Lesley Ann Warren: “If you’ve made it this far, you’ve got something unique and special”

Stage, screen, and television actress Lesley Ann Warren (b. 1946), here in a still from Mark Rydell’s “Harry and Walter Go to New York” (1976; picture: Dave Friedman), started her career at a very young age. At 17, she enrolled at the Actors Studio in New York, became Broadway’s Most Promising Newcomer in 1963, and was the recipient of the Theatre World Award two years later. That very same year, she became an instant star with her first major television success when playing the title role in the TV version of “Cinderella”, with Ginger Rogers, Walter Pidgeon and Celeste Holm as her co-stars—a show that, according Bill Goodman’s Top 100 Rated TV Shows Of All Time, still ranks at #50 in the Nielsen ratings ever until 2009. Other leading TV appearances include her role of Dana Lambert, the female lead in the TV series “Mission: Impossible” (1970-1971 season), and out of five Golden Globe nominations, she won the Globe as Best Actress—Drama for her role in the miniseries “79 Park Avenue” (1977).

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Lesley Ann Warren with Peter Graves, two of the leading and most prominent characters in the TV series “Mission: Impossible” (1970-1971 season)

But most of all, she is a leading and supporting lady from the silver screen for about fifty years now, with several rewarding films to her credit, such as “Victor/Victoria” (1982, Academy Award nomination), “Choose Me” (1984), “Clue” (1985), or “The Limey” (1999) directed Steven Soderbergh.

Currently working for television in “Blunt Talk” with Patrick Stewart, and a short made by an Oscar-nominated couple for a previous short they did, she did several independent movies recently that were shown at festivals all over the world, including “It Snows All the Time” (2016, Best Film at the LA Art-House Film Festival). She may not be busier than ever, ‘but I’m definitely busy,’ she says.

With several other projects lined up at this moment, both for television and film, Ms. Warren will also produce and play the leading role in Alan Rudolph’s upcoming film “Ray Meets Helen.” Variety reporter Dave McNary wrote on the website of Variety on January 26, ‘The characters in “Ray Meets Helen” are stalled in mid-life, beset by profound material challenges and haunted by their failed potential in happier times. Each undergoes a reversal of fortune, affording them unanticipated opportunities at self re-invention. So when their paths eventually cross, each is beguiled by the other’s altered persona—while unexpectedly falling for each other’s true selves as they are gradually revealed.’ A perfect screenplay for a multi-talented actress such as Ms. Warren. “Ray Meets Helen” will reunite her with her “Choose Me” (1984) co-star Keith Carradine and its film director Alan Rudolph who became a major independent filmmaker since then.

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The TV special “Cinderella,” which first aired on February 22, 1965, to this day still ranks among the top TV shows ever, according to the Nielsen ratings. Ms. Warren played Cinderella, Warren Damon portrayed the Prince | CBS Television

Formerly married to executive and top producer Jon Peters (their son is Christopher Peters), she came a long way, ever since she first entered the Actors Studio in New York.

What was, in your opinion, the best advice you got at the Actors Studio?

I studied with Lee Strasberg, both privately in his private classes as well as in the Actors Studio. I continue to use his method today; I’ve always used it. The series of exercises that he constructed to prepare an actor to do a role still hold so strongly for me today. In other words, doing the history of the character, creating a history, if it’s not on the written page, making sure that you understand the relationships that the character has to the other characters in the piece, even if they’re not present in the script, remembering to create the moment before—where were you, what were you doing, where are you coming from, what is your emotional state, what is your physical state. Being present in the moment, which is so powerful because one of the things we used to talk about a lot is if you stay where you are. Eventually something will materialize for you.

What was the reputation in Hollywood back then of actors who came out of the Actors Studio?

When I came to Los Angeles, I was only eighteen. The fact that I was from the Actors Studio and had studied with Lee Strasberg was a fantastic background. They respected him, he was producing some of the world-class actors, so many wonderful actors like Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Sally Field, Faye Dunaway, Shelley Winters, Al Pacino, you know the list went on and on. He was extremely well-thought-of and respected. Television has taken over a lot of the venues of filmmaking, directing, and performing; there’s less attention paid to that kind of work in general, although I would say that the quality directors from the stage, television, or film still have this admiration for that kind of training.

When you get a script with a part that might interest you, and you read the script for the first time, what is your approach then?

Well, there are different aspects to that, because sometimes I only react emotionally to the character’s situation, sometimes it’s in writing overall, and sometimes it’s because of the director that I’d love to work with, or if I’m doing comedy, the level of wit and sophistication that might be inherent to the piece. So I chose roles for many different reasons; there’s always more than one reason to attach myself to a project.

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Lesley Ann Warren with Walt Disney shortly before he passed away in 1966. She appeared in Disney’s “The Happiest Millionaire” (1967) with Fred MacMurray and Greer Garson, and “The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band” (1968) opposite Walter Brennan and Buddy Ebsen | Walt Disney Motion Pictures

You came in at the tail end of the studio system, which is such a long time ago now. How has the business changed over the past fifty years? Maybe also acting-wise?

Well, there’s an enormous evolution in the business. It’s funny—I am doing a television show right now, and I was actually talking to the director about feeling so blessed that I got to experience the last vestiges of the studio system because of its level of quality, the attention to detail, and the atmosphere of creativity. In general, there is less money now, and there are more opinions, so it’s not necessarily one vision, and there’s less time. So everything is different. I don’t want to say compromised because there is so much incredibly quality work coming out in both television and film; it still absolutely exists. It’s just more difficult to get there.

