About
"You have to be good-natured. You have to know that these things that are done in a hurry are not done to make you miserable or make you look bad. They're part of the way of our making a living. We must adjust to them and give them the best we can."
In her one-and-a-half-hour interview, actress Frances Reid (1914-2010) talks about her early career working in live television, and her first experiences working on daytime dramas, including programs such as Portia Faces Life and As the World Turns. She describes in detail her longtime role as matriarch "Alice Horton" on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives from its inception to the present day. She discusses her many co-stars throughout the years on the show, notably Macdonald Carey, who portrayed patriarch "Tom Horton." Reid explains the production process on a daytime drama and touches on some of the memorable storylines featured on the show throughout the years. Finally, she briefly describes her involvement in the actors union AFTRA and notes how important it is for her to continue working. Jennifer Howard conducted the interview on August 13, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Frances Reid on appearing in the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production of “Cyrano”
Frances Reid on being cast as Portia Blake Manning on Portia Faces Life
Frances Reid on her Days of Our Lives character "Alice Horton"
Frances Reid on her Days of Our Lives costar Macdonald Carey
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On appearing in several feature films early in her career including "Stage Door"; on appearing in various stage productions; on her early impressions of television
On doing commercials in the early days of television; on the challenges of working on live television; on Sylvester L. Weaver and on working with various television producers
On appearing in the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, Actors Studio, Berkley Square, and NBC Matinee Theater; on the Hollywood Blacklist; on being cast as Portia Blake Manning on Portia Faces Life
Chapter 2
On starring in Portia Faces Life and the state of early TV soap operas; on appearing on several episodes of Wagon Train and on working on Alfred Hitchcock Presents; on appearing on Perry Mason with Bette Davis and on The Defenders
On appearing on As the World Turns and Edge of Night; on appearing on Days of Our Lives as "Alice Horton"
On her Days of Our Lives costar Macdonald Carey; on working with Days of Our Lives' Betty and Ken Corday and Irna Phillips; on the writers and cast of the show
Chapter 3
On the production schedule of Days of Our Lives; on the storylines of Days of Our Lives; on the death of Macdonald Carey during the run of Days of Our Lives, and on how her character "Alice Horton" changed over the years
On the legacy of her Days of Our Lives character "Alice Horton" and on the success of the show; on her acting style, and her career; on her involvement with the AFTRA union
On advice she would give an actor on a soap opera today; on how she would like to be remembered
Shows
Actors Studio
Frances Reid on appearing in various live productions of the '50s, including Actors Studio and Berkeley Square
Alfred Hitchcock Presents aka The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Frances Reid on appearing on several episodes of Wagon Train and on working on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
As the World Turns
Frances Reid on appearing on As the World Turns
Days of Our Lives
Frances Reid on appearing on Days of Our Lives
Frances Reid on her Days of Our Lives character "Alice Horton"
Frances Reid on her Days of Our Lives costar Macdonald Carey
Frances Reid on working with Days of Our Lives' Betty and Ken Corday and Irna Phillips
Frances Reid on the writers of Days of Our Lives
Frances Reid on working with the cast of Days of Our Lives
Frances Reid on the production schedule of Days of Our Lives
Frances Reid on the storylines of Days of Our Lives
Frances Reid on the death of Macdonald Carey during the run of Days of Our Lives, and on how her character "Alice Horton" changed over the years
Frances Reid on the legacy of her Days of Our Lives character "Alice Horton" and on the success of the show
Edge of Night, The
Frances Reid on appearing on Edge of Night
NBC Matinee Theater
Frances Reid on appearing on NBC Matinee Theater
Perry Mason (1957-66)
Frances Reid on appearing on Perry Mason with Bette Davis and on The Defenders
Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Frances Reid on appearing in the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production of “Cyrano” produced by Fred Coe
Portia Faces Life
Frances Reid on being cast as Portia Blake Manning on Portia Faces Life
Frances Reid on starring in Portia Faces Life and the state of early TV soap operas
Topics
Anthology Drama
Frances Reid on the challenges of working on live television
Hollywood Blacklist
Frances Reid on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Frances Reid on the Hollywood Blacklist
Television Industry
Frances Reid on the Hollywood Blacklist
TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)
Frances Reid on the challenges of working on live television
Professions
Actor
Frances Reid on advice she would give an actor on a soap opera
Actress
Frances Reid on her acting style, and her career
Performers
Frances Reid on her acting style, and her career
Frances Reid on advice she would give an actor on a soap opera
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
Frances Reid on appearing in the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse production of “Cyrano”
Frances Reid on appearing on NBC Matinee Theater
Frances Reid on appearing on several episodes of Wagon Train and on working on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Daytime/Primetime Serials
Frances Reid on being cast as Portia Blake Manning on Portia Faces Life
Frances Reid on starring in Portia Faces Life and the state of early TV soap operas
Frances Reid on appearing on As the World Turns
Frances Reid on appearing on Edge of Night
Frances Reid on playing "Alice Horton" on Days of Our Lives
Frances Reid on playing "Alice Horton" on Days of Our Lives
Western Series
Frances Reid on appearing on several episodes of Wagon Train and on working on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
People
Macdonald Carey
Frances Reid on appearing on Perry Mason with Bette Davis and on The Defenders
Frances Reid on her Days of Our Lives costar Macdonald Carey
Frances Reid on the death of Macdonald Carey during the run of Days of Our Lives, and on how her character "Alice Horton" changed over the years
Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver
Frances Reid on Sylvester L. Weaver and on working with various television producers