1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: Thing from iHeart Radio. So many actors who went on 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: to have amazing careers in primetime television and film started 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: in soap operas. Meg Ryan, Tom Selleck, Julianne Moore, to 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: name just a few. And then there are those who 6 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: stayed in daytime television to become huge stars in that genre. 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: My guest today is, without a doubt, the biggest star 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 1: in the history of daytime TV. Susan Lucci, the actress, 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: played the iconic villain Erica Kaine on ABC's All My 10 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: Children for four decades, from the show's inception in nineteen 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: seventy until it wrapped in twenty eleven. Following nineteen nominations. 12 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: She finally took home the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding 13 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: Lead Actress in nineteen ninety nine and sat the Emmy's 14 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: Lifetime Achievement Award this past December. But Lovable bad Girl 15 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: is not the only role in Lucci's wheelhouse. She has 16 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: acted in numerous roles in film and TV, from Devious 17 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: Maids to Hot in Cleveland, and starred on Broadway in 18 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: Annie Get Your Gun. Susan Lucci has yet another achievement 19 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: to boast of a long and healthy partnership with husband 20 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: Helmet Huber. Hubert passed away in twenty twenty two after 21 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: fifty two years of marriage. I wanted to know what 22 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: was the secret of their successful union. 23 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 2: Incredibly good luck for on my part to meet him, 24 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 2: because I was young and I didn't I don't think 25 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 2: I really knew exactly how fabulous he was and just 26 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 2: got really lucky. Fortunately he had a very good sense 27 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: of humor and he was very confident. This was really 28 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: helpful in this business we're talking about. You know, he 29 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: took a lot of ribbing all those guys I was 30 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: kissing on all my children. But you know, he got it. 31 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 2: You know he knew I came home to him and 32 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 2: I wanted to. 33 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, I remember when I was younger. I mean, 34 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: now I don't really do any of that, but when 35 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: I was younger, and I had a girlfriend at one 36 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: time who really was very very agitated by that. I 37 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: was just starting to make films or just was starting 38 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: to go from TV to films, and I had to 39 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: kiss somebody who was very well known and this movie 40 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: was going to be all over the TV. And everything. 41 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 1: Me kissing this person was going to be featured. Who knew, 42 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: who knows? And she really just couldn't take it. She 43 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: was really very angry all the time. 44 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 2: It's not for everybody. Yeah, I used to say, if 45 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 2: that she were on the other foot, I would have 46 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 2: been throwing my stilettos. I mean I would not have 47 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 2: taken it as well. 48 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: When I was young, well, when I had it the 49 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: other way, when a woman in my life was in 50 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: the business and she was kissing other people, I just 51 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: would look at her and say, if you left me 52 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: for him, you got to be an idiots. 53 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 2: I would sound like helmet, like a good luck. 54 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: I mean, please go right ahead. Don't teach me everything 55 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: about you. I need to know, you know, but you. 56 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: I don't want to talk just about the TV show 57 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: at length. I want to talk about the other things 58 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: you did and the other things you wanted to do. 59 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: I mean, your commitment to that show is singular. You 60 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: are right to the end. You surf that wave right 61 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: to the shore. But other than that, what were there 62 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 1: other things you wanted you did do, other things, you 63 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: made films, you stepped in for Bernadett and Nanny gets. 64 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: Your want to go in for Bernadette. I was so 65 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: through all. I love the whole original company. 66 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love, But how did that happen? Like you 67 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: go to this the TV show and you say I 68 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: want out, or you went did the TV show and 69 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: went to night work at night. 70 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 2: I did both. I did both. I had a short 71 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: time off but all the rehearsals. I just was able 72 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 2: to have time off just before the opening, but I 73 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 2: wound up getting pneumonia. Because I would work at all 74 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 2: my children. They accommodated my schedule so that we started 75 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 2: a little earlier in the morning, did all my stuff first, 76 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 2: and then I would on my lunch hour, get in 77 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 2: a car, go to the theater, grab a chicken soup 78 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: on the way, and go and rehearse, go to voice 79 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 2: lessons five nights a week because I had never sung professionally. 80 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: Did you study theater and acting in college? Where'd you go? 81 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 2: I went to Marymount College. It is a Catholic women's college, 82 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: but it's in Tarrytown, and all the drama faculty was 83 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 2: from Yale and Royal Shakespeare Company in London, Mary Martha Grand. 84 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 2: It was a wonderful school, a wonderful for me. Jesuit school, 85 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 2: which is the Smarty Pants guy. So that was good. 86 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 2: The faculty was phenomenal, and they were all working in 87 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 2: the business. So the head of the drama department, who 88 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 2: was from Yale, was also a member of Cafe La 89 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 2: Mama and Lincoln Center Rep. So I got the classics 90 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 2: as well as the new stuff. 91 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: So you do that show. You did small roles and 92 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: things back in the sixties, but then you're doing films 93 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: throughout the eighties, nineties, two thousands, you're doing Army Wives 94 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: a couple through episodes of that. You're working outside the show. 95 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 1: Why did you feel you wanted to You're just a 96 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: kind of I don't want to say workaholic, but you 97 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: like to work. 98 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 2: I do like to work, and I like to work 99 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 2: as an actress, and you know, probably a couple of things. 100 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 2: First of all, I'd never thought that I could call 101 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 2: myself an actress if I only played one part. And 102 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 2: even though the part was the part that kept me 103 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 2: on that show for so long, because I loved doing 104 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 2: that part. That part was one of the best parts, 105 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: with the most range and the most possibilities. And I 106 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 2: worked with a company of actors who I loved and 107 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 2: trusted and it was wonderful, and the writing was fantastic. 