Rebeca Arthur was hired for one week on Perfect Strangers and stayed eight years.
Before that she was a working private investigator in New York, and one of her agency's cases was Robert Durst. She talks about playing Mary Anne Spencer opposite Bronson Pinchot's Balki Bartokomous, photocopying her own backside for Scrooged, improvising with Bill Murray, getting career advice from Bob Newhart at a table read, and the dog who got a SAG paycheck out of Match Game. Forty years after Perfect Strangers premiered, she is still working, still funny, and still friends with almost everyone she has ever worked with.
Show Highlights:
Perfect Strangers. Rebeca Arthur auditioned for Jennifer, read the Mary Anne sides on the back page, and told the casting director she wanted the other part instead. The one week guest spot turned into eight years, and she and Melanie Wilson were on the phone with each other, using call waiting, when the calls came in telling them they were coming back.
Private investigator years. She could not get a waitressing job in New York, so she answered an ad, was told she would never make it as a PI because she was too noticeable, and immediately decided that was the job she wanted. She worked cases for three years while finishing school.
The Robert Durst case. Her agency was hired by Durst after his wife Kathie went missing, but only to field the tips coming in off his reward offer, never to look for her. Her boss Jerry kept telling the staff their hands were tied while Kathie's own family called the office demanding answers.
Scrooged. A production assistant walked her down to an office to photocopy her rear end for the film, and yes, it was actually hers. Bill Murray built the whole scene with her on the spot, kept forgetting what he had just improvised, and had her feed his own lines back to him between takes.
Newhart. Bob Newhart lowered his newspaper at a table read, listened to her worry about a prop gun in a play she was doing, and told her to walk to the phone right then and quit. She calls him one of the most generous actors she ever worked with.
You're going to love my conversation with Rebeca Arthur
Thanks for checking out Classic Conversations! Dive into pop culture nostalgia with comedian Jeff Dwoskin as he hosts the best TV and film interviews. Hear inspiring stories from actors, comedians, musicians, and pop culture icons about the road to success. Part comedy, part drama—always entertaining.
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