July 21, 2025 • 35 mins
Meet Dawn! Studio Teacher, Actress, Baby Wrangler, Mack-Anchor, Actress, Stand-In.. If there was a job needed on set, Dawn was your lady! Bev, Mack and David sit down to discuss Dawn's experiences on 7th Heaven!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All these technical things. Don, we're just trying to be
professionally get our crap together.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
We're all used to it, right, It's.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Difficult these days.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Okay, John tell us when we're ready.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Okay, Hey, what's up everybody? Welcome back to catching up
with the Camdens.
Speaker 5 (00:18):
I'm Beverly Mitchell, I'm David Gallagher, and I'm m Kenzie Rossman.
Speaker 6 (00:21):
So we are back to being very hearing her special
guest who is so dear to my heart.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
All of our hearts, but especially especially you got you
all through the days of working with.
Speaker 7 (00:36):
Don.
Speaker 8 (00:38):
Give you.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
No one is more grateful than everyone who had to
work for Don.
Speaker 6 (00:44):
Jeffrey Nelson, acting coach extraordinary of all of Hollywood Youth basically.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Was good, the infamous Don that we always speak about
on the podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
This is Donnie, This is Don and Don and.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
So many many times.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Here's the reason I was in frame for most of
the shots.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
You were actually Don was holding you down, holding your
feet and keeping you.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah. Then they gone medication for that, so.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Then I wasn't needed anymore, right do you?
Speaker 6 (01:16):
You were always be needed, darlings, And Don's work was
not finished when we wrapped, too, because then don and
I would. I would call her every evening and we
would run lines over the phone so that I had it.
Speaker 8 (01:30):
And sometimes I got to take you home with me
for the weekend and you would make Sean and myself
mushrooms with a ton of butter.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Oh, yes, my sauteed mushrooms.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Why we always circle back to food with mac? Do
we see this pattern?
Speaker 6 (01:45):
Did I ever make you fried rice too? Because that
was a specialty you did? You did because are my
two main dishes?
Speaker 8 (01:51):
And then there was the time you made vanilla bean
ice cream for Claude Dad.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Oh, I did love. I don't know why she trusted
me like I on earth?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Was she thinking the question of what would you do
if you were not?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
By the way I told her it was bean. You
show a.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Cheft because everything's about food with you, I know. I
thought of one driver who drives two.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, drives to the war zones and then cooks there.
Speaker 8 (02:19):
Yeah there you go, yeah, yeah, if you could get Leanne.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Schreiber, who did that?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Really?
Speaker 8 (02:28):
Ray Yanivan He went to the Ukraine and cooked in
the kitchens for the folk.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
There you go, you beat me to it, There you go,
you can give me.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Then I don't think you want to.
Speaker 8 (02:37):
Take that gorgeous baby with you.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, John, we can come, she can stay with you.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
We need to, We need to dive in because we
need to have that.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
We need to.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I want to hear the stories about mac when at
the beginning and what that was like.
Speaker 9 (02:55):
But start by and and I'd rather as opposed to
us kind of trying to explain all of the many
hats that you wore on set, which maybe you can
kind of start by introducing yourself and how you came
to be with us on set, but then all of
the many ways in which you were instrumental in getting
(03:15):
all of us kids through the day.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, yeah, so let's let's hear it.
Speaker 8 (03:21):
So I got a phone call and was asked to
report to the church in the valley to speak to
Joe Rich. So I did, and we were having a
lunch and he was interviewing me, said he'd heard about
me and that they had a little one on the
show especially that might need some guidance. And in the
(03:43):
middle of that, Stephen walked up and said, don what
are you doing here? Because he had coached friends of Stephen,
and my husband knew him forever. And Joe said I'm
interviewing her to maybe coach Mac, and Stephen said, hire her.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I don't know how much that had to do with anything.
That was the day I was hired.
Speaker 8 (04:02):
I was hired basically to work with most of the
miners who would be coming to set, but specifically for
Mac because she was, well, you were six by the
time the pilot was shot. I came on right after
the pilot and she was the cutest little thing you
were ever, but a little all over.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
The places were up to be.
Speaker 8 (04:27):
So I was supposed to help with dialogue and maybe
keep her in frame and all that jazz. And over
the years that went on to being off camera. Everybody
I have been on your show off camera, Horse, Monkey, Dog.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Barry probably worked with you the most.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I think actually we had Barry on and he did
speak to He's like I have had where it was
just me working with Don playing everyone.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I would do this and this around the camera.
Speaker 9 (05:05):
At one year at our rap party, I remember Catherine
did like like a dawn performance at the rap party
where she was like putting on all of our voices
and kind of jiving into all the different positions for
the kids and for the adults, which I sticks in
my mind of remembering you doing Obviously you were doing
(05:27):
that for me as well when I was off in
the in the school trailer with the as we all
were for our off camera stuff. But we all knew,
we all saw what you were capable of, you know,
over the years, and being happy's off camera like you said,
and just doing it the most.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Lines either what was it. What was also so cool
is like you would literally embody us as characters. So
it was very clear even though it was you, you
were all over the place, but we knew like you're
you're being Simon, you were being Ruthie, you were being Lucy,
you were being married like you and that was always
what was fun because it's that's really hard.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It was fun, it was challenging.
Speaker 8 (06:14):
I sent you pictures I think so you can show
me to David of a little bit of the aftermath
of Kat's rap.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yes, I have.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
We have plenty of pictures that we will share on
Patreon as well, soah check us out.
Speaker 8 (06:32):
The memories we want. Saran Matt rapped Mackenzie to a share.
I think we're on set that day, right.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think we have that picture too.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Larry Hamburger did it of course.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Yeah, yeah, he was a character.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Didn't hold me still.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
But nobody laughed harder than you did. See.
Speaker 8 (06:55):
That was what was so awesome about you is you
had your sense of humor about it.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
She has a humor. We've definitely established that is it appropriate?
Speaker 8 (07:09):
It was not inappropriate by what shall I say, sensors terms? Well,
except there were those moments of I don't know, guess eruptions.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Oh, yes, we have talked about max parting. We've definitely
good that I can did you definitely my favorite.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I remember after I've left a room, Okay, you leave impression.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Yes, there is evidence.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
It was the sound and the thunder.
Speaker 8 (07:41):
One day I was working off camera for Catherine and
you and Scottie were on set. You were sitting on
a stool, Scotty was standing next to you, and all
of a sudden, that one rip and the entire set
Ronnie I was laughing.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
So hard that the camera went like this.