108 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 2: It was Agnes Nixon and a lot of reasons that 109 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 2: kept me there. However, having said that, I just never 110 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 2: thought that playing one part would make me an actress. 111 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 2: I had to do more, and so I did. And 112 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: the other thing I started to say is that I 113 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: think a lot of actors, you know, you feel like 114 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,839 Speaker 2: you should say yes as much as you can say yes, 115 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: because someday it won't all be there, So you just 116 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 2: say yes, why you can. 117 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: I did a soap. The doctors and everybody in that cast, 118 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: not everybody, but a thick band of them were all 119 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: like they did the soap for the pension and welfare 120 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: and the paycheck and the medical and then they ran 121 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: off to the theater. That was their passion. We were 122 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: a half hour which was starting to fade and go down. 123 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: The older cast was primary. I always tell people that 124 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: the cast photo were the adults in front and the 125 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: kids in the back, because the kids were the supporting players. 126 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: And that changed with Bold and the Beautiful, with all 127 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: my children, well my children, well Ryan's hope, Young and 128 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 1: the Restless. However, on your show, the youth revolution comes 129 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: and you're still young at this point, but you're one 130 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: of the older cast. Members of the younger cast mean no, 131 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: no no. 132 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 2: I started playing Eric as a fifteen year old high 133 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: school girl, something that drew me to that drew me 134 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 2: to the show because the man who was the head 135 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 2: of the department at Marymount, who came from Yale, only 136 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 2: wanted me to do theater and maybe film. Those two things. 137 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 2: Television and daytime television never even came into the equation. 138 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 2: But when I read the script and I saw that 139 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: the four kids and we were in high school were 140 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 2: now featured with storylines, and I loved the part. I thought, well, 141 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 2: I'm going to change his mind. I'm going to do 142 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: this and it's so well written and I have this 143 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 2: incredible part, so I took the part. He was not 144 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: happy at first, but then he actually was interviewed by 145 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 2: TV Guide and said, at the time, I know why 146 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 2: she did this. 147 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: You know, but even as you're in that generation, when 148 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: you're younger and you stayed with the show and you're 149 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: getting older, yes, and other young stars are coming into 150 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: for the show, you remain one of the stars of 151 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: the show. Why how did you pull that off? 152 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 2: I think it was the writing that pulled it off. 153 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 2: You know, thank you for saying that. No, thank you. 154 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 2: I was very lucky, as I said she You know, 155 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: so I started her playing as a fifteen year old girl. 156 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 2: But she was never the girl next door, and she 157 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 2: was not the girl that you know, everybody was going 158 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 2: to embrace. She was the naughty girl in town, and 159 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 2: she was major bad girl in town and on a 160 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 2: world stage. And I never thought the audience was going 161 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 2: to like her. I loved to play her, the bad girl, 162 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 2: the bad girl. 163 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you never thought they would embrace the bad girl. 164 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: Never thought the boy Were you wrong? Yeah? 165 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 2: Turned out that we loved bad girls. They loved bad girls. 166 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 2: They do love that. And what they saw, and again 167 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 2: the writing was there to support it was they saw 168 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: that she was a girl who had dreams for herself 169 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 2: and she was going to go out there and get them. 170 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 2: She had spirited, she had spunk. She'd always do it 171 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 2: the right or the nice way. But they really loved 172 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 2: her spunk, her spirit. 173 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: They would watch these shows. I remember because the generation 174 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,599 Speaker 1: comes in now where the audience is in sixties housewives, 175 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: it's young people, college kids, and they stop in the 176 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 1: middle of the day to watch their stories my stories 177 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: and then they would watch the show and then you're 178 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: on there doing whatever, and they sit there and be like, 179 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: you know, Corey, Corey, it's us. We did that. You know, 180 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: anything bad you did was very familiar to them. 181 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 2: Well. And also Erica I think represented my generation that 182 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 2: we were working. You know, my generation was working. They 183 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 2: were not getting out of college and just getting married. 184 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 2: They had their own dreams and aspirations to have wasn't enough, 185 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: wasn't the only thing on their mind. They had additional 186 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: things on their minds. And going to Merrimount, which was 187 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 2: a women's college. I remember when we would talk about 188 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 2: our dreams. We had aspirations for ourselves in terms of career, 189 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 2: and it wasn't a question of if we were going 190 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 2: to do that, It was when we were going to do. 191 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 2: This is what we were going to do, and how could. 192 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: We do it now. Obviously, Agnes Nixon wasn't your head 193 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: writer throughout the entire work. She was the creator, the creator, 194 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:04,199 Speaker 1: and then the writers would come and go. 195 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 2: Writers would, yes, a lot of them would stay for years, 196 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 2: but Lorraine Broadwick became the head writer because Agnes would 197 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 2: come and go occasionally. 198 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: Did everybody who came on to run the show. They 199 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: all basically treated you the same way. Was that another 200 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: great advantage you had was that Eric is not going anywhere. 