stage debut in first grade as Judas in a school production of The Last Supper.
Amid playground bullying, the Vietnam War, and the turbulent news of the 1960s, television became a refuge. His favorite escape was Bewitched. Beneath its magical comedy, he recognized a story of unconditional love: mortal Darrin Stephens wanted Samantha for who she was, not for what her powers could provide. Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Dick Sargent, Agnes Moorehead, Paul Lynde, David White, Marion Lorne, Maurice Evans, Bernard Fox, and the show’s gifted ensemble helped shape his worldview.
At St. Peter and Paul’s School, sixth-grade teacher Angela Vigna deepened that connection between art and life. Innovative and attuned to pop culture, she played the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack during religious studies and cast Pilato in his first starring role, Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Although the school closed soon afterward, her encouragement ignited a creative fire that never faded.
Lights, camera, Burbank
After graduating from the prestigious high school, Aquinas Institute, and earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts from Nazareth University and studying Television and Film at UCLA, Pilato moved to Los Angeles in the fall of 1983. His entry into network television began with persistence. While attending a taping of Family Ties on the NBC lot, he approached a Page and asked how to obtain the same job. Six months of cheerful follow-up led to a place in NBC’s prestigious Page Program in Burbank, where he served from May 1984 through December 1985.
Those eighteen months proved formative. When executives offered to extend his strictly limited Page term, Pilato declined on principle, becoming the only Page in NBC history to turn down an extension. During his final two weeks, he was selected to play “Stump the Band” with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show—a crowning honor and an unforgettable early Christmas gift.
The broken toe that changed everything
Weeks after leaving NBC, Pilato broke his right pinky toe. Confined to the couch, he revisited Bewitched through adult eyes and discovered deeper lessons about work, family, and loving people across differences. Inspired, he wrote a reunion-movie script. Although Elizabeth Montgomery chose not to pursue a reunion, producer-director William Asher encouraged her to speak with Pilato. She granted him an exclusive interview and proved as warm, unpretentious, and grounded as Samantha herself. Their conversation grew into Pilato’s first book, The Bewitched Book, published by Dell in 1992.
Meanwhile, he continued performing. His work included bit roles on General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, Highway to Heaven, The Golden Girls, and The New Leave It to Beaver; work as a stand-in dancer on Solid Gold; and singing engagements along the Sunset Strip. Appearing on The Golden Girls was especially meaningful after his earlier encounters with its cast as an NBC Page.
In 1989, Pilato returned to Rochester to care for his parents. From his father’s death in 1995 until his mother’s death in 2008, he divided his time between Rochester and Los Angeles, returning permanently to California in 2008. He continued producing television for A&E, TLC, and Syfy. For Syfy’s Sciography, he produced classic-series retrospectives from his Rochester apartment. Research for a planned Twilight Zone segment took him to Rod Serling’s hometown of Binghamton, where he interviewed Serling’s relatives and kindergarten teacher and visited locations that inspired the writer’s celebrated scripts.
Preserving the circuitry of classic TV
Pilato came to see classic television as more than entertainment: it was a cultural blueprint. Inspired by Elizabeth Montgomery’s advocacy for peace, social causes, and people with disabilities, he began presenting Classic TV Seminars in schools, community centers, and senior residences. That initiative evolved into the Classic TV Preservation Society, founded in 2010 and granted official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2014. Its mission is to celebrate and preserve classic television’s positive social influence. Learn about the Classic TV Preservation Society’s educational programs for all ages.
2015–2019Pilato launched Throwback Thursdays with Herbie J Pilato at the Burbank Barnes & Noble. The series helped pave the way for his talk show, Then Again with Herbie J Pilato, which debuted on Shout! TV and Amazon Prime.
2022He co-executive-produced, co-wrote, co-directed, and served as primary on-screen commentator for the Reelz documentary Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life. He also published his Rochester-centered holiday memoir, The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas.
2023Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective of Classic TV’s Social Circuitry was named “Book of the Year” by the Los Angeles Book Festival, which also named Pilato “Author of the Year.” He published Connery, Sean Connery, a fiftieth-anniversary special edition of The Bionic Book, and audiobook editions of his Mary Tyler Moore and Elizabeth Montgomery biographies.
2024Marking forty years since his NBC Page days, Pilato issued a hardcover edition of NBC & ME, wrote Retro Fan cover stories celebrating Bewitched, The Bionic Woman, and CHiPs, and published One Tough Dame and Christmas TV Memories, featuring a foreword by Marlo Thomas. He also launched HJP-TV on YouTube.
2025–PresentAfter a pause from books, Pilato has developed new publications, completed several screenplays, and returned to acting while continuing to write about classic television, health and fitness, spirituality, and other subjects.
Looking back, moving forward
Whether he is writing for three or four hours each morning, developing books, scripts, and articles, producing or directing documentaries, singing and songwriting, acting, making personal appearances, or speaking at live events, Pilato grounds his days in a simple philosophy: eat clean, walk, remain active, and stay positive. He does not measure creative work as easy or difficult; he concentrates on completing it with integrity and heart.
From staging plays on a Rochester shipping dock to working on Hollywood soundstages, his journey has come full circle. Television brought him comfort as a child. Preserving, documenting, and celebrating its heritage—as a writer, director, producer, singer, and actor—remains one of the great honors of his life.
Awards/Commendations
Books/Media
Biography, cultural history, memoir, and a generous dose of television magic.
Batman 60th Anniversary
Celebrating 60 years of the television classic
Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Batman and its celebrated stars, Adam West and Burt Ward. Both are profiled in Herbie J Pilato’s Dashing, Daring, and Debonair: TV’s Top Male Icons. Adam West wrote the foreword to the book.
The Donna Reed Show
Herbie J explores the trailblazing social impact and female empowerment of The Donna Reed Show and its stars in several of his books including Retro Active Television, Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door, Dashing, Daring, and Debonair, The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas and Christmas TV Memories, the latter of which also examines the impact of Donna Reed's legendary feature film, It's A Wonderful Life.
Herbie J explores in-depth the popularity of The Donna Reed Show in Retro Active Television.
Father Knows Best
Herbie J celebrates the popularity of Father Knows Best in several of his books, including Retro Active Television, Glamour, Gidgets and the Girl Next Door, Christmas TV Memories, and Twitch Upon a Star.
The significance of Father Knows Best is examined in both Retro Active Television (left) and Christmas TV Memories (right), while author Peter Ackerman, son of Elinor Donahue and Hollywood executive Harry Ackerman, explores his memories of Father Knows Best and all of vintage television in his book, Mom, Dad, Me, and Classic TV.
Norman Lear
Herbie J with two of Norman Lear's most recognizable stars: Marla Gibbs from The Jeffersons, and Sally Struthers from All in the Family.
I Dream of Jeannie
Herbie J explores the popularity of Barbara Eden in his book, Glamour, Gidgets and the Girl Next Door, and the success of I Dream of Jeannie in his book, Retro Active Television.
Click here to order your own Jeannie bottles from Mario Della Casa at JeannieBottles.com
Herbie J chronicles the life and career of Barbara Eden in his book, Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door, and explores the popularity of I Dream of Jeannie in Retro Active Television.
Family
The Smith Family
Starsky & Hutch
Three’s Company
The Beverly Hillbillies
Bewitched
The magic of a television classic
Explore the Bewitched connections of writer/producer/director Herbie J Pilato and his acclaimed books about the beloved TV series and its star. Elizabeth Montgomery, as well as his involvement with the two different Blu-ray releases of the series, the 2005 feature film, and several documentaries related to the show. See his Bewitched credits listed below in full, and then choose which of his Bewitched books, Blu-rays, or DVDs that you’d like from your preferred retailer. [Scroll to the bottom for all shopping links.]
Agnes Moorehead (top left) portrayed Samantha's feisty supernatural mother, while David White (top right) played Darrin's calculating but dedicated boss, Larry Tate, on a show that featured an assortment of magical and mortal characters and adventures.
Herbie J has authored, among other Bewitched books, two biographies of Bewitched star Elizabeth Montgomery (center). On the left, he stands with beloved actors Erin Murphy and David Mandel (Bloch/Lawrence), who shared the roles of Samantha and Darrin's magical children, Tabitha and Adam, with their twins Diane Murphy and Greg Mandel (Bloch/Lawrence). On the right, he stands with two of Elizabeth Montgomery's real-life children, Rebecca Asher, and Bill Asher. Their brother Robert Asher (not seen here) was named for Elizabeth's father, actor Robert Montgomery, and Bill was named after his father, Bewitched director/producer William Asher, who was married to Elizabeth from 1963 to 1974.
Center: Herbie J with Bill Asher, son of Elizabeth Montgomery and then-husband/Bewitched director William Asher, on the set of Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life, the acclaimed documentary which Herbie J co-executive produced, co-directed, and co-wrote. Left and right photos: Herbie J is welcomed by AMS Studios in Dallas, TX, where the Elizabeth Montgomery documentary was partially filmed in 2021, and while there, he signed the studio’s “Wall of Fame.”
