About
"People need something to help them with their lives. In Touched by an Angel, we didn't tell you what to do. If you were distraught and at a place where you felt there was nothing else to do, we would make a suggestion: 'Did you ever think about it like this? It doesn't have to be that way. You can change your mind and change your life.' It gave people at home, in the privacy of their homes, a chance to know that they too, could change their minds and change their life."
In her two-hour interview, Della Reese (1931-2017) speaks about her start as a singer at age thirteen touring with gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. She talks about the struggles in her early career (and such highlights as touring with Nat King Cole). She touches upon her first appearances on television, notably on The Ed Sullivan Show, on which she appeared 17 times. She talks about her appearances on The Merv Griffin Show and The Mike Douglas Show, and how both hosts broke barriers for African Americans in television. She speaks in great detail about her own talk/variety series The Della Reese Show, commenting on markets the show played in and listing memorable guests. She describes her roles on the sitcoms Chico and the Man and Welcome Back, Kotter, joining both series mid-run. Reese recounts the time when, in October 1980 during a taping of The Tonight Show, she suffered a brain aneurysm. She describes her work as a regular on the series The Royal Family and relates the story of the tragic demise of series star Redd Foxx, after a collapse on the set. Finally, she discusses the series with which she is most identified, Touched By An Angel, elaborating on the spiritual nature of the show, identifying memorable guest stars, and commenting on how CBS viewed the show. Beth Cochran conducted the interview on June 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Della Reese on working with Nat King Cole
Della Reese on making her television debut on The Soupy Sales Show, and on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show
Della Reese on suffering an aneurysm while working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Della Reese on appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Della Reese on appearing in the feature "Harlem Nights," and on starring on The Royal Family with Redd Foxx
Della Reese on Touched by an Angel taking on serious issues
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on meeting and touring with Mahalia Jackson; on working with Nat King Cole
On landing her first recording contract; on the first time she saw television and on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show; on appearing on several talk and variety shows, including The Merv Griffin Show
On appearing on The Hollywood Squares, The Mod Squad, and The Mike Douglas Show; on her talk show Della; on appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
On appearing as herself on Sanford and Son with Redd Foxx; on appearing on Chico and the Man and Welcome Back, Kotter; on suffering an aneurysm while working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Chapter 2
On her guest-appearance on The Love Boat with Carol Channing and Ethel Merman; on guest-starring on various shows; on starring in The Royal Family with Redd Foxx
on guest-starring on Picket Fences and Designing Women; on starring as "Tess" on Touched by an Angel; on shooting Touched by an Angel on location in Salt Lake City, and on working with Roma Downey
On the Touched by an Angel theme song, and on singing on the show; on the cast and guest-stars of Touched by an Angel, and on the show almost being cancelled; on Touched by an Angel taking on serious issues
On various awards for Touched by an Angel; on specific episodes of Touched by an Angel; on time slot and cast changes for Touched by an Angel, and on the end of the show
On various people she worked with in her career; on keeping on working as she got older, and on using her celebrity for various causes
Chapter 3
On using her celebrity to help with causes, and on being a minister; on her husband and her family, and on minorities in the industry; on career achievements and regrets, mentors, and how she'd like to be remembered
Shows
227
Della Reese on guest-starring on The A-Team, Crazy Like a Fox, 227, Night Court, and MacGyver
A-Team, The
Della Reese on guest-starring on The A-Team, Crazy Like a Fox, 227, Night Court, and MacGyver
Chico and the Man
Della Reese on appearing on Chico and the Man, and the cast including Freddie Prinze, Jack Albertson, and Scatman Crothers
Della
Della Reese on her talk show Della
Designing Women
Della Reese on guest-starring on Designing Women
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Della Reese on making her television debut on The Soupy Sales Show, and on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show
