About
"I can make you both cry and laugh in the same sentence. That's my talent and I'm very proud of that."
In her two-and-a-half-hour interview, Doris Roberts (1930-2016) recalls how legendary comedian Lily Tomlin discovered her in a Broadway play and brought her to Los Angeles to perform on The Lily Tomlin Comedy Hour. Roberts shares the tale of how getting fired from Maude was a blessing in disguise and discusses her work as a regular on two hit television series in the 1980s: Angie and Remington Steele. She speaks of her guest appearance on St. Elsewhere, for which she won an Emmy award, and details the role for which she is best known, that of "Marie Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond. Roberts describes her approach to the character, her thoughts on fellow cast members, and her recollections of favorite episodes. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on April 26, 2005 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Doris Roberts on her ability to mix the comedic and the dramatic on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on a heartfelt fan letter she received in response to Angie
Doris Roberts on how she came to be cast on Remington Steele
Doris Roberts on meeting 9/11 first responders and finding out how much Everybody Loves Raymond meant to them
Doris Roberts on how she would like to be remembered
Doris Roberts on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Wallpaper" where "Marie" and "Frank" crash a car into "Ray's" living room
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her childhood and early influences; on studying acting at NYU, the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, and The Actors Studio; on her professional stage debut in William Saroyan's "The Time of Your Life"
On her early roles on television, in films, and on stage; on being discovered by Lily Tomlin and moving to Los Angeles; on nearly being cast on Maude and other television appearances
Chapter 2
On her various television and film appearances in the 1970's; on Angie
On appearing on Fantasy Island and The Love Boat; on The Diary of Anne Frank; on being cast on St. Elsewhere, her character on the show, and winning an Emmy for her role
Chapter 3
On Remington Steele; on other shows she appeared on in the 1980's: Fairytale Theater, Perfect Strangers, Full House, Dream On
On being cast on Everybody Loves Raymond; on her Everybody Loves Raymond character, "Marie Barone"; on working with Ray Romano
Chapter 4
On her working with the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond: Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, and Peter Boyle; on the series finale of Everybody Loves Raymond
On stunts performing her own stunts; on a typical work week on Everybody Loves Raymond; on working with show creator Phil Rosenthal and various directors on Everybody Loves Raymond; on the "Italy" episodes of the show
Chapter 5
On various episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond; on the cast of the show having been in New York City on 9/11; on her Emmy Award wins
On the challenges of being an older woman in Hollywood and beyond; on the legacy of Everybody Loves Raymond; on advice to aspiring actors and how she would like to be remembered
Chapter 6
On photos and objects from her career: four Emmy Awards and SAG Awards; photos with Hillary Clinton and Tony Danza; photos of Leslie Moonves and James Coco; photos of Peter Boyle
Shows
All in the Family
Doris Roberts on appearing on All in the Family
Angie
Doris Roberts on Angie
Doris Roberts on a heartfelt fan letter she received in response to Angie
Doris Roberts on a line she refused to say on Angie
Barney Miller
Doris Roberts on appearing on Barney Miller
Diary of Anne Frank, The
Doris Roberts on appearing in The Diary of Anne Frank
Dream On
Doris Roberts on her appearance on Dream On
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Doris Roberts on being nominated for an Emmy for her role on St. Elsewhere and what her husband, William Goyen, who was very ill said about her then-recent appearance on The Love Boat
Doris Roberts on both she and James Coco winning Emmys for St. Elsewhere
Doris Roberts on her Emmy Award wins, as well as other award wins
Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on being cast on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her character "Marie Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on the costuming of her character "Marie Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her character, "Marie Barone's" relationship with Ray Romano's character, "Ray Barone," on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her ability to mix the comedic and the dramatic on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on working with Patricia Heaton as "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her creative input on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her character "Marie Barone's" relationship with Patricia Heaton's character, "Debra Barone," and Peter Boyle's character "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on working with Brad Garrett as "Robert Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her character "Marie Barone's" relationship with Peter Boyle's character, "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on the series finale of Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Wallpaper" where "Marie" and "Frank" crash a car into "Ray's" living room