In the late 1980s, Herbie J befriended “original Darrin” actor and humanitarian Dick York (center). Years later, Herbie J befriended York’s son, Chris York (left with Herbie J, and right with Paul Petersen of The Donna Reed Show and Stanley Livingston of My Three Sons).
In 1996, Herbie J was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight in front of the Bewitched house, which was located on the famed Columbia Ranch studio lot (which, sadly, was demolished in recent years)
Herbie J Pilato’s Bewitched Credits
Executive Producer/Writer/Director
- Bewitched Blu-ray Box Set, Mill Creek/Imprint Television/Sony (2025)
- Bewitched cover story, Retro Fan Magazine (March 2024)
- Bewitched cover story, ReMind Magazine/TV Guide (October 2023)
- Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life, Reelz Channel (2022)
Consultant/Commentator
- History of the Sitcom (including Bewitched), CNN (2021)
- Autopsy: Elizabeth Montgomery, Reelz Channel (2021)
- MSNBC Headliners & Legends: Elizabeth Montgomery (2000)
- Bewitched: The E! True Hollywood Story (1999)
- Bewitched special, Entertainment Tonight (1999)
- A&E’s Biography of Elizabeth Montgomery (1999)
Script Consultant
- Nora Ephron’s Bewitched feature film, Sony (April 2004–June 2005)
Writer
- Profile of Elizabeth Montgomery, Television Academy/Emmys.com (October 2015)
- Interstitials, Bewitched (remastered), Evolution/Screen Gems (March–April 1999)
Author
- Bewitched Forever (Summit, 2004/2001; Tapestry Press, 1996)
- The Bewitched Book (Dell, 1992)
- The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery: A Guide to Her Magical Performances (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013)
- Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery (Rowman & Littlefield, 2012)
- Dashing, Daring, and Debonair: TV’s Top Male Icons from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s (including profiles of Dick York and Dick Sargent; Rowman & Littlefield, 2016)
- Glamour, Gidgets & the Girl Next Door: Television’s Iconic Women from the ’50s, ’60s & ’70s (including a profile of Elizabeth Montgomery; Rowman & Littlefield, 2014)
The Bewitched Shop
Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery
The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery: A Guide to Her Magical Performances
The Bewitched Book
Bewitched Forever
Bewitched: The Complete Series — Mill Creek Blu-ray
Bewitched: Imprint Television Blu-ray editions
Bewitched (2005 film) — Blu-ray
Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life — documentary DVD
Twitch Upon a Star — audiobook
Retailer search links show available listings; the author’s catalog is linked where an individual product page is unavailable. Documentary DVD details and availability.
The Bionic Woman at 50
Celebrating 50 Years of The Bionic Woman
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Lindsay Wagner’s portrayal of Jaime Sommers in The Bionic Woman. Herbie J Pilato profiles Wagner in Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door and explores her character and the series in The Bionic Book: The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman Reconstructed.
Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door
THE BRADY BUNCH
Classic television
The Brady Bunch and its stars are chronicled in Herbie J's books, GLAMOUR, GIDGETS, AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR; DASHING, DARING, AND DEBONAIR; TWITCH UPON A STAR; and RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION. Meanwhile, too, many of the show's stars have endorsed Herbie J's book, THE 12 BEST SECRETS OF CHRISTMAS, and authored their own books. See below for how to order each book and more.
Caryn Richman, seen here with Herbie J in both photos, played Nora Brady, Mrs. Greg Brady, in several Brady Bunch sequels. She is best known for her starring role in THE NEW GIDGET TV series from the 1980s. Today, she is the star of several new Christmas TV-movies, and, with Ed Kalegi, co-hosts the acclaimed podcast, CHATTERBINGE.
Jerry Houser (in the blue jacket on the left and in the checkered shirt on the right) played Wally Logan, married to Maureen McCormick's Marcia Brady, in The Brady Brides sitcom sequel. He's seen here, to the left in the blue sports jacket, and to the right in the checkered shirt, alongside Herbie J, Caryn Richman, and Little House on the Prairie icon Dean Butler (in the red scarf), who wrote the Foreword to Herbie J's 12 BEST SECRETS OF CHRISTMAS book. Jerry wrote the Introduction, and both he and Dean (who co-starred with Caryn in THE NEW GIDGET), provided their voiceover talents for the audiobook edition of the book, which will be available by Christmas 2026.
Susan Olsen, seen here with Herbie J, and who played Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch, co-authored the book, LOVE TO LOVE YOU BRADYS: THE BIZARRE STORY OF THE BRADY BUNCH VARIETY HOUR.
Brady Bunch star Eve Plumb has authored her memoir, HAPPINESS INCLUDED: JAN BRADY AND BEYOND.
Brady Bunch producer/director/writer Lloyd Schwartz, seen here with Herbie J, authored the BRADY BRADY BRADY book with his father, Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz.
Read more about The Brady Bunch and its stars in Herbie J's book, RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION.
Click below and read Herbie J's new article about The Brady Bunch
Read the ArticleGlamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door
Celebrating 50 Years of Charlie’s Angels
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Charlie’s Angels with Herbie J Pilato’s tribute to television’s iconic women of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Original Angels Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith are each profiled in this star-filled volume.
Christmas Books
Holiday reading by Herbie J Pilato
Celebrate the season with Herbie J's two books about holiday memoriesand classic television, featuring forewords by Marlo Thomas and Dean Butlerand an introduction by Jerry Houser.
Christmas TV Memories
That Girl star Marlo Thomas wrote the foreword to Christmas TV Memories, a collection of nostalgic holiday favorites of the small screen.
BOOK EXCERPT
Introducing
Christmas TV Memories.
In the fall of 1985, I was working as an NBC page at the network’s studio in Burbank, California. One of my various assignments included The Bob Hope Christmas Show, which that year aired on December 15. A child of the 1960s, I was born and raised in Rochester, New York, during a time when television was a big part of family life. For baby boomers like myself, the TV set was a member of the family, and sitting in front of it became the place to be.
Two decades later I was there, amid NBC’s then-bombastic promotional slogan, “Let’s all be there!” I was ushering and seating audience members of a Bob Hope Christmas TV special featuring such stars as Barbara Eden and Brooke Shields. Along with the rest of the world, my family viewed Hope as a legend, along with Milton Berle, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Danny Thomas, and so many others of their ilk, especially at Christmastime. Hope’s Christmas specials, such as those stationed in Vietnam, in front of the troops, are some of my most poignant December memories of the mid-1960s through early 1970s.
Some ten years after, my contracted eighteen-month tenure with NBC was over by the time The Bob Hope Christmas Show aired on December 15, 1985. I was back in Rochester, home for the holidays, as it were, sitting in front of the TV-set-now-turned-monitor. As I had for years prior, I was watching a Bob Hope Christmas TV special with my family, this time, ever slightly, as a member of the production team that brought the special to life. A measure of disbelief once more came into play, as did the unforgettable words of my father, a World War II (WWII) veteran: “There’s no one like Bob Hope.” What he said that night resonates today as much as it did on December 15, 1985, or for that matter any year prior.
Many cherish the Christmas TV special. Whether they be music-variety productions hosted by Bob Hope, animated classics (drawn with traditional methods like A Charlie Brown Christmas or the stop-action-photography of Animagic as with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer), TV-movies (It Happened One Christmas, starring Marlo Thomas), or episodic weekly series (every show from The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet to Frasier and beyond has produced Christmas segments).
Who can forget how two music worlds collided with grace during host Bing Crosby’s “Little Drummer Boy” duet with special guest star David Bowie from Crosby’s famed Christmas special in 1977? Or when Perry Como, Julie Andrews, and John Denver paid periodic Christmas visits on-location to the Colorado Rockies and other December destinations? Or when Crosby, and Andy Williams taped their holiday specials more traditionally inside a studio, surrounded by their real-life family members who were incorporated into the show? Or how Lawrence Welk made sure to do the same with annual Christmas segments that showcased his “musical family” moments every December?
All of it and so much more is explored in Christmas TV Memories: Nostalgic Holiday Favorites of the Small Screen, which features a Foreword by Marlo Thomas.
Herbie J is seen here with the stars of Julia, Diahann Carroll and Marc Copage, the groundbreaking show which features the Christmas episode, “A Black Christmas,” which is featured in Christmas TV Memories.
The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas
Legendary Little House on the Prairie actor Dean Butler wrote the foreword to The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas, which also features an introduction by iconic actor and voiceover artist Jerry Houser.
