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Doris Singleton

Actress

"Learn as you go along, listen to and watch people.  Watch performers who are good performers. And don't rely on idiot cards and teleprompters and so forth. Have it in your head."

About This Interview

Doris Singleton was interviewed for nearly three hours in Los Angeles, CA. Singleton talked about her early career as a ballet dancer in New York. She described her work as a singer and actress in network radio, where she appeared on many of the medium's now-classic shows.  She spoke in great detail about her recurring role as "Caroline Appleby," one of Lucy's friends, on the classic television sitcom I Love Lucy.  She talked about the production of the series, Lucille Ball's working style, and the shows frequent famous guest stars, including Harpo Marx.  She also talked about several of her other memorable guest appearances on television through the years, including her appearance as "Magda" on Hogan's Heroes.  During the interview she spoke frequently about her late husband, comedy writer Charlie Isaacs, to whom she was married for 60 years. The interview was conducted by Jennifer Howard on April 21, 2005.

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  • Adventures of Superman, The
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents/ Hour
  • All in the Family
  • Angel (1960-61, CBS)
  • Bob Cummings Show, The aka Love That Bob (1955-1957, NBC)
  • Colgate Comedy Hour, The
  • Days of Our Lives
  • December Bride
  • Dick Van Dyke Show, The
  • Duffy's Tavern
  • Dynasty
  • F.B.I., The
  • Fugitive, The
  • Gunsmoke
  • Hazel
  • Here's Lucy
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  • My Three Sons
  • Our Miss Brooks
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  • The Alan Young Show
  • The Anne Southern Show
  • The Jack Benny Show
  • The People's Choice
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  • Twilight Zone, "A Kind of Stopwatch"

People

  • Lucille Ball
  • Bob Hope
  • Mary Tyler Moore

Topics

  • Characters & Catchphrases
  • Comedy
  • Fame & Celebrity
  • Hollywood Blacklist (ca. 1950s)
  • Technological Innovation

Professions

  • Performers

Featured Content

Video: Full Dick Van Dyke Show episode "Girls Will Be Boys" (airdate: March 3, 1965) guest starring Doris Singleton as Doris Darwell (Richie's teacher)

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  • Highlights
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  • Shows
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  • Topics
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Highlights

  • Doris Singleton on her character "Carolyn Appleby" on         <i>I Love Lucy</i>Doris Singleton on her character "Carolyn Appleby" on I Love Lucy
    Clip begins at: 00:02, Duration: 02m 01s
  • On her feel for comedyOn her feel for comedy
    Clip begins at: 02:40, Duration: 00m 19s
  • Doris Singleton on how Mary Tyler Moore stole her hairdresser for          <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show</i>Doris Singleton on how Mary Tyler Moore stole her hairdresser for The Dick Van Dyke Show
    Clip begins at: 05:33, Duration: 00m 54s
  • On advice for actorsOn advice for actors
    Clip begins at: 08:58, Duration: 00m 38s

Interview

  • Part 1
  • On her childhood and early influences
    Clip begins at: 0:22
  • On working in radio
    Clip begins at: 24:01
  • Part 2
  • On working in radio
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On her early experiences in television - including commercials
    Clip begins at: 14:28
  • Part 3
  • On working on I Love Lucy
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On working on The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy
    Clip begins at: 24:20
  • Part 4
  • On I Love Lucy fans, fandom, and the popularity of the show
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On television shows she worked on in the 1950s and 1960s
    Clip begins at: 05:52
  • Part 5
  • On working as a guest performer on 1960's television shows
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On working on a TV movie, The Boy Who Stole the Elephant
    Clip begins at: 22:42
  • On working on 1970's television, including All in the Family
    Clip begins at: 25:08
  • Part 6
  • On her role in soap operas
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • On her acting style
    Clip begins at: 07:13
  • On McCarthyism and the Hollywood Blacklist
    Clip begins at: 10:48
  • On her husband, the late television writer Charlie Isaacs
    Clip begins at: 14:34
  • On her career and her legacy
    Clip begins at: 20:39
  • On photo memorabilia
    Clip begins at: 21:54

