Coates was a columnist for the Los Angeles Mirror, and the Times-Mirror's TV station, KTTV, presented his weekly "Confidential File" comprised of a 15-minute filmed documentary, followed by a 15-minute live interview related to the topic.
A graduate of the University of Southern California film school, Irvin Kershner began his career in 1950, producing documentaries for the United States Information Service in the Middle East. He later turned to television, directing and photographing a series of documentaries called "Confidential File". Kershner was one of the directors given his first break by producer Roger Corman, for whom he shot Stakeout on Dope Street (1958). The main theme that runs through many of his films is social alienation and human weaknesses.
In 1980, Irvin Kershner was selected by George Lucas to direct "The Empire Strikes Back", the highly anticipated sequel to "Star Wars". He was chosen because - like Lucas himself - Kershner understood Hollywood but was not a typical Hollywood director and had a history of string character development as a director. Kershner was also one of Lucas' former professors at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Kershner initially turned Lucas down, but eventually accepted at his agent's insistence.