Barbara Feldon with Emerson College

Actress


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I recognized, finally, that the camera was a basic thing of the child wanting their parent to really look at them. And once you lose, that, or realize you don't need that, it sort of loses its allure."

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Highlights
Barbara Feldon on her first TV job as George C. Scott's girlfriend on East Side/West Side and how it led to her role on Get Smart
02:03
Barbara Feldon on how she and Don Adams were a great comedy duo on Get Smart
00:38
Barbara Feldon on the origins of "99" on Get Smart
02:22
Barbara Feldon on working without shoes on Get Smart and trying to look shorter than she was
00:57
Barbara Feldon on her advice to students: "just acting is not enough"
01:41
Barbara Feldon on what she wished she had known when she was first starting her career
04:24
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On loving the magic of the acrobat as a child; on what got her interested in performing and the thrill of performing when she was young; on attending Carnegie Tech Drama School and becoming an actress; on her mother being a performer; on how her background in dance impacted her career; on her work as a model and a showgirl; on winning $64,000 Question and going on auditions
On her modeling career taking off; on doing commercials; on her first TV job as George C. Scott's girlfriend on East Side/West Side and how it led to her role on Get Smart; on how she was enticed to do Get Smart; on not believing she's a comedienne; on being grateful for her time on Get Smart and how the industry is not generous to women; on how comedy is more fun to do than drama
On off-camera and on-camera relationships; on not socializing with Don Adams off the set of Get Smart, but having an incredible chemistry and relationship with Don Adams as "99" and "Maxwell Smart"; on the fine line between fantasy and reality; on her advice to students: "just acting is not enough"; on the origins of "99" on Get Smart; on not getting any direction from the directors on Get Smart; on working without shoes on Get Smart and trying to look shorter than she was; on working with Don Adams on Get Smart
On doing comedy v. drama; on writing her novel; on the humor and heavier subjects in Get Smart; on Buck Henry's talents on Get Smart; on other cast and crew members; on mentors throughout her life
On advice to students about changes in the industry and how to protect yourself; on her agents and publicists and not being as in demand after Get Smart; on celebrity; on not seeing herself as a star or a comedienne; on what she wished she had known when she was first starting her career; on whether it was all worth it
Shows

$64,000 Question

View Show Page
Barbara Feldon on winning $64,000 Question
00:12

East Side/West Side

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Barbara Feldon on her first TV job as George C. Scott's girlfriend on East Side/West Side and how it led to her role on Get Smart
02:03

Get Smart

View Show Page
Barbara Feldon on her first TV job as George C. Scott's girlfriend on East Side/West Side and how it led to her role on Get Smart
02:03
Barbara Feldon on being taller than Don Adams
01:01
Barbara Feldon on how she was enticed to do Get Smart and her first review in TV Guide
02:22
Barbara Feldon on how she and Don Adams were a great comedy duo on Get Smart
00:38
Barbara Feldon on being grateful for her time on Get Smart and how the industry is not generous to women; on how comedy is more fun to do than drama
02:28
Barbara Feldon on not socializing with Don Adams off the set of Get Smart, but having an incredible chemistry and relationship with Don Adams as "99" and "Maxwell Smart"; on the fine line between fantasy and reality
05:26
Barbara Feldon on the origins of "99" on Get Smart
02:22
Barbara Feldon on not getting any direction from the directors on Get Smart
02:15
Barbara Feldon on working without shoes on Get Smart and trying to look shorter than she was
00:57
Barbara Feldon on working with Don Adams on Get Smart
02:42
Barbara Feldon on the humor and heavier subjects in Get Smart; on Buck Henry's talents on Get Smart; on other cast and crew members
03:57
Topics

Advice

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on her advice to students: "just acting is not enough"
01:41
Barbara Feldon on advice to students about changes in the industry and how to protect yourself; on her agents and publicists and not being as in demand after Get Smart
08:40
Barbara Feldon on what she wished she had known when she was first starting her career
04:24

Creative Influences and Inspiration

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on mentors throughout her life
00:21

Fame and Celebrity

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on celebrity
02:09

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on being grateful for her time on Get Smart and how the industry is not generous to women; on how comedy is more fun to do than drama
02:28
Barbara Feldon on working without shoes on Get Smart and trying to look shorter than she was
00:57

Pivotal Career Moments

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on mentors throughout her life
00:21

Pop Culture

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on celebrity
02:09

Representation on Television

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on being grateful for her time on Get Smart and how the industry is not generous to women; on how comedy is more fun to do than drama
02:28
Barbara Feldon on working without shoes on Get Smart and trying to look shorter than she was
00:57

Television Industry

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on her advice to students: "just acting is not enough"
01:41
Barbara Feldon on the one time she was directed on television
00:36
Barbara Feldon on advice to students about changes in the industry and how to protect yourself; on her agents and publicists and not being as in demand after Get Smart
08:40
Barbara Feldon on what she wished she had known when she was first starting her career
04:24

Women

View Topic
Barbara Feldon on being grateful for her time on Get Smart and how the industry is not generous to women; on how comedy is more fun to do than drama
02:28
Barbara Feldon on working without shoes on Get Smart and trying to look shorter than she was
00:57
Professions

Actress

View Profession
Barbara Feldon on what got her interested in performing and the thrill of performing when she was young; on her early interest in ballet
02:09
Barbara Feldon on doing comedy v. drama and acting in the film Smile
04:08

Performers

View Profession
Barbara Feldon on what got her interested in performing and the thrill of performing when she was young
02:09
Barbara Feldon on not believing she's a comedienne
00:48
Barbara Feldon on being an actor performing comedy v. being a comedienne
01:24
Barbara Feldon on doing comedy v. drama and acting in the film Smile
04:08
Genres

Comedy Series

View Genre
Barbara Feldon on doing comedy v. drama
04:08
Barbara Feldon on the power of humor to heal in painful situations and how it differs on comedies and dramas
01:58

Commercials

View Genre
Barbara Feldon on acting in commercials
00:12

Drama Series

View Genre
Barbara Feldon on doing comedy v. drama
04:08
Barbara Feldon on the power of humor to heal in painful situations and how it differs on comedies and dramas
01:58

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

View Genre
Barbara Feldon on how much she enjoyed performing on variety/sketch shows and on those programs disappearing over the years
02:00
People

Don Adams

View Person Page
Barbara Feldon on being taller than Don Adams
01:01
Barbara Feldon on how she and Don Adams were a great comedy duo on Get Smart; on being an actor performing comedy v. being a comedienne or comedian
02:04
Barbara Feldon on not socializing with Don Adams off the set of Get Smart, but having an incredible chemistry and relationship with Don Adams as "99" and "Maxwell Smart"; on the fine line between fantasy and reality
05:26
Barbara Feldon on working with Don Adams on Get Smart
02:42

Alan Alda

View Interview Page
Barbara Feldon on off-camera and on-camera relationships and the factory atmosphere in Hollywood
01:16

Buck Henry

View Interview Page
Barbara Feldon on Buck Henry's talents on Get Smart
00:49

George C. Scott

View Person Page
Barbara Feldon on her first TV job as George C. Scott's girlfriend on East Side/West Side and how it led to her role on Get Smart
02:03

All Interviews

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