Shows

  • Adventures of Superman, The
    • Doris Singleton on working on The Adventures of Superman
      Clip begins at: 06:01, Duration: 01m 56s
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents/ Hour
    • Doris Singleton on working on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
      Clip begins at: 17:14, Duration: 01m 32s
  • All in the Family
    • Doris Singleton on working on All in the Family
      Clip begins at: 25:07, Duration: 01m 54s
  • Angel (1960-61, CBS)
    • Doris Singleton on working on the Jess Oppenheimer show Angel
      Clip begins at: 21:18, Duration: 04m 38s
  • Bob Cummings Show, The aka Love That Bob (1955-1957, NBC)
    • Doris Singleton on working on The Bob Cummings Show
      Clip begins at: 08:42, Duration: 00m 50s
  • Colgate Comedy Hour, The
    • Doris Singleton on The Colgate Comedy Hour
      Clip begins at: 10:18, Duration: 01m 37s
  • Days of Our Lives
    • Doris Singleton on her role on the soap opera Days of Our Lives
      Clip begins at: 00:05, Duration: 03m 05s
  • December Bride
    • Doris Singleton on working on the radio program, December Bride
      Clip begins at: 10:21, Duration: 03m 17s
  • Dick Van Dyke Show, The
    • Doris Singleton on The Dick Van Dyke Show
      Clip begins at: 05:12, Duration: 01m 15s
    • Doris Singleton on coming into an established ensemble cast on The Dick Van Dyke Show
      Clip begins at: 11:55, Duration: 02m 05s
  • Duffy's Tavern
    • Doris Singleton on working on the radio and TV programs, Duffy's Tavern
      Clip begins at: 05:15, Duration: 03m 00s
  • Dynasty
    • Doris Singleton on her role on Dynasty
      Clip begins at: 03:10, Duration: 02m 35s
  • F.B.I., The
    • Doris Singleton on The F.B.I. with Charles Bronson
      Clip begins at: 15:56, Duration: 01m 27s
  • Fugitive, The
    • Doris Singleton on The Fugitive
      Clip begins at: 14:58, Duration: 00m 52s
  • Gunsmoke
    • Doris Singleton on working on Gunsmoke
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 01m 23s
  • Hazel
    • Doris Singleton on working on Hazel with Shirley Booth
      Clip begins at: 02:30, Duration: 01m 20s
  • Here's Lucy
    • Doris Singleton on working on Here's Lucy and The Lucy Show
      Clip begins at: 24:20, Duration: 02m 22s
  • Hogan's Heroes
    • Doris Singleton on Hogan's Heroes
      Clip begins at: 17:24, Duration: 02m 27s
  • I Love Lucy
    • Doris Singleton on her role in I Love Lucy, a television classic
      Clip begins at: 23:29, Duration: 05m 21s
    • Doris Singleton on her character "Carolyn Appleby" on I Love Lucy
      Clip begins at: 00:02, Duration: 02m 01s
    • Actress Doris Singleton on the process of filming an episode of I Love Lucy
      Clip begins at: 02:16, Duration: 02m 14s
  • Matinee Theater
    • Doris Singleton on working on 3 episodes of Matinee Theater
      Clip begins at: 13:54, Duration: 03m 20s
  • My Favorite Husband
    • Doris Singleton on working on Lucille Ball's radio show My Favorite Husband
      Clip begins at: 21:28, Duration: 01m 55s
  • My Three Sons
    • Doris Singleton on My Three Sons
      Clip begins at: 19:52, Duration: 02m 50s
  • Our Miss Brooks
    • Doris Singleton on working on Our Miss Brooks
      Clip begins at: 18:06, Duration: 02m 02s
  • Perry Mason
    • Doris Singleton on working on Perry Mason
      Clip begins at: 19:24, Duration: 01m 53s
  • Phyllis
    • Doris Singleton on working on Phyllis with Cloris Leachman
      Clip begins at: 27:01, Duration: 01m 12s
  • The Alan Young Show
    • Doris Singleton on working on the radio and television program, The Alan Young Show  
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 01m 17s
  • The Anne Southern Show
    • Doris Singleton on working on The Anne Southern Show
      Clip begins at: 25:57, Duration: 02m 42s
  • The Jack Benny Show
    • Doris Singleton on working on the radio program, The Jack Benny Show
      Clip begins at: 01:15, Duration: 00m 35s
  • The People's Choice
    • Doris Singleton on working on The People's Choice with Jackie Cooper
      Clip begins at: 09:33, Duration: 04m 21s
  • The Real McCoys
    • Doris Singleton on working on The Real McCoys
      Clip begins at: 01:23, Duration: 01m 07s
  • Twilight Zone, "A Kind of Stopwatch"
    • Doris Singleton on working on The Twilight Zone episode, "A Kind of Stopwatch"
      Clip begins at: 03:50, Duration: 01m 22s