Speaker 8 (08:03):
We were leaning against him laughing, and it took about
two minutes for everyone to calm down, at which point
the director said, interesting choice, Mac, but let's go another way.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
God, I wonder how much.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Film my waist on brand on brand.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It seems it seems just like right. Everyone loved working
with me.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
We did.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
That's why we did, because we never knew what was
gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
I just remember that you were wild card. We're still
wild card.
Speaker 9 (08:41):
It is it's a it's not a it's not a job,
it's a it's it's a title you earn.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
It's a title, yes, very well earned.
Speaker 8 (08:52):
I have to tell you that in all my career,
which from the color of my hair, you can tell him.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I'm responsible for that color.
Speaker 8 (09:02):
It should have happened while I was on set.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
But Seventh Heaven was. It was the bomb.
Speaker 8 (09:11):
We really were a family. Everybody talks about, oh, we're
a family, but we were. We truly were. And the
seven years that I got to stay with you will
be in my heart and my soul forever. And as
far as I was concerned, you were all my kids,
and I am so extraordinarily proud of how each of
(09:34):
you has grown up, who you've become. I knew you
were going to be these people, even when you drove
me crazy, even when I drive home saying, oh my.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Godsha today, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I'm just sorry.
Speaker 8 (09:51):
The best stories in my life come from Seventh Heaven.
But truly, I'm just so proud of you as if
you really were my kids.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
That's like the sweetish thing ever. And on that note,
we're going to take a quick break and we're going
to come right back and we want to hear more.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
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Speaker 3 (11:14):
So now we are.
Speaker 8 (11:15):
Back with Don Shall I tell the Harry Harris at
the Airport story?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
You should tell us.
Speaker 9 (11:28):
Some of your because we because of everyone that we
could have on our pod, I feel like some of
your experiences and stories would be the most unique.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
You were one of You were a one of one
figure on the set like that.
Speaker 9 (11:41):
There were often on sets you have whole departments that
are in charge of different things. And but Don down
did so many things that no one else has.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Anyone else.
Speaker 6 (11:52):
Absolutely baby Wrangler, you know, Matthew Wrangler. And like I said,
you know her job wasn't done. When we went home
after the tears dried up, she had to call me
or I call her. I still know your your old
home phone number, by the way, it's in here forever.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I love it that you do. I love it well.
Speaker 8 (12:14):
One day Mac was just six, I think maybe seven,
and the whole Camden family was picking up Grandma and Grandpa.
So we were in the back of the Burbank Airport
and it was this kind of weird space that I
didn't even know existed, and it was a huge master shot,
so everybody was in and the timing for Mackenzie's line
(12:35):
was tricky because from where she stood, she really couldn't
see Grandma and Grandpa coming in. So I said, Harry,
I'll cure and I'll be close. You know, I'll find
a place so I can remind her if she needs
her line. Until Harry Harris, one of her favorite directors.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Madt years ago.
Speaker 8 (12:55):
He said, okay, go over to the kid, and I
said okay, and I started to go in one place.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
He goes, no, no, no, go over there. He had
a real husky voice.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah over there, exactly legs for each other.
Speaker 8 (13:09):
If I go over with the kid, I'm going to
be in the shot. And he said, no, you won't.
And he said, Harry, if I get that close to Mac,
I'm going to be in this shot. He said, no,
you won't, not go over there with Mac.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I'm like, all right, Harry, So I go over.
Speaker 8 (13:23):
I crouched down our Paul Snyder, our first a D
says rolling. Harry says action, damn it, don You're in
the shot.
Speaker 9 (13:36):
That's Harry.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I can see that so vividly like that.
Speaker 6 (13:42):
It's like Harry was a wonderful director who had done
all the gunsmoke movies or prior to working with us.
Speaker 8 (13:49):
Yes, and he was the editor on Bonanza. I mean
he was in his seventies when he came to us,
and he always dressed so natty and his you know,
his chinos and a sweat Yeah, and I.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
Just remember his legs always crossed, you know, one of
his legs always crossed over the other one.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
And you know, yes, he was a stylish.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
I think. I think when he first came on, like
he kind of like how much he was a softie.
Like It's like at first he was kind of tough
on us, and then all of a sudden, like when
he fell in love with you, he really was like
he was he was just so wonderful.
Speaker 9 (14:30):
I haven't really distinctly remember and Harry, Oh yeah, I
just distinctly remember that the juxtaposition because he physically he
was he was very slight and frail, and you know,
and he had like shock white hair and and then
but but when.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
He shout, you know, he had a big gruff voice, you.
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Know, so that that you didn't expect to come out
of of this of this old man and he was
his daughter.
Speaker 6 (14:58):
Joanne also came on and she worked on the show
for a number of years and the hair department.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Right, I had.
Speaker 8 (15:06):
Worked with him several times when I was still acting,
so I was way used to him. And the first
day he came on the set, which was so to
you guys, it was like, oh my god, it's Harry.
He had given me like three guest stars. So I
was so comfortable, and so when he yelled at me,
because I knew he was going to I think I
was going to be in.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
That dark shot.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
But and and also one of our very very famous,
favorite famous directors, Tony Moore Dan.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
We were so sad. We were actually working on getting
him to be on the podcast, and he was sadly and.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
He was, you know, he was wanting to come on, and.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Then sadly he passed. He was but he was one
of He was so much one of I mean, I
think each one. I mean, there were so many favorites,
but like Tony was like.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
A special.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
There was there was magic in Tony, and.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
I mean we loved him so much.
Speaker 9 (16:01):
We kept him, you know, Yes, he came director in
the beginning and by the end of the show. He
was with us every day. He was our on set producer. Yeah,
he joined us full time.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
That well.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
He was just such a pleasure to be around, positive
energy that he brought to any.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And Tony is from a West Side story and.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
We had bayh Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
And he just he but he he was such a
unique director and actors an actors director and also phenomenal
with working with kids. He knew how to get through
to each of us and treat us with such respect
and gave us so much space to like exist and
(16:46):
it was just And also I just remember like Tony
was like my size and I was able to write just.
Speaker 8 (16:52):
Like hang on him, hug my size too, because I
was about your size exactly and he was the only
ones shorter than I was on the entire set.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
True, I still wear that crown.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Yeah, it's the only person I'm bigger than and is
ever when I'm standing next to the mac, I think
I can feel tall though I mean I said bigger,
but yeah, I mean.
Speaker 8 (17:12):
You know, it was really interesting because I was quite
a bit older than you guys. Of course you had
no idea how now you do? But what icons guest starred.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
You do?
Speaker 9 (17:27):
Now you do?
Speaker 8 (17:28):
For sure, but you know the entire Aaron Spelling group
of icons who came through our.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Doors Dynasty no pun intended exactly.
