INTERVIEW WITH CISSY FROM FAMILY AFFAIR

One other reason I wanted to do this interview was to introduce Twitch Readers to an amazing new movie theater here in Chicago called the Hollywood Blvd. Theater. In addition to being absolutely gorgeous (I mean a trip is worth it just to see the theater itself). The Hollywood regularly throws special events in conjunction with screenings, in town conventions and the like. It’s the sort of movie experience that just isn’t available anymore. Poke around on their website to see what I mean.

Kathy Garver will be appearing Saturday and Sunday November 18 and 19 at 2 and 4 pm showing her favorite Family Affair Episodes and signing autographs in order to celebrate the release of Family Affair Seasons One and Two on DVD from MPI Home Video. The theater is located at 1001 West 75th Street underneath the clock tower in Woodridge Illinois. For more info call 630-427-1880.

DC: How did you get involved working with literacy?

KG: I started reading to the blind when I was in college and I’ve been doing it ever since. But even before them I had the chance to play Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker and I think that gave me a lot of empathy early on. Another thing that’s kept me connected to that world is doing audio books and voice over work. Our foundation is called The Family Affair Foundation. The idea is to make reading a family affair and to provide reading companions for the elderly and disadvantaged kids. My own 15 year old son and his friends have been part of it. Reading a chapter or two a week to someone gives them something to look forward to and the knowledge that at least once a week a person who cares about them will check in.

DC: How has being known as Cissy helped? Does celebrity ever get in the way?

KG: Oh you know people are always excited to meet someone they grew up watching on TV and so it opens doors. It brings in money and draws attention to the foundation so that’s a good thing. I never really set out to be a celebrity I just wanted to be a working actress. I’ve been acting since I was a child but I had a really good grounding at home and I think that’s one reason I’ve done as well as I am now. I don’t think I missed anything. I’ve been married to the same wonderful guy for twenty five years and raised a wonderful son and always had time to do things I think of as important, to give back. That’s better than being famous.

DC: What do you like most about it?

KG: You get to meet the greatest people. For instance I got to direct Amy Tan when she did the recording for her Joy Luck Club audio book and we’ve worked together on others since then. She and I won an Audi award for one of her books and she told me that when she first found out about it she thought she had won a car!

DC: Isn’t she in a Rock’n’Roll band with Dave Barry and Stephen King?

KG: Yes she is! She told me that when they first asked her she was so worried because she didn’t know how to sing. So she wound up doing songs like These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ so she wouldn’t have to!

DC: I‘d buy that for a dollar!

KG: It puts the novelty in novelty act!

DC: So what are you working on now?

KG: Doing this Cissy stuff is great. I get so many compliments from fans. And I love producing. It looks like I’m going to be producing a slate of eight family films for a company in Kansas City, MO. and I’m also doing a new TV show called TV Dinners that part cooking and part talk. So I’m keeping busy, reading to whomever listens at Light House for The Blind and raising my kid.

DC: Do you feel lucky? It sounds like you’re involved in some good things.

KG: I’m surprised to hear you say that?

DC: Why?

KG: Because when I went to Twitch Film there were all these pictures of people being murdered and blood everywhere!! I said to myself- “Now this interview might be a little bit of a departure!! Is this the Asian mafia?

DC: Asian film mafia.

KG: You! I’m not like my friend Priscilla Barnes who does The Devil’s Rejects!

DC: Word is that film is going to be remade for kids!

KG: Oh dear.

DC: Do you like horror films?

KG: We are looking at a couple of family type horror projects right now. But I guess that’s kind of …

DC: Cheesy?!....

KG: No! No. uh…oxymoron!!

DC: What did you call me?

KG; No, No…Oxymoron it’s a new laundry soap for morons.

DC: I can see why you’d be good at voiceovers. I mean you came up with that out of thin air.

KG: I just meant that family and horror film don’t exactly go together. Do they? I think they can. I think there’s room for all this stuff. It just depends on what you like.

DC: Do you consider yourself a showbiz survivor?

KG: Well the business is hard on everyone, but life is hard. I think you have to find the things you love and not get distracted from them or the people you love. It was so hard watching Anissa and Tommy (Ed. Buffy and Jody) go through so much. Anissa didn’t have a good family situation and didn’t have the support I think you need when you’re a kid. You see that happen to so many young people in show business. I teach acting occasionally and am on the Young Peoples Committee at the Screen Actors Guild. I’m grateful not to have suffered the way a lot of child actors do.

DC: So will you be a regular Twitch reader now?

KG: Maybe. You do seem like a nice young man.

DC: I had a big crush on you!

KG: Well, judging from the stuff I see on Twitch you just didn’t have the support I did. I’m glad to have given you some comfort.