Second in a Series: Q&A With SAG Awards Executive Producer and Director Jeff Margolis

The television landscape has changed dramatically since award-winning producer and director Jeff Margolis first started directing event television nearly four decades ago. “You don’t see TV specials much anymore other than awards shows and beauty pageants,” he says, recalling programs he did for Lionel Richie, Bette Midler and Quincy Jones, among others. “Reality television has taken over.” But he does those awards shows really well. Margolis won two Directors Guild of America Awards for directing the Academy Awards® ceremony, has garnered six Emmy® nominations for directing the 1991-1996 Academy Awards® telecasts and won Emmys® for directing the 1995 Academy Awards® and producing "Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th Anniversary Celebration." He joined the Screen Actors Guild Awards in its fifth year. 

The upcoming show will mark your 15th year producing the SAG Awards and 7th year directing. How has the show changed in that time?

Things have changed only very slightly. We’ve found a format that really works. It’s the shortest awards show on television — it’s just two hours — but we accomplish so much: There are 13 awards and three special tributes — life achievement, SAG-AFTRA and “In Memoriam” packages. There are no production numbers, no single host. Actors love our show because when they come in, they feel like they’ve gone to somebody's home for dinner.

Q&A with Producer Kathy Connell

Kathy Connell was a working actress and Screen Actors Guild board member when she was asked to become part of the committee that would create the inaugural Screen Actors Guild Awards in 1995. She not only assumed the role of SAG Awards Committee chair, a position she held for two years, but was also the show’s first producer. This became a full-time job in 1996 after she stepped down from SAG’s Board of Directors. Connell recently added a new title to her resume: SAG-AFTRA’s assistant national executive director of awards and national programming.

You’ve been with the SAG Awards since the beginning. What do you most remember about that first show?
Kathy Connell: It was fairly terrifying when we sent out the invitations because we were throwing a very grand party and we didn’t know if anybody would come.

But they did come.
Connell: Yes. We had a room full of actors and it was wonderful.