Ruth Warrick

Actress
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In her four-and-a-half-hour Archive interview, Ruth Warrick (1916-2005) talks about her beginnings as "Miss Jubilesta," which led to a brief career in radio drama. She recalls her early chance meeting with Orson Welles, which led to her being cast in the groundbreaking feature film "Citizen Kane" as the wife of Charles Foster Kane. She discusses her years under contract at RKO, and speaks of her friendship with Welles - who encouraged her to enter daytime drama. Warrick recounts her early experiences on live television, and outlines getting cast on her first daytime drama, Guiding Light. She describes working on the daytime serial As the World Turns, which led to her being cast as "Hannah Cord" in the popular nighttime drama Peyton Place, opposite Ryan O'Neal and Mia Farrow. She recalls being cast as "Phoebe Tyler" in Agnes Nixon's All My Children, and discusses All My Children's groundbreaking and sometimes controversial storylines. She concludes by commenting on what daytime drama does best, and speakis of various people with whom she has worked. Michael Rosen conducted the interview in New York City on June 29, 1999.

"When I first signed up to do soaps, I would hear, 'How can Mrs. 'Citizen Kane' belittle herself in a soap opera?' But Orson Welles told me, 'That's nonsense. The best acting on television is in the daytime. Those people are the real storytellers. They're the real actors and actresses.' I was very grateful for that. And I tend to agree."  

People Talking About ...
Ruth Warrick
Highlights
Ruth Warrick on meeting Orson Welles and being cast in the feature film "Citizen Kane"
Ruth Warrick on playing "Hannah Cord" on Peyton Place
Ruth Warrick on developing her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler" 
Ruth Warrick on Carol Burnett appearing on All My Children
Ruth Warrick on All My Children's  groundbreaking AIDS storyline
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on radio and movies she enjoyed as a child; on deciding to become an actress
On her stint as "Miss Jubilesta"; on getting into radio

Chapter 2
On participating in early experimental television; on how radio people reacted to the advent of television and working in live television
On being cast in "Citizen Kane"; on her parents' reaction to her becoming an actress; on filming "Citizen Kane"

Chapter 3
On acting in "Citizen Kane"; on the controversey surrounding the release of "Citizen Kane"
On her contract with RKO Pictures and her relationship with Orson Welles; on her activities regarding the war effort during World War II

Chapter 4
On various feature films she did for RKO; on moving to New York and getting into television; on acting in live television
On various roles she played on television; on acting in Guiding Light; on Guiding Light creator Irna Phillips

Chapter 5
On being cast on As the World Turns; on the format of As the World Turns
On learning her lines for As the World Turns; on playing "Hannah Cord" on Peyton Place

Chapter 6
On playing "Hannah Cord" on Peyton Place; on starring in various feature films
On being cast on All My Children; on her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler"

Chapter 7
On working with Hugh Franklin on All My Children; on her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler"; on All My Children's groundbreaking AIDS storyline
On All My Children's controversial storylines; on the casting of All My Children; on the show expanding to an hour-long format

Chapter 8
On shooting All My Children on location; on Carol Burnett appearing on All My Children; on the role of the daytime drama in modern culture
On daytime drama getting the respect it deserves; on her proudest professional achievements; on when television is at its best

Chapter 9
On Susan Lucci winning her Emmy for All My Children; on various people she's worked with in her career; on working for Agnes Nixon on All My Children
Shows

All My Children

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Ruth Warrick on developing her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler" 
Ruth Warrick on being cast as "Phoebe Tyler" on All My Children
Ruth Warrick on her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler"
Ruth Warrick on working with Hugh Franklin on All My Children
Ruth Warrick on her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler"
Ruth Warrick on the relationships of her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler"
Ruth Warrick on All My Children's groundbreaking AIDS storyline
Ruth Warrick on All My Children's controversial storylines
Ruth Warrick on All My Children's casting and staying true to her character "Phoebe Tyler" and to her fans
Ruth Warrick on All My Children expanding to an hour-long format
Ruth Warrick on All My Children being the first daytime drama to shoot on-location and what people learn from daytime drama
Ruth Warrick on Carol Burnett appearing on All My Children
Ruth Warrick on the challenges on being on All My Children for over thirty years
Ruth Warrick on what she's learned from her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler"
Ruth Warrick on the power of television and Susan Lucci winning her Emmy for All My Children
Ruth Warrick on working with Agnes Nixon on All My Children

