| It seems to me one drawback of fame is being imposed upon by the media who ask the same — often silly — questions over and over and over. As one whose job had me asking questions, I met several celebrities. Most, bless 'em, handled the questions with patience and grace, others turned the Q&A session into a game (often telling imaginative lies with a straight face), while a few simply said, "That's a stupid question!" and challenged me to smarten up in a hurry. Here, for better or worse, are recollections of some of the interviews: |
| Dana Andrews: He starred in my all-time favorite film. |
| John Astin and Marty Ingels: One was Dickens, the other Fenster. |
| Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello: One warm, one chilly. |
| Barbara Barrie: This interview led to my movie debut. |
| |
Bill Bixby: Not quite the next Jack Lemmon.
|
| In the beginning: A chimp named Bongo Bailey. |
| George Burns: I met him long before he was God. |
| Richard Chamberlain: My sister received a big surprise. |
| |
Dabney Coleman: His TV shows have a way of disappearing.
|
| Robert Conrad: He really enjoyed tooting his own horn. |
| Bill Cosby: Things got a bit hectic. |
| Bob Crane: Who knew he led a secret life? |
| |
Richard Crenna: He told it like it was.
|
Ken Curtis: His Festus fooled a lot of viewers.
|
| Bobby Darin: Humbled, but not discouraged. |
Richard Deacon: He played the cards he was dealt.
|
| |
| Bob Denver: First, I had to get to California. |
Richard Egan: It was like catching up with a friend.
|
Linda Evans: A tale of two women.
|
| Peter Fonda: His gamble paid off. |
|
Anthony Franciosa: Talented, but temperamental.
|
| Zsa Zsa Gabor: All the Kardashians rolled into one. |
Beverly Garland: She was a monster magnet.
|
| Jackie Gleason: His publicity stunt topped them all. |
| |
| Merv Griffin: It was all too easy to underrate him. |
| Patricia Harty: She couldn't miss, but somehow she did. |
Dave Ketchum: He grunted, we groaned.
|
Sue Ane Langdon: The forgotten Alice Kramden.
|
| |
Sheldon Leonard: "Failure" was not in his vocabulary.
|
| Jack Lord: Calling him a perfectionist is an understatement. |
| George Maharis and Martin Milner: "Route 66" was often bumpy. |
Joanna Moore: Oh, what might have been.
|
| |
| Mary Tyler Moore: Some called her the weakest link. |
| Ozzie and Harriet Nelson: Merrily they rolled along. |
Pat O'Brien: No wonder he seemed familiar.
|
Della Reese: An irresistible force.
|
| |
| Carl Reiner: He wrote it with himself in mind. |
Barbara Rush: Her looks typecast her in melodramas.
|
| Robert Ryan: He needed a ride to work. |
| Henry Silva: Not just another pretty face. |
| |
| The Three Stooges: Zany, but never dirty. |
| Barbra Streisand: A diva from day one. |
| The Supremes: Interview by accident |
| Dick Van Dyke: He wanted to be a pilot. |
| |
| Jerry Van Dyke: Sleepwalked his way to fame. |
Robert Vaughn: He's a better villain than hero.
|
| Ray Walston: There was no scene he couldn't steal. |
| Betty White: Hotter now than she was then. |
| Henry Winkler: He has aged, but The Fonz is forever young. |
| |
| Also: |
| Memorably good, memorably bad: Ten calls I won't forget. |
| Take five: These interviews had musical interludes. |
| Kept under wraps: Soap opera actors often remain anonymous. |
| Young and very lucky: How not to travel to California. |
| Three comedians: Jackie Mason, Don Adams and Bill Dana |
| Not Charlie's Angels: Meet the daughters from "Petticoat Junction." |
| |