When you appear on the set for the first time, working on a new project, what expectations do you have from the film director?

You know, it depends. Some directors are very much involved in the performances; they care and communicate beautifully. That’s always an incredibly beautiful experience. Some directors are more interested cinematically; they may not be that involved with the actors in that specific way. But that’s also exciting. What sometimes happens in television, is that directors are trying to finish it on time, within the production costs, and that’s not fun for an actor. You can feel their strain and pressure to answer to so many people above them. So, in that case, there’s less communication between the director and the actor, while that’s my favorite part of the whole process.

Actress Patricia Medina once said of Orson Welles, as a director, ‘He could reach inside an actor, discover what he could do best, and them made him do it better.’

Well, that’s the thrilling part of acting for me, when a director can do that. When that happens, there’s a wonderful creative moment, and it’s exciting: you go to places as an actor that you may not have known that you can actually go to. I love that; even if it’s sometimes battling, and you may even be on unstable ground as an actor, it ultimately produces something that is much more unpredictable and unusual.

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James Garner with Lesley Ann Warren in “Victor/Victoria” (1982) | David Appleby

Of all the directors you worked with so far, do you have a favorite one?

No, I don’t. I have favorites [laughs]. You know, Blake Edwards, whom I adored—I had one of the best working experiences of my life with him [“Victor/Victoria”, 1982], but I had an equally wonderful experience with Mel Brooks and others. That’s what I always say during the Academy Award season; there is no best. There are all these incredible performances that need to be honored, but it’s all so subjective, so I don’t think there is a favorite. I mean, I did “Choose Me” for Alan Rudolph, he a very good director too, Steven Soderbergh as well, and many directors who work for television are amazing also.

You can switch easily from leading roles to supporting or character roles and back. How do you manage to do that?

You know, that happens more naturally as you get older; there are less leading roles per se, especially for women, so the more interesting roles sometimes are supporting roles. I think it is really important to be pragmatic about that reality, but also to find the joy and the excitement in creating your role—whatever the size of the role is. In other words, I don’t approach a supporting role any differently than I would a leading role. Even when you’re doing a cameo, and you only have three lines, an actor must see everything through the character that he’s portraying. It doesn’t mean you don’t support the production or the story, but that’s how you have to prepare for whatever size of role you’re doing.

Clue
“Clue” (1985), a delightful whodunit comedy based on the popular board game, with Lesley Ann Warren in one of the leading roles, playing Miss Scarlet. The film was made by first-time director Jonathan Lynn and co-written by John Landis | Robbie Robinson

Looking back to all the work you have done so far and your achievements until now, would you consider “Victor/Victoria” [1982] as one of your professional highlights so far?

I don’t know if I would consider it the highlight because I have been lucky enough to have some other iconic roles like “Cinderella” [1965] or ”Clue” [1985]. I also played some roles in television that changed the course of my career.

You were nominated for an Oscar for your role in “Victor/Victoria” [1982]. Do you think you could do more with that nomination now, with all the media, the publicity, the internet… It has all changed so much?

Yes, it has changed radically. But do I think that it might do more for me now, possibly; I mean it certainly wouldn’t hurt. But the whole machinery of Hollywood has certainly changed. Young actresses are now very smart in ways that we weren’t, about how to manage their careers. I admire that, and it’s just a different time. With “Victor/Victoria,” I had no idea at all that I would be nominated; it was an absolute surprise to me. I had never thought about it. I knew that my publicists at MGM were doing a campaign, but I was already making another movie, so I never thought this would happen. And when it did, I was really dumbstruck [laughs]. And as far as winning, I was hoping to win—who doesn’t want to win—but I never really had a sense about it.

Is it true that you turned down the Jean Seberg role in “Paint Your Wagon”?

Well, I was under contract to Paramount, to Robert Evans specifically. The actual story is that I was supposed to do “Goodbye, Columbus” [1969, role for Ali MacGraw], but I got pregnant. There were several films that I was under contract to do, one of them was “Paint Your Wagon” [1969], I think “Finian’s Rainbow” [1968, role for Petula Clark] was another one. I believe that some other film that I was doing at the time intervened, and so I couldn’t do “Paint Your Wagon.” It wasn’t that I turned it down. I did turn down the opportunity to audition for “Romancing the Stone” [1984, role for Kathleen Turner] because I didn’t think I could go to the jungle and do all the physicality’s that the role required. So that’s something I missed out on, I suppose. I can’t really think of other films at the moment, although I’m sure there are others. But I’m a big believer in what is meant to be yours as yours, and if an opportunity doesn’t occur, then it wasn’t meant to be. So it happens that people turn something down: there can be many complications that occur sometimes before you get on the set. Your intuition at the time doesn’t always prove to be accurate in terms of the end result.

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Mel Brooks reunited with his leading lady of the comedy “Life Stinks” (1991) | Ron Taft

Considering your long career so far, the quality of your work, and the many highlights, you are pretty much a survivor, aren’t you?