Hollywood Squares, The
Della Reese on appearing on The Hollywood Squares
Love Boat, The
Della Reese on her guest-appearance on The Love Boat with Carol Channing and Ethel Merman
MacGyver
Della Reese on guest-starring on The A-Team, Crazy Like a Fox, 227, Night Court, and MacGyver
Merv Griffin Show, The
Della Reese on appearing on several talk and variety shows, including The Merv Griffin Show
Mike Douglas Show, The
Della Reese on appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Mod Squad, The
Della Reese on guest-starring on The Mod Squad, and on making the transition from singing to acting
Night Court
Della Reese on guest-starring on The A-Team, Crazy Like a Fox, 227, Night Court, and MacGyver
Picket Fences
Della Reese on guest-starring on Picket Fences
Royal Family, The
Della Reese on appearing in the feature "Harlem Nights," and on starring on The Royal Family with Redd Foxx
Sanford and Son
Della Reese on appearing as herself on Sanford and Son with Redd Foxx
Soupy Sales Show, The
Della Reese on making her television debut on The Soupy Sales Show, and on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The
Della Reese on appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Della Reese on suffering an aneurysm while working on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Touched By an Angel
Della Reese on starring as "Tess" on Touched by an Angel
Della Reese on shooting Touched by an Angel on location in Salt Lake City, and on working with Roma Downey
Della Reese on the Touched by an Angel theme song, and on singing on the show
Della Reese on the cast and guest-stars of Touched by an Angel, and on the show almost being cancelled
Della Reese on Touched by an Angel taking on serious issues
Della Reese on various awards for Touched by an Angel
Della Reese on the 100th episode of Touched by an Angel, and various other episodes
Della Reese on time slot and cast changes for Touched by an Angel, and on the end of the show
Welcome Back, Kotter
Della Reese on appearing on Welcome Back, Kotter
Topics
Civil Rights Movement
Della Reese on dealing with racism
Della Reese on how she's perceived in America because of the color of her skin, and on fighting for civil rights
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Della Reese on her mentors, and how she'd like to be remembered
Fame and Celebrity
Della Reese on continuing to work as she got older, and on using her celebrity for various causes
Historic Events and Social Change
Della Reese on dealing with racism
Della Reese on how she's perceived in America because of the color of her skin, and on fighting for civil rights
Pivotal Career Moments
Della Reese on her mentors, and how she'd like to be remembered
Pop Culture
Della Reese on continuing to work as she got older, and on using her celebrity for various causes
Genres
Adventure/Espionage Series
Della Reese on guest-starring on The A-Team, Crazy Like a Fox, 227, Night Court, and MacGyver
Comedy Series
Della Reese on her guest-appearance on The Love Boat with Carol Channing and Ethel Merman
Della Reese on guest-starring on The A-Team, Crazy Like a Fox, 227, Night Court, and MacGyver
Drama Series
Della Reese on starring as "Tess" on Touched by an Angel
People
Jack Albertson
Della Reese on appearing on Chico and the Man, and the cast including Freddie Prinze, Jack Albertson, and Scatman Crothers
Muhammad Ali
Della Reese on working with Ossie Davis and Muhammad Ali
Johnny Carson
Della Reese on appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Carol Channing
Della Reese on her guest-appearance on The Love Boat with Carol Channing and Ethel Merman
Nat King Cole
Della Reese on working with Nat King Cole
Scatman Crothers
Della Reese on appearing on Chico and the Man, and the cast including Freddie Prinze, Jack Albertson, and Scatman Crothers
Ossie Davis
Della Reese on working with Ossie Davis and Muhammad Ali
Mike Douglas
Della Reese on appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
Redd Foxx
Della Reese on appearing as herself on Sanford and Son with Redd Foxx
Della Reese on appearing in the feature "Harlem Nights," and on starring on The Royal Family with Redd Foxx
Merv Griffin
Della Reese on appearing on several talk and variety shows, including The Merv Griffin Show
Mahalia Jackson
Della Reese on meeting and touring with Mahalia Jackson
James Earl Jones
Della Reese on working with James Earl Jones
Angela Lansbury
Della Reese on working with Angela Lansbury and Natalie Cole
Ethel Merman
Della Reese on her guest-appearance on The Love Boat with Carol Channing and Ethel Merman
Freddie Prinze
Della Reese on appearing on Chico and the Man, and the cast including Freddie Prinze, Jack Albertson, and Scatman Crothers
Ed Sullivan
Della Reese on making her television debut on The Soupy Sales Show, and on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show