"So much of what's changed for women that my generation has done, the fights that we've been bloodied over, has changed a lot. I see so many young women coming in as actresses that don't know what the struggle was, and don't know how much better it is. When I first produced films, I wouldn't put my name on it, because it changed how people saw the film... It's a real triumph that there are so many now who are behind the camera, who are writing, actresses who are taking their power and developing it. It didn't used to be that way."

    About This Interview

    In her two-hour interview, Sally Field discusses her early career in acting. She recalls starring in Gidget and The Flying Nun for producer Harry Ackerman. She describes her struggle to get out of sitcoms to play more serious roles, aided by Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio. She recounts her breakthrough in the classic made-for-television movie Sybil co-starring Joanne Woodward, for which she received her first Emmy award. Field details breaking into feature films with the cult classic Stay Hungry and her Oscar-winning role in the Martin Ritt directed Norma Rae. She also recounts her Emmy-winning guest star role on ER and other roles on television and in film, as well as her struggles with sexism and ageism in the industry. Darby Maloney conducted the interview in a joint venture with UCLA for the Living Television Collection on March 22, 2004 in Los Angeles, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Sally Field

    Sally Field on the premise of Gidget and the character of "Gidget", and on working with Don Porter who played her father

    08:38
    Thumbnail of Sally Field

    Sally Field on how she approached playing "Sybil" in Sybil, and on working with Joanne Woodward as "Dr. Cornelia Wilbur"

    04:26
    Thumbnail of Sally Field

    Sally Field on her Emmy-winning guest performance on ER

    03:48
    Thumbnail of Sally Field

    Sally Field on becoming a mother, and on working with Lee Strasberg

    02:17
    Thumbnail of Sally Field

    Sally Field on starring in the feature film "Norma Rae", directed by Martin Ritt for which she won an Academy Award

    08:37
    Thumbnail of Sally Field

    Sally Field on her dislike of tributes, and how she would like to be remembered

    01:25
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On her early life and influences; on her mother, actress Margaret Field; on her family influencing her to get into acting

    13:20

    On attending the Columbia Pictures Actors Workshop, which led to her being cast in Gidget by Eddie Foy III; on the premise of Gidget and on the character of "Gidget", and on working with Don Porter who played her father; on the end of Gidget

    17:13

    On appearing in "The Way West," Hollywood Squares, and The Dating Game; on her recurring role on Hey Landlord! written by Garry Marshall, and on film acting versus television acting

    07:51

    On her early career ambitions, and on playing "Sister Bertrille" on The Flying Nun for producer Harry Ackerman; on her The Flying Nun character "Sister Bertrille"; on the cancellation of The Flying Nun, and on studying acting under Lee Strasberg

    21:12

    Chapter 2

    On studying at The Actors Studio; on attempting to move on from sitcoms, and on starring in The Girl with Something Extra; on starring in Bob Rafelson's "Stay Hungry", and on her struggle to be considered a serious actress

    10:57

    On being cast in Sybil; on how she played "Sybil" in Sybil and on working with Joanne Woodward as "Dr. Cornelia Wilbur"; on how Sybil impacted her life, and on winning an Emmy Award for the role

    10:42

    On starring in several comedic feature films in the late 1970s; on starring in the feature film "Norma Rae", directed by Martin Ritt for which she won an Academy Award; on starting her own production company

    11:50

    On starring in the feature "Soapdish", and on starring in A Woman of Independent Means; on directing The Christmas Tree starring Julie Harris; on directing a segment of From the Earth to the Moon for producer Tom Hanks

    06:02

    On her Emmy-winning guest performance on ER, and on starring on the series The Court; on ageism against women in the industry, and how things were changing at that time

    12:14

    On then-current projects; on advice to an aspiring actress; on her dislike of tributes, and how she would like to be remembered

    03:04

    Bracken's World

    Sally Field on guest-starring on Bracken's World

    01:27

    Court, The

    Sally Field on starring in the short-lived series The Court and her disappointment in ABC's cancellation of the series

    03:17

    Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

    Sally Field on how playing "Sybil" in Sybil impacted her life, and on winning an Emmy for the role

    02:33

    ER

    Sally Field on her Emmy-winning guest performance on ER

    03:48

    Flying Nun, The

    Sally Field on her early career ambitions, and on playing "Sister Bertrille" on The Flying Nun for producer Harry Ackerman

