The Elegance of Morgan Brittany

All Photos: Alan Mercer         Lighting: Roger Fojas

Morgan Brittany is one of the most beautiful film and television actresses of all time. She is best known for her role in the 1980‘s prime time soap opera ‘Dallas,’ where she portrayed Katherine Wentworth. It’s hard to forget those penetrating blue eyes and her striking dark hair. I have always thought of her as a world class beauty. It was very exciting to photograph her one afternoon. She told me this was her first photo session in a few years and she wanted to see what she looked like now. We talked about our mutual appreciation of Hedy Lamarr’s photogenic beauty right before the shutter started clicking.

Some people may not know that Morgan, under her birth name, Suzanne Cupito, began her career as a child in 1960 in an episode of the original ’Twilight Zone’ series. She then appeared in a fourth season episode and most famously in the fifth season episode 'Caesar and Me,’ one of the most popular of all the series. She discusses these parts in interviews for the ‘Twilight Zone Definitive Edition’ DVDs.

She appears in the 1962 film ‘Gypsy’ as "Baby" June. Although uncredited, she is in the birthday party scene in the 1963 Hitchcock movie ‘The Birds.’ In 1964 she filmed an episode of ‘Daniel Boone’ portraying a young mute girl. She appears in a 1967 episode of 'The Andy Griffith Show’ as "Mary Alice Carter", whom Opie Taylor asks out for his first date. She is also in the 1968 film, ‘Yours, Mine and Ours’ along side Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda.

After her successful career as a child actress, Morgan, at the age of 18, appeared with Gene Kelly in his Las Vegas show ‘Gene Kelly's Wonderful World of Girls.’ After that, she moved to New York City where she became a model with the Ford Modeling Agency. She appeared in a multitude of national commercials and print ads including a 3 year stint as the "Ultra-Brite toothpaste" girl, L'Oreal cosmetics, Ford, Levi's, Camay soap and many more.

In 1974 she was hired by the Japanese cosmetics company Kanebo to be the "face" of their product "Ireine". Morgan moved to Tokyo and represented that company for two years. In 1976 she returned to the United States and restarted her acting career. Also in 1976 Morgan portrayed Vivien Leigh in the biopic ‘Gable and Lombard.’ That was followed by numerous movies of the week and shows such as ‘The Initiation of Sarah’ with Kay Lenz, ‘The Amazing Howard Hughes’ with Tommy Lee Jones, and ‘LBJ, The Early Years’ with Randy Quaid.

Her brief appearance as Vivien Leigh again, is the climax of the made-for-TV movie Moviola: The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980). Because of that pivotal moment, she came to the attention of the producers of ‘Dallas’ who were searching for a new character to play the sister of Pamela Ewing.

Morgan first appeared on ‘Dallas’ during the 1981-1982 season in a recurring role which continued for several seasons. In 1985, she returned for a brief cameo appearance in that season's finale. Thus, in 1987, Morgan made another brief return to the show in which Katherine came to visit Pam in the hospital after a car accident. This was Morgan's last appearance on ‘Dallas.’

In 1984, Morgan Brittany starred in her own short-lived ABC drama series, ‘Glitter,’ as "Kate Simpson", a reporter at an entertainment magazine. She has also guest starred on a number of other prime time shows, such as ‘Married....With Children,’ ‘The Dukes Of Hazzard,’ ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ and ‘Melrose Place,’ and has the distinction of appearing on ‘The Love Boat’ seven times. She also appeared with Bob Hope on two of his television specials for NBC.

In 2002, Morgan had roles in the film, ‘The Biggest Fan,’ and ‘Mothers and Daughters.’ She also had a guest appearance on the television series’Son Of The Beach.’ in 2002. She also appears in the 2007 film ‘Americanizing Shelley.’ Morgan appears in the 2010 docu-drama ‘1 a Minute.’ The documentary features cancer survivors. She is currently a frequent guest on the Fox News Networks, ‘Hannity’ show where she is a member of the "Great American Panel". Morgan travels extensively, fund-raising and bringing awareness to issues that affect the military and American values.

She is also an advocate for child actors in Hollywood and along with former child star Paul Peterson, brought attention to the film ‘Hounddog’ starring Dakota Fanning. Morgan returned to her musical roots in the 30th anniversary tour of ‘Mame’ in 1997 where she played the title role. She followed that with tours of "The Sound of Music’ as Maria, and ‘Crazy For You.’

Morgan is the mother of actress Katie Gill and musician/stuntman Cody Gill. She met her husband, stuntman Jack Gill, when she did a guest appearance on the ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ show.