Yes, very much (laughs). I believe it was my destiny to do this in this lifetime, a hundred percent. I think I am truly young at heart, I have a sort of sense of wonder about life and the unfolding of it, and I always believe the future holds many wonderful experiences for me. Hillary Clinton recently said, ‘You have to take everything seriously, but not personally.’ I think that’s very true: you have to develop the ability to cope with enormous rejection, more so than other careers because an actor is selling himself as his product. It’s devastating when someone doesn’t want you. So you need to have some either spiritual or philosophical life that holds you strong in the face of that. So I would say it’s a combination of my appreciation, joy, and hope for wonderful things to manifest and my durability, strength, and kind of inner steeliness. If I get knocked down, I do get back up.

How difficult is it to compete with young and upcoming actresses?

You’re not in competition with them. That’s a fallacy. First of all, I’m much older, and we’re not bringing the same attributes as they are, like life experience, for example, which is on a different level. But as you get older, there is a diminishing of roles available, period. But I have always said that Audrey Hepburn couldn’t be Sophia Loren, or Sophia Loren couldn’t be Natalie Wood, and Natalie Wood couldn’t be Grace Kelly: everybody brings something extraordinary. If you’ve made it this far, you’ve got something unique and special about your gifts and about what you bring to a role. I really believe that, whether you get all of those roles, or some of them, or a few of them—when it’s kind of out of your hands—what you bring, is deeply important.

How do you reflect on yourself now as a veteran actress, if I may use that term, still working all the time, still with a busy schedule?

I actually take great pride in my career; I feel tremendously blessed and very lucky. I also work extremely hard. Different friends of my age who used to act, like Kim Darby, who was in “True Grit” [1969], always jokingly say that nobody works as hard as I do. My career is an enormous source of peace and pride for me.

What about the responsibilities that you have as an actress? How do you cope with them?

The responsibility that I feel is always the same; it’s about illuminating an aspect of the human condition through the characters that I play. That’s always been my objective and need, whether it’s comedy or deeply dramatic, to touch people in ways that they may not have been able to access for themselves. I do think that I can understand and relate to many different kinds of behaviors and characters, it’s just something inherent to me, and then there is the incredible training that I had as an actress and the joy I have in moving from one genre to another which is something that has always been very important to me. Right after “Victor/Victoria,” I did “Choose Me,” which was the total opposite. Some people wanted me to do more of these highly comedic roles, but I didn’t want to be typecast; that’s not why I became an actress. I didn’t want to be a personality. I wanted to be an actress.

What advice would you give to young actors who start in this business?

Training, in my opinion, is imperative; having a solid base to fall back on when you are in situations that may not encourage you to lean on your director. You need to have a craft you can call your own, so that you can bring the part essentially, and to develop an inner core that will allow you to handle enormous rejections; that is an absolute part of this business.

Have you ever considered directing a movie?

I don’t want to direct, but I am going to produce a movie which I’m very excited about. It’s called “Ray Meets Helen,” and it’s written and will be directed by Alan Rudolph who directed me in “Choose Me.” Keith Carradine will be in it with me, and we’re hoping to start in May.

Could this be the beginning of a new career?

I don’t think so [laughs], but if I came upon a project that I love, then I will pursue producing it. It’s not that it will be my career because I love being an actress. That’s who I am!

Los Angeles, California
February 10, 2016

“Victor/Victoria” (1982, trailer)

FILMS

THE CHAPMAN REPORT (1962) DIR George Cukor PROD Darryl F. Zanuck, Richard D. Zanuck SCR Wyatt Cooper, Don Mankiewicz (adaptation by Grant Stuart, Gene Allen; novel by Irving Wallace) CAM Harold Lipstein MUS Leonard Rosenman ED Robert L. Simpson CAST Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Jane Fonda, Claire Bloom, Shelley Winters, Glynis Johns, Ray Danton, Ty Hardin, Andrew Duggan, Harold J. Stone, Cloris Leachman, Chad Everett, Jack Cassidy, Lesley Ann Warren (Sarah’s Daughter [uncredited])

THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE (1967) DIR Norman Tokar PROD Bill Anderson, Walt Disney [uncredited] SCR CAM Edward Colman ED Cotton Warburton CAST Fred MacMurray, Greer Garson, Gladys Cooper, Geraldine Page, Tommy Steele, Hermione Baddely, John Davidson, Lesley Ann Warren (Cordy), Eddie Hodges, William Wellman Jr.

THE ONE AND ONLY, GENUINE, ORIGINAL FAMILY BAND (1968) DIR Michael O’Herlihy PROD Bill Anderson SCR Lowell S. Hawley (screen story by Lowell S. Hawley; book by Laura Bower Van Nuys) CAM Frank V. Phillips ED Cotton Warburton CAST Walter Brennan, Buddy Ebsen, Lesley Ann Warren (Alice Bower), John Davidson, Janet Blair, Kurt Russell, Bobby Riha, John Walmsley, Wally Cox, Goldie Hawn

PICKUP ON 101 (1972) DIR John Florea PROD Chris Whittaker, Ed Garner SCR Anthony Blake CAM Brick Marquand MUS Stu Phillips CAST Jack Albertson, Lesley Ann Warren (Nicky), Martin Sheen, Hal Baylor, George Chandler, Robert Donner, Eddie Firestone, Michael Ontkean, Harold J. Stone