201 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,199 Speaker 2: It seemed to be that way. It seemed to be 202 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 2: the way. It's hard only again, you, I think because 203 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 2: Agnes was involved and it was her creation and she 204 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 2: was in the room, you know. And also I remember 205 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 2: our last producer, Julie Cruthers, who lucky to have wonderful 206 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: producers too, and Julie would say the last man who 207 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 2: was the head of ABC Daytime, I believe, was not 208 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 2: so enamored of Agnes being involved. And I remember Julie 209 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 2: saying that Agnes is the youngest voice in the room, 210 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 2: so she had good stories to tell and she remained 211 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 2: relevant and groundbreaking always. So I think because of Agnes 212 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: and Agnes's beautiful writing for my character Erica, I think 213 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 2: that's why I got to stay. 214 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: These people work really hard. You come up with a 215 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 1: fresh idea every day. The only bad part was we 216 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,439 Speaker 1: would do with double tape very rarely because we had 217 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: to accommodate people who were working on Broadway. We had 218 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: cast members who were on a Wednesday, they did the matinee, 219 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: so they would have to leave by one. We'd pretape 220 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: their scenes and they had a scene on a Christmas 221 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: show where they're floating between everybody. So they're in a 222 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: party and all the family of the show was there 223 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 1: and they're floating with the camera and they go, I'll 224 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: land on this one and this one, and they're like, 225 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: my god, I can't wait for us to head down 226 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: to Palm Beach and have a nice vacation. Something light. 227 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: Pan to the next one and the wife or the 228 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: girlfriend saying to the boyfriend, I knew you had drinks 229 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: with her chat I know you had drinks. I I 230 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: saw you and something frothing turgid there. Then they'd land 231 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: on me last, and I was like a little bit 232 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: drunk because I went to lunch at Hurley's down on 233 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 1: the bottom of the building. That's where we always went, 234 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: cause we usually left it and come back. We had 235 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 1: launch and film. Now we had to come back to 236 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: finish the rest of the taping as we did a 237 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: double taping, and I came back when they finally land 238 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: on me in their floating shot. They landed me and 239 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: I go, you know, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry everybody. 240 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: I blow the whole take for and they looked at me, like, 241 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,079 Speaker 1: you better straight out. 242 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 2: This was at the beginning. 243 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: This was in the beginning, and I thought it was 244 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: I didn't take it as seriously as I should have, 245 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: but I learned a lot. I learned a lot of 246 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: the things that were significant to me about the professionalism 247 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: of your acting career on that TV show, on that daytime. 248 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 2: TV interesting, it's wonderful. 249 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: The show ends twenty eleven, correct, and all of the daytime. 250 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: That was an empire. Where did you shoot a West 251 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: End Avenue over in the big at the Kremlin? 252 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 2: I call it the Kremlin sixty sixth and Columbus. Yeah, 253 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:55,319 Speaker 2: And then we moved to sixty seventh and West End, 254 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 2: And the last two years we shot in La you did. 255 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: I didn't know that that well. 256 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 2: We were told that it would be more cost effective 257 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 2: at that time, and also because of the climate, it 258 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 2: would be really great. We could shoot outside as well, 259 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 2: with the location actually nearby. 260 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: Did you enjoy it? 261 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 2: I did? I did. I didn't expect to, because so 262 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 2: many actors from New York would say how much they 263 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 2: didn't love working in LA I did, maybe because I 264 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 2: grew up in the suburbs and I was used to 265 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 2: being in a car and even like it, So I 266 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:28,719 Speaker 2: was fine with that. 267 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: And where did you live when you were out there? 268 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: Where did you shoot? 269 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 2: We shot in Glendale. We shot in Glendale, and we 270 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 2: had an apartment in Glendale. The studio was six minutes 271 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 2: from our apartment. If I hit the red lights in 272 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 2: Garden City, it was an hour and a half commute. 273 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 2: But I really it was fine for me because I 274 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 2: studied my lines on the way in and I could 275 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: just return phone calls and be a vegetable way. 276 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: How did you get in every day? Somebody drove you? 277 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 2: Yes, it began with Helmet driving me. That's love, Yes, 278 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 2: it really, Yes, he was finnantastic. But then when I 279 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 2: was twenty seven, one of the vice presidents of the 280 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 2: network offered me a limo, you know, to pick me 281 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 2: up and take me in, And I remember saying, I 282 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 2: thank them very much, But I said, you know, people 283 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 2: are coming here on this subway, and if I show 284 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 2: up in a limo, this is an ensemble, I'm going 285 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: to be playing scenes with them. This is probably not 286 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 2: going to be a good way to have a company 287 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 2: of actors. 288 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: You didn't want to be viewed that way. 289 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 2: No, I wanted to be. I was part of the company. 290 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 2: I recognized that the part that was being written, and 291 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 2: I was lucky enough to have it was written for me. 292 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 2: But there was a collaboration for sure. I saw what 293 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: was on the page, and frankly, I mean, you know, 294 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 2: my experience with the writing there was incredible, and I 295 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 2: had good training, so I knew how I I mean, 296 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 2: my judgment I thought was a good judgment and it 297 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 2: was really so well written. Also, I was one of 298 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 2: those characters you're talking about that the writer wanted to 299 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 2: tell the story through, and I realized that it was very, 300 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: very lucky. But one thing with Agnes is that she 301 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 2: would tell very complicated, relevant stories, current stories, but through 302 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 2: everybody's eyes. I think Erica was Agnes's voice. But I 303 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 2: really admired the fact that these complicated issues anybody watching 304 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 2: out there could could see themselves represented. 305 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:27,239 Speaker 1: What was the challenge for you to keep that role fresh? 306 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: Do you suggest things to them? I always believe that 307 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: someone who's as talented as you are and who owns 308 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: that role in the way that you did, you have 309 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: every right to turn to them and say, I'd like 310 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: you to mayven think about this? You suggest how much 311 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: were you able to suggest. 