Actress

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

"I’d ask one question [of an aspiring actor]: do you want to be an actor or do you want to be a celebrity? I can tell you that 95% want to be celebrities. Acting is hard work, acting is a craft. It’s more than just showing up and being a cute kid or having a great body. It is a wonderful profession and it’s a wonderful craft." - Doris Roberts, Actress

Interviewees discuss the craft of acting and the role of an actress.

Highlights

Doris Roberts on advice to aspiring actors

03:11

Isabel Sanford on her process as an actress

03:32

Yeardley Smith on her stage fright and how she's overcome it by being "over prepared"

01:27

Sonia Manzano on the power of being onstage

00:26

Geri Jewell on advice for aspiring actors

02:45

Lee Grant on working with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse

06:10

Who talked about this profession

Edie Adams

Edie Adams on advice to aspiring performers

01:46

Lucie Arnaz

Lucie Arnaz on the craft of acting in different media and advice to aspiring actors

05:52

Beatrice Arthur

Beatrice Arthur on finding her comedic voice

03:07

Beatrice Arthur on acting in a sitcom (The Golden Girls )

01:34

Beatrice Arthur on her advice to aspiring actors

02:16

Bonnie Bartlett

Bonnie Bartlett on what she likes about acting, and on doing comedy

02:01

Bonnie Bartlett on her process of acting once she gets a script, and on acting in different media

01:37

Lucille Bliss

Lucille Bliss on wanting to be an actress when she was little

01:07

Lucille Bliss on discovering she had a talent for doing voices when she acted in radio serials

00:26

Connie Britton

Connie Britton on studying acting with Sanford Meisner

02:37

Connie Britton on learning television comedy for Spin City

02:41

Connie Britton on the process of shooting and acting on Friday Night Lights

04:45

Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett on the first scene she ever performed and how she caught the acting bug

01:25

Janis Paige with Emerson College

Janis Paige on navigating her acting career through the years

03:11

Betty White with Emerson College

Betty White on her "bag of tricks" as an actress

03:47

Betty White on dealing with agents and managers

02:08

Betty White on her career longevity

01:44

Betty White on words of wisdom for aspiring television performers

04:09

Jeanne Cooper

Jeanne Cooper on type casting

01:56

Jeanne Cooper on managing a busy work schedule

02:02

Jeanne Cooper on the development and evolution of her character "Katherine Chancellor" on The Young and the Restless

16:00

Jane Curtin

Jane Curtin on advice to aspiring actors

01:30

Jane Curtin on what she enjoys about acting

01:18

Ann B. Davis

Ann B. Davis on her sense of gratitude toward writers

01:56

Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee on one of her first film roles - an Army movie to combat venereal disease

00:27

Elinor Donahue

Elinor Donahue on her very early start in show business

02:40

Patty Duke

Patty Duke on how her acting process has evolved over the years

00:58

Patty Duke on advice to an aspiring actor

01:37

Barbara Eden

Barbara Eden on one of her first TV jobs on Gunsmoke

02:54

Barbara Eden on the craft of acting

04:28

Stephanie Edwards

Stephanie Edwards on wanting to be an actress, but having trouble with competition

00:35

Nanette Fabray

Nanette Fabray on her acting style

02:30

Nanette Fabray on good advice she's gotten regarding her acting in her career

01:53

Nanette Fabray on working with a difficult director

02:29

Nanette Fabray on advice to aspiring actors

02:30

Edie Falco

Edie Falco on not consciously doing research for roles

00:57

Edie Falco on what she likes in a director, as an actor

01:13

Edie Falco on what she likes in a director, as an actor

01:13

Edie Falco on why she prefers shooting single-camera television shows without an audience

00:57

Edie Falco on what she likes about acting

01:55

Edie Falco on advice to aspiring actors

00:46

Barbara Feldon

Barbara Feldon on her early interest in acting

03:53

Genie Francis

Genie Francis on being an adolescent TV performer

01:19

Eileen Fulton

Eileen Fulton on her acting style, and on advice to aspiring actors

02:21

Betty Garrett

Betty Garrett on advice to aspiring performers

01:21

Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor on joining the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Company and her first show

00:33

Melissa Gilbert

Melissa Gilbert on how she got involved in acting

01:27

Sharon Gless

Sharon Gless on what caused her to lose her fear of pursuing acting

00:42

Sharon Gless on why being on a hit TV show is her favorite acting experience

00:36

Lee Grant

Lee Grant on working with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse

06:10

Lee Grant on advice to aspiring actors

01:06

Valerie Harper

Valerie Harper on joining Second City and her acting philosophy

03:37

Valerie Harper on her acting style

03:02

Patricia Heaton

Patricia Heaton on wanting to be a performer

03:25

Patricia Heaton on acting tips from William Esper

01:27

Patricia Heaton on what made her character on Everybody Loves Raymond a comedic force; the power of silence

01:06

Patricia Heaton on the benefits of performing in front of a live audience

02:20

Patricia Heaton on her advice to aspiring actresses

02:19

Katherine Helmond

Katherine Helmond on what Soap did for her career as an actor

Katherine Helmond on advice to aspiring actors: "take every job" that comes along

