Actress Interview:

LYNN LOWRY (INTERVIEW #2): LATTER DAY LEGEND

Brian: My first question is about survival instincts. It seems like you have had to fight a lot for yourself in this aggressive, male dominated business. So, did you go into this often crazy enterprise with an attitude primed for survival or did you have to, slowly but surely, lesson by lesson and project by project, find it within yourself?

Lynn: I didn't really know what survival instincts were in the beginning. I was pretty trusting, and never thought anyone would take advantage of me. My biggest problem was never having a really good agent or manager to help me, show me the ropes, and guide my career. I did everything alone, and it's really amazing I accomplished as much as I did.

What I did begin to learn in order to survive was how to use my sexuality to manipulate people and gain the upper hand. I don't particularly think this is a very noble thing to do, but I had to rely on my instincts, and being attractive is a very powerful weapon. I was very fortunate to have worked with people like David Durston, George Romero, and David Cronenberg. They are wonderful, kind, and very creative people, and they treated me with decency and respect. I in turn did my very best for them.

Over the years, I have still tried to treat people the way I would like them to treat me. But I see much more quickly if that person is deserving of my energy. There's no doubt that this business is very hard on women. And I was always strong in my belief that I had a gift to share with people, and that to this day has always carried me through.

Brian: Was there a project - theater or film- that was your toughest and, therefore, least favorite- and what valuable lessons did you learn from that? Also, can you answer the same question(s) for your favorite project - theater or film?

Lynn: I think my least favorite project was "Score". Radley was delightful. The country was beautiful. My room overlooked the Adriatic Sea. It was heaven, except for Claire Wilbur. She was indeed very difficult to work with. From the beginning, she didn't like me. She had found out that I was making more money on the film than she was, and she felt that Radley was giving me all the close-ups and favoring me in the film - Which, of course, was not true. She looks fabulous in the movie and is very funny. The love scenes were almost impossible. She didn't even want me to touch her. So I really had to act on that one. She caused a lot of unnecessary stress and tension for everyone. What I learned. Make sure the other leading lady never finds out how much money you're making.

My favorite project was a theatrical production of Tennessee William's "Summer and Smoke". I had worked on this play for years and dreamed of doing it. Miss Alma is a wonderful character, very funny and heart breaking too. My director friend, Lester Shane, and I had about $250.00, and we decided to do this production. With no money, we rented The Manhattan Theatre Club in New York, hired a great cast and crew and got them to work for nothing, and like Judy and Mickey put on a play. It was pure magic. We were sold out every night, the show was extended, Al Pacino and Meryl Streep saw it and I got a standing ovation every night. It was the most magical event I have ever been a part of. It was like it was supposed to happen against all odds.

The lesson learned was to really network your project, spend time getting the right people to attend, so it can take you to that next level. So much time was spent on the creative aspect; the business part was put to the wayside. It is difficult to remember sometimes that creating something beautiful isn't enough. You must remember that you're in a very competitive business. But in spite of the fact that our production didn't go to the next level, my heart was fulfilled, and in this case, that was enough.

Brian: Is there a type of theatrical role (Crazy Southern Belle, Controlling Matriarch... ) or genre (Shakespearian, Musical Comedy etc.... ) that speaks to you the most as an artist? Or do you enjoy all of your theatrical experiences, for different reasons, equally?

Lynn: I do enjoy all the roles I have played. It's funny, but until recently, I really liked my theatre performances the best, because I felt they were more artistic. But in the last couple of years, I've been watching my films and finally seeing what so many of my fans have told me. I have been told that not only are my looks quite appealing, but my subtext in character and emotion shines through all of my work. That makes me feel very proud to have contributed to the horror genre. I was very lucky to have worked with such great people and have such dynamic roles that represent me.

I must say though that my absolute favorite role in theatre was Alma in "Summer and Smoke". Although I overcame my shyness later in life, I had many past experiences to draw on that fit with this character. And she had such a beautiful heart and soul - So delicate and vulnerable, and yet so strong. I loved playing her.

In films I liked my role in Shivers and The Crazies the best. In Shivers I got to be the heroine and then the villain. That was great fun. The swimming pool scene at the end is my all time favorite image of myself on camera. She is sexy and evil at the same time. I actually get goose bumps when I see myself come up out of the pool. The Crazies role was terrific because I really got to act and portray a character slowly losing her mind. The emotions of the performance and the underplayed nuances stand out for me. And of course I love the death scene, even though I didn't agree with George when we shot it. He was right. Simplicity and innocence was the way to go.

Brian: I am a music whore - I love everything from punk rock to insurgent country and back again- and cabaret is one of my favorite forms of entertainment. I think so much can be done with the form (some friends in Chicago, recently, did an entire show of Prince's music) and my dream is to direct different cabaret productions, one day. Who are your favorite songwriters, if any, that you love to perform and have you done any theme shows (such as an evening of Weill or Sondheim)?