Speaker 10 (17:40):
Yeah, Peter Graves like Peter, His Barbara Rush, Floris Leachman,
Phillis Diller, Philis Dillar, you guys in my packing.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I have the I have a painting that Phillis Diller
did of Seventh Heaven. I'm still not quite clear on
what it's supposed to be, but I have it. She
pat but it's it's it's humans in the ether. I
don't know if they're supposed to be the clown time
I'll post it, so you guys have to tell me
(18:11):
what you think it is. But I do have an
original Philip Stiller Seventh Even painting that Brenda gave me. Wo. Yeah,
because I'm prod Phillis did not give it to me,
but I'm pretty sure Brenda gave it to me.
Speaker 11 (18:24):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (18:25):
You know the show was you were too young for
this too, But and I'm sure I know several people
have brought this up, and I haven't seen all of
the podcasts yet, but we were the Waltons of the
next generation, and there was nothing like you on TV
(18:46):
and the comfort and the recognition of each one of
you as characters, because that's what they see. They don't
think the actors. They think Simon and Ruthie and and
and just blamed on your character.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Oh my god, Lucy, there's a lot of names to remember, Like,
let's be honest, there's a lot of kids.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Don't worry about it.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
But at any rate, each one of you was.
Speaker 8 (19:16):
Like someone else, like a me or a me, or
a meat or a meat in the audience. And you
gave all these kids and all these younger adults and
adults permission to be who they were in their individuality.
And you gave them a family to be longed for
(19:36):
when they didn't have one. You gave them a life
to aspire to that they hoped to have. And for
all the drama that goes on behind the scenes that
no one will never know about, ever know about, what
Seventh Heaven gave for eleven years, we haven't seen its.
Speaker 11 (19:56):
Like again, Yeah, we were kind of the last of
our style show, I guess, and you.
Speaker 8 (20:06):
Were the first to pop up after a long time
from the Waltons.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Yeah, and we actually make reference to the Waltons, we do.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Yeah, that was in the.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Third episode in the color color of that.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Because we're rewatching.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
We're doing rewatch. It's a trip we are we are
going through. I mean, I've forgotten all the things I've forgotten.
It's there's so much, you know, But but it's been
it's actually been pretty fun and not as not as
bad as I thought it might be to go back
through it and watch everything again.
Speaker 8 (20:43):
You know, you you three, Mac in the beginning wasn't
so much an actress as a presence and a spirit
because she was so young.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
You two were extraordinary actors from the beginning. You really were.
Speaker 8 (21:00):
Your instincts, your character. This one got there and fast
you did en Z. But in the very beginning you
were the cutest damn thing anybody had ever seen.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I didn't know what actors were when we first started.
Speaker 8 (21:14):
Climbing into Aaron's lap and he was in love. You
got hired, you were this big.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
He's just like thatcket size.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Yeah, I mean, I I very clearly remember my theory
on how television were when I was hired, and I
thought that there had to be little people inside that
box in my living room. Actually, Like I remember trying
to work it out, like what is that does that work?
And it was like during the Oja stuff. Actually, so
I thought OJ was in my living room. But you know, podcast.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Okay, And on that note, we're going to take a
break and we'll circle back in.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Just a minute.
Speaker 8 (21:59):
Well, you know, at at four and five, I thought
God was a life guard white beard in his black
guard power because everybody said God save to you. So
he was a lifeguard, but he had a full white
beard and a bathing suit.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Maybe he is.
Speaker 4 (22:16):
He must be.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Among other things, I've seen some lifeguards that look like
God's dude.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Don and I are just talking about hot lifeguards here.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I meant you were welcome back.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Yeah, hote John, tell her, I'm in here.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Tell me.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
I'm curious just a little bit about if you could
tell us a little bit about the rest of your journey,
your career, things that maybe you went on to after
the show, or or even your career before the show.
I just would love to hear something about that, some
more stuff about you.
Speaker 8 (22:50):
Before I was with you, I was an actress and
I made the grand mistake. I was always older than
I looked I was. I did a PBS show when
I was thirty one, playing twelve whoa I was on
Broadway playing ten when I was thirty. So I made
(23:14):
the mistake because it was so easy. I was five
feet tall, my hair was down in my tush, I
didn't have all these wrinkles, and I looked really, really,
really really young. And I should have quit the business
for about two or three years, because it's like dog
years to casting and produce. Sure, you know, I disappeared
for a little bit, but I was still playing in
(23:37):
my early thirties. On film, I was still playing twelve
to No, No, No. By that time, I was about
thirteen to about seventeen, and then all of a sudden,
I was too old to play young, but I didn't
look my age and there was nowhere to put me.
I had a good resume, but I only did a
few roles where I was up toward my grown up years.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
And in the middle.
Speaker 8 (23:59):
Of all that, I called up and volunteered to answer
phones for a cable network which was Silent Network, which
worked with the deaf and hearing impaired communities, and wound
up within about nine months being a writer, producer, director
there and have a couple of Emmys for it, and
(24:19):
that was great, and.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
So that was kind of.
Speaker 8 (24:24):
The before stuff, and after I took a I went, oh,
I did American Dreams for a little bit, and then
I did Lemony Snicket.
Speaker 7 (24:36):
And with the baby wrangler for Lemony Snicket, and that
was pretty amazing because I was working with Meryl Streep
and Billy Connolly and Jude Law, Dustin Hoff and all
these amazing people.
Speaker 8 (24:47):
But I had the baby, and I think I kind
of did as a baby wrangler. What I tried to
do with you all was make the baby feel safe,
which you do that in a different way than I
would make you guys feel safe because you were old
enough to reason. And I would set up what I
called the mometer, you know, because parents legally have to
(25:11):
be within sight and sound of their child, as you
all know, while on set. But if you have a
bunch of babies and a director who's trying to get
through the day, and you have a bunch of mommies
who may or may not be set savvy around the
director and the video village, it's a bad deal for production.
(25:32):
So I said, set up a second monitor over there,
and they'll see the baby, and they'll hear the baby,
and if anything's wrong, they're close enough to run in
if they don't trust me.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
So I tried to create that kind of a thing.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
I would have babies overnight because Mom wanted to have
a date night with Dad on locations, and so that
was really great because it just so happened that there
are no babies in my real life.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
So I think, get some point.
Speaker 8 (26:01):
God or the universe or whatever said, I'm going to
give you a left hook when you're in your certain
age and you're gonna get breast cancer and you're not
gonna be able to have kids, but I'm gonna put
kids here in your life, your whole life.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
So I think.
Speaker 8 (26:16):
That's why I got to be with you guys, and
why I got to be with babies so much, because
I don't have any to call my own, but I
have a lot to call my own.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Oh, by the way, call us your own.
