Kim Zimmer

Actress
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

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.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"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." 

People Talking About ...
Kim Zimmer
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
02:27
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
04:49
Kim Zimmer on being hired for Guiding Light
06:13
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
04:56
Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
01:32
Kim Zimmer on advice to aspiring actor
01:08
Full Interview

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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

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Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
04:28
Kim Zimmer on playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors
03:59
Kim Zimmer on the plot of The Doctors and on having a baby while on the show
03:54
Kim Zimmer on leaving The Doctors
00:35

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
01:32

Guiding Light

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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
02:27
Kim Zimmer on being hired for Guiding Light
06:13
Kim Zimmer on her Guiding Light character, "Reva Shayne"
01:47
Kim Zimmer on the qualities she brings to "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light and on how audiences react to her
03:43
Kim Zimmer on the premise of Guiding Light
02:52
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" place in the universe of Guiding Light and on working with the writers on her character
03:27
Kim Zimmer on playing a clone story on Guiding Light
05:03
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
04:56
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" children on Guiding Light
02:31
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" signature red dresses on Guiding Light
01:42
Kim Zimmer on a typical workweek for her on Guiding Light
04:56
Kim Zimmer on a typical workday on Guiding Light and on leaving the series in 1990
05:53
Kim Zimmer on returning to Guiding Light after a five-year absence
05:44
Kim Zimmer on how long she saw herself staying with Guiding Light at the time
01:17
Kim Zimmer on her favorite Guiding Light storyline
01:07
Kim Zimmer on the infamous Guiding Light fountain scene
02:11

Models, Inc.

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Kim Zimmer on appearing on Models, Inc.
02:00

One Life to Live

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Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
04:49
Kim Zimmer on returning to One Life to Live for a stint as "Echo DiSavoy"
03:30
Kim Zimmer on the character she played on her second One Life to Live stint, "Echo DiSavoy"
02:34
Kim Zimmer on being fired from One Life to Live
03:17

Seinfeld

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Kim Zimmer on appearing on "The Diplomat's Club" episode of Seinfeld 
02:03

Young and the Restless, The

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Kim Zimmer on loving The Young and the Restless
00:32
Topics

Advice

View Topic
Kim Zimmer on advice to aspiring actor
01:08

Characters & Catchphrases

View Topic
Kim Zimmer on playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors
03:28
Kim Zimmer on the character she played on her second One Life to Live stint, "Echo DiSavoy"
02:35
Kim Zimmer on her Guiding Light character, "Reva Shayne"
01:47
Kim Zimmer on the qualities she brings to "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light and on how audiences react to her
03:43
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
08:30
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
04:56
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" children on Guiding Light and on her signature red dresses
04:14

Emmy Awards

View Topic
Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
01:32

Fame and Celebrity

View Topic
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)
04:49

Memorable Moments on Television

View Topic
Kim Zimmer on the infamous Guiding Light fountain scene
02:11

Pop Culture

View Topic
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)
04:49
Kim Zimmer on playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors
03:28
Kim Zimmer on the character she played on her second One Life to Live stint, "Echo DiSavoy"
02:35
Kim Zimmer on her Guiding Light character, "Reva Shayne"
01:47
Kim Zimmer on the qualities she brings to "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light and on how audiences react to her
03:43
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
08:30
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
04:56
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" children on Guiding Light and on her signature red dresses
04:14

Television Industry

View Topic
Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers
02:22
Kim Zimmer on a typical workweek for her on Guiding Light
04:56
Kim Zimmer on advice to aspiring actor
01:08
Professions

Actress

View Profession
Kim Zimmer on her early interest in acting (and participating in pageants)
02:20
Kim Zimmer on her approach to acting
01:46
Kim Zimmer on being comfortable on camera right away
01:17
Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers
02:22
Kim Zimmer on her struggle for "mutuality of contract" with producers
02:22
Kim Zimmer on advice to a daytime writer, from an actor's perspective
01:07

Performers

View Profession
Kim Zimmer on her early interest in acting (and participating in pageants)
02:20
Kim Zimmer on her approach to acting
01:46
Kim Zimmer on being comfortable on camera right away
01:17
Kim Zimmer on advice to a daytime writer, from an actor's perspective
01:07

Writers

View Profession
Kim Zimmer on advice to a daytime writer, from an actor's perspective
01:07
Genres

Awards Shows

View Genre
Kim Zimmer on her Daytime Emmy Award wins
01:32

Daytime/Primetime Serials

View Genre
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
04:49
Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
04:28
Kim Zimmer on starring on The Doctors
07:53
Kim Zimmer on returning to One Life to Live
09:22
Kim Zimmer on being hired for Guiding Light
08:00
Kim Zimmer on the particulars of playing "Reva Shayne" on Guiding Light
29:17
Kim Zimmer on a typical workday on Guiding Light and on leaving the series in 1990
05:53
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
07:01
Kim Zimmer on her favorite Guiding Light storyline and the infamous Guiding Light fountain scene
03:17
Kim Zimmer on whether or not daytime dramas will last
00:52
People

A.C. Weary

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Kim Zimmer on her real-life husband, A.C. Weary, joining the cast of The Doctors when she was pregnant with their daughter
02:39

Aaron Spelling

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Kim Zimmer on appearing on Models, Inc.
02:00

Alec Baldwin

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Kim Zimmer on working with Alec Baldwin on The Doctors
00:42

Betty Rea

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Kim Zimmer on casting director Betty Rea and head writer Pam Long auditioning her for Guiding Light
03:39

Jean Arley

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Kim Zimmer on being fired from One Life to Live
03:18

Jerry Seinfeld

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on appearing on "The Diplomat's Club" episode of Seinfeld (airdate: May 4, 1995)
01:55

Jimmy Durante

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on her grandfather's nickname for her -- based on a classic line from Jimmy Durante
01:17

Jordan Clarke

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on screen testing with Jordan Clarke and Robert Newman for Guiding Light
02:52

Kathleen Turner

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
04:28

Linda Gray

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on appearing on Models, Inc.
00:31

Pamela K. Long

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on casting director Betty Rea and head writer Pam Long auditioning her for Guiding Light
03:39
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
03:05
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" signature red dresses on Guiding Light
00:59

Patty Hearst

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on her first TV role on One Life to Live, where she played a character based on Patty Hearst
01:41

Paul Rauch

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on playing a clone story on Guiding Light and executive producer Paul Rauch telling her about the storyline
01:43

Robert Newman

View Person Page
Kim Zimmer on screen testing with Jordan Clarke and Robert Newman for Guiding Light
02:52
Kim Zimmer on "Reva Shayne's" relationship with "Josh Lewis" played by Robert Newman on Guiding Light
04:56

All Interviews

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