BOOK EXCERPT
The Fourth Secret:
Look for the Silver Lining
Christmas of 1972 was the first year we put up a green artificial tree. We had given away our seven-foot silver structure to a neighborhood family who was unable to afford a tree of their own that year. Gone with it were the rainbow, teardrop ornaments that hung upon the tinseled limbs with care. Nowhere to be seen was the fluorescent, circular lamp that colored the bright grey tree as it electronically twirled.
What did return was the silver paper my father would bring home from the Stecher-Traung Lithograph Company, where he worked hard every day for years. No matter what kind of tree we had, that silver paper, with which we also wrapped gifts, would be under it. And the first year of the green artificial tree was not any different. Around the bottom of the tree, over the silver paper, was a red blanket that draped the tree stand. We didn't have a real fireplace, but red-brown-and-white brick-styled paper covered the wall behind the tree. The impression in our front room was that of a new old-fashioned Christmas.
The view from inside the house paled in comparison to the view from the street, where I quite often found myself, the night we set up the green tree. "Go and see what it looks like from the outside," my father requested. It was freezing out there. It looked like the filming location for Ice Station Zebra, and he wanted me to check out the special effects. But no matter. On would go his five-sizes-too-large galoshes over my tiny feet, which tripped each step of the way. I slipped my sister's knee socks over my pants so I would look like Batman, and I was ready to go. Overburdened with clothes, deeds, and heightened imagination, I went out into the cold, blue yonder, looking like that little kid from the Campbell Soup commercials who was smothered in leggings from head to toe.
As I peered earnestly from the sidewalk at our fabricated, if jolly green giant tree, my burdens lightened. The house windows were frosted perfectly around each frame. The tree seemed to smile each time its lights blinked on. Only for a moment did I miss the silver tree. I remembered seeing it in a box in the basement and how compelled I felt to open it each time I had passed it by, be it in December or July.
I finally and fully understood "the silver lining." I knew in my heart about how happy that family must be to whom we gave the silver tree. We had a new tree, and now, so did they. "Christmas really does grow on trees," I thought as I stood there and shivered. "Even artificial ones."
Herbie J at Christmas 1962, with his sister Pamela, in his red-brick house on Erie Street, in his hometown of Rochester, New York, which serves as the basis for The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas
The Carol Burnett Show
Herbie J examines the popularity of The Carol Burnett Show and its stars in four of his books. See below for more.
Top photo: The cast of The Carol Burnett Show (from left): Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Carol Burnett, Lyle Waggoner, and Vicki Lawrence.
Bottom left photo: Herbie J with Lyle Waggoner.
Bottom right photo: Herbie J with Tim Conway.
Herbie J chronicles The Carol Burnett Show in Retro Active Television and Christmas TV Memories.
CHiPs
Herbie J, seen here with CHiPs stars Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada at a CHiPs live event he hosted in 2022, profiles both actors in his Dashing, Daring and Debonair book, and is featured in the extras for the first season DVD release of CHiPs.
Herbie J interviewed CHiPs star Larry Wilcox at one of his Throwback Thursday live events at the Burbank Barnes & Noble. Click the link below to watch.
Dark Shadows 60th Anniversary
A television milestone
Celebrate 60 years of Dark Shadows and its stars with Herbie J. The show’s two leading men, Jonathan Frid and David Selby, are profiled in Herbie J’s book, Dashing, Daring and Debonair: TV’s Top Male Icons from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Herbie J has written several articles about the legendary gothic soap. And the stars of Dark Shadows appear with Herbie J on his acclaimed TV talk show, Then Again with Herbie J Pilato. See below for the different links to it all!
Herbie J Pays Tribute to Dark Shadows Icon Lara Parker
Three years after Lara Parker’s passing, Herbie J remembers an actress whose beauty, intelligence, and emotional depth helped make Dark Shadows unforgettable. Parker died on October 12, 2023, at 84, but her extraordinary presence as Angelique continues to enchant generations of viewers.
When she joined ABC’s gothic daytime drama in late 1967, Parker brought far more than menace to Angelique Bouchard, the witch whose curse condemned Barnabas Collins to life as a vampire. Behind the character’s fierce jealousy and supernatural power, she revealed a wounded heart. Angelique could be terrifying, yet Parker’s performance invited viewers to recognize the longing beneath her vengeance.
That tension gave the character her enduring fascination. Angelique was capable of cruelty, but she was never merely a villain. Parker made her desire to be loved feel painfully human, even as her actions brought misery to Barnabas and the inhabitants of Collinwood. In a series filled with memorable monsters, her most powerful magic was the complexity she brought to the role.
Beyond Angelique
Born Mary Lamar Rickey in Knoxville, Tennessee, and raised in Memphis, Parker brought a thoughtful, inquisitive spirit to her work. Her career extended well beyond Dark Shadows, including the 1975 thriller Race with the Devil, with Peter Fonda, and appearances in Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Incredible Hulk, and Galactica 1980.
Acting was only one expression of her creativity. Parker earned a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Antioch University and taught English and writing, sharing her love of language and storytelling with students.
She also returned to the world of Collinwood as a novelist. Her four Dark Shadows books—Angelique’s Descent, The Salem Branch, Wolf Moon Rising, and Heiress of Collinwood—expanded the series’ mythology and gave readers new ways to explore its characters, secrets, and troubled histories.
An Enduring Legacy
Parker’s legacy reaches beyond a single performance. She was an actress, author, and teacher who understood the lasting power of a well-told story. For Dark Shadows fans, however, Angelique remains the unforgettable introduction: a figure of elegance, danger, and aching vulnerability.
Three years later, the loss is still felt. So, too, is the gift Lara Parker left behind—a body of work that continues to move, entertain, and cast its spell.
Read the Dark Shadows article in ReMIND Magazine
Herbie J celebrates Alexandra Moltke’s birthday
Herbie J pays tribute to the memory of Louis Edmunds
Watch the stars of Dark Shadows on Then Again with Herbie J Pilato.
Books from the World of Dark Shadows
New illustrated releases
Cast memories and reference books
My Scrapbook Memories of Dark Shadows
The Dark Shadows Movie Book
Dark Shadows: Return to Collinwood
The Dark Shadows Almanac: Millennium Edition
Dark Passages
Dark Shadows Resurrected
The Dark Shadows Companion: 25th Anniversary Collection
Dark Shadows Memories: 35th Anniversary Edition
Dark Shadows: Dreams of the Dark
Dark Shadows: The Visual Companion
David Selby
My Shadowed Past
Out of print; search for available copies.
In and Out of the Shadows
Out of print; search for available copies.
Lara Parker’s novels
Dark Shadows: Angelique’s Descent
Dark Shadows: The Salem Branch
Dark Shadows: Wolf Moon Rising
Dark Shadows: Heiress of Collinwood
Illustrated books and comics
Dark Shadows Coloring Book
Dark Shadows the Complete Newspaper Strips
Dark Shadows: The Complete Series: Volume 4
Dark Shadows: The Complete Series: Volume 5
Dark Shadows: The Complete Series: Volume 2
Dark Shadows: The Complete Series: Volume 1
Dark Shadows: Jonathan Frid a Personal Picture Album
Dark Shadows: The Complete Series: Volume 3
Dark Shadows Story Digest: The Original Series
Dark Shadows: Best of the Original Series
Curse of Dark Shadows Revised Expanded Edition
Dark Shadows Paper Doll Book
More Illustrated Anniversary Publications
Sy Tomashoff: Dark Shadows by Design
Daytime Gothic II
The original novels
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Dark Shadows #01: Dark Shadows [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #02: Victoria Winters [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #03: Strangers at Collins House [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #04: The Mystery of Collinwood [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #05: The Curse of Collinwood [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #06: Barnabas Collins [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #07: The Secret of Barnabas Collins [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #08: The Demon of Barnabas Collins [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #09: The Foe of Barnabas Collins [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #10: The Phantom and Barnabas Collins [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #11: Barnabas Collins Versus the Warlock [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #12: The Peril of Barnabas Collins [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #13: Barnabas Collins and the Mysterious Ghost [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #14: Barnabas Collins and Quentin's Demon [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #15: Barnabas Collins and the Gypsy Witch [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #16: Barnabas, Quentin and the Mummy's Curse [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #17: Barnabas, Quentin and the Avenging Ghost [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #18: Barnabas Collins and the Nightmare Assassin [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #19: Barnabas, Quentin and the Crystal Coffin [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #20: Barnabas, Quentin and the Witch's Curse [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #21: Barnabas, Quentin and the Haunted Cave [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #22: Barnabas, Quentin and the Frightened Bride [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #23: Barnabas, Quentin and the Scorpio Curse [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #24: Barnabas, Quentin and the Serpent [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #25: Barnabas, Quentin and the Magic Potion [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #26: Barnabas, Quentin and the Body Snatchers [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #27: Barnabas, Quentin and Dr. Jekyll's Son [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #28: Barnabas, Quentin and the Grave Robbers [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #29: Barnabas, Quentin and The Sea Ghost [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #30: Barnabas, Quentin and the Mad Magician [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #31: Barnabas, Quentin and the Hidden Tomb [Paperback]
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Dark Shadows #32: Barnabas, Quentin and the Vampire Beauty [Paperback]
DIANA RIGG: ONE TOUGH DAME
The life and career of a television and stage icon
Explore Diana Rigg’s remarkable career, from Emma Peel in The Avengers to her enduring work on stage and screen, in Herbie J Pilato’s biography One Tough Dame: The Life and Career of Diana Rigg.
