Patricia Heaton

Actress

"It was scary the way the 'Everybody Loves Raymond' writers would write exactly what I was going through in my own life. It would freak me out that I would be dealing with the kids' school stuff, or with an aspect of my relationship with my husband, and I'd get the script and it would be right there on the page! I think it's what made the show so successful -- the experience of the characters is really universal."

About This Interview

Patricia Heaton was interviewed for nearly two hours in Burbank, CA. Heaton talks of growing up a "daydreamer" in Cleveland and enjoying the attention she got as the daughter of Chuck Heaton, a well-known local sportswriter. She describes her early years as a struggling actress in New York City and Los Angeles, picking up small roles in commercials and television series. She discusses her recurring role in the hit dramedy series thirtysomething and her co-starring roles in the short-lived series Room for Two (opposite Linda Lavin, who mentored her) and Women of the House. Heaton then details the role and series for which she is best known, "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond. She chronicles her work on the series from her audition, to shooting the series finale (which was delayed when she contracted laryngitis). She describes the series' shooting schedule, working with series' directors Gary Halvorson and Will MacKenzie, and how her real-life pregnancies were covered up on the show. She also notes some of the moments of the show that garnered the biggest laughs, including: Debra's desperate attempts to get a turkey in the oven, Raymond trying lift Debra onto the refrigerator in a moment of glee and slamming her into it, and Debra dropping ice cream on Raymond's lap (eliciting a "minute and a half laugh"). Lastly, she touches on her appearances as spokesperson for Albertsons grocery stores and on some of her post-Raymond television movies. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 23, 2006.

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Performers > Actress

Submitted by Tony Trujilo on Mon, 2012-07-02 17:08.

This is the best interview I've seen with her. Thank you!

Submitted by Doug on Fri, 2012-03-23 13:47.

She's right about "Room For Two": Great show, underrated by its network, cancelled too soon. Had it run longer, she and Linda Lavin would have gotten Emmy nominations.

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2012-03-08 08:37.

I Love Patricia.
The Middle is just watchable for me because of her.
She is wasting her youthful good looks on the middle being frumpy.
Get back to being so good looking.
Please.
I can watch you easier than worring about losing your recordable youth.
Any age is good but your Hotter than you portray. So be frumpy later. Your Pal Vic

Submitted by Serenity on Wed, 2012-03-07 05:21.

I have loved Ms. Heaton's great talent on "Everybody Loves Raymond" & "The Middle". I don't think I will able to enjoy either of those shows (ELR is syndicated in my
area & has reruns daily) very much now that I've heard Ms. Heaton's rants against Ms. Fluke. She is old
enough to know better- I'm only 6 yrs. older than her and was treated in
college with birth control pills in early
1970 for health problems. I was a virgin & stayed that way even though I was on the pill. I'm now the
proud mother of a 32 yr.old son. Her
comments re: Ms.Fluke were ignorant & hurtful.

Submitted by l kennedy on Tue, 2012-03-06 13:24.

Just so I'm not anonymous, I left the comment about Heaton's Twitter attack on Fluke.

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2012-03-06 13:23.

She supports Limbaughs hateful comments directed towards a young woman when he called that woman a slut and then Heaton went on twitter doing the same, she is a shameful excuse for a human being.

Submitted by Krystal on Mon, 2012-01-09 22:06.

She's so talented!! I just love and admire her so much!! Thanks

Submitted by Ken Griswald on Mon, 2012-01-09 21:10.

What a terrific interview. I love her even more than I thought!

Capturing Television History, One Voice At A Time