As the World Turns

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Ruth Warrick on being cast on As the World Turns
Ruth Warrick on the half-hour format of As the World Turns and the shooting process of the show
Ruth Warrick on memorizing her lines for live TV on As the World Turns

Guiding Light

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Ruth Warrick on getting a job on Guiding Light
Ruth Warrick on Guiding Light creator Irna Phillips

Peyton Place

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Ruth Warrick on playing "Hannah Cord" on Peyton Place
Ruth Warrick on playing "Hannah Cord" on Peyton Place
Ruth Warrick on being nominated for an Emmy for Peyton Place

Robert Montgomery Presents

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Ruth Warrick on starring in an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents and her thoughts on the advent of videotape
Topics

Anthology Drama

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Ruth Warrick on acting in live television

Characters & Catchphrases

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Ruth Warrick on developing her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler," and learning that an audience can accept a villainous character that they "love to hate" 
Ruth Warrick on All My Children's  casting and staying true to her character "Phoebe Tyler"
Ruth Warrick on what she's learned from her All My Children  character "Phoebe Tyler"

Emmy Awards

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Ruth Warrick on being nominated for an Emmy for Peyton Place

Health and Medicine

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Ruth Warrick on All My Children's  groundbreaking AIDS storyline

Pop Culture

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Ruth Warrick on developing her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler," and learning that an audience can accept a villainous character that they "love to hate"
Ruth Warrick on All My Children's  casting and staying true to her character "Phoebe Tyler"
Ruth Warrick on what she's learned from her All My Children  character "Phoebe Tyler"

TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

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Ruth Warrick on acting in live television

Technological Innovation

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Ruth Warrick on participating in an early experimental television test
Ruth Warrick on starring in an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents  and her thoughts on the advent of videotape

War

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Ruth Warrick on World War II

World War II

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Ruth Warrick on World War II
Professions

Actress

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Ruth Warrick on acting in live television
Ruth Warrick on developing her All My Children character "Phoebe Tyler," and learning that an audience can accept a villainous character that they "love to hate" 

Performers

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Ruth Warrick on acting in live television
Genres

Daytime/Primetime Serials

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Ruth Warrick on acting on Guiding Light
Ruth Warrick on her stint on As the World Turns
Ruth Warrick on playing "Hannah Cord" on Peyton Place
Ruth Warrick on playing "Hannah Cord" on Peyton Place
Ruth Warrick on playing "Phoebe Tyler" on All My Children
Ruth Warrick on playing "Phoebe Tyler" on All My Children
Ruth Warrick on playing "Phoebe Tyler" on All My Children
Ruth Warrick on working with Agnes Nixon on All My Children
People

Fred Astaire

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Ruth Warrick on various people she's worked with in her career - Fred Astaire

Carol Burnett

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Ruth Warrick on Carol Burnett's appearance on All My Children

Ted Corday

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Ruth Warrick on various people she's worked with in her career - Ted Corday
Ruth Warrick on various people she's worked with in her career - Ted Corday

Jackie Gleason

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Ruth Warrick on various people she's worked with in her career - Jackie Gleason

Eileen Herlie

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Ruth Warrick on various people she's worked with in her career - Eileen Herlie

Susan Lucci

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Ruth Warrick on the power of television and Susan Lucci winning her Emmy

Agnes Nixon

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Ruth Warrick on working with Agnes Nixon on All My Children

Pat O'Brien

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Ruth Warrick on various people she's worked with in her career - Pat O'Brien

Ryan O'Neal

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Ruth Warrick on playing "Hannah Cord" opposite Ryan O'Neal on Peyton Place

Irna Phillips

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Ruth Warrick on Guiding Light creator Irna Phillips

Orson Welles

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Ruth Warrick on meeting Orson Welles and being cast in the feature film "Citizen Kane"
Ruth Warrick on acting in Orson Welles' feature film "Citizen Kane"
Ruth Warrick on acting in the feature film "Citizen Kane"
Ruth Warrick on the controversy surrounding the release of the film "Citizen Kane"

All Interviews

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