312 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 2: Very little, really, yeah, very little. 313 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: You just referred to Agnes. 314 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: It was there, you know. I was really lucky most 315 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 2: mostly I would read this. First of all, it was 316 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 2: a newscript every day, and you know very well from 317 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 2: having been on daytime. It was the length of a 318 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 2: play a day. It was a play a day, and 319 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 2: so there's a lot of material not only to commit 320 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 2: to memory, but to fill to make work, you know. 321 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 2: And so the day to day was very occupying of 322 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 2: my mind. And I was in such good hands in 323 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 2: the final times, you know, when we moved to la 324 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 2: and when the person who was in the charge of 325 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 2: daytime brought in a new writer altogether, and he met 326 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 2: with our company of actors during a lunch period in 327 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 2: our rehearsal hall. And the first thing that that writer, 328 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 2: who might have been a wonderful writer in a different genre, 329 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 2: but what he said was I'm going to shake things up. 330 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 2: That's fine, but he said, so some of you may 331 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 2: not recognize your characters or your relationships and so on. 332 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 2: And so what happened was that during rehearsal in the morning, 333 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 2: what he said was true, and so many actors were concerned. 334 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 2: I was one of them. Too. Of course, you know, 335 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 2: people would come to me and say, what are you 336 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 2: doing about this? So you just try to hold on 337 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 2: tooth and nail, you. 338 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: Know, tell when people were coming on. The younger people 339 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: knew were people, whether they had it or not, the 340 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: discipline to do the show. 341 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 2: I could see that some people were, you know, no, 342 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 2: we're wonderful. Wonderful, yeah, Josh, Kim Darnell, they stood out 343 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 2: right away. Kim Delaney, Kim just mel. 344 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 1: My god, yeah, Kim Delaney, yes. 345 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 2: And actually Michael B. Jordan. Michael played my steps on 346 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 2: by marriage to Jack Montgomery, to Walt Willie, who was 347 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 2: spectacular too, but he was one who was sixteen and 348 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 2: always very what you're saying, discipline, showed up on time, 349 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,360 Speaker 2: showed up prepared, very respectful, very nice person, good guy. 350 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 1: When you did the show. Were their actors, you just 351 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:48,399 Speaker 1: feel like you enjoyed working with them? 352 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 2: They were, Oh absolutely what Willie, who I worked with 353 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 2: most often, who was my love interest throughout lots of times, 354 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 2: in and out. He's so funny and very quick and 355 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 2: loved working with him. And on the other side of 356 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 2: the coind David Canary, who was spectacular actor. I worked 357 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,120 Speaker 2: with him probably next to Walt. I worked with David 358 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 2: Canary most, but we hate I mean I hated him, 359 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 2: Erica hated him. But those scenes were wonderful. And you 360 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,159 Speaker 2: know you were saying earlier about you know, the senior 361 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 2: actors leaving because they were on Broadway and they had 362 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 2: places to go. I thought that was one of the 363 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 2: biggest pluses working in New York. But the other actors 364 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 2: were phenomenal Broadway actors. I mean Jimmy Mitchell who danced 365 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 2: the Curly Ballet in Oklahoma on Broadway and was so urbane. 366 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 2: And you know, I was young to learn from these 367 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 2: incredibly successful actors who were working on Broadway. Sometimes someone 368 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,959 Speaker 2: like Philip Bosco, who, yeah, would come and do you 369 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 2: know an arc on the show? Yeah? Oh, I remember 370 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 2: one day I was doing a concert version of One 371 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 2: Touch of Venus and we would rehearse the Amsterdam Theater 372 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 2: during my lunch hour. Run out there and do that 373 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 2: and come back was for encores, yes, and at the time, 374 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 2: and I was so much fun and again, wonderful Broadway actors. 375 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 2: Piggy Cass was playing my mother, yes, I know, it 376 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 2: was incredible. And coming back to the studio and waiting 377 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 2: behind the sets. You know, if the cameras broke down 378 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 2: a little bit or something was happening technically that we 379 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 2: didn't know what we had to be on hold, stayed 380 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 2: our places. So behind the scenes, my set flowed into 381 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 2: behind Jimmy Mitchell's set, and he came up to me 382 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 2: and he just took me in his arms and waltz 383 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 2: with me. He danced with me all over the backstage 384 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 2: while we were waiting. You know, some of those wonderful experiences, 385 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 2: actress Susan Lucci. 386 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed conversations with talented female thespians, check out 387 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: my episode with former As the World Turns star and 388 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: Oscar winner Julianne Moore. 389 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:03,880 Speaker 2: I'm very chatty. I like to talk all the way 390 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 2: up to action. 391 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 3: I do, I do, And if you can't talk to me, 392 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 3: I'm really disappointed. Then I get lonely, and I want 393 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 3: to be lonely when I want, I want to be 394 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 3: with my buddy. I'm want to talk to me, talk 395 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,199 Speaker 3: to me and my friend lets me buddys talking to you. 396 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 3: What'd you do this morning? What'd you have for dinner 397 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 3: last night? What are you doing later today? 398 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 2: Are you cold? Do you like that sweater. Did you 399 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,439 Speaker 2: like my sweater? What are you doing? Action acting? I 400 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 2: love it. 401 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:23,920 Speaker 3: That's my favorite part. 402 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 2: He said. 403 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 3: You get this great connection with other human being. And 404 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 3: then the scene is like ooh, comes alive. 405 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: To hear more of my conversation with Julianne Moore, go 406 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: to Here's the Thing dot org. After the break, Susan 407 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: Lucci shares the story of how she landed the part 408 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: of a lifetime a leading role on The Great White Way. 409 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 1: I'm Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing 410 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: Susan Luci. She has spent decades enjoying the prolific output 411 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,159 Speaker 1: of a successful acting career. She's also the mother of 412 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: two children and stepmother to two more. I was curious 413 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,879 Speaker 1: whether anyone in her family wanted to follow her into 414 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: show business. 