HARRY AND WALTER GO TO NEW YORK (1976) DIR Mark Rydell PROD Don Devlin, Harry Gittes SCR Robert Kaufman, John Byrum (story by John Byrum, Don Devlin) CAM László Kovács MUS David Shire ED Don Guidice, David Bretherton CAST James Caan, Elliott Gould, Michael Caine, Diane Keaton, Charles Durning, Lesley Ann Warren (Gloria Fontaine), Val Avery, Jack Gilford, Carol Kane, Burt Young, Bert Remsen

RACE OF THE YANKEE ZEPHYR (1981) DIR David Hemmings PROD David Hemmings, John Barnett, Antony I. Ginnane SCR Everett De Roche CAM Vincent Monton MUS Brian May ED John Laing CAST Ken Wahl, Lesley Ann Warren (Sally), Donald Pleasence, George Peppard, Bruno Lawrence, Grant Tilly, Robert Bruce, Harry Rutherford-Jones

VICTOR/VICTORIA (1982) DIR Blake Edwards PROD Blake Edwards, Tony Adams SCR Blake Edwards (screenplay of VIKTOR UND VIKTORIA [1933] by Reinhold Schünzel; concept by Hans Hoemburg) CAM Dick Bush MUS Henry Mancini ED Ralph E. Winters CAST Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren (Norma Cassady), Alex Karras, John Rhys-Davies, Graham Stark, Peter Arne, Herb Tanney

A NIGHT IN HEAVEN (1983) DIR – ED John G. Avildson PROD Gene Kirkwood SCR Joan Tewkesbury CAM David L. Quaid MUS Jan Hammer CAST Christopher Atkins, Lesley Ann Warren (Faye), Robert Logan, Deborah Rush, Deney Terrio, Sandra Beall, Alix Elias, Carrie Snodgress, Amy Lyndon, Andy Garcia

CHOOSE ME (1984) DIR – SCR Alan Rudolph PROD David Blocker, Carolyn Pfeiffer CAM Jan Kiesser ED Mia Goldman CAST Geneviève Bujold, Keith Carradine, Lesley Ann Warren (Eve), Patrick Bauchau, Rae Dawn Chong, John Laroquette, Edward Ruscha

SONGWRITER (1984) DIR Alan Rudolph PROD Sydney Pollack SCR Bud Shrake CAM Matthew F. Leonetti MUS Larry Cansler ED George A. Martin, Stuart H. Pappé, Stephen Lovejoy CAST Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Melinda Dillon, Lesley Ann Warren (Gilda), Rip Torn, Mickey Raphael, Rhonda Dotson, Richard C. Sarafian

CLUE (1985) DIR Jonathan Lyn PROD Debra Hill SCR Jonathan Lyn (story by Jonathan Lyn, John Landis) CAM Victor J. Kemper MUS John Morris ED Robert Haines, David Bretherton CAST Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren (Miss Scarlett), Colleen Camp, Lee Ving

BURGLAR (1987) DIR Hugh Wilson PROD Kevin McCormick, Michael Hirsh SCR Hugh Wilson, Matthew Weisman, Joseph Loeb III (novels by Lawrence Block) CAM William A. Fraker MUS Sylvester Levay ED Frederic Steinkamp, William Steinkamp CAST Whoopi Goldberg, Bobcat Goldthwait, G.W. Bailey, Lesley Ann Warren (Dr. Cynthia Sheldrake), James Handy, Anne De Salvo, John Goodman, Michael Nesmith, Hugh Wilson

COP (1988) DIR James B. Harris PROD James B. Harris, James Woods SCR James B. Harris (novel ‘Blood on the Moon’ by James Ellroy) CAM Steve Dubin MUS Michael Colombier ED Anthony Spano CAST James Woods, Lesley Ann Warren (Kathleen McCarthy), Charles Durning, Charles Haid, Raymond J. Barry, Randi Brooks

WORTH WINNING (1989) DIR Will Mackenzie PROD Dale Pollock, Gil Friesen SCR Sara Parriott, Josann McGibbon (novel by Dan Lewandowski) CAM Adam Greenberg MUS Patrick Williams ED Sidney Wolinsky CAST Mark Harmon, Madeleine Stowe, Lesley Ann Warren (Eleanor Larimore), Maria Holvöe, Mark Blum, Andrea Martin, Tony Longo, Alan Blulenfeld

LIFE STINKS (1991) DIR – PROD Mel Brooks SCR Mel Brooks, Rudy De Luca, Steve Haberman (story by Mel Brooks, Rudy De Luca, Steve Haberman, Ron Clark) CAM Steven Poster MUS John Morris ED Michael Mulconery, David Rawlins, Anthony Redman CAST Mel Brooks, Lesley Ann Warren (Molly), Jeffrey Tambor, Stuart Pankin, Howard Morris, Rudy De Luca, Teddy Wilson, Michael Ensign, Billy Barty, Jennifer Warren

PURE COUNTRY (1992) DIR Christopher McCain PROD Jerry Weintraub SCR Rex McGee CAM Richard Bowen MUS Steve Dorff ED Jack Hofstra CAST George Strait, Lesley Ann Warren (Lula Rogers), Isabel Glasser, Kyle Chandler, John Doe, Rory Calhoun, Molly McClure

