Picture this: you've spent your entire life as a die-hard fan of Classic TV, soaking up every episode of your favorite shows. Now, imagine getting the incredible opportunity to not only meet the stars of those beloved series but also turn those encounters into biographies or companion pieces celebrating their legacies. And then, hold onto your seat, because those same stars are sitting right across from you, sharing their stories on your very own Classic TV talk show. This isn't a dream—it's the reality of Herbie J Pilato, whose show Then Again with Herbie J Pilato is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Herbie, the author behind bestsellers like Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Story and Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery, chuckles as he recalls, "I've been hosting this talk show in my mind my entire life. My life has been a talk show. It's something I've always aspired to do, but when the idea started taking shape, I wasn't even thinking about it. It just sort of happened."
From Book Signings to Hosting Legends
Herbie's journey to becoming a talk show host began unexpectedly at a Barnes & Noble in Burbank. While signing copies of his books, he struck up a friendship with the store's management. One day, they approached him with an intriguing proposal: would he be interested in hosting a weekly event during their pop culture month? Of course, Herbie jumped at the chance, and they suggested he could invite anyone he wanted to join the conversation.
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"So, naturally, I dipped into my Classic TV Rolodex," Herbie explains. "My first guest was Cindy Williams, who had just released her memoir, Shirley, I Jest. Then came Kathy Garver from Family Affair, followed by the legendary Peter Mark Richman. You might remember him from guest-starring roles on everything from The Twilight Zone to Three's Company, where he played Chrissy's father. By the end of that month, attendance at these events had grown significantly—not because of money, but because of the sheer joy of being there. It was all about having fun."
Building Momentum and Turning Dreams Into Reality
The success of these events didn't stop there. What started in July continued through December, becoming a weekly highlight for fans of Classic TV. "For the holiday season, I decided to do something special," Herbie shares. "I invited everyone who had participated in the weekly events to come back. Many of them didn't have books to sell—they were just doing it because they loved being part of this community. It became this cool, recurring event in Burbank, and we were having an absolute blast."
Enter Joel Eisenberg and Lorie Girsh Eisenberg, producers and colleagues who attended these gatherings religiously. "They were there every week," Herbie recalls. "And after the Christmas special, as I was packing up, they turned to me and said, 'By the way, we want to turn this into a TV show.' Can you believe it? Merry Christmas to me!"