Speaker 9 (26:28):
We love you so much to y, We're so very
lucky to have you for all those years with us.
I mean, there are a few memories that I have
of the set where you are not there among us,
doing everything you know, doing so many different things you
know all at once, and and I just I remember
(26:50):
you so fondly that you were so helpful.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
To all of those. It's been so fun too. Is
like being able to It's like we kind of all
went our separate ways and everything kind of after the show,
but like being able to kind of reconnect and especially
in our adult life now, and to be able to
express our gratitude and just let you know that as
much as we may mean to you, you also mean to.
Speaker 6 (27:15):
Us when don you should know that, Like whenever anyone
asked what it was like growing up for me or
what my family was like, when I think about the
people who were my mom, I feel like I had
multiple moms and you were basically the main person. You
(27:36):
and Tati really like, Yeah, when I think of the
maternal figure in my life that was the most significant,
it's you.
Speaker 12 (27:47):
So I don't want to cry.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
I think we're all going to cry.
Speaker 8 (27:53):
I do you know I said this to you once before,
and I was very, very afraid that you and David
would wind up on a psychiatrist's couch because of me.
Because I wasn't trying to just make sure you knew
your lines. I was sometimes the one who was saying, Mac,
stop fooling around with your zipper, because if it's up
(28:14):
here and the master and down here in your close up,
Cheryl's going to get in trouble.
Speaker 12 (28:18):
Your friend Cheryl and the crew.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Would come up to me and say, why are you
doing this?
Speaker 12 (28:22):
She's six, and I'd say, I know, but it's so
easy to make a monster in this business. These children
are the focus of their entire family, the entire nation.
They're always getting toys and gifts. They call all the
adults in their lives by their first name. Did you
ever call your teacher Tom or.
Speaker 8 (28:44):
Susan or Mary? No, it was missus Jones or mister Simpson.
And if we don't try to put that in there
with these kids, they're going to be monsters. But then
I'd go home and think, did I do it too
many times? And I really I was so afraid that
you would wind up on side Katri's couches because of no.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
Never wind up on Psychochias couches, because they don't have
enough boundaries often right generally so and.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
I know you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
To end up on a couch shows okay, but.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
There you are. You're on a couch.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Oh my god, here we are on a couch.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
Damn it.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
To go down, and we're having our therapy session.
Speaker 6 (29:26):
John, Look, you were there. You were there for every
minute all day.
Speaker 9 (29:31):
I remember you as part of our structure and is
and and as like a human guard rail for us,
you know, on the set, but but never without like
it's never tinged with negativity.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
I don't.
Speaker 9 (29:45):
I don't like I can't remember you without a big
smile on your face.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
I just remember you as like you were in my
mind part of the cast. You like you were a
cast member because you were the ast member. You were
all of us. Yeah, you you were so like you
and I I grouped you with us.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
No, it's true, you were you were you were the
crew of the cast.
Speaker 9 (30:12):
Yes, it's yeah, it's true. Like you had this And
that's what I was trying to express earlier, I guess,
is that you had such a unique place on our set.
You know, you were one of one and so and
you meant to the world to all of us. I
think all of us, you know, are grateful to.
Speaker 6 (30:29):
Like Like if you think Don, like where was did
Don have her own section in the call sheet?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Like, yeah, she had her own line.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
But yeah, where was where was it?
Speaker 7 (30:39):
You know?
Speaker 8 (30:40):
Sometimes I was in production and sometimes I was with
the set teachers. I never knew where I was going
to be from show.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Yeah, that would make sense, I guess I be. Set
teachers are also the crew of the cast.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
And.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
That's interesting, right, were you not or no?
Speaker 1 (30:55):
You were?
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Rules?
Speaker 8 (30:57):
I know I knew all the rules because of working
so much, and it was helpful because sometimes I would
be on location in like Atlanta, and there were no
LA talents, so they were all local teachers, and so
I could kind of protect the minors because I knew
certain things that they didn't know that the producer didn't
(31:21):
have to do, but to kind of make them feel
like they do. So there was a little more protection.
But technically I wasn't a social worker. I lost a
lot of jobs because of that because they wanted what
they call the mambo combo is for me to be
the set teacher and the wrangler, especially on commercials.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
That would be so that I feel like that's a
spy didn't need to be separated. It makes sense, but
I do feel like I kind of like that separation
is helpful.
Speaker 8 (31:55):
It's hard if kids are in school, but it's not
hard if their babies.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
That's true true set anyway.
Speaker 8 (32:01):
You know, Claudette could leave set if she had to
for a minute, right. She knew I'd cover you and
let her know if anything went wrong.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
You know.
Speaker 8 (32:10):
That's but for the most part, every minute the set,
teachers are right there on set for film and television,
but for commercials where they're supposed to be as well,
sometimes they were off reading a newspaper.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Yeah, that happens, it does.
Speaker 6 (32:26):
I loved it, and Claude I would read the newspaper
about the vultures. Twenty minutes are up, damn.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
Put it in the books accounts, Kenzie.
Speaker 8 (32:43):
I remember one time we had to hose you off.
We put we put you in other clothes, and we
had barbecue ribs for lunch, and I literally took a hose.
You held your and I hosed you off.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
I'm sure I was not surprising.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
I can imagine first of all, anyone who fed you
barbecue ribs.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
It wasn't it wouldn't be.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
It's like when you give your baby and their high
chair pasta.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yes, they're gonna wear it, You're gonna wear it.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Yeah, I just can imagine that. I can see it.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
You're doing it for pictures.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Because I definitely wouldn't see you being the cleanest of eaters.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
You see me.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
That's right exactly that hence the host.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
It's a miracle that this shirt is still white.
Speaker 8 (33:30):
Well on each other because we know it all.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Yeah, we do. Oh well, Don, This has been amazing
and we're so grateful that you joined us, and thank
you so much for coming in and also just being
such a huge part of our lives. And again we're
just we're just so grateful for you.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
It is so great to see a beautiful face.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Thank you.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
I love you all so very much. I have your
two cell phones, David, I want yours.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
So we can keep in absolute Yeah, well connect.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
I love you guys. Thank you so much for having
me on.
Speaker 9 (34:04):
Thank you for thank you you bet you guys, thank
you for joining us for this special episode of Catching
Up with the Camdens. We got to introduce you to
some of the people from set that were most special
to us. And next time we'll, you know, we'll invite
some more people on. We'll get some more rewatches done
and we'll see you guys there.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
And make sure to like subscribe, but leave the comments
we're reading them. And also be sure to check out
our Patreon for some exclusive content as well.