Florence Henderson

Florence Henderson on deciding to become an actress

01:21

Florence Henderson on advice to young actors

01:02

Florence Henderson on making scenes believable

02:32

Marilu Henner

Marilu Henner on advice to an aspiring actor

02:53

Monica Horan

Monica Horan on how she always knew she wanted to be an actress

01:24

Monica Horan on memorable work experiences in television

01:08

Monica Horan on the impact and influence that working with different creative people has had upon her life and career

02:05

Monica Horan on advice she would give to someone starting out in acting

01:19

Felicity Huffman

Felicity Huffman on what she likes about acting and the importance of storytelling

01:27

Felicity Huffman on advice for aspiring actors

00:55

Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on Macy studying acting with David Mamet at Goddard College and how that led to Macy teaching acting in New York, where Huffman studied with him

03:40

Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on how they help each other prepare for roles and the challenges of preparation as an actor

06:18

Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy on watching each other's work and their own, and how much they prepare for roles

02:33

Kim Hunter

Kim Hunter on advice to aspiring actors

02:31

Allison Janney

Allison Janney on becoming interested in acting and doing a play directed by Paul Newman

05:32

Allison Janney on memorization's place in acting

00:49

Allison Janney on worries about being typecast

01:03

Allison Janney on her acting style

01:49

Allison Janney on the most important advice she ever received about acting

00:38

Allison Janney on advice to aspiring actors

00:44

Geri Jewell

Geri Jewell on filming the Deadwood episode "Jewel's Boot Is Made for Walking" and how show creator/director David Milch coaxed a reaction from her

03:55

Geri Jewell on what she loves about performing and her hopes for her career as she ages

03:12

Geri Jewell on advice for aspiring actors

02:45

Shirley Jones

Shirley Jones on advice to an aspiring actress, and on how she'd like to be remembered

01:29

Kathryn Joosten

Kathryn Joosten on her first paid job in television - on Family Matters

01:07

Kathryn Joosten on what she loves about acting, her approach to acting, and advice to aspiring actors

04:13

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt on performing on live television

06:46

Lisa Kudrow

Lisa Kudrow on realizing there was no "mystical truth" to becoming a working actor after seeing her brother's friend, Jon Lovitz, land a gig on Saturday Night Live

01:39

Lisa Kudrow on what she learned about acting from her work at The Groundlings Improv group and how invaluable the character monologues were

Lisa Kudrow on her first-ever performance in front of an audience

03:21

Lisa Kudrow on some realities of working in television and the expectations and challenges of coming in as guest-star on a long-running sitcom

04:18

Lisa Kudrow on the challenges of performing the same character for so many years, as on Friends with "Phoebe"

02:08

Lisa Kudrow on advice to aspiring actors "as long as it's not porn, do it"

01:09

Sheila Kuehl

Sheila Kuehl on advice to aspiring actors and politicians

01:21

Angela Lansbury

Angela Lansbury on wanting to be an actress

01:01

Louise Lasser

Louise Lasser on being typecast after Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and on her relationship with the character

03:07

Louise Lasser on advice to an aspiring actor

01:57

Piper Laurie

Piper Laurie on the craft of acting for television

03:55

Lucy Lawless

Lucy Lawless on what she likes about acting and her approach to acting

02:23

Lucy Lawless on her advice to an aspiring actor

00:57

Vicki Lawrence

Vicki Lawrence on advice to aspiring performers

Michael Learned

Michael Learned on what she likes about acting

01:15

Michael Learned on advice to aspiring actors

01:21

Judith Light

Judith Light on figuring out her acting career

06:05

Judith Light on advice to an aspiring actor

08:30

Judith Light on balancing her career as an actress and marriage

06:21

Judith Light on what she loves about acting

24:25

Loretta Long

Loretta Long on advice to aspiring actors, and how she'd like to be remembered

01:42

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on her early interest in acting

02:39

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the challenge of portraying a version of herself on Curb Your Enthusiasm

01:40

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on developing her character "Selina Meyer" on Veep; on speaking with actual Vice-Presidents and the research that went into creating the character

05:47

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on developing her character "Selina Meyer" on Veep; on speaking with actual Vice-Presidents and the research that went into creating the character

05:47

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on one of her favorite improv moments on Veep

04:27

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on advice to aspiring actors

00:35

Susan Lucci

Susan Lucci on receiving and learning her All My Children scripts and the rehearsal process

02:26

Susan Lucci on good advice she's received as an actor

01:00

Susan Lucci on her advice to aspiring actors

00:45

Nancy Malone

Nancy Malone on what she learned from studying acting with Stella Adler

02:37

Sonia Manzano

Sonia Manzano on being cast on Sesame Street

04:15

Sonia Manzano on the power of being onstage

00:26

Penny Marshall

Penny Marshall on her advice to aspiring actors and directors

03:40

Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall on performing the physical comedy of Laverne & Shirley

13:36

Jayne Meadows

Jayne Meadows on her early stage experience and deciding to become an actress

03:36

Jayne Meadows on playing different historical characters on the series Meeting of Minds

