"You have to give an awful lot to be actor. You have to be awfully strong physically, really, it's a tough grind. Because these hours are terribly long. And also the disappointments are so huge. You might be on the top of the heap and then all of the sudden, boom, you don't get another job. It's very hard to take, truly it is."

About This Interview

In her two-hour interview, Jane Wyatt (1910-2006) describes her lengthy career in film, stage, and television. She talks about her feature film debut in 1934 in James Whale's One More River and her subsequent film roles in such classics as Frank Capra's Lost Horizon and Elia Kazan's Gentleman's Agreement. She discusses the McCarthy era, in which she found herself on an industry blacklist, unable to work in film. She recalls her television debut on Robert Montgomery Presents in the title role of "Kitty Foyle" (1950) and talks of working in "live" television. Wyatt then details her most memorable and enduring work for television -- on Father Knows Best (1954-63), on which she played the role of wife and mother "Margaret Anderson," a part that won her three consecutive Emmy awards. She talks of her later television work on Bell Telephone Hour and Hollywood Television Theatre, and recounts her appearance as Mr. Spock's human mother on the series Star Trek (a role she repeated in the feature film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home). Wyatt also describes her memorable recurring role as "Katherine Auschlander" in the medical drama St. Elsewhere. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on November 16, 1999 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
People Talking About ...
Jane Wyatt
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Jane Wyatt on her character "Margaret Anderson" on Father Knows Best and becoming an iconic TV mom

03:27
Thumbnail of Jane Wyatt

Jane Wyatt on learning she had been blacklisted and finally getting a role again

01:50
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Jane Wyatt on her co-stars on Father Knows Best - her "children" played by Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin

01:48
Thumbnail of Jane Wyatt

Jane Wyatt on her work as "Spock's mother" on Star Trek

00:43
Thumbnail of Jane Wyatt

Jane Wyatt on people confusing her with actress Jane Wyman

01:15
Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her childhood and early influences; on her love of horses and theater; on attending Barnard College for two years and leaving to pursue acting

09:12

On moving to Los Angeles; on her film roles and contract with Universal; on people confusing her with Jane Wyman; on her recollections of the Hollywood Blacklist

18:42

Chapter 2

On the Hollywood Blacklist, contd.; on learning she had been blacklisted; on appearing in several productions of Robert Montgomery Presents; on the excitement of working in live television

17:30

On getting cast in Father Knows Best; on production and the radio version of Father Knows Best; on the show's scripts and guest stars

11:04

Chapter 3

On her co-stars on Father Knows Best; on the show's production, setting, writers and directors

13:43

On winning three Emmys for her role on Father Knows Best; on the end of the show and returning to film work

06:27

On her appearances on Wagon Train, The Virginian, The  Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and other shows; on her work as "Spock's mother" on Star Trek

08:32

Chapter 4

On her work on Star Trek contd.; on appearing on Hollywood Television Theater and in several Father Knows Best Reunions

05:25

On her recurring role on St. Elsewhere; on advice to aspiring performers, Mt. Jane Wyatt, and how she'd like to be remembered

09:38

Alfred Hitchcock Presents aka The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

Jane Wyatt on appearing on The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 

00:51

Bell Telephone Hour, The

Jane Wyatt on appearing on The Bell Telephone Hour

01:00

CBS Playhouse

Jane Wyatt on appearing on an episode of CBS Playhouse

01:20

Confidential For Women

Jane Wyatt on her work on Confidential for Women

01:40

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Jane Wyatt on winning three Emmys for her role on Father Knows Best

01:14

Father Knows Best

Jane Wyatt on how she got cast and production on Father Knows Best

02:02

Jane Wyatt on the radio version and premise of Father Knows Best

03:06

Jane Wyatt on her character "Margaret Anderson" on Father Knows Best and becoming an iconic TV mom

03:27

Jane Wyatt on Father Knows Best scripts and guest stars

02:25

Jane Wyatt on her co-stars on Father Knows Best - her "children" played by Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin

01:48

Jane Wyatt on her co-star on Father Knows Best - her "husband" played by Robert Young

01:04

Jane Wyatt on the writers on Father Knows Best

01:01

Jane Wyatt on the filming of Father Knows Best

00:48

Jane Wyatt on the directors on Father Knows Best

00:55

Jane Wyatt on the town of Springfield on Father Knows Best and the show's sponsors, cancellation, and network switch

01:43

Jane Wyatt on the popularity of Father Knows Best

00:38

Jane Wyatt on her favorite episodes of Father Knows Best

01:56

Jane Wyatt on the Anderson family on Father Knows Best as the ideal American family

01:31

Jane Wyatt on why Father Knows Best ended

02:03

Jane Wyatt on being typecast after Father Knows Best ended

00:36

Father Knows Best Reunion Specials

Jane Wyatt on the several Father Knows Best Reunions

01:22

Hollywood Television Theatre

Jane Wyatt on her work on Hollywood Television Theatre

02:37

Love, American Style

Jane Wyatt on appearing on the premiere of Love, American Style

00:13

Marcus Welby, M.D.