Speaker 9 (34:39):
Hey, guys, check us out on Patreon for early access
to catching up with the camdens episodes, exclusive group and
individual content, access to all three of us via chat,
and more.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
The
All these technical things. Don, we're just trying to be
professionally get our crap together.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
We're all used to it, right, It's.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Difficult these days.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Okay, John tell us when we're ready.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Okay, Hey, what's up everybody? Welcome back to catching up
with the Camdens.
Speaker 5 (00:18):
I'm Beverly Mitchell, I'm David Gallagher, and I'm m Kenzie Rossman.
Speaker 6 (00:21):
So we are back to being very hearing her special
guest who is so dear to my heart.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
All of our hearts, but especially especially you got you
all through the days of working with.
Speaker 7 (00:36):
Don.
Speaker 8 (00:38):
Give you.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
No one is more grateful than everyone who had to
work for Don.
Speaker 6 (00:44):
Jeffrey Nelson, acting coach extraordinary of all of Hollywood Youth basically.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Was good, the infamous Don that we always speak about
on the podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
This is Donnie, This is Don and Don and.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
So many many times.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Here's the reason I was in frame for most of
the shots.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
You were actually Don was holding you down, holding your
feet and keeping you.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah. Then they gone medication for that, so.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Then I wasn't needed anymore, right do you?
Speaker 6 (01:16):
You were always be needed, darlings, And Don's work was
not finished when we wrapped, too, because then don and
I would. I would call her every evening and we
would run lines over the phone so that I had it.
Speaker 8 (01:30):
And sometimes I got to take you home with me
for the weekend and you would make Sean and myself
mushrooms with a ton of butter.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Oh, yes, my sauteed mushrooms.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Why we always circle back to food with mac? Do
we see this pattern?
Speaker 6 (01:45):
Did I ever make you fried rice too? Because that
was a specialty you did? You did because are my
two main dishes?
Speaker 8 (01:51):
And then there was the time you made vanilla bean
ice cream for Claude Dad.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Oh, I did love. I don't know why she trusted
me like I on earth?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Was she thinking the question of what would you do
if you were not?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
By the way I told her it was bean. You
show a.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Cheft because everything's about food with you, I know. I
thought of one driver who drives two.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, drives to the war zones and then cooks there.
Speaker 8 (02:19):
Yeah there you go, yeah, yeah, if you could get Leanne.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Schreiber, who did that?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Really?
Speaker 8 (02:28):
Ray Yanivan He went to the Ukraine and cooked in
the kitchens for the folk.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
There you go, you beat me to it, There you go,
you can give me.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Then I don't think you want to.
Speaker 8 (02:37):
Take that gorgeous baby with you.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, John, we can come, she can stay with you.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
We need to, We need to dive in because we
need to have that.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
We need to.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I want to hear the stories about mac when at
the beginning and what that was like.
Speaker 9 (02:55):
But start by and and I'd rather as opposed to
us kind of trying to explain all of the many
hats that you wore on set, which maybe you can
kind of start by introducing yourself and how you came
to be with us on set, but then all of
the many ways in which you were instrumental in getting
(03:15):
all of us kids through the day.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, yeah, so let's let's hear it.
Speaker 8 (03:21):
So I got a phone call and was asked to
report to the church in the valley to speak to
Joe Rich. So I did, and we were having a
lunch and he was interviewing me, said he'd heard about
me and that they had a little one on the
show especially that might need some guidance. And in the
(03:43):
middle of that, Stephen walked up and said, don what
are you doing here? Because he had coached friends of Stephen,
and my husband knew him forever. And Joe said I'm
interviewing her to maybe coach Mac, and Stephen said, hire her.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I don't know how much that had to do with anything.
That was the day I was hired.
Speaker 8 (04:02):
I was hired basically to work with most of the
miners who would be coming to set, but specifically for
Mac because she was, well, you were six by the
time the pilot was shot. I came on right after
the pilot and she was the cutest little thing you
were ever, but a little all over.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
The places were up to be.
Speaker 8 (04:27):
So I was supposed to help with dialogue and maybe
keep her in frame and all that jazz. And over
the years that went on to being off camera. Everybody
I have been on your show off camera, Horse, Monkey, Dog.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Barry probably worked with you the most.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I think actually we had Barry on and he did
speak to He's like I have had where it was
just me working with Don playing everyone.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I would do this and this around the camera.
Speaker 9 (05:05):
At one year at our rap party, I remember Catherine
did like like a dawn performance at the rap party
where she was like putting on all of our voices
and kind of jiving into all the different positions for
the kids and for the adults, which I sticks in
my mind of remembering you doing Obviously you were doing
(05:27):
that for me as well when I was off in
the in the school trailer with the as we all
were for our off camera stuff. But we all knew,
we all saw what you were capable of, you know,
over the years, and being happy's off camera like you said,
and just doing it the most.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Lines either what was it. What was also so cool
is like you would literally embody us as characters. So
it was very clear even though it was you, you
were all over the place, but we knew like you're
you're being Simon, you were being Ruthie, you were being Lucy,
you were being married like you and that was always
what was fun because it's that's really hard.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It was fun, it was challenging.
Speaker 8 (06:14):
I sent you pictures I think so you can show
me to David of a little bit of the aftermath
of Kat's rap.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yes, I have.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
We have plenty of pictures that we will share on
Patreon as well, soah check us out.
Speaker 8 (06:32):
The memories we want. Saran Matt rapped Mackenzie to a share.
I think we're on set that day, right.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think we have that picture too.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Larry Hamburger did it of course.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Yeah, yeah, he was a character.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Didn't hold me still.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
But nobody laughed harder than you did. See.
Speaker 8 (06:55):
That was what was so awesome about you is you
had your sense of humor about it.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
She has a humor. We've definitely established that is it appropriate?
Speaker 8 (07:09):
It was not inappropriate by what shall I say, sensors terms? Well,
except there were those moments of I don't know, guess eruptions.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Oh, yes, we have talked about max parting. We've definitely
good that I can did you definitely my favorite.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I remember after I've left a room, Okay, you leave impression.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Yes, there is evidence.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
It was the sound and the thunder.
Speaker 8 (07:41):
One day I was working off camera for Catherine and
you and Scottie were on set. You were sitting on
a stool, Scotty was standing next to you, and all
of a sudden, that one rip and the entire set
Ronnie I was laughing.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
So hard that the camera went like this.
Speaker 8 (08:03):
We were leaning against him laughing, and it took about
two minutes for everyone to calm down, at which point
the director said, interesting choice, Mac, but let's go another way.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
God, I wonder how much.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Film my waist on brand on brand.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It seems it seems just like right. Everyone loved working
with me.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
We did.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
That's why we did, because we never knew what was
gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
I just remember that you were wild card. We're still
wild card.