415 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 2: My daughter did for a while, what you do? She 416 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 2: was on passions. Ahh yeah, and she was wonderful. She's 417 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:24,640 Speaker 2: absolutely wonderful. 418 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: And then what happened? 419 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 2: She didn't love it? 420 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: And can you say why? 421 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 2: I don't know that it was ever articulated why, but 422 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,479 Speaker 2: she did not really love it. 423 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: And most people I know who their kids go into it, 424 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 1: especially now a lot of my friends, their kids go 425 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: in and they were onet. The one thing that they 426 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: can't handle is the unreliability of it. You know that 427 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:49,640 Speaker 1: you don't work that much and you're off all this time. 428 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: You don't know what's going to happen to you. You 429 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: don't know where you're going to be four months from now, 430 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: six months from They couldn't stand that. They wanted to 431 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: have their life and live somewhere and go to their 432 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 1: yoga class and have their husband or a boyfriend or whatever. 433 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 2: Those Yeah, it's not for everybody. 434 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: It's not for ever. 435 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 2: And being the spouse of the person you were saying earlier, 436 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 2: you know, you had a girlfriend who didn't get it, 437 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 2: and Helmut did get it. But I would marvel at 438 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,359 Speaker 2: that and really admire him for how great he was 439 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 2: about and smart, you know, because it's not for everybody. 440 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 1: Somebody famous one said to me. Don't get too blown 441 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: off course, don't let the wind in your sales to 442 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: take you. Don't watch comedies that make you laugh, make 443 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: you say, don't watch dramas that make you cry, he said, 444 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: watch National geographic shows of animals. 445 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 2: While you're on that set in the middle of while. 446 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,479 Speaker 1: You're shooting a movie, yeah, and don't get too in 447 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: a different head. Try to stay in this kind of 448 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: neutral gear. And he said to me, like when you 449 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: go into hees, don't don't talk to people on the phone. 450 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 1: Don't talk to your girlfriend on the phone. Don't talk 451 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: to your decorator on the phone about how much money 452 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: he's going to spend on. 453 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 2: God forbid, you have a fight with your girlfriend, don't 454 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 2: talk to do it. 455 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 1: The other one was this guy turned to me once. 456 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: It was Albert Salmie, the great, great character actor, Albert Sellmi. 457 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: He was there, was sitting on the this set in 458 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 1: a chair reading the La Times or something, and he says, 459 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:13,959 Speaker 1: are you're going to go back to your trailer? I? Oh, no, 460 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: I think I'll hang out. And he said that's the 461 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,440 Speaker 1: best thing to go. Don't leave the set, said, don't 462 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: go back to your trailer. The set is where it's at. 463 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: Always be staying linked to the process. 464 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,880 Speaker 2: That's great. Yeah, felt the same way. I would see 465 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 2: people reading books and I thought, gee, how do they 466 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 2: do that? I can't do that. Concentrate what takes you 467 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,679 Speaker 2: out of that world? Different world. 468 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,360 Speaker 1: One last question about the show directors. I found that 469 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: we had some wonderful directors, most of who had this 470 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 1: is back in the eighties, with great theater backgrounds, and 471 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 1: they were kind of wickedly funny, you know. I'd say 472 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:50,119 Speaker 1: to the director, Henry cap and I'd. 473 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 2: Say, oh, Henry, you know Henry, you wickedly funny is 474 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 2: exactly he was. He terrorized me too, terrorized me. 475 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:58,679 Speaker 1: I'd have a drink in my hand like this, and 476 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:00,360 Speaker 1: I go, I'm gonna can I hold this up? When 477 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: I see this line, I want to sip and then 478 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: I want to pull it away and say the other 479 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: part of with the I'm thinking of anything to play, 480 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: And I go and I'll do this, and I'll never 481 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 1: forget I'm doing a scene with Kim Zimmer And Henry goes, 482 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:11,639 Speaker 1: that's fine, you do what everyone does. I'm gonna be 483 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: on her anyway. You we have some great directors that. 484 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 2: We have great directors, and Henry, Henry was terrific. Also, 485 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 2: we used to get our notes. They called him red chairs. 486 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 2: They would call us to red chairs, which were a 487 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,199 Speaker 2: bunch of red director's chairs set up, you know, in 488 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 2: the middle of the studio, to get our notes. So 489 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 2: the whole company of actors got their notes together. This 490 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 2: was both humiliating and bonding, you know, because we're humility together. 491 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 2: We all had our chance being and when Henry was directing, 492 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 2: the humiliation was flying. We were just buried. We buried, 493 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,199 Speaker 2: you destroyed you right before you had to go on 494 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 2: here and play those scenes. Yeah, yeah, but that was 495 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 2: him and the and it took me a while. It 496 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 2: took me a couple of weeks to figure out that 497 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 2: that was his humor because I was destroyed. 498 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: He was about you, did, Bob Cento directors? Yes, well 499 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 1: they all want to move on to the hour shows 500 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: because it's more fun for them. 501 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, half hour shows. 