# Art Dielhenn (director Punky Brewster / Head of the Class / Sister Sister)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ian-talks-comedy-140290/art-dielhenn-director-punky-brewster-head-of-the-class-sister-sister
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ian-talks-comedy-140290/art-dielhenn-director-punky-brewster-head-of-the-class-sister-sister.md
Podcast: [Ian Talks Comedy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ian-talks-comedy-140290)
Published: 2026-07-13T13:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ian-fermaglich/episodes/Art-Dielhenn-director-Punky-Brewster--Head-of-the-Class--Sister-Sister-e3l80mr
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/21d579e4/podcast/play/121946267/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-5-24%2Fdfb4875b-2666-67c0-4377-10e6372d7f1a.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ian-talks-comedy-140290/episodes/art-dielhenn-director-punky-brewster-head-of-the-class-sister-sister
Duration seconds: 3965

## Resource

Art Dielhenn joined me to discuss watching Roy Rogers; having celiac disease and dyslexia; a drama coach turns him onto acting; realizing in college he is not an actor; moving Oppenheimer's possessions as a moving man; spending 7 years directing at KRMA Denver; moving to KQED San Francisco and directing Pauline Kael; Peter Bonerz is a guest and invites Art to L.A.; Norman Lear hires him as an AD on Apple Pie and Hello Larry; does Sanford and says Redd and Jamie Foxx are two funniest people he's ever worked with; working with Jack Shea on Silver Spoons; Insight; getting the job on Punky Brewster; "Perils of Punky" episode; censor problems; 15 minute episodes; going to Webster; everyone hates Susan Clark; being friends with Soleil Moon Frye's mom and they both protect Soleil; going to Head of the Class; Howard Hesseman being miserable; working with Brian Robbins, Dan Schneider, and Elaine Stritch; getting hired to direct Free Spirit, wanting Amy Yasbeck as star, but getting Corrine Bohrer; wanting and getting Allison Hannigan as co-star; directing a Cosby Show and having to give Cosby notes; directing Pacific Station and dealing with a depressed Robert Guillaume; having fun with Ron Liebman; Sister, Sister with Tia & Tamera Mowry; directing Lifetime show Maggie; going into life coaching; getting clients; going to AA; writing Get Out of Your Head and Addiction is a Family Disease; how alcoholism is a progressive disease even if you're not actively drinking

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## Transcript

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