COLOR OF NIGHT (1994) DIR Richard Rush PROD David Matalon, Buzz Feitshans SCR Billy Ray, Michael Chapman (story by Billy Ray) CAM Dietrich Lohmann MUS Dominique Frontiere ED Jack Hofstra CAST Bruce Willis, Jane Marsh, Rubén Blades, Lesley Ann Warren (Sondra), Scott Baluka, Brad Dourif, Lance Henricksen, Kevin J. O’Connor, Jeff Corey, Shirley Knight

BIRD OF PREY (1995) DIR Temístocles López PROD Boyan Milushev, Jonathan Debin SCR Boyan Milushev, James J. Mellon, Lynette Prucha, Tracy Hall Adams CAM David Knaus MUS Brian Clifton ED Tracy Hall Adams, Ila von Hasperg CAST Jennifer Tilly, Richard Chamberlain, Lenny von Dohlen, Lesley Ann Warren (Carla Carr), Robert Carradine, Boyan Milushev, Damian Marinov, Antony Genov

THE FIRST MAN (1996) DIR – SCR Danny Kuchuk PROD Alex Sherwin CAM Greg Littlewood MUS Maure Silverman CAST Heather Graham, Lesley Ann Warren, Lisa Zane, Keith Bogart, Michael Raynor, Kane Picoy, Roxana Zal

GOING ALL THE WAY (1997) DIR Mark Pellington PROD Tom Gorai, Sigurjon Sighvatsson SCR Dan Wakefield (also novel) CAM Bobby Bukowski MUS Tomandany ED Leo Trombetta CAST Jeremy Davies, Ben Affleck, Amy Locane, Jill Clayburgh, Lesley Ann Warren (Nina Casselman), Rose Mcowan, Rachel Weisz

LOVE KILLS (1998) DIR – SCR Mario Van Peebles PROD Mario Van Peebles MUS Nick Wood ED Edward R. Abroms CAST Mario Van Peebles, Lesley Ann Warren (Evelyn Heiss), Donovan Leitch Jr., Loretta Devine, Louise Fletcher, Daniel Baldwin, Lucy Liu, Melvin Van Peebles, Margaret Avery

ALL OF IT (1998) DIR – SCR Jody Jodolsky PROD Darren Gold CAM Ted Cohen MUS Andrew Hollander ED Jacob Craycroft CAST Alanna Ubach, Lesley Ann Warren (Glenda Holbeck), James Rebhorn, Nancy Banks, Michael B. Silver, Edward Nahhat, Trudy Mason

THE LIMEY (1999) DIR Steven Soderbergh PROD John Hardy, Scott Kramer SCR Lem Dobbs CAM Ed Lachman MUS Cliff Martinez ED Sarah Flack CAST Terence Stamp, Peter Fonda, Lesley Ann Warren (Elaine), Luis Guzman, Barry Newman, Joe Dallesandro, Nicky Katt

TWIN FALLS IDAHO (1999) DIR Michael Polish PROD Stephen J. Wolfe, Marshall Persinger, Rena Ronson SCR Michael Polish, Mark Polish CAM M. David Mullen MUS Stuart Matthewman ED Lea Trombetta CAST Michael Polish, Mark Polish, Michelle Hicks, Jon Gries, Patrick Bauchau, Lesley Ann Warren (Francine), Garrett Morris, William Katt, Holly Woodlam

TEACHING MRS. TINGLE (1999) DIR – SCR Kevin Williamson PROD Cathy Conrad CAM Jerzy Zielinski MUS John Frizzel ED Debra Neil-Fisher CAST Helen Mirren, Marisa Coughlan, Katie Holmes, Barry Watson, Liz Stauber, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael McKean, Molly Ringwald, Lesley Ann Warren (Faye Watson [uncredited])

ROPEWALK (2000) DIR – SCR Matt Brown PROD Erick Feitshans, Steve Hodges, Michael B. Kahn CAM Bill Butler MUS David Mansfield ED Sean Albertson CAST Jayce Bartok, Nathan Bexton, Michael Buie, Ever Carradine, Peter Facinelli, Lena Headey, Fred Ward, Lesley Ann Warren (Charlie’s Mother)

TRIXIE (2000) DIR Alan Rudolph PROD Robert Altman SCR Alan Rudolph (story by Alan Rudolph, John Binder) CAM Jan Kiesser MUS Mark Isham, Roger Neill ED John Helde, Michael Ruscio CAST Emily Watson, Dermot Mulroney, Nick Nolte, Nathan Lane, Brittany Murphy, Lesley Ann Warren (Dawn Sloane), Will Patton, Stephen Lang

DELIVERING MILO (2001) DIR Nick Castle PROD Heriberto Schoeffer, Heidi Levitt, Deepak Nayar SCR David Hubbard (story by Diana Wagman) CAM Willy Kurant MUS Craig Stafan ED Patrick Kennedy, Peck Prior CAST Bridget Fonda, Albert Finney, Campbell Scott, Lesley Ann Warren (Anna), Anton Yelchin, Keith Gordon, Dan O’Bannon

THE QUICKIE (2001) DIR Sergey Bodrov PROD Sergey Bodrov, Christoph Friedel, Karl Baumgartner SCR Sergey Bodrov, Carolyn Cavallero (story by Sergey Bodrov) CAM Sergei Kozlov MUS Guya Kanchelli ED Pam Wise, Ray Lovejoy CAST Jennifer Jason Leigh, Vladimir Mashkov, Lesley Ann Warren (Anna), Dean Stockwell, Henry Thomas, Brenda Bakke, Sergey Bodrov Jr.