Doris Roberts on a typical work week on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on Everybody Loves Raymond creator and show runner Phil Rosenthal
Doris Roberts on various directors she worked with on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on the "Italy" episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond and shooting in Italy
Doris Roberts on various episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her favorite episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on meeting 9/11 first responders and finding out how much Everybody Loves Raymond meant to them
Doris Roberts on the series finale of Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on where she imagines her Everybody Loves Raymond character "Marie Barone" will be beyond the end of the series
Doris Roberts on the legacy of Everybody Loves Raymond
Lily Tomlin Comedy Hour
Doris Roberts on being discovered by Lily Tomlin and moving to Los Angeles to appear on The Lily Tomlin Comedy Hour
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Doris Roberts on playing "Dorelda Doremus" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Maude
Doris Roberts on being offered a regular role on Maude and then being fired before she appeared on the show
Remington Steele
Doris Roberts on how she came to be cast on Remington Steele
Doris Roberts on Remington Steele
Doris Roberts on her character "Mildred Krebs" on Remington Steele
Ruby and Oswald
Doris Roberts on appearing in the television movie Ruby and Oswald
Soap
Doris Roberts on playing "Flo Flotsky" on Soap
St. Elsewhere
Doris Roberts on being nominated for an Emmy Award for her role on St. Elsewhere and what her husband, William Goyen, who was very ill said about her then-recent appearance on The Love Boat
Doris Roberts on St. Elsewhere
Doris Roberts on how she came to be cast as "Cora" on St. Elsewhere
Doris Roberts on doing research for her role on St. Elsewhere and how she translated that into her acting
Studio One
Doris Roberts on appearing on an episode of Studio One
Topics
1939-40 World's Fair
Doris Roberts on seeing television at the 1939-40 World's Fair
9/11
Doris Roberts on the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond having been in New York City on 9/11
Doris Roberts on meeting 9/11 first responders and finding out how much Everybody Loves Raymond meant to them
Advice
Doris Roberts on advice to aspiring actors
Classic TV Series Episodes
Doris Roberts on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Wallpaper" where "Marie" and "Frank" crash a car into "Ray's" living room
Comedy
Doris Roberts on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Wallpaper" where "Marie" and "Frank" crash a car into "Ray's" living room
Emmy Awards
Doris Roberts on being nominated for an Emmy for her role on St. Elsewhere and what her husband, William Goyen, who was very ill said about her then-recent appearance on The Love Boat
Doris Roberts on both she and James Coco winning Emmys for St. Elsewhere
Doris Roberts on her Emmy wins, as well as other award wins
Historic Events and Social Change
Doris Roberts on seeing television at the 1939-40 World's Fair
Doris Roberts on the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond having been in New York City on 9/11
Doris Roberts on meeting 9/11 first responders and finding out how much Everybody Loves Raymond meant to them
Doris Roberts on the challenge of being an older woman in Hollywood and beyond
Pop Culture
Doris Roberts on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Wallpaper" where "Marie" and "Frank" crash a car into "Ray's" living room
Representation on Television
Doris Roberts on the challenge of being an older woman in Hollywood and beyond
Television Industry
Doris Roberts on advice to aspiring actors
Women
Doris Roberts on the challenge of being an older woman in Hollywood and beyond
Professions
Actor
Doris Roberts on advice to aspiring actors
Actress
Doris Roberts on the difference between acting on stage and acting on television
Performers
Doris Roberts on the difference between acting on stage and acting on television
Doris Roberts on advice to aspiring actors
Genres
Awards Shows
Doris Roberts on both she and James Coco winning Emmys for St. Elsewhere
Doris Roberts on her Emmy Award wins, as well as other award wins
