Diana Muldaur

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, Diana Muldaur discusses studying acting with coach Stella Adler and describes her early theater work and her early television appearances on Dr. Kildare, Gunsmoke, and Survivors. She recalls being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first on-screen kiss (on The Streets of San Francisco), shares tales of her two appearances on the original Star Trek, and details her work on Planet Earth, Born Free, and her appearance in the pilot of Charlie's Angels. Muldaur also outlines her film work and her work in TV movies To Kill a Cop and The Miracle Worker. She details becoming the first female president of the Television Academy, joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and speaks of her time playing "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law, a character who had one of TV's most infamous demises - falling down an elevator shaft. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 17, 2011 in Martha's Vineyard, MA.

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

"They didn't tell me. I just opened the script. What they wanted me to do was go down the elevator, which is like a 10 foot drop. And they said, 'You just have to fall.' I said, 'no, I don't. I know that I'm not coming back on this show.' [LAUGH] 'I'm not going to do that for you.' Once again, my stunt double came in and she had to do it like 10 times before the director ever got it right. Ten times! … I mean, I would have had a broken neck by the time I had finished."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Diana Muldaur on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft

06:00

Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation

06:07

Diana Muldaur on working on Born Free

06:21

Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on The Streets of San Francisco

01:07

Diana Muldaur on becoming the first female President of the Television Academy

10:21

Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character

01:59

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On her childhood and early influences; on attending Sweet Briar College; on studying with Stella Adler

On working in the theater; on Dr. Kildare; on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on ; on her work on Gunsmoke and The Survivors

On working on Star Trek; on working on Planet Earth, on working on McCloud and Born Free

On working with Tony Randall; on appearing in the pilot of Charlie's Angels; on her film work

Chapter 2

On her appearances in To Kill a Cop and The Miracle Worker; on becoming the first female President of the Television Academy; on appearing on A Year in the Life

On joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation; on what it means for an actor to work in a creative environment; on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Natural Selection"

On being hired to play "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law and on her vision of the character; on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character; on working with the actors on L.A. Law including Jill Eikenberry

On the production schedule of L.A. Law; on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft; on being nominated for two Emmy Awards for her work on L.A. Law

On her work with SAG; ; on advice to an aspiring actor; on highlights of her career and how she'd like to be remembered

Shows

Born Free

Diana Muldaur on working on Born Free

06:20

Charlie's Angels

Diana Muldaur on appearing in the pilot of Charlie's Angels

01:14

Dr. Kildare

Diana Muldaur on working on Dr. Kildare

00:40

Fitz and Bones

Diana Muldaur on working on Fitz and Bones

01:50

Golden Girls, The

Diana Muldaur on turning down a part on The Golden Girls

01:34

Gunsmoke

Diana Muldaur on working on Gunsmoke

02:07

Harold Robbins' The Survivors

Diana Muldaur on working on Harold Robbins' The Survivors

03:30

L.A. Law

Diana Muldaur on being hired to play "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law and on her vision of the character

05:31

Diana Muldaur on where she got the inspiration to play "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law

01:17

Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character

01:59

Diana Muldaur on working with the actors on L.A. Law including Jill Eikenberry

00:46

Diana Muldaur on the production schedule of L.A. Law

01:49

Diana Muldaur on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft

06:00

Diana Muldaur on working with the cast of L.A. Law, including Richard Dysart

02:26

Diana Muldaur on being nominated for two Emmy Awards for her work on L.A. Law

01:16

McCloud

Diana Muldaur on working on McCloud

02:13

Miracle Worker, The

Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke

03:13

Planet Earth

Diana Muldaur on working on Planet Earth

01:22

Star Trek

Diana Muldaur on working on Star Trek

05:15

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation

06:07

Diana Muldaur on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Natural Selection"

00:57

Streets of San Francisco, The

Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on The Streets of San Francisco

01:07

Tony Randall Show, The

Diana Muldaur on playing "Judge Eleanor Hooper" on The Tony Randall Show created by Gary David Goldberg

03:54

Year in the Life, A

Diana Muldaur on appearing on A Year in the Life

01:25

Topics

Advice

Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress

00:32

Characters & Catchphrases

Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character

01:59

Fame and Celebrity

Diana Muldaur on fame and celebrity

01:02

Memorable Moments on Television

Diana Muldaur on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft

06:00

Pop Culture

Diana Muldaur on fame and celebrity

01:02

Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character

01:59

Television Industry

Diana Muldaur on how the industry's changed since she started

01:26

Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress

00:32

Professions

Actress

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Diana Muldaur on what it means for an actor to work in a creative environment

02:14

Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress

00:32

Performers

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Diana Muldaur on what it means for an actor to work in a creative environment

02:14

Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress

00:32

Genres

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on The Streets of San Francisco

01:07

Diana Muldaur on working on McCloud

02:13

Diana Muldaur on appearing in the pilot of Charlie's Angels

01:14

Drama Series

Diana Muldaur on working on Harold Robbins' The Survivors

03:30

Diana Muldaur on working on Born Free

06:20

Diana Muldaur on appearing on A Year in the Life

01:25

Legal Dramas

Diana Muldaur on playing "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law

21:04

Medical Dramas

Diana Muldaur on working on Dr. Kildare

00:40

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

Diana Muldaur on working on Star Trek

05:15

Diana Muldaur on working on Planet Earth

01:22

Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation

09:18

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke

03:13

Western Series

Diana Muldaur on working on Gunsmoke

02:07

People

Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television

01:07

Brent Spiner

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Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation

01:38

DeForest Kelley

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Diana Muldaur on working on with DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek

00:17

Gary David Goldberg

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Diana Muldaur on playing "Judge Eleanor Hooper" on The Tony Randall Show created by Gary David Goldberg

03:54

Gene Roddenberry

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Diana Muldaur on working on Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek

04:15

Diana Muldaur on working on Gene Roddenberry's Planet Earth

01:20

Diana Muldaur on joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation

04:00

Lana Turner

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Diana Muldaur on working on The Survivors with Lana Turner

03:30

LeVar Burton

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Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation

01:38

Leonard Nimoy

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Diana Muldaur on working on with DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek

00:17

Melissa Gilbert

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Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke

03:13

Michael Dorn

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Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation

01:38

Patrick Stewart

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Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation

01:38

Patty Duke

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Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke

03:13

Richard Dysart

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Stella Adler

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Diana Muldaur on studying acting with Stella Adler

01:55

Tony Randall

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Diana Muldaur on playing "Judge Eleanor Hooper" on The Tony Randall Show created by Gary David Goldberg

03:54

William Shatner

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Diana Muldaur on working with William Shatner on Star Trek

00:43