THE MEYERSONS (2001) DIR Todd Hurvitz, Andy Weiss PROD Richard Sears, Alexis Magagni-Seely SCR Todd Hurvitz, Andy Weiss CAM Roman Jakoby ED Chan Hatcher CAST Dan Hedeya, Lesley Ann Warren, Robb Derringer, Stephen Spiegel, Paul Gleason, Jeremy Luc, Joanne Baron

LOSING GRACE (2001) DIR – SCR Michael Valverder PROD Ron Lavery CAM Keith Holland MUS Fabrizio Castania, Andrea Ferrari, Michael Sickeler ED Bazyl Dripps CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Mary Reed), Ryan Browning, Matt Farnsworth, Ronny Cox, Beth Ann Warren, Jenny Andrews, Tara Ochs, Leland L. Jones

SECRETARY (2002) DIR Steven Shainberg PROD Steven Shainberg, Andrew Fierberg, Amy Hobby SCR Erin Cressida Wilson (story by Erin Cressida Wilson, Steven Shainberg; short story by Mary Gaitskill) CAM Steven Fierberg MUS Angelo Badalamenti ED Pam Wise CAST James Spader, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen McHattie, Lesley Ann Warren (Joan Holloway), Jeremy Davies, Patrick Bauchau, Osgood Perkins, Steven Fierberg

MY TINY UNIVERSE (2004) DIR – SCR Lucy Phillips, Glen Scantlebury PROD Lucy Phillips CAM Eliot Rockett MUS Greg Hale Jones ED Glen Scantlebury, Todd E. Miller CAST John Heard, Lesley Ann Warren (Vee), Andy Corneau, Debi Mazar, Lobo Sebastian, Jillian Peterson, Roberto Bacalski

CONSTELLATION (2005) DIR – PROD – SCR Jordan Walker-Pearlman CAM John Niaga Demps MUS Michael Bearden, Stefan Dickerson, Stanley A. Smith ED Alison Learned CAST Hill Carter, Zoë Saldana, Lesley Ann Warren (Nancy Boxer), Billy Dee Williams, Gabrielle Union, Rae Dawn Chong, Ever Carradine

WHEN DO WE EAT? (2005) DIR Salvador Litvak PROD Salvador Litvak, Steven J. Wolfe SCR Salvador Litvak, Nina Davidovich CAM M. David Mullen MUS Mark Adler, Eliane Delage ED Richard Hasley, Ryan Kushner CAST Ben Feldman, Michael Lerner, Shiri Appleby, Adam Lamberg, Cynda Williams, Jack Klugman, Lesley Ann Warren (Peggy Stuckman), Max Greenfield, Mark Ivanir

DEEPWATER (2005) DIR David S. Marfield PROD Chris Coen SCR David S. Marfield (novel by Matthew F. Jones) CAM Scott Kevan MUS Charlie Clouser ED Eric Strand CAST Lucas Black, Peter Coyote, Mia Maestro, Lesley Ann Warren (Pam), Xander Berkeley, Jason Cerbone, Michael Ironside, Kristen Bell

THE SHORE (2005) DIR – SCR Dionysius Zervos PROD Dionysius Zervos, Nicole DeFalco, John Rainer Long, Joseph J. Talarico CAM Bud Gardner MUS Patrick De Caumette ED Pete Mecchi CAST Izabella Miko, Lesley Ann Warren (Becky Harris), Ben Gazzara, Paula Garcés, Costas Mandylor, Matt Newton, Ashley Marie Talarico

10TH & WOLF (2006) DIR Bobby Moresco [Robert Moresco] PROD Leo Rossi SCR Bobby Moresco [Robert Moresco], Allan Steele CAM Alex Nepomniaschy MUS Aaron Zigman ED Harvey Rosenstock CAST James Marsden, Giovanni Ribisi, Brad Renfro, Piper Perabo, Dennis Hopper, Lesley Ann Warren (Tina), Dash Mohik, Tommy Lee, Brian Dennehy, Val Kilmer, Amanda Moresco, Veronica De Laurentiis

STIFFS (2010) DIR Frank Ciota PROD Sandy Missakian SCR Joseph A. Ciota CAM Giulio Pietromarchi MUS Carmelo Travia, Giuliano Taviani ED George Chiochios CAST Danny Aiello, Louis Vanaria Lesley Ann Warren (Joy Tramontana), Jon Polito, Frank Bongiorno, Heather Tom, Frank Vincent, Joseph R. Sicari

A LITTLE HELP (2010) DIR – SCR Michael J. Weithorn PROD Michael J. Weithorn, Joe Gressis, Dena Hysell CAM Thomas M. Harting MUS Austin Wintory ED Joe Gressis CAST Jenna Fischer, Chris O’Donnell, Rob Benedict, Lesley Ann Warren (Joan Dunning), Ron Leibman, Brooke Smith, Daniel Yelsky

PEEP WORLD (2010) DIR Barry W. Blaustein PROD Keith Calder, Felipe Marino, Joe Neurauter SCR Peter Himmelstein CAM Tobias Datum MUS Jeff Cardoni ED Jeff Werner, Evan Schiff, Steve Welch CAST Judy Greer, Michael C. Hall, Taraji P. Henson, Kate Mara, Ron Rifkin, Ben Schwartz, Sarah Silverman, Lesley Ann Warren (Marilyn), Rainn Wilson, Octavia Spencer

