About
"Be real. It's so easy to go over-the-top and and they like you to go over-the-top. But if you don't know who you are and what you're doing, and you go over-the-top, it's bad. If you know who you are and you know what you're doing, it's brilliant. There's a very fine line between bad and brilliant and it can all happen on a soap opera, because it happens so fast, the work is so fast, and you don't have the time to absorb."
In her two-hour interview, Kim Zimmer describes her talents and experience as a singer and dancer, her schooling, and her approach to acting. She talks about starting out as an actress in soap operas, beginning with One Life To Live for several months in 1978, continuing with The Doctors, and returning (as a different character) to One Life to Live in 1983. She speaks in great detail about her long tenure as the incomparable "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light, describing her co-stars, her attention-grabbing storylines, the infamous red dresses, and the overall personality traits of "Reva." She also describes her guest appearances on such series as Seinfeld and Models, Inc., and talks about her son Jake following in her footsteps. Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 19, 2006 in New York, NY.
Highlights
Kim Zimmer on watching Guiding Light as a child and how her mother's dream for her was for her to star on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
Kim Zimmer on being hired for Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
Kim Zimmer on advice to aspiring actor
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her early years and influences; on watching Guiding Light as a child and how her mother's dream for her was for her to star on Guiding Light; on her early interest in performing; on participating in pageants; on being a rebellious child; on her education and early acting career; on moving to Chicago
On her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst; on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979; on working with Alec Baldwin on The Doctors
Chapter 2
On playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors; on the plot of The Doctors and on having a baby while on the show; on leaving The Doctors
On returning to One Life to Live for a stint; on the character she played on her second One Life to Live stint, "Echo DiSavoy"; on being fired from One Life to Live
On her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers; on being hired for Guiding Light
Chapter 3
On the qualities she brings to "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light and on how audiences react to her; on the premise of Guiding Light; on "Reva Shayne's" place in the universe of Guiding Light and on working with the writers on her character
On playing a clone story on Guiding Light; on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light; on "Reva Shayne's" children on Guiding Light
On "Reva Shayne's" signature red dresses on Guiding Light; on a typical workweek for her on Guiding Light
Chapter 4
On playing "Reva"; on leaving Guiding Light in 1990; on some of her guest roles (including on Seinfeld and Models, Inc.); on returning to Guiding Light after five years; on her favorite storyline; on the infamous Guiding Light "fountain scene"
On advice to aspiring actors; on daytime drama writers; on whether or not daytime dramas will last; on her Emmy wins; on her son Jake who has followed in her footsteps
Shows
Doctors, The
Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
Kim Zimmer on playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors
Kim Zimmer on the plot of The Doctors and on having a baby while on the show
Kim Zimmer on leaving The Doctors
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on watching Guiding Light as a child and how her mother's dream for her was for her to star on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on being hired for Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on her Guiding Light character, "Reva Shayne"
Kim Zimmer on the qualities she brings to "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light and on how audiences react to her
Kim Zimmer on the premise of Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" place in the universe of Guiding Light and on working with the writers on her character
Kim Zimmer on playing a clone story on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" children on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" signature red dresses on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on a typical workweek for her on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on a typical workday on Guiding Light and on leaving the series in 1990
Kim Zimmer on returning to Guiding Light after a five-year absence
Kim Zimmer on how long she saw herself staying with Guiding Light at the time
Kim Zimmer on her favorite Guiding Light storyline
Kim Zimmer on the infamous Guiding Light fountain scene
Models, Inc.
Kim Zimmer on appearing on Models, Inc.