People

  • Desi Arnaz
    • Doris Singleton on working with Desi Arnaz on I Love Lucy
      Clip begins at: 07:08, Duration: 01m 08s
  • Lucille Ball
    • Doris Singleton on working with Lucille Ball in The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy
      Clip begins at: 24:20, Duration: 02m 22s
    • Doris Singleton on the popularity of I Love Lucy and Lucille Ball and Lucille Ball
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 05m 44s
    • Doris Singleton on her working relationship with Lucille Ball when December Bride transitioned to television
      Clip begins at: 11:22, Duration: 02m 16s
    • Doris Singleton on working on Lucille Ball's radio show, My Favorite Husband and on I Love Lucy, its television successor
      Clip begins at: 21:28, Duration: 07m 22s
    • Doris Singleton on working with Lucille Ball on I Love Lucy
      Clip begins at: 02:11, Duration: 04m 57s
  • Shirley Booth
    • Doris Singleton on working on Hazel with Shirley Booth 
      Clip begins at: 02:30, Duration: 01m 20s
  • Jimmy Durante
    • Doris Singleton on Jimmy Durante
      Clip begins at: 09:00, Duration: 02m 55s
  • William Frawley
    • Doris Singleton on the working relationship between I Love Lucy's William Frawley and Vivian Vance 
      Clip begins at: 08:21, Duration: 02m 05s
  • Gale Gordon
    • Doris Singleton on working with actor Gale Gordon
      Clip begins at: 26:42, Duration: 00m 29s
  • Cary Grant
    • Doris Singleton on adoring Cary Grant 
      Clip begins at: 03:14, Duration: 02m 00s
  • Bob Hope
    • Doris Singleton on working with Bob Hope
      Clip begins at: 09:36, Duration: 00m 22s
  • Charlie Isaacs
    • Doris Singleton on her late husband, television writer Charlie Isaacs
      Clip begins at: 14:34, Duration: 06m 06s
  • Van Johnson
    • Doris Singleton on the I Love Lucy episode, "The Dancing Star," with Van Johnson 
      Clip begins at: 19:21, Duration: 02m 10s
  • Cloris Leachman
    • Doris Singleton on working on the show Phyllis with Cloris Leachman 
      Clip begins at: 27:01, Duration: 01m 12s
  • Betty Lynn
    • Doris Singleton on working with Betty Lynn in The Boy Who Stole the Elephant, a TV movie
      Clip begins at: 22:42, Duration: 02m 25s
  • Harpo Marx
    • Doris Singleton on the I Love Lucy episode with Harpo Marx 
      Clip begins at: 11:45, Duration: 01m 34s
  • Jess Oppenheimer
    • Doris Singleton on I Love Lucy's writer, Jess Oppenheimer
      Clip begins at: 10:27, Duration: 01m 13s
  • George Reeves
    • Doris Singleton on the I Love Lucy episode, "Lucy and Superman" with George Reeves
      Clip begins at: 21:31, Duration: 02m 31s
  • Dinah Shore
    • Doris Singleton on The Dinah Shore Show sponsor's spots
      Clip begins at: 06:27, Duration: 01m 45s
  • Everett Sloane
    • Doris Singleton on working with Everett Sloane on Alfred Hitchcock Presents
      Clip begins at: 17:14, Duration: 01m 32s
  • Mary Tyler Moore
    • Doris Singleton on how The Dick Van Dyke Show got its hairdresser 
      Clip begins at: 05:12, Duration: 01m 15s
  • Vivian Vance
    • Doris Singleton on the working relationship between I Love Lucy's William Frawley and Vivian Vance
      Clip begins at: 08:21, Duration: 02m 05s