Speaker 9 (08:41):
It is it's a it's not a it's not a job,
it's a it's it's a title you earn.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
It's a title, yes, very well earned.
Speaker 8 (08:52):
I have to tell you that in all my career,
which from the color of my hair, you can tell him.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I'm responsible for that color.
Speaker 8 (09:02):
It should have happened while I was on set.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
But Seventh Heaven was. It was the bomb.
Speaker 8 (09:11):
We really were a family. Everybody talks about, oh, we're
a family, but we were. We truly were. And the
seven years that I got to stay with you will
be in my heart and my soul forever. And as
far as I was concerned, you were all my kids,
and I am so extraordinarily proud of how each of
(09:34):
you has grown up, who you've become. I knew you
were going to be these people, even when you drove
me crazy, even when I drive home saying, oh my.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Godsha today, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I'm just sorry.
Speaker 8 (09:51):
The best stories in my life come from Seventh Heaven.
But truly, I'm just so proud of you as if
you really were my kids.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
That's like the sweetish thing ever. And on that note,
we're going to take a quick break and we're going
to come right back and we want to hear more.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
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Speaker 3 (11:14):
So now we are.
Speaker 8 (11:15):
Back with Don Shall I tell the Harry Harris at
the Airport story?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
You should tell us.
Speaker 9 (11:28):
Some of your because we because of everyone that we
could have on our pod, I feel like some of
your experiences and stories would be the most unique.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
You were one of You were a one of one
figure on the set like that.
Speaker 9 (11:41):
There were often on sets you have whole departments that
are in charge of different things. And but Don down
did so many things that no one else has.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Anyone else.
Speaker 6 (11:52):
Absolutely baby Wrangler, you know, Matthew Wrangler. And like I said,
you know her job wasn't done. When we went home
after the tears dried up, she had to call me
or I call her. I still know your your old
home phone number, by the way, it's in here forever.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
I love it that you do. I love it well.
Speaker 8 (12:14):
One day Mac was just six, I think maybe seven,
and the whole Camden family was picking up Grandma and Grandpa.
So we were in the back of the Burbank Airport
and it was this kind of weird space that I
didn't even know existed, and it was a huge master shot,
so everybody was in and the timing for Mackenzie's line
(12:35):
was tricky because from where she stood, she really couldn't
see Grandma and Grandpa coming in. So I said, Harry,
I'll cure and I'll be close. You know, I'll find
a place so I can remind her if she needs
her line. Until Harry Harris, one of her favorite directors.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Madt years ago.
Speaker 8 (12:55):
He said, okay, go over to the kid, and I
said okay, and I started to go in one place.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
He goes, no, no, no, go over there. He had
a real husky voice.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah over there, exactly legs for each other.
Speaker 8 (13:09):
If I go over with the kid, I'm going to
be in the shot. And he said, no, you won't.
And he said, Harry, if I get that close to Mac,
I'm going to be in this shot. He said, no,
you won't, not go over there with Mac.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I'm like, all right, Harry, So I go over.
Speaker 8 (13:23):
I crouched down our Paul Snyder, our first a D
says rolling. Harry says action, damn it, don You're in
the shot.
Speaker 9 (13:36):
That's Harry.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I can see that so vividly like that.
Speaker 6 (13:42):
It's like Harry was a wonderful director who had done
all the gunsmoke movies or prior to working with us.
Speaker 8 (13:49):
Yes, and he was the editor on Bonanza. I mean
he was in his seventies when he came to us,
and he always dressed so natty and his you know,
his chinos and a sweat Yeah, and I.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
Just remember his legs always crossed, you know, one of
his legs always crossed over the other one.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
And you know, yes, he was a stylish.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
I think. I think when he first came on, like
he kind of like how much he was a softie.
Like It's like at first he was kind of tough
on us, and then all of a sudden, like when
he fell in love with you, he really was like
he was he was just so wonderful.
Speaker 9 (14:30):
I haven't really distinctly remember and Harry, Oh yeah, I
just distinctly remember that the juxtaposition because he physically he
was he was very slight and frail, and you know,
and he had like shock white hair and and then
but but when.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
He shout, you know, he had a big gruff voice, you.
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Know, so that that you didn't expect to come out
of of this of this old man and he was
his daughter.
Speaker 6 (14:58):
Joanne also came on and she worked on the show
for a number of years and the hair department.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Right, I had.
Speaker 8 (15:06):
Worked with him several times when I was still acting,
so I was way used to him. And the first
day he came on the set, which was so to
you guys, it was like, oh my god, it's Harry.
He had given me like three guest stars. So I
was so comfortable, and so when he yelled at me,
because I knew he was going to I think I
was going to be in.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
That dark shot.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
But and and also one of our very very famous,
favorite famous directors, Tony Moore Dan.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
We were so sad. We were actually working on getting
him to be on the podcast, and he was sadly and.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
He was, you know, he was wanting to come on, and.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Then sadly he passed. He was but he was one
of He was so much one of I mean, I
think each one. I mean, there were so many favorites,
but like Tony was like.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
A special.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
There was there was magic in Tony, and.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
I mean we loved him so much.
Speaker 9 (16:01):
We kept him, you know, Yes, he came director in
the beginning and by the end of the show. He
was with us every day. He was our on set producer. Yeah,
he joined us full time.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
That well.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
He was just such a pleasure to be around, positive
energy that he brought to any.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And Tony is from a West Side story and.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
We had bayh Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
And he just he but he he was such a
unique director and actors an actors director and also phenomenal
with working with kids. He knew how to get through
to each of us and treat us with such respect
and gave us so much space to like exist and
(16:46):
it was just And also I just remember like Tony
was like my size and I was able to write just.
Speaker 8 (16:52):
Like hang on him, hug my size too, because I
was about your size exactly and he was the only
ones shorter than I was on the entire set.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
True, I still wear that crown.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Yeah, it's the only person I'm bigger than and is
ever when I'm standing next to the mac, I think
I can feel tall though I mean I said bigger,
but yeah, I mean.
Speaker 8 (17:12):
You know, it was really interesting because I was quite
a bit older than you guys. Of course you had
no idea how now you do? But what icons guest starred.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
You do?
Speaker 9 (17:27):
Now you do?
Speaker 8 (17:28):
For sure, but you know the entire Aaron Spelling group
of icons who came through our.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Doors Dynasty no pun intended exactly.
