About
"They didn't tell me. I just opened the script. What they wanted me to do was go down the elevator, which is like a 10 foot drop. And they said, 'You just have to fall.' I said, 'no, I don't. I know that I'm not coming back on this show.' [LAUGH] 'I'm not going to do that for you.' Once again, my stunt double came in and she had to do it like 10 times before the director ever got it right. Ten times! … I mean, I would have had a broken neck by the time I had finished."
In her two-hour interview, Diana Muldaur discusses studying acting with coach Stella Adler and describes her early theater work and her early television appearances on Dr. Kildare, Gunsmoke, and Survivors. She recalls being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first on-screen kiss (on The Streets of San Francisco), shares tales of her two appearances on the original Star Trek, and details her work on Planet Earth, Born Free, and her appearance in the pilot of Charlie's Angels. Muldaur also outlines her film work and her work in TV movies To Kill a Cop and The Miracle Worker. She details becoming the first female president of the Television Academy, joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and speaks of her time playing "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law, a character who had one of TV's most infamous demises - falling down an elevator shaft. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 17, 2011 in Martha's Vineyard, MA.
Highlights
Diana Muldaur on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft
Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Diana Muldaur on working on Born Free
Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on The Streets of San Francisco
Diana Muldaur on becoming the first female President of the Television Academy
Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her childhood and early influences; on attending Sweet Briar College; on studying with Stella Adler
On working in the theater; on Dr. Kildare; on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on ; on her work on Gunsmoke and The Survivors
On working on Star Trek; on working on Planet Earth, on working on McCloud and Born Free
On working with Tony Randall; on appearing in the pilot of Charlie's Angels; on her film work
Chapter 2
On her appearances in To Kill a Cop and The Miracle Worker; on becoming the first female President of the Television Academy; on appearing on A Year in the Life
On joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation; on what it means for an actor to work in a creative environment; on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Natural Selection"
On being hired to play "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law and on her vision of the character; on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character; on working with the actors on L.A. Law including Jill Eikenberry
On the production schedule of L.A. Law; on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft; on being nominated for two Emmy Awards for her work on L.A. Law
On her work with SAG; ; on advice to an aspiring actor; on highlights of her career and how she'd like to be remembered
Shows
Born Free
Diana Muldaur on working on Born Free
Charlie's Angels
Diana Muldaur on appearing in the pilot of Charlie's Angels
Dr. Kildare
Diana Muldaur on working on Dr. Kildare
Fitz and Bones
Diana Muldaur on working on Fitz and Bones
Golden Girls, The
Diana Muldaur on turning down a part on The Golden Girls
Gunsmoke
Diana Muldaur on working on Gunsmoke
Harold Robbins' The Survivors
Diana Muldaur on working on Harold Robbins' The Survivors
L.A. Law
Diana Muldaur on being hired to play "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law and on her vision of the character
Diana Muldaur on where she got the inspiration to play "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law
Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character
Diana Muldaur on working with the actors on L.A. Law including Jill Eikenberry
Diana Muldaur on the production schedule of L.A. Law
Diana Muldaur on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft
Diana Muldaur on working with the cast of L.A. Law, including Richard Dysart
Diana Muldaur on being nominated for two Emmy Awards for her work on L.A. Law
McCloud
Diana Muldaur on working on McCloud
Miracle Worker, The
Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke
Planet Earth
Diana Muldaur on working on Planet Earth
Star Trek
Diana Muldaur on working on Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Diana Muldaur on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Natural Selection"
Streets of San Francisco, The
Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on The Streets of San Francisco
Tony Randall Show, The
Diana Muldaur on playing "Judge Eleanor Hooper" on The Tony Randall Show created by Gary David Goldberg
Year in the Life, A
Diana Muldaur on appearing on A Year in the Life
Topics
Advice
Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress
Characters & Catchphrases
Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character
Fame and Celebrity
Diana Muldaur on fame and celebrity
Memorable Moments on Television
Diana Muldaur on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft
Pop Culture
Diana Muldaur on fame and celebrity
Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character
Television Industry
Diana Muldaur on how the industry's changed since she started
Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress
Professions
Actress
Diana Muldaur on what it means for an actor to work in a creative environment
Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress
Performers
Diana Muldaur on what it means for an actor to work in a creative environment
Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress
Genres
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on The Streets of San Francisco
Diana Muldaur on working on McCloud
Diana Muldaur on appearing in the pilot of Charlie's Angels
Drama Series
Diana Muldaur on working on Harold Robbins' The Survivors
Diana Muldaur on working on Born Free
Diana Muldaur on appearing on A Year in the Life
Legal Dramas
Diana Muldaur on playing "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law
Medical Dramas
Diana Muldaur on working on Dr. Kildare
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Diana Muldaur on working on Star Trek
Diana Muldaur on working on Planet Earth
Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke
Western Series
Diana Muldaur on working on Gunsmoke
People
Stella Adler
Diana Muldaur on studying acting with Stella Adler
LeVar Burton
Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Michael Dorn
Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Patty Duke
Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke
Richard Dysart
Melissa Gilbert
Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke
Gary David Goldberg
Diana Muldaur on playing "Judge Eleanor Hooper" on The Tony Randall Show created by Gary David Goldberg
DeForest Kelley
Diana Muldaur on working on with DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek
Leonard Nimoy
Diana Muldaur on working on with DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek
Tony Randall
Diana Muldaur on playing "Judge Eleanor Hooper" on The Tony Randall Show created by Gary David Goldberg
Gene Roddenberry
Diana Muldaur on working on Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek
Diana Muldaur on working on Gene Roddenberry's Planet Earth
Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television
William Shatner
Diana Muldaur on working with William Shatner on Star Trek
Brent Spiner
Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Patrick Stewart
Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Lana Turner
Diana Muldaur on working on The Survivors with Lana Turner