JOBS (2013) DIR Joshua Michael Stern PROD Marl Hulme, Joshua Michael Stern SCR Matt Whiteley CAM Russell Carpenter MUS John Debney ED Robert Komatsu CAST Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, Matthew Modine, J.K. Simmons, Lesley Ann Warren (Clara Jobs), Ron Eldard, Ahna O’Reilly, John Getz, James Woods

I AM MICHAEL (2015) DIR Justin Kelly PROD James Franco, Vince Jolivette, Michael Mendelsohn, Joel Michaely, Scott Reed, Ron Singer SCR Justin Kelly, Stacey Miller (magazine article ‘My Ex-Gay Friend’ by Benoit Denizet-Lewis) CAM Christopher Blauvelt MUS Tim Kvasnosky, Jake Sears ED Aaron I. Butler CAST James Franco, Zachary Quinto, Emma Roberts, Charlie Carver, Lesley Ann Warren, Daryl Hannah, Ahna O’Reilly

BABYSITTER (2015) DIR – SCR Morgan Krantz PROD Eric Pumphrey, Kyle Marvin, Luke Baybak CAM Eli Born MUS Josh Grondin CAST Max Burkholder, Danièle Watts, Valerie Azlynn, Lesley Ann Warren, Luke Baybak, Jason Bond

IT SNOWS ALL THE TIME (2016) DIR Jay Giannone PROD Jay Giannone, Erich Hover SCR Jay Giannone, Eric Watson (story by Erich Hover) CAM Ben Drickey ED Phil Bucci, Mark Sult CAST Brett Cullen, Erin Cahill, Taryn Manning, Tatyana Ali, Clinton Sparks, Lesley Ann Warren (Anne), Erich Hover

THE SPHERE AND THE LABYRINTH (2016) DIR – SCR Michael Robertson Moore PROD Aya Nakano CAM Peter Villani MUS Jeffrey Alan Jones ED Keita Ideno CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Wendy), Joanna Going, Zak Henri, Bill Sage, Mary Mara, Paul Lieber, Elizabeth Greer, Lucas Jaye

THE FORCE (2016) DIR – SCR Rafael Palacio Illingworth PROD Madeline Samit, Bert Hamelinck, Eleonore Meier CAM Todd Banhazi ED Daniel Raj Koobir CAST Ben Feldman, Analeigh Tipton, Olivia Thirlby, Adam Goldberg, Lesley Ann Warren (Elsa), Peter Bogdanovich, Betsy Brandt

TV MOVIES

CINDERELLA (1965) DIR Charles S. Dubin CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Cinderella), Ginger Rogers, Walter Pidgeon, Celeste Holm, Jo Van Fleet, Stuart Damon, Pat Carroll

SEVEN IN DARKNESS (1969) DIR Michael Caffey CAST Milton Berle, Bill Dyer, Nancy Fisher, Ted Foulkes, Lesley Ann Warren (Deborah Cabot), Dina Merrill, Arthur O’Connell

LOVE HATE LOVE (1971) DIR George McCowan CAST Ryan O’Neal, Lesley Ann Warren (Sheila Blunden), Peter Haskell, Henry Jones, Jeff Donnell, Jack Mullaney, Stanley Adams

CAT BALLOU (1971) DIR Jerry Paris CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Cal Ballou), Jack Elam, Tom Nardini, Joel Higgins, Laurie Main, Bo Hopkins

ASSIGNMENT: MUNICH (1972) DIR David Lowell Rich CAST Richard Basehart, Roy Scheider, Lesley Ann Warren (Cathy Lange), Werner Klemperer, Robert Reed, Pernell Roberts, Keenan Wynn

THE DAUGHTERS OF JOSHUA CABE (1972) DIR Philip Leacock CAST Buddy Ebsen, Karen Valentine, Lesley Ann Warren (Mae), Sandra Dee, Don Stroud, Henry Jones, Jack Elam, Michael Anderson Jr.

THE LETTERS (1973) DIR Paul Krasny, Gene Nelson CAST John Forsythe, Jane Powell, Lesley Ann Warren (Laura Reynolds), Ida Lupino, Barbara Stanwyck, Ben Murphy, Leslie Nielsen

SAGA OF SONORA (1973) DIR Marty Pasetta CAST Vince Edwards, Don Adams, Jill St. John, Zero Mostel, Lesley Ann Warren (Emmy Lou), Frankie Avalon, ‘Mama’ Cass Elliott, Sam Jaffe, Kenny Rogers, Roy Rogers

IT’S A BIRD… IT’S A PLANE… IT’S SUPERMAN! (1975) DIR Jack Regas CAST David Wilson, Lesley Ann Warren (Lois Lane), George Chandler, Malachi Throne, Michael Lembeck, Allen Ludden

THE LEGEND OF VALENTINO (1975) DIR Melville Shavelson CAST Franco Nero, Suzanne Pleshette, Judd Hirsch, Yvette Mimieux, Lesley Ann Warren (Laura Lorraine), Milton Berle, Harold J. Stone

BETRAYAL (1978) DIR Paul Wendkos CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Julie Roy), Rip Torn, Richard Masur, Ron Silver, Bibi Besch, John Hillerman, Peggy Ann Garner, Fred Sadoff