Shop One Tough Dame: The Life and Career of Diana RiggAmazonBarnes & NobleHerbieJPilato.comUniversity Press of Mississippi
The Flintstones
Herbie J explores the popularity of The Flintstones animated series in RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION.
Gilligan’s Island
Herbie J explores the significance and popularity of Gilligan's Island in two of his books: Retro Active Television and Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door. See the links below on how to order each book.
Left: Herbie J hosted Dawn Wells at one of his Throwback Thursday Live Events at the Burbank Barnes & Noble in the summer of 2015. Right: Herbie J interviewed Dawn Wells for his book, Glamour, Gidgets and the Girl Next Door.
Herbie J explores the dichotomy of Mary Ann vs. Ginger in GLAMOUR, GIDGETS AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
JULIA
In his books, Retro Active Television and Christmas TV Memories, Herbie J celebrates the significance of the groundbreaking TV sitcom Julia, which stars Diahann Carroll and Marc Copage. See below on how to order each book.
KUNG FU Books
Two books about the classic television series
Herbie J Pilato explores the world and wisdom of the classic Kung Fu series in these two companion books.
Press Reviews
The Kung Fu Book of Caine
“Many elements, of course, contributed to the show’s success, and Pilato covers them ably.”
Christopher Dow — Taijitu Magazine
The Kung Fu Book of Wisdom
“The author has done an outstanding job collecting and organizing the quotes…”
Edge of Humanity Magazine — March 18, 2017
Life Goes On
The story behind the television series
Life Story: The Book of Life Goes On explores the making and enduring impact of the family drama.
Few popular television series have addressed adolescence, family values, diversity, prejudice, and physical and mental disabilities as directly and fully as Life Goes On. Debuting on ABC in 1989, the family drama reached viewers with its heartfelt stories and memorable characters.
Life Story: The Book of Life Goes On: TV’s First and Best Family Show of Challenge explores the series’ creation, development, and enduring appeal. Herbie J Pilato, also the author of Bewitched Forever and The Kung Fu Book of Caine, draws on exclusive interviews with Golden Globe nominee Chris Burke (Corky Thacher, a teen with Down syndrome), Emmy winner Chad Lowe (Jesse McKenna, a young man living with AIDS), and Family Television Award winner Kellie Martin (Becca Thacher). Director and producer Michael Nankin and creator and executive producer Michael Braverman also contribute; Braverman wrote the book’s foreword.
From its portrayals of Down syndrome and AIDS to its stories of love, family, and belonging, Life Goes On continues to inspire viewers. Pilato’s behind-the-scenes chronicle captures the spirit of a series devoted to meaningful, compelling television.
What the cast and creators say
“...extremely well done and easily read...an accurate trip to a most wonderful place in my past...an extraordinary effort.”
— Michael Braverman, creator of Life Goes On
“An amazing book...totally captures the essence of Life Goes On.”
— Michael Lange, director of Life Goes On
“...a real heartfelt and terrific behind-the-scenes chronicle of those four wonderful years of ‘Life Goes On.’”
— Bill Smitrovich, star of Life Goes On
Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke
A biography by Herbie J Pilato
Herbie J explores the lives and careers of Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in three of his books: Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story, Dashing, Daring and Debonair, and Christmas TV Memories.
Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story by Herbie J Pilato is an in-depth biography of the iconic actress whose career spanned six decades in television, film, and theater.
“It was a remarkable series that starred a remarkable person,” Pilato says of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. “It debuted at the onset of the Women’s Liberation movement, and went on to change the face of television comedy.”
Pilato, author of One Tough Dame, Connery, Sean Connery, and Twitch Upon a Star, chronicles Moore’s personal and professional challenges and triumphs before, during, and after her two historic sitcoms. “When you’re in the public eye of any arena,” he says, “… entertainment, politics, whatever, there is a tremendous responsibility to do and say the right thing. And Mary rose to the occasion, even in her darkest hours.”
Moore, who died on January 25, 2017, faced private struggles behind her bright public smile. Pilato writes about her alcoholism and diabetes; childhood sexual abuse and emotional and psychological abuse by her parents; her self-esteem and plastic surgery; and her advocacy for animals and people with diabetes. A gifted actress, dancer, and singer, she was a longtime spokesperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation while managing the disease herself.
“She was as honest as she could be in public and in private,” Pilato says. “She did the best she could in communicating her truest thoughts. She had integrity, and she had flaws — several of them – but she combined those opposing aspects of herself and became a consummate performer, while advocating for various humanitarian and social causes in the process. And she was the first to admit her imperfections, which only added to her appeal and charm.” Pilato says he made every effort to explore every facet of her life and career in the book.
The biography also examines Moore’s first marriage to Richard Meeker; the deaths of her son, brother, and sister; her complex relationships with second husband and business partner Grant Tinker, co-stars Rose Marie and Valerie Harper, and playwright Neil Simon; and professional setbacks on Broadway, in film, and on television, including the 2000 TV movie Mary and Rhoda. It follows her devoted relationship with her third husband, Dr. Robert Levine, who was 15 years younger. “Mary adored him,” Pilato says, “…and he adored her. They were devoted to one another and, in the end, Mary finally found true, long-lasting love.”
The book draws on Pilato’s interviews with The Mary Tyler Moore Show actors Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, and Joyce Bulifant; Larry Mathews of The Dick Van Dyke Show; Carol Channing, Moore’s co-star in Thoroughly Modern Millie; and Matthew Asner, who grew up on the set of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later worked on its DVD release and documentary. Television journalist Betty Rollin, whom Moore portrayed in the 1978 TV movie First You Cry, and writers and producers who worked with Moore also share recollections.
“No doubt she was a complicated person,” Pilato says. “And she certainly was no Mary Richards, the sweet-as-American-pie character Moore played on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Even she admitted that. But she was true to herself – and loyal to her devoted fans, no matter how bad a day she had, and she had many bad days.” For viewers who remember the sitcom’s premiere, she was also someone who could “turn the world on with her smile.”
Reviews of Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story
“MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY, another of Herbie J Pilato's all-encompassing biographies...a thorough job in giving MTM her due.”
— Pete Hammond, Deadline.com
“MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY...explores both her triumphs and struggles on the screen and behind closed doors.”
— Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News
“Herbie J Pilato is a true 'keeper of the flame' for classic TV. In MARY, he’s given us an extensive, humanizing look at one of the medium’s biggest icons; the good, the bad and sometimes, ugly. But it’s real. He’s spoken to all the right people...and I’m betting there’s a lot here that will surprise even the most devoted fans.”
— Peter King, Correspondent, CBS News Radio
“An absolutely riveting and brilliant biography of an American icon. An instant classic! Only a skilled writer like Herbie J Pilato could bring us this comprehensive look at one of America's greatest television icons. Pilato wonderfully navigates the reader through her ups and downs…her amazing success and failures along the road. Pilato does not pull any punches. He is truthful, candid and frank- yet respectful of Ms. Moore. An amazing biography…Pilato hits a home-run with this great book!”
— Rick Lertzman, The Life and Times of Hollywood Blog
“…several hundred pages that slowly peel back the iconic [actress] to introduce the reader to the real woman…the author has done such an excellent job in revealing her to be human, with all the foibles and fears and doubts and issues that brings along with it.”
— Steve Thompson, Forces of Geek
“For anyone who's been waiting for a definitive look at the life and career of Mary Tyler Moore, the wait is over. MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY is filled with revelations and delivers the goods.”
— Ed Gross, CloserWeekly.com
“MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY - an epic opus about the beloved MTM.”
— Greg Hernandez, Greg in Hollywood
“After reading MARY, I felt I knew and understood Mary Tyler Moore, even though I never met her. … Bravo, Herbie J Pilato. Bravo.”
— David Selby, actor/writer (Dark Shadows/Falcon Crest)
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Shop From Fandom to Friendships: My Adventures With The Dick Van Dyke Show CastSHOP ON PayhipSHOP ON Google Play BooksSearch AmazonSearch Barnes & Noble
Click below to watch The Dick Van Dyke Show documentary produced and hosted by David Van Deusen:
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NBC & ME
Behind the scenes at NBC
My Life as a Page in a Book
In this lively, tongue-in-cheek memoir, Herbie J Pilato recalls his years in NBC’s coveted Page Program, working at the famed Burbank, CA, studios; the backstage encounters, production work, and the Hollywood life and career lessons that came with the job. See below for the book’s summary, reviews, and SHOP tabs to order your copy today!