Jane Wyatt on appearing on Marcus Welby, M.D. with Robert Young

00:25

Robert Montgomery Presents

Jane Wyatt on appearing in several productions of Robert Montgomery Presents, including "Kitty Foyle" and "The Awful Truth"

06:16

See How They Run

Jane Wyatt on appearing in the first TV movie, See How They Run

00:32

St. Elsewhere

Jane Wyatt on her recurring role on St. Elsewhere

02:05

Jane Wyatt on memorable storylines and episodes of St. Elsewhere

02:16

Star Trek

Jane Wyatt on her work as "Spock's mother" on Star Trek

01:30

Jane Wyatt on her work on Star Trek contd. and fan mail she receives; on attending Star Trek conventions

01:26

Anthology Drama

Jane Wyatt on the excitement of working in live television

05:18

Jane Wyatt on the differences between acting for film, television, and the stage

01:11

Characters & Catchphrases

Jane Wyatt on her character "Margaret Anderson" on Father Knows Best and becoming an iconic TV mom

03:27

Emmy Awards

Jane Wyatt on winning three Emmys for her role on Father Knows Best

01:14

Hollywood Blacklist

Jane Wyatt on her recollections of the Hollywood Blacklist and her involvement with the CFA (Committee for the First Amendment)

04:29

Jane Wyatt on protesting the Hollywood Blacklist

02:10

Jane Wyatt on learning she had been blacklisted

01:50

Jane Wyatt on why she believes the Blacklist era happened

01:32

Industry Crossroads

Jane Wyatt on her recollections of the Hollywood Blacklist and her involvement with the CFA (Committee for the First Amendment)

04:29

Jane Wyatt on protesting the Hollywood Blacklist

02:10

Jane Wyatt on learning she had been blacklisted

01:50

Jane Wyatt on why she believes the Blacklist era happened

01:32

Pop Culture

Jane Wyatt on her character "Margaret Anderson" on Father Knows Best and becoming an iconic TV mom

03:27

Actress

Jane Wyatt on the differences between acting for film, television, and the stage

01:11

Jane Wyatt on her acting technique

13:12

Jane Wyatt on advice to aspiring actors

01:04

Performers

Jane Wyatt on the differences between acting for film, television, and the stage

01:11

Jane Wyatt on her acting technique

01:45

Jane Wyatt on advice to aspiring actors

01:04

Classic Anthology Series

Jane Wyatt on appearing in several productions of Robert Montgomery Presents, including "Kitty Foyle" and "The Awful Truth"

06:16

Comedy Series

Jane Wyatt on how she got cast on, the production of, and premise of Father Knows Best

05:08

Jane Wyatt on her character "Margaret Anderson" on Father Knows Best and becoming an iconic TV mom

03:27

Jane Wyatt on her co-stars, the writers, directors, and the end of Father Knows Best

18:32

Ralph Bellamy

Jane Wyatt on appearing on an episode of CBS Playhouse

01:20

Herbert Brodkin

Jane Wyatt on working with producer Herbert Brodkin

00:24

Frank Capra

Jane Wyatt on appearing in the Frank Capra film "Lost Horizon"

01:56

Jane Wyatt on appearing in the Frank Capra film "Lost Horizon"

01:03

Lauren Chapin

Jane Wyatt on her co-stars on Father Knows Best - her "children" played by Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin

01:37

Jane Wyatt on her TV daughter played by Lauren Chapin on Father Knows Best

00:21

Ronald Colman

Jane Wyatt on appearing in the Frank Capra film "Lost Horizon" with Ronald Colman

01:56

Elinor Donahue

Jane Wyatt on her co-stars on Father Knows Best - her "children" played by Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin

01:37

Jane Wyatt on her TV daughter played by Elinor Donahue on Father Knows Best

01:21

Jane Wyatt on her TV daughter, played by Elinor Donahue, being pregnant in real life on the last season of Father Knows Best

00:15

Ed Flanders

Jane Wyatt on cast and crew members on St. Elsewhere

00:16

Benny Goodman

Jane Wyatt on the first time she saw television

00:37

Billy Gray

Jane Wyatt on her co-stars on Father Knows Best - her "children" played by Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin

01:37

Jane Wyatt on her TV son played by Billy Gray on Father Knows Best

01:24

Gene Hackman

Jane Wyatt on appearing on an episode of CBS Playhouse

01:20

Sam Jaffe

Jane Wyatt on appearing in the Frank Capra film "Lost Horizon" with Sam Jaffe

01:03

Elia Kazan

Jane Wyatt on working with Elia Kazan

01:10

Charles Laughton

Jane Wyatt on studying with Charles Laughton and using what she learned in the film "Pitfall"

02:56

Norman Lloyd

Jane Wyatt on working with Norman Lloyd

00:51

Leonard Nimoy

Jane Wyatt on her work as "Spock's mother" on Star Trek

00:34

Bruce Paltrow

Jane Wyatt on cast and crew members on St. Elsewhere

00:25

Gregory Peck

Jane Wyatt on appearing in "Gentleman's Agreement" with Gregory Peck

01:26

Arthur Penn

Jane Wyatt on working with director Arthur Penn

00:29

Jack P. Pierce

Jane Wyatt on getting her makeup done by Jack Pierce while under contract at Universal

00:32

Eugene B. Rodney

Jane Wyatt on producer Eugene B. Rodney of Father Knows Best

01:30

William D. Russell

Jane Wyatt on the directors on Father Knows Best - William D. Russell and Peter Tewksbury

00:33

Lee Strasberg

Jane Wyatt on her acting technique and studying method acting with Lee Strasberg

01:19

Peter Tewksbury

Jane Wyatt on the directors on Father Knows Best - William D. Russell and Peter Tewksbury

00:33

Cicely Tyson

Jane Wyatt on her work on Hollywood Television Theater

01:15

Paul West

Jane Wyatt on the writers on Father Knows Best - Paul West

00:06

Jane Wyman

Jane Wyatt on people confusing her with actress Jane Wyman

01:15

Robert Young

Jane Wyatt on her co-star on Father Knows Best - her "husband" played by Robert Young

01:04

Jane Wyatt on appearing on Marcus Welby, M.D. with Robert Young

00:25

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