Interviews

New Content Added! View the documentary Saroyan's Will released in 2008...

Listening to Saroyan’s booming voice transports friends and fans alike to a different time and into the world of the highly theatrical author. The interviews below offer insight into his writing process from the man himself. Also included is an interview with his cousin, Archie Minasian, from 1983 and recorded by the authors of the biography, Saroyan. This is a unique recording held only by the Forever Saroyan archive. Archie’s stories present intimate family knowledge in his fabulously rich speaking voice.

This page aggregates interviews and recordings by and about Saroyan, and some are collected from external sources including Youtube, The Internet Archive, and PBS.

William Saroyan Interviews & Recordings

Talking And Trying To Read From Some Of His Novels, Plays And Stories - 1955

Jim Dandy, Fat Man In A Famine (Excerpts), Rock Wagram (Excerpt) -- The Parable Of The Loveliness Of Faith In God And How It Saved The Life Of At Least One Good Man (From "Saroyan's Fables") (Beg.) -- Don't Go Away Mad (Excerpt)--The Parable Of The Loveliness Of Faith In God And How It Saved The Life Of At Least One Good Man (From "Saroyan's Fables") (Conclusion) -- Common Prayer.--Rock Wagram (Excerpts)

Saroyan interview on “Ex Libris”, 1969

Saroyan on Dick Cavett Show, 1971

Saroyan: My Name is William - Aired on February 2, 1976

KPFA Public Radio in Berkeley, California - 1976

Segment 1

Segment 2

Segment 3

Segment 4

William Saroyan: About Fresno, 12/4/1975

From the collection of the Fresno County Public Library (the first recording is a length of 31:28, followed immediately by a second recording that is a length of 31:27. The second recording will automatically start after the first.)

Here's William Saroyan Reading His Own Stuff and Talking (Portrait of a Young Man of Sixty-Four), 1973, Listening Library Audiobook

(The first recording clip is a length of 47:29, followed immediately by a clip that is 45:39, followed immediately by a clip that is 30:35, followed immediately by a clip that is 26:25. These consecutive clips will play automatically.)

Note on original label: "Listening Library - 6 sides. Tape 1, side A: Sides 1 & 2: Introduction, overview, career choice, success, "Daring Young Man", preface, foreign travels, Armenian Spirit, Communism... (his famous speech at end of this side). Tape 1, side B: Side 2 (continued), 3, 4: ...Communism, Sibelius, Daily News, publishing, opening of "Man with Heart in Highlands", "My Name is Aram" opening and 3 other stories. Tape 2, side A: Second half of Side 4: "Old Country Advice to American Traveler" Side 5: About human comedy, dedication. Chapters 1 and 9. Tape 2, side B: Last Band of Side 5; Side 6 - About Time of Your Life; drama, playwrights, Broadway. Chapter 3 from Places Where I've Done Time. His philosophy of writing, advice to young writers today, credo."

Saroyan reading part of "The Armenian and the Armenian," 1973
Excerpt from "Here’s William Saroyan Reading His Own Stuff and Talking..."

Speech at the National Geographic Society Dinner, "The Proud Armenians” in 1978. Recording courtesy of National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)