Doris Singleton

Actress

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In her nearly three-hour interview, Doris Singleton talks about her early career as a ballet dancer in New York. She describes her work as a singer and actress in network radio, where she appeared on many of the medium's now-classic shows. She speaks in great detail about her recurring role as "Carolyn Appleby" on the classic television sitcom I Love Lucy. She talks about the production of the series, Lucille Ball's working style, and the shows frequent famous guest stars, including Harpo Marx, Van Johnson, and George Reeves. She also discusses several of her other memorable guest roles on television through the years, including her appearances on My Three Sons, The Twilight Zone, Hazel, and Hogan's Heroes. During the interview she speaks frequently about her late husband, comedy writer Charlie Isaacs, to whom she was married for 60 years. Jennifer Howard conducted the interview on April 21, 2005 in Los Angeles, CA.

"Learn as you go along, listen to and watch people. Watch performers who are good performers. And don't rely on idiot cards and teleprompters and so forth. Have it in your head."

People Talking About ...

Doris Singleton

Highlights

Doris Singleton on working on Lucille Ball's radio show My Favorite Husband

Doris Singleton on her character "Carolyn Appleby" on I Love Lucy

Doris Singleton on working with Lucille Ball and on a typical work week on I Love Lucy

Doris Singleton on the invention of the three camera technique on I Love Lucy

Doris Singleton on appearing on Hogan's Heroes

Doris Singleton on advice to actors just starting out

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her childhood and early influences; on finishing high school at age sixteen; on her first professional role in a theater production; on being a singer for WNEW; on joining the American Ballet Theatre (ABT)

On why she left ABT; on singing with Art Jarrett; on returning to California; on meeting her future husband, Charlie Isaacs; on becoming active in radio, being introduced to writer Sanford Barnett, and auditioning for Lever Brothers commercials for Lux Radio Theatre

Chapter 2

On working in radio programs with Alan Young, Jack Benny, Frank Sinatra, and others; on performing in front of an audience on radio shows; on the first time she saw television and her early impressions of television

On doing early television commercials; on working on Lucille Ball's radio show, My Favorite Husband and on I Love Lucy, its television successor; on the importance of the audience feedback on I Love Lucy and the challenges of performing for three cameras; on the basic premise of I Love Lucy

Chapter 3

On playing "Carolyn Appleby" on I Love Lucy; on working with the cast; on a typical work week on I Love Lucy; on the I Love Lucy episode with Harpo Marx and other favorite episodes

On working on The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy; on still being recognized as "Carolyn Appleby" from I Love Lucy

Chapter 4

On I Love Lucy fans, fandom, and the popularity of the show; on working on Adventures of Superman, The Great Gildersleeve, The Bob Cummings Show, The People's Choice, and NBC Matinee Theater

On working on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Perry Mason, Frontier Doctor, Angel, The Ann Sothern Show, and The Loretta Young Show

Chapter 5

On working as a guest performer on 1960's television shows -- Gunsmoke, The Real McCoys, Hazel, The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Munsters, and The Fugitive

On appearing on The F.B.I., The Red Skelton Show, Hogan's Heroes, and My Three Sons; on working on the TV movie The Boy Who Stole the Elephant

On working on 1970's television, including All in the Family and Phyllis

Chapter 6

On her role on Days of Our Lives; on how acting for soap operas differed from acting for sitcoms; on her role on Dynasty; on wearing her own clothes on a lot of the shows she worked on

On her acting style, advice to aspiring actors, and acting for television, stage, and radio; on McCarthyism and the Hollywood Blacklist; on her retirement; on her husband, the late television writer Charlie Isaacs; on career highlights and how she'd like to be remembered

On B-roll photos from her career: performing with Art Jarrett's band; as a pin-up girl during her radio days; with I Love Lucy cast members in the episode "Lucy Tells the Truth"; with Harpo Marx on I Love Lucy; with Norm Alden on My Three Sons; with Shirley Booth on Hazel; with John Banner on Hogan's Heroes; with Walter Brennan on The Tycoon; on Gunsmoke; with Betty Lynn on The Boy Who Stole the Elephant; and with her late husband, Charlie Isaacs

Shows

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Doris Singleton

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Adventures of Superman

Alan Young Show, The

Alfred Hitchcock Presents aka The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

All in the Family

Angel (1960-61)

Ann Sothern Show, The

Bob Cummings Show, The aka Love That Bob

Boy Who Stole the Elephant, The

Colgate Comedy Hour, The

Days of Our Lives

December Bride

Dick Van Dyke Show, The

Duffy's Tavern

Dynasty

FBI, The

Frank Sinatra Show, The (1957-58)

Frontier Doctor

Fugitive, The

Great Gildersleeve, The

Gunsmoke

Hazel

Here's Lucy

Hogan's Heroes

I Love Lucy

Jack Benny Program, The

Loretta Young Show, The

Lucy Show, The

Lux Video Theatre

Munsters, The

My Favorite Husband

My Three Sons

NBC Matinee Theater

Our Miss Brooks

People's Choice, The

Perry Mason

Phyllis

Real McCoys, The

Red Skelton Show, The

Twilight Zone, The

Twilight Zone, The: "A Kind of Stopwatch"

Tycoon, The

Advertising and Sponsorship

Advice

Censorship / Standards & Practices

Characters & Catchphrases

Classic TV series episodes

Comedy

Fame and Celebrity

Historic Events and Social Change

Hollywood Blacklist

Industry Crossroads

Pop Culture

Technological Innovation

Television Industry

War

World War II

Actor

Actress

Performers

Comedy Series

Commercials

Daytime/Primetime Serials

Drama Series

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Western Series

Fred Allen

Rex Allen

Desi Arnaz