Speaker 10 (17:40):
Yeah, Peter Graves like Peter, His Barbara Rush, Floris Leachman,
Phillis Diller, Philis Dillar, you guys in my packing.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I have the I have a painting that Phillis Diller
did of Seventh Heaven. I'm still not quite clear on
what it's supposed to be, but I have it. She
pat but it's it's it's humans in the ether. I
don't know if they're supposed to be the clown time
I'll post it, so you guys have to tell me
(18:11):
what you think it is. But I do have an
original Philip Stiller Seventh Even painting that Brenda gave me. Wo. Yeah,
because I'm prod Phillis did not give it to me,
but I'm pretty sure Brenda gave it to me.
Speaker 11 (18:24):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (18:25):
You know the show was you were too young for
this too, But and I'm sure I know several people
have brought this up, and I haven't seen all of
the podcasts yet, but we were the Waltons of the
next generation, and there was nothing like you on TV
(18:46):
and the comfort and the recognition of each one of
you as characters, because that's what they see. They don't
think the actors. They think Simon and Ruthie and and
and just blamed on your character.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Oh my god, Lucy, there's a lot of names to remember, Like,
let's be honest, there's a lot of kids.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Don't worry about it.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
But at any rate, each one of you was.
Speaker 8 (19:16):
Like someone else, like a me or a me, or
a meat or a meat in the audience. And you
gave all these kids and all these younger adults and
adults permission to be who they were in their individuality.
And you gave them a family to be longed for
(19:36):
when they didn't have one. You gave them a life
to aspire to that they hoped to have. And for
all the drama that goes on behind the scenes that
no one will never know about, ever know about, what
Seventh Heaven gave for eleven years, we haven't seen its.
Speaker 11 (19:56):
Like again, Yeah, we were kind of the last of
our style show, I guess, and you.
Speaker 8 (20:06):
Were the first to pop up after a long time
from the Waltons.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Yeah, and we actually make reference to the Waltons, we do.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Yeah, that was in the.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Third episode in the color color of that.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Because we're rewatching.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
We're doing rewatch. It's a trip we are we are
going through. I mean, I've forgotten all the things I've forgotten.
It's there's so much, you know, But but it's been
it's actually been pretty fun and not as not as
bad as I thought it might be to go back
through it and watch everything again.
Speaker 8 (20:43):
You know, you you three, Mac in the beginning wasn't
so much an actress as a presence and a spirit
because she was so young.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
You two were extraordinary actors from the beginning. You really were.
Speaker 8 (21:00):
Your instincts, your character. This one got there and fast
you did en Z. But in the very beginning you
were the cutest damn thing anybody had ever seen.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I didn't know what actors were when we first started.
Speaker 8 (21:14):
Climbing into Aaron's lap and he was in love. You
got hired, you were this big.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
He's just like thatcket size.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Yeah, I mean, I I very clearly remember my theory
on how television were when I was hired, and I
thought that there had to be little people inside that
box in my living room. Actually, Like I remember trying
to work it out, like what is that does that work?
And it was like during the Oja stuff. Actually, so
I thought OJ was in my living room. But you know, podcast.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Okay, And on that note, we're going to take a
break and we'll circle back in.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Just a minute.
Speaker 8 (21:59):
Well, you know, at at four and five, I thought
God was a life guard white beard in his black
guard power because everybody said God save to you. So
he was a lifeguard, but he had a full white
beard and a bathing suit.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Maybe he is.
Speaker 4 (22:16):
He must be.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Among other things, I've seen some lifeguards that look like
God's dude.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Don and I are just talking about hot lifeguards here.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I meant you were welcome back.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Yeah, hote John, tell her, I'm in here.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Tell me.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
I'm curious just a little bit about if you could
tell us a little bit about the rest of your journey,
your career, things that maybe you went on to after
the show, or or even your career before the show.
I just would love to hear something about that, some
more stuff about you.
Speaker 8 (22:50):
Before I was with you, I was an actress and
I made the grand mistake. I was always older than
I looked I was. I did a PBS show when
I was thirty one, playing twelve whoa I was on
Broadway playing ten when I was thirty. So I made
(23:14):
the mistake because it was so easy. I was five
feet tall, my hair was down in my tush, I
didn't have all these wrinkles, and I looked really, really,
really really young. And I should have quit the business
for about two or three years, because it's like dog
years to casting and produce. Sure, you know, I disappeared
for a little bit, but I was still playing in
(23:37):
my early thirties. On film, I was still playing twelve
to No, No, No. By that time, I was about
thirteen to about seventeen, and then all of a sudden,
I was too old to play young, but I didn't
look my age and there was nowhere to put me.
I had a good resume, but I only did a
few roles where I was up toward my grown up years.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
And in the middle.
Speaker 8 (23:59):
Of all that, I called up and volunteered to answer
phones for a cable network which was Silent Network, which
worked with the deaf and hearing impaired communities, and wound
up within about nine months being a writer, producer, director
there and have a couple of Emmys for it, and
(24:19):
that was great, and.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
So that was kind of.
Speaker 8 (24:24):
The before stuff, and after I took a I went, oh,
I did American Dreams for a little bit, and then
I did Lemony Snicket.
Speaker 7 (24:36):
And with the baby wrangler for Lemony Snicket, and that
was pretty amazing because I was working with Meryl Streep
and Billy Connolly and Jude Law, Dustin Hoff and all
these amazing people.
Speaker 8 (24:47):
But I had the baby, and I think I kind
of did as a baby wrangler. What I tried to
do with you all was make the baby feel safe,
which you do that in a different way than I
would make you guys feel safe because you were old
enough to reason. And I would set up what I
called the mometer, you know, because parents legally have to
(25:11):
be within sight and sound of their child, as you
all know, while on set. But if you have a
bunch of babies and a director who's trying to get
through the day, and you have a bunch of mommies
who may or may not be set savvy around the
director and the video village, it's a bad deal for production.
(25:32):
So I said, set up a second monitor over there,
and they'll see the baby, and they'll hear the baby,
and if anything's wrong, they're close enough to run in
if they don't trust me.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
So I tried to create that kind of a thing.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
I would have babies overnight because Mom wanted to have
a date night with Dad on locations, and so that
was really great because it just so happened that there
are no babies in my real life.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
So I think, get some point.
Speaker 8 (26:01):
God or the universe or whatever said, I'm going to
give you a left hook when you're in your certain
age and you're gonna get breast cancer and you're not
gonna be able to have kids, but I'm gonna put
kids here in your life, your whole life.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
So I think.
Speaker 8 (26:16):
That's why I got to be with you guys, and
why I got to be with babies so much, because
I don't have any to call my own, but I
have a lot to call my own.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Oh, by the way, call us your own.
Speaker 9 (26:28):
We love you so much to y, We're so very
lucky to have you for all those years with us.