502 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: You think you're all just getting started. Yeah, it's over 503 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: now you are doing what? No, No, they said there 504 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: might be a reboot of the show or not. 505 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,680 Speaker 2: You know they're saying that, and I'm told that. Then. 506 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 2: Of course, the writers' strike came and the actors strike, 507 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: so I thought it was, you know, gone by then, 508 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 2: but I'm told it's still possibly in the work, so 509 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 2: we'll see. 510 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: That's another credible Now in terms of other things you're doing, 511 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: you've been involved with that theater in Westhampton for a 512 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: very long time. 513 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 2: Correct, well, with celebrity autobiography, right, you know we took 514 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 2: the play there. You were in the first one. 515 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: I did one of them, and I did a couple 516 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 1: of them at guild Hall. 517 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 2: At Guildhall, actually I did the first concert there with 518 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 2: Marvin Hamlish. Yeah, sang yes a little bit. Marvin asked, well, 519 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 2: I met Marvin and sag Harbor at that theater actually 520 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 2: what he was doing a concert there, and his wife 521 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 2: came out to me during intermission and told me that 522 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 2: she was Marvin's wife and she was great herself, but 523 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 2: she said Marvin's wife, and he'd like to meet you. 524 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 2: Would you like to meet Marvin? I said, what, I'd 525 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:12,719 Speaker 2: like to meet Marvin, of course, So she took me 526 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 2: backstage to meet him afterwards. And that was a meeting 527 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 2: that changed my life. First of all, it was all 528 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 2: during that time where I hadn't won the Emmy for many, 529 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 2: many many nominations, and he was assuring me that it 530 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:27,959 Speaker 2: had nothing to do with my work. I mean, he 531 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,199 Speaker 2: was really encouraging me. He was a fan, which was 532 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 2: so thrilling that Marvin Hamlish would be a fan. Then 533 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 2: he called me afterwards and asked me if I'd like 534 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 2: to work with him. We worked at Heinzhall in Pittsburgh 535 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 2: the first time. Do you know? Heinzhall and the deal 536 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 2: was that I would give a seminar to the seniors 537 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 2: who were drama majors at Carnegie Mellen or Carnegie might 538 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 2: have been just Carnegie at the time. Anyway. He called 539 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 2: me then one night and said to me, I'd like 540 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 2: to write a song for you to dance with the 541 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 2: chorus boys who were dance majors at Carnegie. They will 542 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 2: be there and they will come and they will dance 543 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 2: with you, and you will dance with them. How does 544 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 2: that sound? I said, that sounds amazing, you know. Thank you, 545 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 2: and his doorbell rang at his apartment. He said, hold 546 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 2: on a second, my Chinese food is here, and so 547 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 2: he went to get his Chinese food and we left 548 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 2: it at that. But it was great working with him. 549 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 2: That was my first time working with him. And then 550 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 2: yes we were at West Hampton Nice Theater, Nice Theater. 551 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:34,879 Speaker 2: And then after I won the Emmy, the producers Brandon 552 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 2: Barry Weisler called me and asked me if I would 553 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,440 Speaker 2: like to play Anna Oakley and I get your gun 554 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 2: if I'd like to go in for Bernadette. Bernadette was 555 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 2: going to be leaving the show and would I like 556 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 2: to go in for her? And my agent called me 557 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,360 Speaker 2: from ICM at the time in LA and she said, 558 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 2: to me, sit down here. She said, I don't even 559 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 2: know if you sing. I said, well, yeah, I did 560 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 2: musical theater in high school and college. Yes, I'd like 561 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 2: to do that. And she said okay, And I said 562 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 2: and because Marvin, he said I should come to his 563 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 2: apartment so he could hear me sing and see if 564 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,360 Speaker 2: he thought I could do this, because after our last 565 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 2: appearance together he said, if you ever need me, I'm 566 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 2: here to help you, let me know. So I was 567 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 2: offered this part, and I was way too shy to 568 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 2: call Marvin Hamlash and ask him anything, but Helmet was not. 569 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 2: So Helmet called Harvin Havlush told him what was being 570 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 2: offered and what did he think, And Marvin was very generous. 571 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 2: He had been on he was on tour when Helmet 572 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 2: reached me, he was in Europe and he said, but 573 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 2: I'm coming home Sunday night. Come to my apartment and 574 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 2: sing for me, and I'll tell you. So we went 575 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 2: to Marvin's apartment. Scariest thing I ever did at that time. 576 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 2: I rang Marvin Hamlush his doorbell to his apartment and 577 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 2: he answered, and his lyricist was there with him and 578 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 2: his wife, Terry Blair, in the back room, and he said, so, 579 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,720 Speaker 2: come on in, I have lyricists here. I'm going to 580 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 2: play the piano and sing through some of the numbers. 581 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 2: And I had by then, you know, just locked myself 582 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 2: in my room and learned all the music. And he said, so, 583 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 2: I want you to sing a ballad and an uptune 584 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 2: and I had to and I did, and he said, okay, 585 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:21,719 Speaker 2: I'm going to go now to the back of the apartment. 586 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 2: He has one of those pre World War two apartments 587 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 2: and he went and it looked like a lalique glass 588 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 2: partition and he went way in the back and he said, 589 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 2: now sing to me, and I did, and he came 590 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 2: out and I guess because it's Broadway and he need 591 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 2: to know he could hear me. And he said, okay, 592 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 2: he said you can do this. He said, you can 593 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 2: do this if you want to, or I want you 594 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 2: to work for a week with Craig Carnelia, that was 595 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 2: his he was his lyricist, and come back to me 596 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 2: and sing again, and so I did, and he said, yeah, 597 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,360 Speaker 2: there's no question. You can do this. He said, you're 598 00:29:55,480 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 2: very brave tall you're not, and so Bernadette wasn't either. 599 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: So it worked. 600 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 2: Worked. So he encouraged me to do it, and he 601 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 2: really helped me to get to the place where I 602 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 2: could do it, because the next step was to sing 603 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 2: for Barry and fran Weisler, and I wanted to. They 604 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 2: did not ask for that. I wanted to be one. 605 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 2: I wanted to know I could do it. 606 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: How long did you do it? 607 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 2: Not long enough, I'll tell you it was just a month, 608 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 2: because by that time Bernadette decided she didn't want to leave. 609 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 2: She was just going to leave for the holidays. She 610 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 2: came back that ripa after that because by that time 611 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 2: all my children wouldn't let me go. They were beginning 612 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 2: a new truly a very important storyline. But at the 613 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 2: beginning when they told me it was going to be 614 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 2: a very important storyline, and they couldn't let me go. 615 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 2: If you tell me no, I'm not just going to say, 616 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 2: oh okay, I'm never going to throw out my hands. 