About
"It was scary the way the Everybody Loves Raymond writers would write exactly what I was going through in my own life. It would freak me out that I would be dealing with the kids' school stuff, or with an aspect of my relationship with my husband, and I'd get the script and it would be right there on the page! I think it's what made the show so successful -- the experience of the characters is really universal."
In her nearly two-hour interview, Patricia Heaton talks of growing up a "daydreamer" in Cleveland and enjoying the attention she got as the daughter of Chuck Heaton, a well-known local sportswriter. She describes her early years as a struggling actress in New York City and Los Angeles, picking up small roles in commercials and television series. She discusses her recurring role in the hit dramedy series thirtysomething and her co-starring roles in the short-lived series Room for Two (opposite Linda Lavin, who mentored her) and Women of the House. Heaton then details the role and series for which she is best known, "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond. She chronicles her work on the series, from her audition to shooting the series finale (which was delayed when she contracted laryngitis). She describes the series' shooting schedule, working with directors Gary Halvorson and Will MacKenzie, and how her real-life pregnancies were covered up on the show. She also notes some of the moments of the show that garnered the biggest laughs, including Debra's desperate attempts to get a turkey in the oven, Raymond trying to lift Debra onto the refrigerator in a moment of glee and slamming her into it, and Debra dropping ice cream on Raymond's lap (eliciting a "minute-and-a-half laugh"). Finally, she touches on her appearances as spokesperson for Albertsons grocery stores and on some of her post-Raymond television movies. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 23, 2006 in Burbank, CA.
Highlights
Patricia Heaton on "Debra Barone," her character on Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on working with Ray Romano
Patricia Heaton on the series finale of Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on winning an Emmy for the "Bad Moon Rising" episode of Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on the legacy of Everybody Loves Raymond as a classic comedy
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her childhood and early influences; on her father being a local sportswriter in Cleveland and a minor celebrity; on always enjoying performing; on working at the ABC affiliate in Cleveland; on moving to New York; on TV shows she enjoyed as a child; on her childhood daydreams
On her first professional job; on working odd jobs in New York to get by; on moving to Los Angeles to produce a play; on acting tips from William Esper; on forming a theater company; on her first television work in LA; on her first steady television gig on Thirtysomething; on Room for Two with Linda Lavin
Chapter 2
On Room for Two going off the air; on playing a mother on Someone Like Me; on a guest appearance on Party of Five as Jennifer Love Hewitt's birth mother; on her role on Women of the House with Delta Burke; on reading for the pilot of Everybody Loves Raymond
On "Debra Barone," her character on Everybody Loves Raymond; on the benefits of performing in front of a live audience; on the relationship between "Debra Barone" and her family on Everybody Loves Raymond
Chapter 3
On her Everybody Loves Raymond character "Debra's" relationship with friend "Amy"; on her wardrobe on the show; on how the show dealt with her pregnancies; on working with Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal; on her interactions with the show's writers and directors; on a typical work week on the show
On her favorite episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond; on winning an Emmy for the "Bad Moon Rising" episode; on the series finale
Chapter 4
On working with director Will Mackenzie on Everybody Loves Raymond; on winning her first and second Emmy for the show; on the legacy of the program; on working with Ray Romano; on being an Albertson's spokesperson
On pilots since Everybody Loves Raymond; on then-current projects; on her production company, Four Boys; on her proudest career achievement; on advice to an aspiring actress
Shows
Alien Nation
Patricia Heaton on her first television work in LA - on Alien Nation
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Patricia Heaton on winning an Emmy for Everybody Loves Raymond right after 9/11, on that show being like "lightning in a bottle"
Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on reading for the pilot of Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on the requirement of kissing Ray Romano when auditioning for Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on her character "Debra" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on the comedic elements of her role and Ray Romano's on Everybody Loves Raymond; on her character's relationship with her family