PORTRAIT OF A STRIPPER (1979) DIR John A. Alonzo CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Susie Hanson), Edward Herrmann, Vic Tayback, Sheree North, Thomas Hill, Allan Miller, K.C. Martel, Michael Cavanaugh, Udana Power

PORTRAIT OF A SHOWGIRL (1982) DIR Steven Hilliard Stern CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Jillian Brooks), Rita Moreno, Tony Curtis, Barry Primus, Dianne Key, Kip Gilman, Howard Morris, Hamilton Camp

APOLOGY (1986) DIR Robert Bierman CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Lily), Peter Weller, Charles S. Dutton, Harvey Firestein, George Loros, John Glover, Jimmy Ray Weeks, Skye Bassett, Garrett M. Brown

A FIGHT FOR JENNY (1986) DIR Gilbert Moses CAST Philip Michael Thomas, Lesley Ann Warren (Kelsey Wilkes), Jaclyn-Rose Lester [Jackie Bernstein], Jean Smart, Lynne Moody, William Atherton

BAJA OKLAHOMA (1988) DIR Bobby Roth CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Juanita Hutchins), Peter Coyote, Swoozie Kurtz, Billy Vera, Anthony Zerbe, William Forsythe, Willie Nelson, Julia Roberts, Paul Bartel

FAMILY OF SPIES (1990) DIR Stephen Gyllenhaal CAST Powers Boothe, Lesley Ann Warren (Barbara Walker), Lily Taylor, Graham Beckel, Andrew Lowery, Jenny Robertson, Elena Wohl, Gordon Clapp

LOLA (1990) DIR Ellen Falcon [Ellen Gittelsohn] CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Lola Baltic), James Read, Malachi Pearson, Alexis Smith, Don Lake, Linda Hart, Jessica Puscas, Mike Hagerty

A SEDUCTION IN TRAVIS COUNTY (1991) DIR George Kaczender CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Melanie Evans), Peter Coyote, Jean Smart, Matt Clark, Don Hood, Freda Ramsey Williams, Marco Perella

IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH (1992) DIR Jeff Bleckner CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Anita Mattison), Tom Skerritt, Marg Helgenberger, Ray Baker, Robyn Lively, Lisa Blount, Courtney Barilla, Ross Malinger

WILLING TO KILL: THE TEXAS CHEERLEADER STORY (1992) DIR David Greene CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Wanda Holloway), Tess Harper, Dennis Christopher, Olivia Burnette, Lauren Woodland, Joanna Miles

A MOTHER’S REVENGE (1993) DIR Armand Mastroianni CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Carol Sanders), Bruce Davison, Shirley Knight, Missy Crider, Allison Mack, David Byron, Annette O’Toole

MURDEROUS INTENT (1995) DIR Gregory Goodell CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Gayle), Corbin Dernsen, Tushka Bergen, Dash Mohik, Sean Bridgers, John Finn, Michael Goodwin, Lisa Darr

JOSEPH (1995) DIR Roger Young CAST Ben Kingsley, Paul Mercurio, Martin Landau, Lesley Ann Warren (Potiphar’s Wife), Alice Krige, Dominique Sanda, Warren Clarke, Monica Bellucci

WOLF GIRL (2001) DIR Thom Fitzgerald CAST Tim Curry, Victoria Sanchez, Grace Jones, Lesley Ann Warren (Dr. Klein), Jordan Prentice, Darlene Cates, Shawn Ashmore, Shelby Fenner, Nate Dushku

RECIPE FOR DISASTER (2003) DIR Harvey Frost CAST John Laroquette, Lesley Ann Warren (Marie Korda), Melissa Peterman, Margo Harshman, Devon Werkheiser, Andrew James Allen, Dill Dawes

BOUND BY A SECRET (2009) DIR Daniel S. Cass Sr. CAST Meredith Baxter, Lesley Ann Warren (Jane Tetley), Bridget Ann White, Holt McCallany, Ellery Sprayberry, Timothy Bottoms, Marcia Ann Burrs

MINISERIES

79 PARK AVENUE, a.k.a. HAROLD ROBBINS’ 79 PARK AVENUE (1977) DIR Paul Wendkos CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Marja Fludjicki/Marianne), Marc Singer, David Dukes, Barbara Barrie, Polly Bergen, Raymond Burr, Michael Constantine, John Saxon, Robert Webber

PEARL (1978) DIR Hy Averback, Alexander Singer CAST Angie Dickinson, Dennis Weaver, Robert Wagner, Lesley Ann Warren (Carol Lang), Tiana Alexandra, Gregg Henry, Katherine Helmond, Brian Dennehy, Richard Anderson, Marion Ross, Mary Crosby

BEULAH LAND (1980) DIR Harry Falk, Virgil W. Vogel CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Sarah Pennington), Michael Sarrazin, Eddie Albert, Hope Lange, Paul Rudd, Dorian Harewood, Martha Scott, Jenny Agutter, Don Johnson

EVERGREEN (1985) DIR Fielder Cook CAST Lesley Ann Warren (Anna Friedman), Armand Assante, Ian McShane, Brian Dennehy, Robert Vaughn, Katherine Borowitz, Clare Coulter, Joan Allen, Boys Gaines