Classic Anthology Series
Doris Roberts on appearing on Studio One, Playhouse 9 0, and other classic anthology series
Comedy Series
Doris Roberts on being offered a regular role on Maude and then being fired before she appeared on the show
Doris Roberts on appearing on All in the Family
Doris Roberts on playing "Dorelda Doremus" on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Doris Roberts on playing "Flo Flotsky" on Soap
Doris Roberts on appearing on Barney Miller
Doris Roberts on Angie
Doris Roberts on her appearance on Dream On
Doris Roberts on Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 1)
Doris Roberts on Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 2)
Doris Roberts on Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 3)
Doris Roberts on Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 4)
Commercials
Doris Roberts on appearing in Glade commercials
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Doris Roberts on Remington Steele
Medical Dramas
Doris Roberts on St. Elsewhere
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Doris Roberts on appearing in the television movie Ruby and Oswald
Doris Roberts on appearing in The Diary of Anne Frank
People
Beatrice Arthur
Doris Roberts on being offered a regular role on Maude and then being fired before she appeared on the show due to her similarity to Beatrice Arthur
Peter Boyle
Doris Roberts on her character "Marie Barone's" relationship with Patricia Heaton's character, "Debra Barone," and Peter Boyle's character "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her character "Marie Barone's" relationship with Peter Boyle's character, "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on Peter Boyle having a heart attack during the filming of Everybody Loves Raymond
James Coco
Doris Roberts on her close friendship with James Coco
Doris Roberts on both she and James Coco winning Emmys for St. Elsewhere
Doris Roberts on the relationship between her and James Coco's characters, "Cora" and "Arnie," on St. Elsewhere
James Dean
Doris Roberts on Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, who she studied with at The Actors Studio
Marlene Dietrich
Doris Roberts on appearing on an early "live" television show with Maria Riva and Marlene Dietrich visiting the set
Brad Garrett
Doris Roberts on working with Brad Garrett as "Robert Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Gary Halvorson
Doris Roberts on working with director Gary Halvorson on Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton
Doris Roberts on working with Patricia Heaton as "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her character "Marie Barone's" relationship with Patricia Heaton's character, "Debra Barone," and Peter Boyle's character "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raym ond
Katherine Helmond
Doris Roberts on appearing on Soap with Katherine Helmond
Monica Horan
Doris Roberts on Monica Horan as "Amy MacDougall" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Will Mackenzie
Doris Roberts on working with director Will Mackenzie on Everybody Loves Raymond
Garry Marshall
Doris Roberts on Angie and its relationship to Garry Marshall's other shows, including Mork & Mindy
Sanford Meisner
Doris Roberts on studying with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre
Marilyn Monroe
Doris Roberts on Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, who she studied with at The Actors Studio
Leslie Moonves
Doris Roberts on Leslie Moonves telling her about Everybody Loves Raymond: "You're the center of it, my dear. There's no show without you"
Maria Riva
Doris Roberts on appearing on an early "live" television show with Maria Riva and Marlene Dietrich visiting the set
Seymour Robbie
Doris Roberts on working with director Seymour Robbie on Remington Steele
Ray Romano
Doris Roberts on working with Ray Romano on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts on her character, "Marie Barone's" relationship with Ray Romano's character, "Ray Barone," on Everybody Loves Raymond
Phil Rosenthal
Doris Roberts on meeting Everybody Loves Raymond creator, Phil Rosenthal's, mother
Doris Roberts on Everybody Loves Raymond creator and show runner Phil Rosenthal
William Saroyan
Doris Roberts on her professional stage debut in "The Time of Your Life" by William Saroyan and Saroyan nearly cutting one of her three lines in the play
Maximilian Schell
Doris Roberts on appearing in The Diary of Anne Frank with Maximillian Schell
Neil Simon
Doris Roberts on appearing in Neil Simon's play "Last of the Red Hot Lovers"
Lily Tomlin
Doris Roberts on being discovered by Lily Tomlin and moving to Los Angeles to appear on The Lily Tomlin Comedy Hour
Robin Williams
Doris Roberts on Angie and its relationship to Garry Marshall's other shows, including Mork & Mindy
Jerry Zaks
Doris Roberts on working with director Jerry Zaks on Everybody Loves Raymond