I mean, there are a few memories that I have
of the set where you are not there among us,
doing everything you know, doing so many different things you
know all at once, and and I just I remember
(26:50):
you so fondly that you were so helpful.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
To all of those. It's been so fun too. Is
like being able to It's like we kind of all
went our separate ways and everything kind of after the show,
but like being able to kind of reconnect and especially
in our adult life now, and to be able to
express our gratitude and just let you know that as
much as we may mean to you, you also mean to.
Speaker 6 (27:15):
Us when don you should know that, Like whenever anyone
asked what it was like growing up for me or
what my family was like, when I think about the
people who were my mom, I feel like I had
multiple moms and you were basically the main person. You
(27:36):
and Tati really like, Yeah, when I think of the
maternal figure in my life that was the most significant,
it's you.
Speaker 12 (27:47):
So I don't want to cry.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
I think we're all going to cry.
Speaker 8 (27:53):
I do you know I said this to you once before,
and I was very, very afraid that you and David
would wind up on a psychiatrist's couch because of me.
Because I wasn't trying to just make sure you knew
your lines. I was sometimes the one who was saying, Mac,
stop fooling around with your zipper, because if it's up
(28:14):
here and the master and down here in your close up,
Cheryl's going to get in trouble.
Speaker 12 (28:18):
Your friend Cheryl and the crew.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Would come up to me and say, why are you
doing this?
Speaker 12 (28:22):
She's six, and I'd say, I know, but it's so
easy to make a monster in this business. These children
are the focus of their entire family, the entire nation.
They're always getting toys and gifts. They call all the
adults in their lives by their first name. Did you
ever call your teacher Tom or.
Speaker 8 (28:44):
Susan or Mary? No, it was missus Jones or mister Simpson.
And if we don't try to put that in there
with these kids, they're going to be monsters. But then
I'd go home and think, did I do it too
many times? And I really I was so afraid that
you would wind up on side Katri's couches because of no.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
Never wind up on Psychochias couches, because they don't have
enough boundaries often right generally so and.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
I know you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
To end up on a couch shows okay, but.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
There you are. You're on a couch.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Oh my god, here we are on a couch.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
Damn it.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
To go down, and we're having our therapy session.
Speaker 6 (29:26):
John, Look, you were there. You were there for every
minute all day.
Speaker 9 (29:31):
I remember you as part of our structure and is
and and as like a human guard rail for us,
you know, on the set, but but never without like
it's never tinged with negativity.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
I don't.
Speaker 9 (29:45):
I don't like I can't remember you without a big
smile on your face.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
I just remember you as like you were in my
mind part of the cast. You like you were a
cast member because you were the ast member. You were
all of us. Yeah, you you were so like you
and I I grouped you with us.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
No, it's true, you were you were you were the
crew of the cast.
Speaker 9 (30:12):
Yes, it's yeah, it's true. Like you had this And
that's what I was trying to express earlier, I guess,
is that you had such a unique place on our set.
You know, you were one of one and so and
you meant to the world to all of us. I
think all of us, you know, are grateful to.
Speaker 6 (30:29):
Like Like if you think Don, like where was did
Don have her own section in the call sheet?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Like, yeah, she had her own line.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
But yeah, where was where was it?
Speaker 7 (30:39):
You know?
Speaker 8 (30:40):
Sometimes I was in production and sometimes I was with
the set teachers. I never knew where I was going
to be from show.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Yeah, that would make sense, I guess I be. Set
teachers are also the crew of the cast.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
And.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
That's interesting, right, were you not or no?
Speaker 1 (30:55):
You were?
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Rules?
Speaker 8 (30:57):
I know I knew all the rules because of working
so much, and it was helpful because sometimes I would
be on location in like Atlanta, and there were no
LA talents, so they were all local teachers, and so
I could kind of protect the minors because I knew
certain things that they didn't know that the producer didn't
(31:21):
have to do, but to kind of make them feel
like they do. So there was a little more protection.
But technically I wasn't a social worker. I lost a
lot of jobs because of that because they wanted what
they call the mambo combo is for me to be
the set teacher and the wrangler, especially on commercials.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
That would be so that I feel like that's a
spy didn't need to be separated. It makes sense, but
I do feel like I kind of like that separation
is helpful.
Speaker 8 (31:55):
It's hard if kids are in school, but it's not
hard if their babies.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
That's true true set anyway.
Speaker 8 (32:01):
You know, Claudette could leave set if she had to
for a minute, right. She knew I'd cover you and
let her know if anything went wrong.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
You know.
Speaker 8 (32:10):
That's but for the most part, every minute the set,
teachers are right there on set for film and television,
but for commercials where they're supposed to be as well,
sometimes they were off reading a newspaper.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Yeah, that happens, it does.
Speaker 6 (32:26):
I loved it, and Claude I would read the newspaper
about the vultures. Twenty minutes are up, damn.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
Put it in the books accounts, Kenzie.
Speaker 8 (32:43):
I remember one time we had to hose you off.
We put we put you in other clothes, and we
had barbecue ribs for lunch, and I literally took a hose.
You held your and I hosed you off.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
I'm sure I was not surprising.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
I can imagine first of all, anyone who fed you
barbecue ribs.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
It wasn't it wouldn't be.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
It's like when you give your baby and their high
chair pasta.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yes, they're gonna wear it, You're gonna wear it.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Yeah, I just can imagine that. I can see it.
Speaker 4 (33:15):
You're doing it for pictures.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Because I definitely wouldn't see you being the cleanest of eaters.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
You see me.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
That's right exactly that hence the host.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
It's a miracle that this shirt is still white.
Speaker 8 (33:30):
Well on each other because we know it all.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Yeah, we do. Oh well, Don, This has been amazing
and we're so grateful that you joined us, and thank
you so much for coming in and also just being
such a huge part of our lives. And again we're
just we're just so grateful for you.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
It is so great to see a beautiful face.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Thank you.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
I love you all so very much. I have your
two cell phones, David, I want yours.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
So we can keep in absolute Yeah, well connect.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
I love you guys. Thank you so much for having
me on.
Speaker 9 (34:04):
Thank you for thank you you bet you guys, thank
you for joining us for this special episode of Catching
Up with the Camdens. We got to introduce you to
some of the people from set that were most special
to us. And next time we'll, you know, we'll invite
some more people on. We'll get some more rewatches done
and we'll see you guys there.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
And make sure to like subscribe, but leave the comments
we're reading them. And also be sure to check out
our Patreon for some exclusive content as well.
Speaker 9 (34:39):
Hey, guys, check us out on Patreon for early access
to catching up with the camdens episodes, exclusive group and
individual content, access to all three of us via chat,
and more.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
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