By the mid-1980s, an NBC Page position was one of entertainment’s most sought-after entry-level jobs. Pilato might encounter Ricky Schroeder of Silver Spoons (later NYPD Blue), Boy George during a Motown Summer Special, or The Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen. Other days brought backstage visits to a TV special, limousine runs for stars of Hill Street Blues and Days of Our Lives, and ticket duty for Scrabble.
He spent time on the sets of Family Ties, The Golden Girls, and Wheel of Fortune. He also helped coordinate an affiliates’ convention, two press tours, five Bob Hope specials, An All-Star Salute to President Dutch Reagan, the 1984 Democratic Presidential Debates, and the 1984 Emmy Awards. Between the major events came conversations with comedians and executives, celebrity encounters, and the everyday work of stuffing envelopes and welcoming audiences.
The Page Program has counted Kate Jackson (Charlie’s Angels), Ken Howard (The White Shadow), Richard Benjamin, Steve Allen (The Tonight Show), Dave Garroway (Today), Eva Marie Saint, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (The FBI), Willard Scott, Regis Philbin, Tex Antoine, Ted Koppel (Nightline), Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo), and future executive Michael Eisner among its alumni.
NBC & Me: My Life as a Page in a Book chronicles the network’s Page department with humor and firsthand detail, from its star-filled moments to the work that kept the operation running.
Click the link below to watch Herbie J in December 1985 with Johnny Carson for one of The Tonight Show's famed "Stump the Band" sketches.
Retro Active Television
Classic television and its enduring influence
Legendary actor Eric Scott, star of The Waltons TV series, wrote the foreword to Herbie J Pilato’s Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective on Classic TV’s Social Circuitry. The book explores the history of classic television’s positive social influence on society.
In the year of its release, 2023, Retro Active Television received the "Best Compilation" Award from the New York Book Festival, while the Los Angeles Book Festival named it "Book of the Year" and named Herbie J, "Author of the Year"
“Herbie J Pilato is a celebrated author and media historian, specializing in the world of classic television and popular culture. With a wealth of knowledge and a genuine passion for his subject matter, Pilato's work has garnered critical acclaim and loyal readership. RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION is a testament to his expertise and his ability to provide fresh insights into beloved TV shows...In Pilato's award-winning book, RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION, readers are treated to a captivating exploration of classic television and its impact on society. With his extensive knowledge of popular culture, Pilato offers fresh insights into beloved TV shows, revealing the creative and programming processes behind them. This enlightening journey through television history will entertain fans of the medium while providing a deeper understanding of its influence on society.”
Dr. Darlene Adamson Henderson
Sean Connery
Herbie J Pilato’s portrait of a screen legend
Connery, Sean Connery: Before, During, and After His Most Famous Role offers an in-depth perspective on the actor’s life and career beyond James Bond.
Published by BearManor Media on October 6, 2023, Connery, Sean Connery follows the iconic star before, during, and after his most famous role. Barbara Carrera, his co-star in Never Say Never Again, wrote the foreword; Richard Demarco, Connery’s lifelong friend, wrote the introduction.
The book features exclusive commentary from Connery’s friend Brendan Lynch and actors Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball) and Tippi Hedren (Marnie), among others.
Press reviews
“VERDICT: A fresh perspective on Bond and Connery that fans will enjoy.”
— Library Journal
“Notable.”
— Closer Magazine
Hollywood praises Connery, Sean Connery
“There’s much I didn’t know about Sean Connery, but this book clarifies it all in a very compelling way. It’s a real page-turner, and I had difficulty putting it down. Herbie J Pilato displays an elegant writing style that is rarely seen today.”
— Bill Daly, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Pictures; Connery co-star in The Molly Maguires
“A comprehensive, and thoroughly researched analysis of one of the greatest icons of popular culture…full of fresh insights into Connery’s journey, and the colossal impact he had on our lives. Pilato’s grasp of the screen persona we all came to embrace…and beyond…is fluid, and captivating.”
— David Naylor, Telly and Saturn Award-winning producer, director, and documentarian
“CONNERY, SEAN CONNERY is a delicious, yet ethical read.”
— Michael Learned, Emmy-winning actor, The Waltons
“CONNERY, SEAN CONNERY is a fascinating and thorough account of the legendary actor’s life and career, from his humble, almost Dickensian childhood, to the peaks of international stardom. With gusto, expertise, and clarity, Herbie J Pilato has crafted a riveting portrait.”
— John Schuck, actor, McMillan & Wife
The Six Million Dollar Man
Lee Majors
Lee Majors is profiled in two books by Herbie J Pilato: The Bionic Book, exploring The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, and Dashing, Daring, and Debonair, celebrating television’s leading men.
Star Trek 60th Anniversary
Celebrating six decades of exploration
Celebrate 60 years of the original Star Trek and its stars, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, and series creator Gene Roddenberry. All three are profiled in Herbie J Pilato’s book, Dashing, Daring, and Debonair: TV’s Top Male Icons from the ’50s, ’60s, and 70s. Additionally, Nichelle Nichols, the remarkable actress who played Lt. Uhura in the trailblazing franchise, is profiled in Herbie J's book, Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door: Television's Iconic Women From the '50s, '60s, and '70s. See below for the SHOP links for these books and more.
Herbie J stands with legendary Star Trek designer Doug Drexler in front of the Burbank Studios, the former location for the West Coast studios of NBC-TV, the original network of the original Star Trek TV series. Doug recently released his acclaimed new memoir, Trek Star: The Geek Life of Doug Drexler.
Early in his career, Herbie J met Gene Roddenberry, and asked him for a job. "The Great Bird of the Galaxy," as Roddenberry was known, sent Herbie J a nice rejection letter, shortly after he became a Page for NBC, the original network of the original Star Trek TV series. The letter and the story of Herbie J's meeting Roddenberry is in Herbie J's book, NBC & ME: MY LIFE AS A PAGE IN A BOOK.
Steve Stewart and the Freebird Files
Herbie J endorses the remarkable creative work of the charismatic and multi-talented Steve Stewart and his dynamic 1970s-based, six-volume literary series, The Freebird Files, and related music. Click on the two links below to read Herbie J's two articles about Steve Stewart and the Freebird Files; underneath those two links are additional links where to purchase each volume.
Volume 1: Call Me the Breeze
SHOP ON AMAZON
Volume 2: Blue-Eyed Son
SHOP ON AMAZON
Volume 3: Breeze & Fancy
SHOP ON AMAZON
Volume 4: Rebelicious
SHOP ON AMAZON
Volume 5: I Need You
SHOP ON AMAZON
Volume 6: Simple Man
SHOP ON AMAZONThat Girl 60th Anniversary
Celebrating a television original
Celebrate 60 years of That Girl and its star, Marlo Thomas. Herbie J Pilato profiles Thomas in Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door and Christmas TV Memories. Marlo Thomas also wrote the foreword to Christmas TV Memories.
Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door
Christmas TV Memories
The Golden Girls
Herbie J writes about The Golden Girls and their impact on the senior community in his book, Retro Active Television. He also writes about his experiences working on The Golden Girls and meeting its stars in his NBC & ME book.
Shortly after his tenure as a Page for NBC, Herbie J made a cameo appearance on The Golden Girls, in the episode "Strange Bedfellows" (11-7-87). As fate would have it, when Herbie J was a Page, he ushered The Golden Girls audiences in and out of the studio.
To watch the "Strange Bedfellows" episode of The Golden Girls featuring Herbie J, click on the link below.
Happy Days/Laverne & Shirley
Herbie J explores the popularity of Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley in both RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION, and CHRISTMAS TV MEMORIES, the latter in which he discusses in-depth the Christmas episodes of each.
Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew
Herbie J uncovers the secrets to the success of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries TV shows in his books, Retro Active Television, and Dashing, Daring, and Debonair.
Read Herbie J's article about the strange case of Joe Hardy's doomed fiancée
After Nancy Drew, Pamela Sue Martin (third from the left in the left photo, and with Herbie J, on the right) went on to join the cast of Dynasty on ABC, playing Fallon, daughter of John Forsythe's Blake Carrdington. But she would leave that series and be replaced by Emma Sams in the part.
Post-The Hardy Boys, Parker Stevenson would go on to star in the original NBC version of Baywatch, and later channel his creative energies into artwork.
After replacing Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy Drew, Janet Louise Johnson (Julian) was cast as Lt. Brie on TV's Battlestar: Galactica (left). Today (right), she continues to act.