    10:49

    Sally Field on her The Flying Nun character "Sister Bertrille"

    03:20

    Sally Field on the cancellation of The Flying Nun

    04:46

    From the Earth to the Moon

    Sally Field on directing a segment of From the Earth to the Moon for producer Tom Hanks

    01:12

    Gidget

    Sally Field on attending the Columbia Pictures Actors Workshop, which led to her being cast in Gidget by Eddie Foy III

    06:22

    Sally Field on the premise of Gidget, and on the character of "Gidget" and working with Don Porter who played her father

    08:38

    Sally Field on the end of Gidget

    02:13

    Girl With Something Extra, The

    Sally Field on attempting to move on from sitcoms, and on starring on The Girl With Something Extra

    03:30

    Hey Landlord!

    Sally Field on appearing on "The Way West", Hollywood Squares, and The Dating Game

    02:13

    Sally Field on her recurring role on Hey Landlord! written by Garry Marshall

    05:38

    Sybil

    Sally Field on being cast in Sybil

    03:43

    Sally Field on how she approached playing "Sybil" in Sybil, and on working with Joanne Woodward as "Dr. Cornelia Wilbur"

    04:26

    Sally Field on how playing "Sybil" in Sybil impacted her life, and on winning an Emmy Award for the role

    02:33

    Characters & Catchphrases

    Sally Field on the premise of Gidget and on the character of "Gidget"

    08:38

    Sally Field on her The Flying Nun character "Sister Bertrille"

    03:20

    Emmy Awards

    Sally Field on how playing "Sybil" in Sybil impacted her life, and on winning an Emmy for the role

    02:33

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Sally Field on starting her own production company

    01:40

    Sally Field on ageism against women in the industry, and how things were changing at the time

    05:09

    Pop Culture

    Sally Field on the premise of Gidget and on the character of "Gidget"

    08:38

    Sally Field on her The Flying Nun character "Sister Bertrille"

    03:20

    Representation on Television

    Sally Field on starting her own production company

    01:40

    Sally Field on ageism against women in the industry, and how things were changing at the time

    05:09

    Television Industry

    Sally Field on ageism against women in the industry, and how things were changing at the time

    05:09

    Women

    Sally Field on starting her own production company

    01:40

    Sally Field on ageism against women in the industry, and how things were changing in the then-present

    05:09

    Actress

    Sally Field on film acting versus television acting

    04:20

    Sally Field on becoming a mother, and on studying under Lee Strasberg

    02:17

    Sally Field on studying under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio

    02:55

    Sally Field on advice to an aspiring actress

    00:55

    Performers

    Sally Field on film acting versus television acting

    04:20

    Sally Field on becoming a mother, and on studying under Lee Strasberg

    02:17

    Sally Field on studying under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio

    02:55

    Sally Field on advice to an aspiring actress

    00:55

    Comedy Series

    Sally Field on starring on Gidget

    17:13

    Sally Field on her recurring role on Hey Landlord!

    05:38

    Sally Field on playing "Sister Bertrille" on The Flying Nun

    18:55

    Sally Field on starring on The Girl with Something Extra

    03:30

    Daytime/Primetime Serials

    Sally Field on starring in the feature "Soapdish", which was about the making of a soap opera

    01:24

    TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

    Sally Field on starring in and executive producing A Woman of Independent Means

    02:07

    Sally Field on directing The Christmas Tree starring Julie Harris

    01:19

    Sally Field on starring in Sybil

    10:42

    Harry Ackerman

    Sally Field on her early career ambitions, and on playing "Sister Bertrille" on The Flying Nun for producer Harry Ackerman

    10:49

    Eddie Foy III

    Sally Field on attending the Columbia Pictures Actors Workshop, which led to her being cast in Gidget by Eddie Foy III

    06:22

    Garry Marshall

    Sally Field on her recurring role on Hey Landlord! written by Garry Marshall

    05:38

    Don Porter

    Sally Field on working with Don Porter who played her father on Gidget

    06:31

    Lee Strasberg

    Sally Field on becoming a mother, and on studying under Lee Strasberg

    02:17

    Sally Field on studying under Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio

    04:22

    Joanne Woodward

    Sally Field on how she approached playing "Sybil" in Sybil, and on working with Joanne Woodward as "Dr. Cornelia Wilbur"

    04:26

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