Patricia Heaton on the final episode of Everybody Loves Raymond as a "brilliant way to end the series"
Patricia Heaton on working on Everybody Loves Raymond - on the cast, writers, directors, and work week
Patricia Heaton on her favorite episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on the legacy of Everybody Loves Raymond as a classic comedy and on working with Ray Romano
Patricia Heaton on her proudest career achievement - Everybody Loves Raymond
Party of Five
Patricia Heaton on a guest appearance on Party of Five as Jennifer Love Hewitt's birth mother
Room for Two
Patricia Heaton on Room for Two with Linda Lavin
Patricia Heaton on Room For Two
Someone Like Me
Patricia Heaton on playing a mother on Someone Like Me
Thirtysomething
Patricia Heaton on her first steady television gig on Thirtysomething
Wild Wild West, The
Patricia Heaton on not being allowed to watch Wild, Wild West as a child
Women of the House
Patricia Heaton on her role on Women of the House with Delta Burke; on memorizing lines for the show
Topics
Characters & Catchphrases
Patricia Heaton on "Debra Barone," her character on Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on the relationship between "Debra Barone" and her family on Everybody Loves Raymond
Classic TV Series Episodes
Patricia Heaton on the final episode of Everybody Loves Raymond as a "brilliant way to end the series"
Emmy Awards
Patricia Heaton on winning an Emmy for the "Bad Moon Rising" episode of Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on winning her first and second Emmy for Everybody Loves Raymond
Memorable Moments on Television
Patricia Heaton on the final episode of Everybody Loves Raymond as a "brilliant way to end the series"
Pop Culture
Patricia Heaton on the final episode of Everybody Loves Raymond as a "brilliant way to end the series"
We Laughed
Patricia Heaton on the final episode of Everybody Loves Raymond as a "brilliant way to end the series"
Professions
Actress
Patricia Heaton on wanting to be a performer
Patricia Heaton on acting tips from William Esper
Patricia Heaton on what made her character on Everybody Loves Raymond a comedic force; the power of silence
Patricia Heaton on the benefits of performing in front of a live audience
Patricia Heaton on her advice to aspiring actresses
Genres
Comedy Series
Patricia Heaton on Room for Two with Linda Lavin
Patricia Heaton on her role as "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on working on Everybody Loves Raymond - on the cast, writers, directors, work week, specific episodes, and series finale
Patricia Heaton on winning Emmys for and the legacy of Everybody Loves Raymond as a classic comedy; on working with Ray Romano
Drama Series
Patricia Heaton on her first steady television gig, on Thirtysomething
People
Jason Alexander
Patricia Heaton on her first professional job - a commercial with Jason Alexander
Peter Boyle
Patricia Heaton on the relationship between "Debra Barone" and her in-laws on Everybody Loves Raymond
Delta Burke
Patricia Heaton on her role on Women of the House with Delta Burke; on memorizing lines for the show
Robert Conrad
Patricia Heaton on not being allowed to watch Wild, Wild West as a child
Ellen DeGeneres
Patricia Heaton on winning an Emmy for Everybody Loves Raymond right after 9/11
Teri Garr
Patricia Heaton on her role on Women of the House with Delta Burke; on memorizing lines for the show
Brad Garrett
Patricia Heaton on the relationship between "Debra Barone" and her brother-in-law on Everybody Loves Raymond
Bruce Helford
Patricia Heaton on playing a mother on Someone Like Me
Marshall Herskovitz
Patricia Heaton on her first steady television gig, on Thirtysomething
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Patricia Heaton on a guest appearance on Party of Five as Jennifer Love Hewitt's birth mother
Monica Horan
Patricia Heaton on her Everybody Loves Raymond character "Debra's" relationship with friend "Amy"
Harvey Keitel
Patricia Heaton on working with Harvey Keitel in The Path to 9/11
Linda Lavin
Patricia Heaton on Room for Two with Linda Lavin
Patricia Heaton on Room For Two
Will Mackenzie
Patricia Heaton on working with director Will Mackenzie on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts
Patricia Heaton on the relationship between "Debra Barone" and her in-laws on Everybody Loves Raymond
Ray Romano
Patricia Heaton on meeting Ray Romano; on the requirement of kissing Ray Romano when auditioning for Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton on working with Ray Romano on Everybody Loves Raymond
Phil Rosenthal
Patricia Heaton on working with Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal
Linda Bloodworth Thomason
Patricia Heaton on her role on Women of the House with Delta Burke; on memorizing lines for the show
Patricia Wettig
Patricia Heaton on her first steady television gig, on Thirtysomething
Edward Zwick
Patricia Heaton on her first steady television gig, on Thirtysomething