 

AM: Morgan you made such an indelible impression in the TV Show ‘Dallas’ that I don’t think a lot of people realize you are an experienced child actor as well. Do you have vivid memories of that time?

 

MB: Oh I do!

 

AM: You’ve talked about ‘Twilight Zone’ since the day you taped it right?

 

MB: I’ve probably talked about ‘Twilight Zone’ and ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ more than anything! I cannot believe how many fans are still out there and love ‘The Andy Griffith Show’!

 

 

AM: You were on a really great episode.

 

 

MB: It was a good episode and the funny thing is when they play them over and over again people think I’ve done more episodes than I did. I have a lot of people who ask me about it and I do have great memories about all the work that I did. As difficult as it was to be a child actress and surviving it and becoming an adult actress, I’m actually glad I had that opportunity.

 

 

AM: Do you remember working on the film ‘Gypsy?’

MB: Oh yes, I was eight years old. I remember the audition process, the shooting, the studios, the sound stages, the way that we did things. Fortunately I have a lot of behind the scenes stills that were taken so it jogs my memory. I look at them and go, “I remember that!”

AM: When I watched you in your episode of ‘Twilight Zone’ I was thinking it gave you practice for your part in ‘Dallas.’

 

 

MB: Oh I know!

 

 

AM: Most of your parts were sweeter weren’t they?

MB: I always played the child who had an affliction. I was blind or somehow had a problem. I was always the sweet little child. When ‘Twilight Zone’ came along it was like a one-eighty.

AM: I bet you had fun doing it didn’t you?

 

 

MB: I had a blast! It was great.

AM: Did you have to beg the parents to be an actress?

MB: Oh no, I had no choice. My mother was a single mom and we lived in a hotel in downtown LA with my grandmother. We had no money so as soon as I could they got me out there and got me an agent and put me in commercials. Now remember this was in the Fifties and there were not very many child actors in the Fifties. They put me in dance class and acting class. I had no life except performing. I really didn’t know any different.

 

 

AM: Was this a fulfilling childhood for you?

MB: I really just didn’t know any better. I didn’t know any other life. I was trained to sing and dance. I guess I was more like a dancing doll that they put away at night and brought out every morning.

AM: You’re not bitter about this are you?

 

 

MB: Looking back on it, it was a great experience for me, but I missed a lot. I missed having friends and going to school, the normal things. I couldn’t go out and play because God forbid if I skinned my knee or broke my arm or anything, there would be no money. I lived in a bubble and I was a performer. When I got a little older and the career ended, I had to make a decision, do I continue this? Is this what I really want or do I want to do something else? It took me a while to decide but I wasn’t trained to do anything else so....

AM: Did you take off time between being a child actress and working as an adult in film?

MB: The last thing I did as a child was the film 'Yours, Mine and Ours’ with Lucille Ball. I was fourteen at the time. After that, the phone stopped ringing because I was no longer a little kid but I wasn’t old enough to play adult roles. They used actors over eighteen at that point. Everything dried up...everything. It was basically go home, get married and have a life, thank you very much.

 

 

AM: That must have been difficult to understand.

MB: That’s a big shock to somebody who’s done that their whole life! I didn’t have the social skills even though I was an adult when I was six! I’m dealing with call times, paper work, contracts, working with adults, being professional from the earliest age I can remember. I never went through a goofy kid kind of thing. When I tried to relate to teens my own age I was more like thirty! They didn’t understand me and I didn’t understand them. It was very difficult to make that transition.

AM: Did you socialize more with adults?

MB: From the time I was fourteen to eighteen I really didn’t socialize at all. I cut myself off from everything because I was going through this soul searching and wondering why the industry didn’t want me anymore. Why don’t they like me anymore? What did I do? What’s wrong with me? Honestly that’s what childhood actors go through. If you look at the history of some childhood actors, they are alcoholics, drug addicted, suicidal, spend time in jail, real tragedies. The only thing I can equate it to is politics where you’re running for President and the spotlight is on you and the minute the election is over they don’t know who you are!

AM: That is the nature of fame, even more so today.

MB: I know! I think so too.

 

 

AM: Why do you think you actually survived and thrived into adulthood?

MB: I made a conscience effort to change my entire image.

AM: What did you do?