617 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 1: It was a great opportunity for you. 618 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, my dream. I grew up in New 619 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 2: York to be a little girl to grow up in 620 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 2: New York and then you have a chance to be 621 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 2: on Broadway. Oh my god, A great show. Oh great show, 622 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 2: great part with the original cast. So you know, I 623 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 2: would try to go over that brick wall, over it, 624 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 2: under it, through it, rounded. How you know. I gave 625 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,080 Speaker 2: them all sorts of notions. Can we do this? Can 626 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 2: we do that? This was the opportunity of a lifetime. 627 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 2: But all my children did not see it that way. 628 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 2: ABC did not see it that way at the time. 629 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: Actress Susan Lucci, if you're enjoying this conversation, tell a 630 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 1: friend and be sure to follow Here's the Thing on 631 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. 632 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: When we come back, Susan Lucci shares Howard felt to 633 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: finally take home the Emmy after her nineteenth nomination. I'm 634 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. Susan 635 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 1: Lucci has inhabited many amazing roles, including one as national 636 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: and Ambassador for the American Heart Association. The organization seeks 637 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: to reduce deaths caused from heart disease and stroke, and 638 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:15,480 Speaker 1: has contributed over five billion dollars in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research. 639 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:18,719 Speaker 1: I wanted to know how she first got involved with 640 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: the nonprofit. 641 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 2: I had a hard incident actually five years ago, so 642 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 2: that's great, you know that everything's wonderful. But it took 643 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 2: me quite by surprise. I had never been zick, nothing, 644 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:34,120 Speaker 2: and my mother. I lost my mother at one hundred 645 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 2: and four. 646 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: So where was she then? 647 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 2: She was in assisted living in Florida, which is a 648 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 2: they haven. It's an art form in Florida. She was 649 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 2: in a beautiful, wonderful place, but she had never had 650 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:48,239 Speaker 2: anything major. She was a hundred at the time. So 651 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,240 Speaker 2: I was out actually shopping for a birthday present for 652 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 2: a friend, and it was a third time that month 653 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 2: I had felt some pressure on my chest, radiating around 654 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 2: my ribcage to my back. The first two times I 655 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:04,560 Speaker 2: didn't take it seriously. I thought, as most women do, Oh, 656 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 2: it's nothing, it'll go away. I don't have time for this, 657 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 2: and it did go away. But the third time it 658 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 2: felt like an elephant pressing on my chest. And I 659 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 2: had heard a woman do an interview many years before, 660 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 2: no reason to even remember this, but I did, and 661 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 2: I sat down good. I was out in public place 662 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:28,880 Speaker 2: because the manager came over and asked me how I 663 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 2: was feeling. I told her, and she said, Susan, my 664 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 2: car is right outside. I can get you to Saint 665 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 2: Francis Hospital, the Hart Hospital. It's a mile down the road, 666 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 2: faster than an ambulance will come. And I went with her. 667 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 2: It turned out she also had a degree in nursing. 668 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 2: I mean, what are the odds of that? She was 669 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 2: so calm, and I had no reason to have a cardiologist, 670 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 2: but my husband did and I called him. He met 671 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 2: me at the er. Turned out I had a ninety 672 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:56,320 Speaker 2: percent blockage in my main artery and a seventy five 673 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 2: percent blockage in the adjacent He never smoked. I never smoked. 674 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,520 Speaker 2: There's no reason to have this turned out. This is interesting. 675 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:05,520 Speaker 2: We all in my family thought that I have my 676 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 2: mother's jeans because she never had anything. I never had anything. 677 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:14,080 Speaker 2: And it turned out and my otherwise fabulous, handsome, terrific 678 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:17,160 Speaker 2: father's jeans in that regard, So it was a calcium 679 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 2: build up. Who knew that? I found out anyway, so 680 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 2: I couldn't keep my good luck to myself. I had 681 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 2: to get out there and tell women what symptoms would be, 682 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:27,840 Speaker 2: and to listen to them. And to put themselves on 683 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 2: their own to do list and take take care of themselves. 684 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,959 Speaker 1: You were a finalist and a beauty pageant? Is that true? 685 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 2: Yes? 686 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:40,279 Speaker 1: I was? What was the beauty pageant? You were the 687 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: finalist in Miss New York. 688 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 2: State, Mister York State Universe for. 689 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,239 Speaker 1: The Miss Universe. Yes, you were like getting on deck 690 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 1: from Miss Universe. Yes, and you were, and you were 691 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:51,319 Speaker 1: you were the runner up for Miss New York State Universe. Yes. 692 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:55,640 Speaker 1: When I look at you, you're so attract if not 693 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 1: as just as a woman and beautiful, you're an unbelievably 694 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:03,520 Speaker 1: beautiful woman, gorgeous woman, and you're attractive as a person. 695 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:07,319 Speaker 1: You got this warmth of that magical Juni saqua that 696 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:11,279 Speaker 1: people have on camera. People are connected to you and 697 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 1: they're looking at you and taking you in that head 698 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 1: toss of yours. Thanks. You should have patented that you 699 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:19,239 Speaker 1: could make a billion dollars teaching people how to do 700 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:22,719 Speaker 1: different types of head tosses. Certain effects or your head 701 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 1: tosses is legendary. But you stayed connected. I'm assuming because 702 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:28,880 Speaker 1: of family your husband are the things that a lot 703 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: of people do, but with beauty talent that you could 704 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:34,440 Speaker 1: have gone to La and just made movies and did 705 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:39,120 Speaker 1: TV and just ran in that direction, and you didn't why. 706 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 2: Maybe that uncertainty you know that you were saying some 707 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:44,759 Speaker 2: of the younger generation now is. 708 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:47,720 Speaker 1: For you telling us your insecure Susan Lucci? 709 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 2: Absolutely? Yeah. 710 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:53,240 Speaker 1: Was it also a family? 711 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:56,120 Speaker 2: Yes. I by that time, by the time my career 712 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 2: was taking off, I had my first child, my daughter, Liza, 713 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:04,319 Speaker 2: who was probably three years old, four years old, and 714 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 2: I just thought I wanted to raise my children here. 715 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 2: You know, anything you ever read about raising children and 716 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:15,279 Speaker 2: being a celebrity yourself, especially not in New York, but 717 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:16,879 Speaker 2: going to LA and being a. 718 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:19,080 Speaker 1: Mom and being a mom, not a dad, but a mom, 719 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 1: big difference. 