09:07

Jayne Meadows on advice she'd give to aspiring actors

02:17

Anne Meara

Anne Meara on her path to becoming an actress

01:12

Anne Meara on her acting style

02:22

S. Epatha Merkerson

S. Epatha Merkerson on advice to an aspiring actor

02:19

Mary Tyler Moore

Mary Tyler Moore on initially being a "dramatic" actress on a comedy on The Dick Van Dyke Show

01:21

Laraine Newman

Laraine Newman on creating characters for Saturday Night Live

03:16

Laraine Newman on creating characters for animated shows

04:38

Laraine Newman on advice to aspiring actors

01:16

Charlotte Rae

Charlotte Rae on what she likes about acting

01:25

Charlotte Rae on advice to aspiring actors, and how she'd like to be remembered

03:01

Joyce Randolph

Joyce Randolph on joining the Catholic Theater Group tour and eventually getting to New York

02:38

Phylicia Rashad

Phylicia Rashad on a reading she did at a local music festival that inspired her to become an actress

03:09

Phylicia Rashad on her approach to acting

00:56

Phylicia Rashad on the instruction Bill Cosby gave the cast at the beginning of The Cosby Show

00:17

Frances Reid

Frances Reid on her acting style, and her career

01:15

Maria Riva

Maria Riva on establishing herself as a TV star in the 1950s, and how little TV demanded of acting "talent" in the early days of the medium

01:28

Actress Maria Riva on the difference to the public between a movie star and a television actor as she noted when approached by a fan while accompanying her mother Marlene Dietrich in the 1950s

01:33

Doris Roberts

Doris Roberts on the difference between acting on stage and acting on television

00:32

Isabel Sanford

Isabel Sanford on her process as an actress

03:32

Hazel Shermet

Hazel Shermet on the audition process for television commercials

03:12

Hazel Shermet on her experience acting in commercials

02:30

Doris Singleton

Doris Singleton on acting for television, stage, radio

03:34

Erika Slezak

Erika Slezak on wanting to become an actress and her father insisting that she be properly trained in acting

04:26

Erika Slezak on her advice to aspiring daytime drama actors

01:15

Yeardley Smith

Yeardley Smith on her stage fright and how she's overcome it by being "over prepared"

01:27

Yeardley Smith on her early determination to find success as an actress, and feeling that she had a "gift"

03:36

Yeardley Smith on playing to your strengths as an actor and finding her way into a role

01:51

Yeardley Smith on the differences between television/film and theater, and appearing as a guest star on a TV show

06:08

Yeardley Smith on performing "Lisa Simpson"

01:11

Yeardley Smith on being on The Simpsons and wanting to get more on-camera roles

05:52

Jaclyn Smith

Jaclyn Smith on her advice to an aspiring actor

00:43

Suzanne Somers

Suzanne Somers on her inexperience at the start of Three's Company

01:25

Jean Stapleton

Jean Stapleton on the professional reasons for not giving her age

00:44

Jean Stapleton on consciously trying to avoid being typecast by "Edith Bunker"

01:32

Johnny Stearns

Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns on the challenges of acting in live television

00:40

Mary Kay Stearns

Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns on the challenges of acting in live television

00:40

Mary Kay Stearns on how she conquers stage fright

01:46

Mary Kay Stearns on how she approaches a role

02:02

Gale Storm

Gale Storm on her experiences working on the radio show, Gateway To Hollywood

11:10

Gale Storm on how Lindsey Parsons affected her career

08:29

Gale Storm on advice she received from Jackie Cooper about acting

03:05

Gale Storm on her My Little Margie character "Margie Albright"

01:48

Gale Storm on hosting the NBC Comedy Hour nine times

05:22

Maxine Stuart

Maxine Stuart on performing under bandages, her face entirely obscured, for the classic Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder"

01:33

Loretta Swit

Loretta Swit on preparing for her role on M.A.S.H as a nurse

Marlo Thomas

Marlo Thomas on her advice to aspiring actors and producers

01:08

Leslie Uggams

Leslie Uggams on studying acting as a child and later on with Stella Adler

02:03

Leslie Uggams on performing on stage versus performing on television

01:28

Leslie Uggams on advice to an aspiring actress

01:15

Helen Wagner

Helen Wagner on her advice to aspiring actresses

01:14

Ruth Warrick

Ruth Warrick on acting in live television

10:15

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"

03:56

Dawn Wells

Dawn Wells on wanting to be an actress

02:35

Dawn Wells on teaching acting; on the Spud Fest Family Film Festival

02:59

Cindy Williams

Cindy Williams on working with Penny Marhsall on the physical comedy of Laverne & Shirley

04:37

Cindy Williams on what she enjoys about acting

02:17

Cindy Williams on advice to aspiring actors

01:12

Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall on performing the physical comedy of Laverne & Shirley

13:36

Jane Wyatt

Jane Wyatt on the differences between acting for film, television, and the stage

01:11

Jane Wyatt on her acting technique

13:12

Jane Wyatt on advice to aspiring actors

01:04

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