Live from New York, there's a Western Pennsylvania guy behind the scenes
When actor Robert De Niro hosted "Saturday Night Live" for the third time last weekend, it got off to a rough start.
De Niro, who was promoting his new film "Little Fockers," had been on the "SNL" stage before, but he still wasn't quite comfortable with the live atmosphere, said "SNL" director Don Roy King, who grew up in Monroeville and Pitcairn .
After a few kinks, it ended up working out, King said.
"Dress rehearsal was one of the toughest we've had all season," said King, 63. "We just had some production glitches. We did a lot of rewriting and re-blocking, so by the time it made it on air, it was a really solid show."
King, a 1965 Gateway High School graduate, said the adrenaline rush that comes with directing is what attracted him to the entertainment field.
King's resume includes productions for nine networks and ranges from documentaries to musicals.
He began his career in show business at Penn State University.
"I didn't have the guts to tell my dad that I wanted to be in theater, so I got as close as I could and I majored in broadcasting," King said.
"Almost immediately, I sensed it was like quarterbacking a football team. You have to stay cool, stay in charge and throw out barking directions that are short and understandable. You have to make decisions on the fly and deal with the unexpected and stay cool under fire.
"I was comfortable with doing that."
Since graduation, he has worked with KDKA-TV, "The Mike Douglas Show," "Good Morning America," "The Early Show," "CBS This Morning," several Barbara Walters specials and several television pilots.
After years of directing news, he switched gears and began working as a creative director for the Broadway Television Network, an endeavor that made him miss entertainment.
"It brought back the thrill of making people laugh and cry and clap," King said. "It revived my sense of love for that kind of entertainment. By that time, I had worn out doing morning news television."
Then, the "Saturday Night Live" opportunity opened up.
"There was no show I would have rather done than 'Saturday Night Live,' but I had no sketch experience," King said. "When I got it, I was thrilled and nervous. At my age, to feel butterflies is rare, but it was a great revitalizing experience."
Being the "new kid on the block" was terrifying, he said.
"There are people who have been there for 35 years," King said. "There have been four directors, so it's tough to step into that role of managing people who have done it for so long. I was really, really concerned about that.
"They are such talented people. I thought I'd been dealing with some ego issues, and it's been just the opposite."
A typical week includes meeting the host on Monday, writing on Tuesday, reading and designing on Wednesday, rehearsal on Thursday and Friday, and dress rehearsal on Saturday.
A lot of times, there are last-minute changes, such as Ben Stiller's and Robin Williams' appearances on last week's show.
"They weren't decided on until late Friday," King said. "The second skit that Ben Stiller was in wasn't even rehearsed. It turned out to be terrific."
King has earned four Emmy nominations for his work on the show and a win this year for the episode hosted by Betty White.
King previously has three Emmys for his work on the "The Mike Douglas Show," "Toys on the Town" and for heading the design team that revamped the graphic look of CBS News.
In all, he has been nominated for 18 Emmys as a writer, producer and director.
He is directing his fifth season of "SNL" for NBC. It has been the opportunity of a lifetime, said King, who still makes it back to the Pittsburgh area for the holidays.
"It's the perfect job for me at the perfect time," he said. "I am thrilled to have found my place and to contribute to such an iconic show."
