Diana Muldaur

Actress


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

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Diana Muldaur on working on Born Free
06:20

Charlie's Angels

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Diana Muldaur on appearing in the pilot of Charlie's Angels
01:14

Dr. Kildare

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Diana Muldaur on working on Dr. Kildare
00:40

Fitz and Bones

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Diana Muldaur on working on Fitz and Bones
01:50

Golden Girls, The

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Diana Muldaur on turning down a part on The Golden Girls
01:34

Gunsmoke

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Diana Muldaur on working on Gunsmoke
02:07

Harold Robbins' The Survivors

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Diana Muldaur on working on Harold Robbins' The Survivors
03:30

L.A. Law

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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

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Diana Muldaur on working on McCloud
02:13

Miracle Worker, The

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Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke
03:13

Planet Earth

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Diana Muldaur on working on Planet Earth
01:22

Star Trek

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Diana Muldaur on working on Star Trek
05:15

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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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

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Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television on The Streets of San Francisco
01:07

Tony Randall Show, The

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Diana Muldaur on playing "Judge Eleanor Hooper" on The Tony Randall Show created by Gary David Goldberg
03:54

Year in the Life, A

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Diana Muldaur on appearing on A Year in the Life
01:25
Topics

Advice

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Diana Muldaur on advice to an aspiring actress
00:32

Characters & Catchphrases

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Diana Muldaur on her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays," and on the reaction to the character
01:59

Fame and Celebrity

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Diana Muldaur on fame and celebrity
01:02

Memorable Moments on Television

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Diana Muldaur on the death of her L.A. Law character "Rosalind Shays" from falling down an elevator shaft
06:00

Pop Culture

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Diana Muldaur on playing "Rosalind Shays" on L.A. Law
21:04

Medical Dramas

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Diana Muldaur on working on Dr. Kildare
00:40

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

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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

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Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke
03:13

Western Series

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Diana Muldaur on working on Gunsmoke
02:07
People

Stella Adler

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Diana Muldaur on studying acting with Stella Adler
01:55

LeVar Burton

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Diana Muldaur on her co-stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation
01:38

Michael Dorn

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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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Melissa Gilbert

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Diana Muldaur on appearing in The Miracle Worker starring Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke
03:13

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

DeForest Kelley

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Diana Muldaur on working on with DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek
00:17

Leonard Nimoy

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Diana Muldaur on working on with DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek
00:17

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

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

Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Diana Muldaur on being Arnold Schwarzenegger's first kiss on television
01:07

William Shatner

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Diana Muldaur on working with William Shatner on Star Trek
00:43

Brent Spiner

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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

Lana Turner

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Diana Muldaur on working on The Survivors with Lana Turner
03:30

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