Topics

  • Pop Culture > Characters & Catchphrases
    • Doris Singleton on her character "Carolyn Appleby" on I Love Lucy
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 02m 03s
  • Pop Culture > Classic TV series episodes > Comedy
    • Doris Singleton on the Harpo Marx episode of I Love Lucy
      Clip begins at: 11:45, Duration: 01m 34s
    • Doris Singleton on the I Love Lucy, "Baby pictures" episode
      Clip begins at: 13:19, Duration: 03m 46s
    • Doris Singleton on the I Love Lucy "Lucy Tells the Truth" episode
      Clip begins at: 17:05, Duration: 02m 16s
    • Doris Singleton on the I Love Lucy episode, "The Dancing Star," with Van Johnson 
      Clip begins at: 19:21, Duration: 02m 10s
    • Doris Singleton on the I Love Lucy episode, "Lucy and Superman"
      Clip begins at: 21:31, Duration: 02m 31s
    • Doris Singleton on the "Edith Has Jury Duty" episode of All in the Family
      Clip begins at: 25:07, Duration: 01m 54s
  • Technological Innovation
    • Doris Singleton on the differences between working in radio and television
      Clip begins at: 18:06, Duration: 02m 02s
    • Doris Singleton on the invention of the three camera technique
      Clip begins at: 23:32, Duration: 03m 55s
  • Television Industry > Fame & Celebrity
    • Doris Singleton on the popularity of I Love Lucy and Lucille Ball
      Clip begins at: 00:00, Duration: 05m 44s
  • Television Industry > Industry Crossroads > Hollywood Blacklist (ca. 1950s)
    • Doris Singleton on the Hollywood Blacklist and Red Channels
      Clip begins at: 10:48, Duration: 02m 01s

Professions

  • Performers > Actress
    • Doris Singleton on acting for television, stage, radio
      Clip begins at: 07:13, Duration: 03m 34s
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Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2012-07-02 13:49.

Did Doris Singleton ever have any type of nose surgery? Her looks seem to have changed a bit. Anyone agree?

Submitted by Bruce Winston on Sat, 2012-06-30 23:47.

I hope if I am lucky enough to reach the age of 92 that I look have as good as
Doris Singleton did. She doesn't appear to have had any noticeable cosmetic surgery. She was one of my favorite TV character actresses and will be remembered as long as the episodes in which she appeared are available for showing on the Internet. Rest in peace, dear Carolyn Appleby.

Submitted by steve on Sat, 2012-06-30 06:33.

i LOVE HER. after watching the entire interview i just love her !!! so sweet and has forgotten half her carrer !! sweet xoxoxox

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2012-06-28 21:18.

It's always sad when one of our early and talented TV actors passes. It is my wish that I and, others who appreciate the TV shows of years gone by, have an opportunity to see such great classics aired again for us all to enjoy.

Submitted by "I Love Lucy" Fan on Thu, 2012-06-28 20:33.

What a beautiful woman, to be blessed with so many memories, and history, and a 60 year marriage, which was difficult to hold on to in show business. RIP I love Caroline Appleby.

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2012-06-28 13:56.

I loved her on Lucy almost as much as I loved Lucy. Whe Lucy and Ethel take her glasses, it's hysterical!

Submitted by Lucy Lover on Thu, 2012-06-28 04:21.

RIP Doris. I remember her in so many great shows. she seems like such a nice person in this interview.

Submitted by kduideo on Sun, 2011-05-08 00:31.

Does she still act??

Submitted by xxlboxers on Wed, 2011-03-23 22:40.

I've always loved Doris - God bless her!

Submitted by cristhianaviles on Tue, 2010-12-28 05:49.

En qué año fue hecha esta entrevista?

Submitted by spazzcat03 on Mon, 2010-11-15 01:51.

Doris you were great with Annie Farge on The Angel show from 1960 , I'm a big fan of that show I could watch it all the time !

Submitted by spazzcat03 on Mon, 2010-11-15 01:26.

Loved her on Angel with Annie Farge and the rest of the cast . Where are they today ?

Submitted by spazzcat03 on Wed, 2010-10-13 22:40.

I wish Doris Would have talked more about being on The Angel Show . i love that show it's so funny , Doris and Annie Farge were great together along with the rest of the cast.

Submitted by mallyrose87 on Thu, 2010-10-07 08:40.

Caroline Appleby really aged beautifully.

Submitted by cutandpaste1 on Sun, 2010-09-05 18:50.

sexy is always sexy

Submitted by ShockDoc on Tue, 2010-08-24 15:30.

I always thought she was one of the sexiest women on TV.

Submitted by PAMAROSHOUSE on Sun, 2010-08-15 01:59.

i was hot for her on lucy

Submitted by Duke535 on Mon, 2010-08-09 23:27.

@ChandlerandMonica83

Ain't it the truth? I wish older folks would publish, somewhere, their lifelong health habits, if any. In other words, what does this lady eat?! George Burns claimed to take a few walking laps around his pool every day, along with his Martinis and cigars!

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