720 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, And so I wanted to raise them with as 721 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 2: much and I'm going to put this in quotation marks 722 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:30,000 Speaker 2: normalcy as possible. And what I knew is normalcy was 723 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:33,520 Speaker 2: growing up in the town I grew up in, and 724 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,480 Speaker 2: in fact, when I met my husband, I wanted to 725 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 2: move away from there. You know, when you grow up 726 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,359 Speaker 2: someplace the grass is always green, or someplace else, and 727 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 2: I didn't realize how special a place it was. But 728 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 2: my husband, who came from the Austrian Alps, pretty special 729 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 2: place itself, grew up in this magical way, thought that 730 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 2: Garden City was a great place to raise children, and 731 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 2: so he you know, he had that influence over me, 732 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:02,319 Speaker 2: and I thought he was right. And from everything I 733 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:05,040 Speaker 2: read and everything he said and everything I could see 734 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 2: by that time, I thought, yeah, there's a sense of 735 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 2: community here, and there's a lot here for raising children 736 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:14,160 Speaker 2: in normalcy. Also, as I got closer up to the 737 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:17,600 Speaker 2: nighttime series situation at that time, not that my daughter 738 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 2: was even in school, she was three, I learned that 739 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 2: they take a break at the time, it was you 740 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:26,520 Speaker 2: would never see your children. You know, you go back 741 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 2: to work on a nighttime series, at least in those 742 00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:31,120 Speaker 2: days at the time where your children are getting out 743 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 2: of school. So the whole summer, you know, you're busy 744 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 2: going back to work. Whereas if I stayed in daytime, 745 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:40,080 Speaker 2: I could go whenever I wanted to go, according to 746 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 2: the more control over my room. 747 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:45,480 Speaker 1: I tried forever never to work in the summertime, and 748 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:48,680 Speaker 1: in many summer many years I didn't. I would I 749 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:50,319 Speaker 1: think the time as I worked in the summer was 750 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 1: for like for Scorsese, oh well, like I nobody was saying, 751 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:55,319 Speaker 1: like I had to say yes, there was no and 752 00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 1: go shoot in August or something for a couple of weeks. 753 00:37:57,239 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 1: I mean, I never had a big part in those films, 754 00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:01,799 Speaker 1: but just to be with him and be around him 755 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,880 Speaker 1: was a thrill. But I tried to, you know, be 756 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 1: with my kids and stay home all the time. And 757 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 1: then eventually that becomes who you are now. When you 758 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:15,399 Speaker 1: finally won your Emmy, your heart fought weller and well 759 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 1: deserved Emmy, Well you were sitting that you just expected 760 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 1: to be the same over again. 761 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 2: You kind of kind of, yes, I will tell you 762 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 2: that every year I would get whipped into a frenzy 763 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 2: because the press corps, you know, they've did this is 764 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:30,320 Speaker 2: your year, this is your year. But that year everything 765 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 2: was in place. It was a great storyline. It was 766 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:36,400 Speaker 2: very well shot, very well directed, very well acted by everybody. 767 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:40,480 Speaker 2: Good stuff. But you know, after a while, I mean, nineteen, 768 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,759 Speaker 2: it was my nineteenth nomination. You know, you kind of say, 769 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:47,319 Speaker 2: history's taught me. I'm probably not, you know, and yet 770 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 2: a part of you, and I'm also not. I'm a 771 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,719 Speaker 2: hopeful person. I didn't want to give up completely, you know, 772 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:55,800 Speaker 2: so yeah, I thought, well maybe, but I wrote a 773 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 2: couple in my head the night before, lying in bed, 774 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 2: I thought, wow, if they're right, there were people I 775 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:04,520 Speaker 2: really want to thank, So I, you know, talked through 776 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:06,480 Speaker 2: my head a little bit who I might think, but 777 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 2: I kind of didn't want to let myself even go there. 778 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:11,960 Speaker 1: You know, you won the Emmy for for Acting, your 779 00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:15,279 Speaker 1: nineteenth nomination. Yes, and then you won the Life Achievement Award. Yes, 780 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: just now, just now, well, and now how did that 781 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:17,800 Speaker 1: come about? 782 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 2: That was a phone call. I got a phone call 783 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:23,440 Speaker 2: from my publicist saying, what's the organization the Daytime Emmy? 784 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:25,239 Speaker 1: The Daytime Emmy themselves and there's an. 785 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:28,920 Speaker 2: Emmy committee, right, and they unanimously said they wanted to 786 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:29,720 Speaker 2: give me the awards. 787 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 1: So my god, well, congratulations for that. Congratulations for that. 788 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:34,720 Speaker 2: Thank you much less hair raising when you know ahead 789 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:35,240 Speaker 2: of time. 790 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 1: Much less. And Nicholson said to me a while ago, 791 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:40,480 Speaker 1: I said to him, when you won the Oscar. He 792 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:42,319 Speaker 1: had been nominated a couple of times. When you won 793 00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 1: the Oscar, it kind of looked like you knew you 794 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 1: were going to win. He was sitting there, I had 795 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 1: this really kind of a weird kind of smile on 796 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:51,040 Speaker 1: your face, sitting and I watched for the film and 797 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:54,279 Speaker 1: he goes, they owed it to me. Oh, he said, 798 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,200 Speaker 1: they owed it to me, and they knew they owed 799 00:39:56,280 --> 00:39:59,400 Speaker 1: it to me. I've been nominated two or three times 800 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:01,640 Speaker 1: before and I didn't get it, and they knew they 801 00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:08,840 Speaker 1: owed it. Tonight, it's so funny. Let me just say, 802 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:13,560 Speaker 1: you are this great goddess and legend of daytime television 803 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 1: and so forth. But I tell you, I hope you 804 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:19,640 Speaker 1: don't retire. You can't retire because you're not done. You're 805 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 1: not done. Thank you, a lot of other things you 806 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:28,960 Speaker 1: could be doing. Thank you, My thanks to Susan Lucci. 807 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:34,800 Speaker 1: This episode was recorded at CDM Studios in New York City. 808 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:39,360 Speaker 1: We're produced by Kathleen Russo, Zach MacNeice, and Maureen Hobin. 809 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:44,000 Speaker 1: Our engineer is Frank Imperial. Our social media manager is 810 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:47,640 Speaker 1: Danielle Gingrich. I'm Alec Baldwin. Here's the thing is brought 811 00:40:47,640 --> 00:41:02,200 Speaker 1: to you by iHeart Radio.