About
"Live television was a little bit like you were on a sleigh on a snow hill and somebody pushed you and you went down. It really felt like that because you did the whole play and there was no stopping, you just did it. Bang, and you went! It was frightening and exhilarating. It was great."
In her hour-long interview, Maxine Stuart (1918-2013) talks about her formative years in theater and her appearances in early live television productions for NBC, including an experimental show in 1939. She details her noteworthy appearance as the woman wrapped in bandages in the classic Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder," and discusses working with Jack Lemmon in the feature film Days of Wine and Roses. Additionally, she speaks about her work in the filmed television series Slattery's People, in which she was a regular, and The Wonder Years, for which she received a guest actress Emmy nomination. B-roll consists of a program and a still photo from Stuart's early theater career. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on August 31, 2004 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights
Maxine Stuart on [SPOILER ALERT!] The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder" and the irony in the show's casting, considering the show's message about conformity
Maxine Stuart on the impact of The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on her Emmy-nominated guest role on The Wonder Years
Maxine Stuart on appearing with John Ritter on Hearts Afire
Maxine Stuart on appearing as a regular on Slattery's People
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her childhood and early influences; on studying acting and appearing in a broadcast for experimental television; on mishaps on live television
On working with Fred Coe; on doing shows for DuMont network; on appearing on Philco Television Playhouse and working on soap operas
On getting cast in The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder" and the impact of the episode
Chapter 2
On appearing on The Donna Reed Show, Desilu Playhouse, Dr. Kildare, The Outer Limits, and Cannon
On appearing as a regular on Slattery's People; on her stage name; on appearing with John Ritter on Hearts Afire; on her favorite performance from her career and how she'd like to be remembered
B-roll of items from her performances
Shows
Cannon
Maxine Stuart on appearing on Cannon
Donna Reed Show, The
Maxine Stuart on appearing on The Donna Reed Show
Dr. Kildare
Maxine Stuart on appearing on Dr. Kildare
Hearts Afire
Maxine Stuart on appearing with John Ritter on Hearts Afire
Outer Limits, The (1963-65)
Maxine Stuart on appearing on The Outer Limits
Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
Maxine Stuart on appearing on Philco Television Playhouse
Slattery's People
Maxine Stuart on appearing as a regular on Slattery's People
Twilight Zone, The
Maxine Stuart on [SPOILER ALERT!] The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder" and the irony in the show's casting, considering the show's message about conformity
Maxine Stuart on performing under the bandages in The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on working with director Douglas Heyes on The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on the impact of The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on not getting recognized from appearing in The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"; on getting asked to go to Twilight Zone conventions
Twilight Zone, The: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on getting cast in The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder" and [SPOILER ALERT!] the irony in the show's casting, considering the show's message about conformity
Maxine Stuart on performing under the bandages in The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on working with director Douglas Heyes on The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on the impact of The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Maxine Stuart on not getting recognized from appearing in The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"; on getting asked to go to Twilight Zone conventions
Wonder Years, The
Maxine Stuart on her Emmy-nominated guest role on The Wonder Years
Topics
Professions
Actress
Maxine Stuart on performing under bandages, her face entirely obscured, for the classic Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder"
Performers
Maxine Stuart on performing under bandages, her face entirely obscured, for the classic Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder"
Genres
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Maxine Stuart on getting cast in The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder" and the impact of the episode
People
Fred Coe
Maxine Stuart on working with Fred Coe
Gordon Duff
Maxine Stuart on working with director Gordon Duff
Douglas Heyes
Maxine Stuart on working with director Douglas Heyes on The Twilight Zone: "Eye of the Beholder"
Jack Lemmon
Maxine Stuart on appearing in the feature film "Days of Wine and Roses" with Jack Lemmon
Walter Matthau
Maxine Stuart on appearing with Walter Matthau on Philco Television Playhouse
John Ritter
Maxine Stuart on appearing with John Ritter on Hearts Afire
David Shaw
Maxine Stuart on meeting writer David Shaw on Philco Television Playhouse and reuniting later in life