Click here for more about Shaun Cassidy
Click here for more about Parker Stevenson
Click here for more about Pamela Sue Martin
Click here for more about Janet Louise Johnson (Julian)
Click here to read Herbie J’s review of Shaun Cassidy’s concert (from March 2026)
Land of the Lost
Herbie J explores the remarkable popularity of Land of the Lost, the dynamic Saturday morning sci-fi series starring Kathy Coleman, Wesley Eure, and Spencer Milligan, in his award-winning book, Retro Active Television. See below for how to order that book, as well as Kathy Coleman's acclaimed memoir, Run, Holly, Run, and Herbie J's 12 Best Secrets of Christmas book, which Kathy has endorsed.
On the left, Herbie J "falls" back in TV time with Land of the Lost stars Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman. And on the right, the three return to the "present," unscathed!
“Such a warm, relatable story. Well done.”
Shop Retro Active TelevisionSHOP ON AmazonSHOP ON Barnes & NobleSHOP ON HerbieJPilato.comSHOP ON Headline Books
Leave It to Beaver
Herbie J features both Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers in DASHING, DARING, AND DEBONAIR, and explores the popularity of Leave It to Beaver in general in RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION.
Little House On The Prairie
LEFT: Dean Butler arrives at Herbie J's Classic TV Christmas Live Event at the Burbank Barnes and Noble on December 15th, 2015.
RIGHT: Dean Butler, Caryn Richman (Dean's leading lady in The New Gidget TV series), Jerry Houser, and Herbie J appear at the legendary Book Soup bookstore for a signing of THE 12 BEST SECRETS OF CHRISTMAS (for which Dean wrote the Foreword, and Jerry wrote the Introduction)
Herbie J provides an in-depth discussion of the Christmas episodes of Little House on the Prairie in his book, CHRISTMAS TV MEMORIES.
Click the link below for information about the new Little House on the Prairie TV series:
Read about the new series on NetflixLost In Space
The Mod Squad
Herbie J chronicles the lives and careers of The Mod Squad stars in his books, GLAMOUR, GIDGETS, AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, and DASHING, DARING, AND DEBONAIR. Peggy Lipton (center) is profiled in the Glamour book, and Clarence Williams III (left) and Michael Cole (right) are featured in the DASHING book. See the book covers and links below to order copies of each.
Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door
Dashing, Daring, and Debonair
My Three Sons
Herbie J examines the success of My Three Sons in his books, Retro Active Television, and Christmas Memories, while two of the show's stars, Tina Cole and Barry Livingston, have authored books of their own. All of that and more is presented on this page.
Click on the link below and watch Herbie J's interviews of Stanley Livingston, Tina Cole, Barry Williams, and Marc Copage at Book Soup in December 2024
Watch the Book Soup interviews on YouTube
Then Again with Herbie J Pilato
Watch Herbie J’s conversation with My Three Sons stars Barry Livingston and Stanley Livingston.
Watch on YouTube
Tina Cole
Murder, She Wrote
Herbie J explores the success of Murder, She Wrote in his books, Retro Active Television, and Christmas TV Memories.
Louis Herthum Remembers Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury and Her Big Heart
Herbie J Muses on Murder, She Wrote
Why Murder, She Wrote Ended
“Herbie J has a flair for making anything vintage feel contemporary. With THE 12 BEST SECRETS OF CHRISTMAS, he takes us on an almost visceral journey...a journey worth taking and reading.”
Louis Herthum
Murder, She Wrote star and Bewitched guest-star Ron Masak (left) poses with Land of the Lost star Wesley Eure (who frequently appeared on TV's Password game show with Elizabeth Montgomery); Tommy Boyce, of Boyce and Hart (who also made a guest appearance on Bewitched), and Love Boat icon Bernie Kopell, who was a semi-regular on Bewitched.
OZZIE & HARRIET
The social impact of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet TV show is explored in Herbie J’s book, RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION.
Herbie J chronicles the Christmas adventures of Ozzie and Harriet in Christmas TV Memories.
Perry Mason
Herbie J examines the success of the Perry Mason TV show in RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION.
Herbie J chronicles the life and career of Barbara Hale in GLAMOUR, GIDGETS AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
The Partridge Family
Herbie J discusses the popularity of The Partridge Family, and its stars, in four of his books: Retro Active Television, Dashing, Daring, and Debonair, Christmas TV Memories, and Twitch Upon a Star. See below for more information, and how to order.
Herbie J explores the social impact of The Partridge Family in RETRO ACTIVE TELEVISION.
Herbie J profiles both David Cassidy and Shaun Cassidy in Dashing, Daring, and Debonair.
Herbie J interviewed Danny Bonaduce (who made two guest appearances on Bewitched) for his books on Bewitched and Elizabeth Montgomery, and for the acclaimed documentary, Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life.
Herbie J explores the Bewitched-Partridge Family connection of Danny Bonaduce and Dave Madden in TWITCH UPON A STAR and THE ESSENTIAL ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY. Danny also appeared in ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY: A BEWITCHED LIFE, the hit documentary for the Reelz Channel that Herbie J co-executive-produced, co-wrote, and co-directed.
The Twilight Zone
The Waltons
The Waltons, one of television's most beloved family shows, and its bright, shining stars are featured in many of Herbie J's books, magazine articles, and videos. See below for more information about it all, including links to each article and video, and how to order your copies of each book!
Herbie J is with cherished actor Eric Scott, who played Ben Walton on The Waltons, and who wrote the Foreword to Herbie J's book, Retro Active Television. This photo was taken during a studio recording for the audiobook edition of Retro Active Television.
“My life as an actor was and remains exciting and rewarding. I have met and continue to meet many terrific individuals in the entertainment industry, as well as fans of my work and the shows I have performed in. One of those special people is Herbie J Pilato...His book, Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective on Classic TV's Social Circuitry...is a must-read for anyone who wants to know about the history and impact that television has on American society.”
— Eric Scott (From the Foreword of Retro Active Television)
Herbie J is with Richard Thomas, the Emmy-winning actor who portrayed John-Boy on The Waltons. Herbie J features Richard in his book, Dashing, Daring, and Debonair.
“Well, here we all are! We got lucky, worked hard, and did what we loved, and in return, we found our places in the story – a story that Herbie J Pilato tells so well.”
– Richard Thomas (Actor, The Waltons)
Beloved actress/writer Mary McDonough played Erin Walton on The Waltons, and is featured in Herbie J's book, Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door. She is also the author of Lessons from the Mountain: What I Learned From Erin Walton.
“Herbie J Pilato has prepared for us this...feast of Christmas Secrets, which he serves with love. Spend the holidays with this delightful book. It will warm your heart.”
– Richard Thomas (Actor, The Waltons)
“Like The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, this book harkens back to a simpler time...with sweet holiday messages for a complicated world. Herbie J Pilato lived those messages...and now shares them with the rest of us.”
– Mary McDonough (Actor/Author, The Waltons)
Herbie J is with Judy Norton, who played Mary Ellen on The Waltons, at The Waltons’ 40th Anniversary Gala in 2012. Judy is also the host of her own dynamic Waltons podcast. Click here to watch Judy’s podcast.
Herbie J is with Kami Cotler, who played Elizabeth on The Waltons, at a special screening of a new Waltons movie in 2022.
Herbie J is with the Emmy-winning actress Michael Learned, who portrayed matriarch Olivia Walton on The Waltons.
“Connery, Sean Connery is a delicious, yet ethical read.”
— Michael Learned (Actor, The Waltons)
Click the links below for more about Herbie J and The Waltons.
Herbie J's Books at a Glance
Selected Titles
Retro Active Television
An in-depth perspective on classic TV’s social circuitry—and its continuing power.
View in the bookstore →
One Tough Dame
The life and career of Diana Rigg, from The Avengers to an extraordinary dramatic legacy.
View in the bookstore →
NBC & Me
A vivid, personal journey through life as an NBC Page in television’s storied Burbank studios.
View in the bookstore →
Christmas TV Memories
Nostalgic favorites of the small screen, with a foreword by Marlo Thomas.
View in the bookstore →ReMind Magazine
Read Herbie J’s articles in ReMind MagazineRetro Fan Magazine
Infinity Magazine
Updates coming soon.
Yours Retro Magazine
Explore Herbie J’s writing on Yours Retro Magazine. Direct links will be added soon.