 

 

MB: At eighteen I went to Las Vegas and I was a dancer with Gene Kelly. I wasn’t even old enough to go inside the casinos, but I was in the show. I knew I could dance and sing so I got back in by doing little things like that. Then I decided to try and get another agent but I was unsuccessful because they kept asking me if I was that kid actor. I had no money left. The only thing I had left was a car so I sold it, took all the money I had and moved to New York City. There I changed my name and changed my image. I threw out my resume and started over.

 

 

AM: That takes some courage!

MB: I completely started over. I bluffed my way into casting offices as ‘Morgan Brittany.’ I remember going into the ad agencies. Have you seen 'Mad Men’? That’s how it was when I was doing commercials.

 

 

AM: I love ‘Mad Men’! What did you say to get in?

 

 

MB: I’d start by talking to the secretary. I would say that I had an appointment to see so and so. I was in town from LA and the William Morris Agency told me to drop by and say hello! Then the secretary would say, “Who are you supposed to be seeing?” Then I would say, “I can’t remember her name but she works in casting.” Sometimes it worked and some times it didn’t. But I would often get in and the casting person would go, “Who sent you!?!” So I would repeat that I was with William Morris in LA and they asked me to come see you. Suddenly I’d have copy to read and they thought they’d discovered somebody right there!

 

 

AM: Wow! That is truly amazing. I wonder if you could get away with that today?

 

 

MB: I doubt it with the internet now, but back then it worked.

 

 

AM: And you started doing commercial after commercial and modeling didn’t you?

MB: Yes I did. I did many photo shoots with people like Francesco Scavullo. The funny thing was I was the only one who knew I had all this background. Well of course I’m going to know how to ready copy! (Laughing)

AM: You would have been brilliant! (laughter)

MB: They’re thinking look who we’ve discovered! Oh my gosh! She’s a natural! (more laughter) The whole story finally came out when I did ‘Dallas.’ That’s when people started connecting the dots and going wait a minute. She looks like the little girl on ‘Twilight Zone.”

AM: You do look exactly the same as a child or an adult.

MB: Yes, there’s not that much difference.

 

 

AM: One of my favorite movies you made is called 'The Initiation of Sarah.’ What a fun film!

 

 

MB: A great film I know! (laughing)

AM: I love how sweet you are in this movie.

MB: Sweet and oblivious! Kay Lenz is wonderful in that.

AM: All of you are great.

MB: Morgan Fairchild is awesome in this!

AM: You all went on to play great parts on TV, which leads me to ‘Dallas.’ How much do I love Katherine Wentworth?

MB: She got worse and worse didn’t she?

AM: Did you enjoy playing this character the crazier she got?

MB: I did. It’s always more fun to play those roles. It just is. You really can’t be directed because the director just lets you go wherever you’re going to go. Whatever you do will work for a crazy person.

 

 

AM: Why is this?

MB: You have no parameters. You can get away with so much. I learned a lot from Larry Hagman about crossing the line playing an evil person. He always told me that I wanted the audience to be able to relate to me a little. You want them loving to hate you. He had that down perfect. My character went into the crazy zone. She was murdering people and doing all that kind of thing. That’s where she ended up.

 

 

AM: I think you have a great gift for comedy too. I’ve seen your guest stints on comedies like ‘Married With Children.’

MB: I had so much fun! (laughing)

 

 

AM: I guess with so much work behind you, it may not be as interesting for you to work anymore?

MB: If something came up that I really felt passionate about and it was a character that I really wanted to do, I would do it. Right now I’m not going to work just to work, no. I just don’t want to do that.

AM: Well you have a full life and a family now.

MB: I do. I have other things that I do now. I did fulfill one of my dreams, which was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be, and that was doing a Broadway Show tour. I did 90 cities in six months.

AM: What show?

MB: I was Auntie Mame in ‘Mame.’

 

 

AM: You decided to start with the hardest role!

MB: I did! I thought, I’m a dancer and a singer, I can do this! WOW! It was really, really hard. All this packing up and moving to the next place. A tour takes a lot out of you, but it was one of the things I wanted to do in my life and I did it and I’m glad I did it.

AM: You really like Theater don’t you?

MB: You just can’t say enough about Theater. You get instant reaction. When you hit that stage for two and a half hours, there’s no work for five minutes and go to your trailer, you hit that stage and you go a hundred miles an hour for the two and a half hours. There’s nothing like it! I’ve always noticed that theater actors are the most professional and giving. They really have the art down. This is not to say that film and TV actors don’t have their special qualities but many of them go to Broadway after they become famous because they know to do that is the real art.

To learn more about Morgan Brittany visit her web site http://www.morganbrittany.com/