One Life to Live
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
Kim Zimmer on returning to One Life to Live for a stint as "Echo DiSavoy"
Kim Zimmer on the character she played on her second One Life to Live stint, "Echo DiSavoy"
Kim Zimmer on being fired from One Life to Live
Seinfeld
Kim Zimmer on appearing on "The Diplomat's Club" episode of Seinfeld
Young and the Restless, The
Kim Zimmer on loving The Young and the Restless
Topics
Advice
Kim Zimmer on advice to aspiring actor
Characters & Catchphrases
Kim Zimmer on playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors
Kim Zimmer on the character she played on her second One Life to Live stint, "Echo DiSavoy"
Kim Zimmer on her Guiding Light character, "Reva Shayne"
Kim Zimmer on the qualities she brings to "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light and on how audiences react to her
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" place in the universe of Guiding Light and on working with the writers on her character; on the clone storyline
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" children on Guiding Light and on her signature red dresses
Emmy Awards
Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
Fame and Celebrity
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst (who was in the news at that time)
Memorable Moments on Television
Kim Zimmer on the infamous Guiding Light fountain scene
Pop Culture
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst (who was in the news at that time)
Kim Zimmer on playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors
Kim Zimmer on the character she played on her second One Life to Live stint, "Echo DiSavoy"
Kim Zimmer on her Guiding Light character, "Reva Shayne"
Kim Zimmer on the qualities she brings to "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light and on how audiences react to her
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" place in the universe of Guiding Light and on working with the writers on her character; on the clone storyline
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" children on Guiding Light and on her signature red dresses
Television Industry
Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers
Kim Zimmer on a typical workweek for her on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on advice to aspiring actor
Professions
Actress
Kim Zimmer on her early interest in acting (and participating in pageants)
Kim Zimmer on her approach to acting
Kim Zimmer on being comfortable on camera right away
Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers
Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers
Kim Zimmer on advice to a daytime writer, from an actor's perspective
Performers
Kim Zimmer on her early interest in acting (and participating in pageants)
Kim Zimmer on her approach to acting
Kim Zimmer on being comfortable on camera right away
Kim Zimmer on advice to a daytime writer, from an actor's perspective
Writers
Kim Zimmer on advice to a daytime writer, from an actor's perspective
Genres
Awards Shows
Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
Daytime/Primetime Serials
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
Kim Zimmer on starring on The Doctors
Kim Zimmer on returning to One Life to Live
Kim Zimmer on being hired for Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on the particulars of playing "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on a typical workday on Guiding Light and on leaving the series in 1990
Kim Zimmer on returning to Guiding Light after a five-year absence and how long she saw herself staying with Guiding Light at the time
Kim Zimmer on her favorite Guiding Light storyline and the infamous Guiding Light fountain scene
Kim Zimmer on whether or not daytime dramas will last
People
Jean Arley
Kim Zimmer on being fired from One Life to Live
Alec Baldwin
Kim Zimmer on working with Alec Baldwin on The Doctors
Jordan Clarke
Kim Zimmer on screen testing with Jordan Clarke and Robert Newman for Guiding Light
Jimmy Durante
Kim Zimmer on her grandfather's nickname for her -- based on a classic line from Jimmy Durante
Linda Gray
Kim Zimmer on appearing on Models, Inc.
Patty Hearst
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
Pamela K. Long
Kim Zimmer on casting director Betty Rea and head writer Pam Long auditioning her for Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light -- and head writer Pam Long's backstory on the couple
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" signature red dresses on Guiding Light
Robert Newman
Kim Zimmer on screen testing with Jordan Clarke and Robert Newman for Guiding Light
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
Paul Rauch
Kim Zimmer on playing a clone story on Guiding Light and executive producer Paul Rauch telling her about the storyline
Betty Rea
Kim Zimmer on casting director Betty Rea and head writer Pam Long auditioning her for Guiding Light
Jerry Seinfeld
Kim Zimmer on appearing on "The Diplomat's Club" episode of Seinfeld (airdate: May 4, 1995)
Aaron Spelling
Kim Zimmer on appearing on Models, Inc.
Kathleen Turner
Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
A.C. Weary
Kim Zimmer on her real-life husband, A.C. Weary, joining the cast of The Doctors when she was pregnant with their daughter