Newsbreak
Medium
LinkedIn Newsletter
Substack
Television Academy/Emmys.com
TVWriter.com
MediaVillage.com
Acting Credits
On screen and on stage
Television
| Production | Role | Network / Production |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony J. Ferrante’s Farway Canyon | Mr. Cutter | Independent |
| General Hospital | Tony | ABC |
| The Bold and the Beautiful | Mike | CBS |
| The Golden Girls | Peter | NBC |
| Highway to Heaven | Jack | NBC |
Film
| Production | Role | Production |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Attractions | Lead | Independent |
| Paul’s Fix | Lead | Rand |
| Hadley’s Rebellion | Supporting Role | Independent |
Stage
| Production | Role | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Stagedoor | Keith Burgess | Nazareth Arts Center |
| Pfeiffer’s People | Huey | Nazareth Arts Center |
| The Begger’s Opera | Crook-fingered Jack | Nazareth Arts Center |
| Birdbath | Frankie Basta | Nazareth Arts Center |
| A Phoenix Too Frequent | Tegeus-Chromis | Nazareth Arts Center |
| An Officer & A Gentleman | Zack Mayo | Nazareth Arts Center |
| You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown | Snoopy | Nazareth Arts Center |
Education/Training
- TVi Actor’s Studio (Los Angeles): Greg Orson (Go Casting); Christy Dooley (The Bold and the Beautiful)
- Backstage ActorFest
- Chris Game (Casting Director)
- NBC-TV Page (Burbank)
- UCLA (TV & Film)
- Don Richardson
- RAPA (Rochester, NY)
- Nazareth University of Rochester, NY (B.A. in Theatre Arts)
General Credits
TV/Film Writing/Producing/Directing/Consultant
- Executive Producer/Director/Writer/On-Screen Commentator, Bewitched: Behind the Magic – A 60th Anniversary Blu-ray Release (Sony/Mills Creek/Reverand Entertainment, July 2025)
- Executive Producer/Director/Writer/On-Screen Commentator, Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life, The Reelz Channel (2022) Watch on Amazon
- Producer, The Love Boat: Happily Ever After, The Reelz Channel (2022)
- Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Writer/On-Screen Host, Then Again with Herbie J Pilato, Amazon Prime/Amazon Prime UK, Shout TV! (2019 – 2020)
- Consultant/On-Screen Commentator, the Saturn Award-winning Blu-Ray Release of The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, Shout Factory (2022)
- Consultant/On-Screen Commentator, The History of the Sitcom, CNN (2021)
- Consultant/On-Screen Commentator, Autopsy: Elizabeth Montgomery, Reelz Channel (June 2021)
- Script Consultant, Nora Ephron’s Bewitched feature film, Sony (4/04 – 6/05)
- Producer, 100 Greatest TV Characters, 5-Part Series, Bravo TV (8/03 – 3/04)
- Producer/Director, Sci-Ography: The Twilight Zone, SyFy Channel (1 – 2/99)
- Writer, Sci-Ography: Fantasy Island, SyFy Channel (3 – 4/99)
- Writer, Sci-Ography: The Incredible Hulk, SyFy Channel (5 – 6/99)
- Writer, Sci-Ography: Dark Shadows, SyFy Channel (7 – 8/99)
- Writer, Sci-Ography: The Bionic Woman, SyFy Channel (9 – 10/99)
- Writer, Sci-Ography: Battlestar: Galactica, SyFy Channel (11 – 12/99)
- Writer, Interstitials, Bewitched (remastered), Evolution/Screen Gems (3 – 4/99)
- Writer, Interstitials, I Dream of Jeannie (remastered), E/S (4 – 5/99)
- Writer, Interstitials, The Monkees (remastered), E/S (5 – 6/99)
- Writer, Interstitials, The Partridge Family (remastered), E/S (6 – 7/99)
- Consultant/Commentator, CHiPs DVD Release, Mod 3 Productions (4/07 – 6/07)
- Consultant/Commentator, Kung Fu DVD Release, Mod 3 Productions (3/02 – 5/02)
- Consultant/Commentator, Behind the Fame: Mary Tyler Moore Show, TLC/Assoc. Television (4 – 6/01)
- Consultant/Commentator, Behind the Fame: Bob Newhart Show, TLC/Assoc. Television (4 – 6/01)
- Consultant/Commentator, Behind the Fame: Hill Street Blues, TLC/Assoc. Television (4 – 6/01)
- Consultant/Commentator, Behind the Fame: L.A. Law, TLC/Associated Television, Intl. (4 – 6/01)
- Consultant/Commentator, A&E’s Biography of Lee Majors (7/02)
- Consultant/Commentator, A&E’s Biography of Elizabeth Montgomery (11/09)
- Consultant/Commentator, David Carradine: The E! True Hollywood Story (8/01)
- Consultant/Commentator, Bewitched: The E! True Hollywood Story (3/99)
- Consultant/Commentator, Bewitched Special, Entertainment Tonight (3/99 – 8/99)
Author
- Christmas TV Memories: Nostalgic Holiday Favorites of the Small Screen (Applause Books, November, 2024)
- One Tough Dame: The Life and Career of Diana Rigg, Before, During and After Her Most Avenging Role (University Press of Mississippi, 2024)
- Connery, Sean Connery: Before, During and After His Most Famous Role (Bear Manor Media, 2023)
- Retro Active Television (Headline, January, 2023/Tantor Media, 2023)
- The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas (Archway Publishing, 2022)
- Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story (Jacobs Brown Press, 2019)
- Dashing, Daring, and Debonair: TV’s Top Male Icons (Taylor Trade, 2016)
- Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door: TV’s Top Female Icons (Taylor Trade, 2014)
- The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery: A Guide to Her Magical Performances (Taylor Trade, 2013)
- Twitch Upon A Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery (Taylor Trade, 2012)
- NBC & ME: My Life as A Page in A Book (Bear Manor Media, 2008)
- The Bionic Book (Bear Manor Media, 2007)
- Life Story: The Book of Life Goes On (Bear Manor Media, 2006)
- Bewitched Forever (Summit, 2004/2001; Tapestry Press, 1996)
- The Kung Fu Book of Wisdom (Tuttle Publishing, 1995)
- The Kung Fu Book of Caine (Tuttle Publishing, 1993)
- The Bewitched Book (Dell, 1992)
Media/Culture Writer
- Features Writer, Television Academy/Emmys.com (10/15 – 8/22)
- Contributing Editor Emeritus, TVWriter.com (1/99 – 8/22)
- Contributing Writer, MediaVillage.com (9/05 – 9/12)
- Contributing Writer/Content Supervisor, TV-Now.com (1/00 – 9/05)
- Columnist, MoviePlace.com (6/98 – 12/00)
- Writer/Editor, PAXTV.com (Summer 1998)
President/CEO
- Television, Ink. (10/2/13 – 6/15/20): TV production company geared toward family entertainment. [Status: Dissolved, June 15, 2020]
Founder/Executive Director
- The Classic TV Preservation Society (9/10 – Present): A formal 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated the positive social influence of classic television programming.
Related Experience
- Branding Consultant, LPI Consumer Productions/LPI Consumer Products (5/09 – 3/15), Pompano Beach, FL: Provided analysis, solutions, and marketing expertise for this manufacturer of the popular Airhorns and Shavemate Razors; assisted in direction/production of TV infomercials.
- Public Relations Personnel, Bel-Air Bay Club, Pacific Palisades, CA (1/86 – 3/89): Served simultaneously as a front desk receptionist and banquet server at this exclusive private club. Duties included: booking hotel reservations; answering phones; catering for various holiday/club parties and special events.
- Public Relations Personnel, Marriott Airport Hotel, Greece, NY (5/81 – 9/93): Served as Front Desk Clerk, PBX Phone Operator, and Van Driver.
Volunteer Work
- Feeding the Homeless Ministry, St. Pancratius Church, Lakewood, CA (10/19 – Present): Once a month contributed to and participated with parishioners of St. Pancratius Church of Lakewood, CA. in feeding the homeless community of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. Also: helped to gather and distribute clothing, tarps, etc. for the same homeless population, with the “Wraps of Love” organization, which is also affiliated with St. Pancratius Church. Into this mix, attended daily Mass at St. Pancratius (since 2015), and met afterward with Church group to address community and parishioner concerns including and beyond the homeless.
- Activities Director for Seniors, The North and South Senior Village Apartments, Rochester, NY (10/99 – 5/08): Organized and coordinated weekly social gatherings, and special events; holiday parties including those for New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, among others.
- Artistic Director, Crimson Ridge Senior Facility, Greece, NY (6/07 – 9/07): Instructed weekly presentations in Acting, Directing, Writing and Media History for The Creative Arts and Performance Summer Program.
- Director of Public Relations, Mercier Literary Program, Rochester, NY (1/07 – 5/07): Program founded by realtor George Mercier in Rochester, New York, in 2001. Assisted the education of inner-city youth, in partnership with Wilson Commencement Park (which supplied teachers, paraprofessionals, classroom space) and Nazareth College of Rochester (which provided graduate students as volunteer tutors). Program founded by realtor George Mercier in Rochester in 2001. Assisted the education of inner-city youth, in partnership with Wilson Commencement Park (which supplied teachers, paraprofessionals, classroom space) and Nazareth College of Rochester (which provided graduate students as volunteer tutors).
- Director of Public Relations, Steve Centron Memorial/Aquinas High School Literary Scholarship Fund, Rochester, NY (5/05 – 9/05): Served as core facilitator for this nonprofit organization that provided educational grants (named for one of the high-school's most beloved teachers. Duties included organized/hosted fundraisers, special events, including picnics, and golf tournaments; booked entertainment, general office supervision.
