Category Archives: Actors

“I prefer a national film to an international film.” — Jean-Paul Belmondo

Posted on April 9, 2026 by sheila

It’s his birthday today. I wrote about him on my Substack.     Thank you so much for stopping by. If you like what I do, and if you feel inclined to support my work, here’s a link to my … Continue reading →

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“I never wanted to be this famous. I never imagined this life for myself.” — Kristen Stewart

Posted on April 9, 2026 by sheila

It’s her birthday today. “Really, I’m incredibly disjointed and not candid. Just in general, my thoughts tend to come out in little spurts that don’t necessarily connect. If you hang around long enough, you can find the linear path. But … Continue reading →

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“There won’t be another Bette Davis. There can’t be.” Mitchell and I discuss Bette Davis

Posted on April 5, 2026 by sheila

From the audio files: Mitchell and I discuss one of our favorite topics: acting, and how the “old” style of acting – let’s call it before what’s loosely known as the Method- is not only under-appreciated in certain circles (most … Continue reading →

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“I’d marry again if I found a man who had fifteen million dollars, would sign over half to me and guarantee that he’d be dead within a year.” — Bette Davis

Posted on April 5, 2026 by sheila

“I was thought to be ‘stuck up’. I wasn’t. I was just sure of myself. This is and always has been an unforgivable quality to the unsure.” It’s her birthday today. First up: For Film Comment, I wrote a piece … Continue reading →

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“The only thing an actor owes his public is not to bore them.” — Marlon Brando

Posted on April 3, 2026 by sheila

“Sending Marlon Brando to acting class was like sending a tiger to jungle school.” – Stella Adler “You can’t always be a failure. Not and survive. Van Gogh! There’s an example of what can happen when a person never receives … Continue reading →

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“I never retired.” — Doris Day

Posted on April 3, 2026 by sheila

“I like joy; I want to be joyous; I want to have fun on the set; I want to wear beautiful clothes and look pretty. I want to smile, and I want to make people laugh. And that’s all I … Continue reading →

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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the Berkshires

Posted on March 24, 2026 by sheila

Re-posting my lengthy piece on the production I saw of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2016, in honor of the anniversary of the play premiering on Broadway. On the evening of July 4th, I took the Mass Pike … Continue reading →

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“If you want to see the girl next door, go next door.” – Joan Crawford

Posted on March 23, 2026 by sheila

Today is Joan Crawford’s birthday. Some links first: World-Class Acting: On Joan Crawford and Sudden Fear Here are the re-caps of Feud: Bette and Joan I did for The New York Times. Lots of discussions of Joan Crawford’s career and … Continue reading →

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The night we performed for William Hurt

Posted on March 20, 2026 by sheila

It’s William Hurt’s birthday today. Back in the day, when Twitter was still a thing, I would often write long stories which occasionally went viral. My story of meeting William Hurt was one of them. When I deactivated my account, … Continue reading →

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“If it hadn’t been for the videocassette, I may not have had a career at all.” — Kurt Russell

Posted on March 17, 2026 by sheila

It’s his birthday today. How I love him. I grew up with him. The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes. I remember that being screened for us in grade school in what they called “the multi-purpose room” (lol: gym, cafeteria, theatre). … Continue reading →

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