Education & Training
- NBC Page/Internship, NBC-TV (Burbank, CA): Served in the Guest Relations Department, Press & Publicity, Research; involved extensive public interaction with regard to audience participation, event planning, TV show production, and performing on camera. Worked on television shows including Family Ties, Wheel of Fortune, The Golden Girls, The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.
- Visiting Student in TV & Film, UCLA: Studied under director Don Richardson (Broadway; Bonanza, Lost in Space, New York Academy of Dramatic Arts).
- B.A. in Theatre Arts, Nazareth University, Rochester, New York.
Commendations/Awards
- Author of the Year, 2023 — Los Angeles Book Festival, for Retro Active Television
- Book of the Year, 2023 — Los Angeles Book Festival, for Retro Active Television
- Best Anthology/Compilation, 2023 — Beach Book Festival, for Retro Active Television
- Sweetest Guest, 2023 — Media Path Podcast, hosted by Fritz Coleman and Louise Palanker
Music
Singer · Songwriter
Original songs shaped by love, memory, celebration, and the stories that stay with us. Listen to each track on Spotify or visit the complete artist page.
Herbie J on Spotify
Blu-Rays/DVDs
Collectible television
Explore acclaimed classic television releases featuring Herbie J’s creative contributions and celebrated complete-series collections.
Documentary DVDElizabeth Montgomery:
Elizabeth Montgomery:
A Bewitched Life
Herbie J served as co-executive producer, co-director, co-writer, and primary on-screen cultural commentator for this Reelz documentary.
DVD details & availabilitySigned commemorative Blu-rayBewitched:
Bewitched:
The Complete Series
All 254 episodes, newly remastered, plus a 36-page booklet and special features with Herbie J as writer, producer, moderator, and commentator.
Buy the signed Blu-rayImprint Television Blu-rayBewitched:
Bewitched:
The Imprint Television Collection
The beloved series presented across Imprint Television’s collectible Blu-ray season sets.
Find the Blu-rays on Amazon
Blu-ray collector’s editions
The Bionic Complete-Series Collections
Own the complete adventures of Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers in their respective Blu-ray collector’s editions.
First-season DVDCHiPs:
CHiPs:
The Complete First Season
The debut season of the classic highway-patrol series, collected on DVD.
Find the DVD on Amazon
Complete-series DVDKung Fu:
Kung Fu:
The Complete Series
The complete original television series starring David Carradine, collected on DVD.
Find the DVD on AmazonTV Talk Show
Then Again with Herbie J Pilato
As host, co-creator, and co-executive producer of Then Again with Herbie J Pilato, Herbie J welcomed beloved performers for warm, revealing conversations about creativity, character, and the memories audiences carry with them. Legendary stars of Batman, Dark Shadows, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, My Three Sons, and The Wild Wild West visit Herbie J on his acclaimed talk show Then Again with Herbie J Pilato.
Then Again with Herbie J Pilato
Watch classic TV conversations with beloved Hollywood legends on “Then Again with Herbie J Pilato,” streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Tubi TV, and other media outlets.
Click on the video to watch a preview of Then Again with Herbie J Pilato
Click below to watch all the episodes of “Then Again with Herbie J Pilato”
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YouTube Channel
Herbie J Pilato Television
Watch HJP-TV (Herbie J Pilato Television) on YouTube and discover more of Herbie J’s remarkable interviews with some of TV’s most beloved stars. Those include Dean Butler, Kathy Coleman, Lydia Cornell, Jerry Houser, Kathy Garver, Geri Jewell, Marvin Kaplan, Gloria Loring, Caryn Richman, Peter Mark Richman, Eric Scott, Larry Wilcox, Anson Williams, and more.
Watch HJP-TV
Visit the channel for videos and conversations about classic television.
Gallery
Portraits
Select Videos
Watch
Click the link below to watch Herbie J in December 1985 with Johnny Carson for one of The Tonight Show's famed "Stump the Band" sketches.
Press
Conversations and coverage of Herbie J Pilato’s life, work, and enduring passion for television, film, and music.
Herbie J Defies Age
A Profile in Remind Magazine
The Creative Spark and Benevolent Spirit of Herbie J Pilato
Fox News interviews Herbie J Pilato about Sean Connery
Preserving TV Classics
Living the Dream
Who Is Herbie J Pilato?
The Television Academy interviews Herbie J Pilato about “Then Again”
Closer Weekly Magazine interviews Herbie J Pilato about “Then Again”
Sci-Fi Pulse Magazine interviews Herbie J Pilato about “Then Again”
Fox News interviews Herbie J Pilato about Mary Tyler Moore
Fox News interviews Herbie J Pilato about Elizabeth Montgomery
Classic TV Preservation Society
A living legacy
The Classic TV Preservation Society is an entertainment, media, and pop-culture nonprofit founded by Herbie J Pilato to celebrate classic television’s positive social influence. Its educational programs use family entertainment to encourage connection, lifelong learning, and a better quality of life for people of all ages.
Visit the societyInspirational TV and film presentations
Classic Media Seminars for All Ages
The Classic TV Preservation Society offers media seminars for people of all ages at schools, colleges, senior facilities, community centers, businesses, and other organizations. Through familiar television and film stories, the presentations encourage self-esteem, positive thinking, communication, and connection across generations.
The Society’s educational mission is to explore classic television’s social significance and positive influence, including family values, diversity, and mutual respect. The seminars invite audiences from every generation to explore these ideas together.
Educational programs for schools, colleges, and community centers
For educators and program planners seeking a nonprofit focused on family entertainment and media education, the Society brings classic TV and film into discussions of empathy, diversity, communication, and mutual respect. Schools, colleges, and other educational facilities can explore the cultural significance of familiar stories through the Society’s Classic Media Seminars.
Intergenerational enrichment for senior centers and families
Community centers, senior centers, senior residences, and organizations serving families can explore programs that connect generations through shared entertainment memories. The Society’s presentations aim to support self-esteem, positive thinking, social connection, and quality of life, welcoming children, students, adults, and older adults into the conversation.
Inquire about a Classic Media Seminar
Explore the Classic TV Preservation Society’s nonprofit mission and educational seminars
Classic stories, lasting lessons
Programs such as Bewitched, Kung Fu, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Life Goes On open conversations about empathy, perseverance, and looking beyond differences to our shared humanity. Herbie J Pilato draws on his experience as a family caregiver to make the sessions welcoming to participants of all ages and their families.
Seminar topics
- Classic TV history and the messages behind beloved series
- Classic cinema history, films, and performers
- Acting for the stage, film, and television
- Using performance skills in everyday life
- Writing your life story
- Movement and music to meet life’s challenges
Consultations
One-to-one guidance for writers, actors, performers, and professionals across the entertainment and publishing worlds.
Explore Creative ConsultationsContact
Stay tuned
Join Herbie J’s email list for new posts, book news, and updates. Subscribe to Upbeat with Herbie J Pilato to receive newsletter posts by email.
Author-Signed Books
To order an author-signed personally-addressed copy of any one of Herbie J Pilato's books, email: HerbieJPilato@Outlook.com
All Books and Merchandise
Bewitched and Elizabeth Montgomery
The Bewitched Book
Bewitched Forever
Twitch Upon a Star
The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery
Twitch Upon a Star — audiobook
Bewitched (2005 film) — Blu-ray
Bewitched: The Complete Series
Bewitched: The Imprint Television Collection
Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life
The Brady Bunch
Here's the Story
Growing Up Brady
Life Is Not a Stage
Love to Love You Bradys
Happiness Included
Brady, Brady, Brady
Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley
My Days: Happy and Otherwise by Marion Ross
Shirley, I Jest! by Cindy Williams
Singing to a Bulldog by Anson Williams
Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke
Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story
The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book
To Twilo and Beyond! My Walnut Adventures with The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast
The Bionic Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man
The Bionic Book
The Bionic Complete-Series Collections
Kung Fu
The Kung Fu Book of Caine
The Kung Fu Book of Wisdom
Kung Fu: The Complete Series
CHiPs
CHiPs The Complete First Season DVD
Land of the Lost
The Waltons
Lessons from the Mountain
Little House on the Prairie
Prairie Man
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch
Christmas Books
The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas
Christmas TV Memories
Classic Television and NBC
Retro Active Television
Glamour, Gidgets, and the Girl Next Door
Dashing, Daring, and Debonair
NBC and Me
Life Story: The Book of Life Goes On
Celebrity Biographies and Star Trek
One Tough Dame: The Life and Career of Diana Rigg
Connery, Sean Connery
Trek Star by Doug Drexler
Steve Stewart and The Freebird Files
Call Me the Breeze Volume 1
Blue-Eyed Son Volume 2
Breeze & Fancy Volume 3
Rebelicious Volume 4
I Need You Volume 5