Lynn: I have done two theme cabarets. One was a review of all the hit tunes from the Hit Parade, and one was called "City Lights". It dealt with songs from different cities. You would be amazed at how many songs there about different cities. "Chattanooga Shoeshine Boy", Chicago Illinois", and "Love in Oxnard" are a few goodies. The shows were a blast and they helped me to form my own show which deals pretty much with music from the 20s, 30s. and 40s. I especially love Jerome Kern and Cole Porter. I think these songs will last forever. There's nothing like them, and they always evoke the most wonderful emotions when you listen to them. I've only been doing my show for a few years, but audiences seem to love the trip down memory lane. I just finished my first CD, "Something Cool". There are copies available on my web site www.lynnlowry.com for those interested.

Brian: I am crazy about soap operas. My mother got me hooked at a young age. In fact, my first crush was on an actress who played a teenage prostitute named Robin on "Search for Tomorrow" when I was 5. You have appeared on a couple of soaps. On the first one, it seems as if you were the young heroine. What was your role like on the classic "Another World"? Were you the female villain? What was that experience like? You seem to have only been on it for about a year. Was that your choice or that frequent malaise known as the "producer shake up"?

Lynn: I was actually on 4 soaps. How To Survive a Marriage, Lovers and Friends, Another World, and Generations. My favorite was How To Survive a Marriage or HTSAM, as we called it. I was on this show from the beginning to the end which was I think about a year and a half. We changed censorship on Soap Operas forever. They finally gave up and let us do pretty much what we wanted. I started out as the tramp trying to break up Ken Kercheval's (Dallas) marriage. Got involved with a new boyfriend, Brad Davis, on my journey, who was, by the way, an extremely crazy and yet sensitive young man. I knew Brad very well. We were great and intimate friends, and his passing was very hard. Next I got a job at a bar, and the bartender was Armand Assante. Armand helped me to get my first agent here in Los Angeles. His first day at the soap, he asked me to stay during lunch and run the scene with him. I'm sure glad I did that. And I ruined my boss's (F. Murray Abraham) plan to commit kidnapping and murder. At the end of the show I was a heroine and married the doctor, Jim Shannon, who played opposite me in Sugar Cookies. Small World!

Lovers and Friends lasted about a day. It was produced for NBC but just never took off. I played a bitchy model, but not for long. Another World was exciting because it was an hour long. The car would pick me up at about 6 in the morning to take me to Brooklyn. But my role was so-o-o-o-o-o boring. I played the good sister, Doris, who took care of the crazy sister, Olive. My lines consisted of "Would you like some coffee?" and "I'll get my sister". Wondering around the halls of NBC in Brooklyn for 12 hours a day was dull to say the least. But the money was nice. I decided to leave the show, because I wanted to move to L.A. It was funny, because when they wrote me off the show, my lines were that I was finally going home to L.A.

Generations was shot in L.A. I played a fortune teller. I tried to make her a modern sexy type, but they wanted the long skirt and bells. What can you do? That was the extent of my Soap career. It was a great learning experience, and it's very hard work. The first show I had a script to learn just about every night. But working with those people was definitely a highlight!

Brian: There have been beautiful articles on you in Fangoria Magazine and Femme Fatales that have focused on your classic genre credits like I Drink Your Blood , The Crazies and They Came From Within. What have some of your recent genre experiences, such as working with Donald Farmer, been like?

Lynn: It was a pleasure working with Donald. I have seldom met anyone who has as much knowledge of films as he does. He was very good at casting for "Compelling Evidence", and he pretty much let me do my own thing. All of my scenes were shot in one day, so that was challenging. But coming from a stage background, I was able to do everything for him. I would love to work with Donald again.

Brian: You are truly an inspiration to me. Despite all the difficulties of a show business career, you have never, ever given up. If I may say it without offending you, I believe that you are a Legend and it has been a true honor to ask you these questions. In closing, I believe that you have some upcoming projects that you would like to fill us in on.

Lynn: I am very excited that all these wonderful things have been coming my way. It's like my career has begun again, and I intend to take full advantage of that. I just finished a film, "Heaven Help Me", directed by Mark Baranowski. It's a poignant love story with a lot of comedy. Not a horror film, which was indeed refreshing, although I love horror. I play Mark's Mother and have an excellent scene with him. I believe the film is finished and should be available soon. Dana Carney has just asked me to star in his next film, "Dust To Dust". I play a nasty, bad lady in one of the stories, and two other characters in the other two. That should be great fun to do three completely different characters. Dante Tomaselli has cast me in his next film, "The Ocean", to be shot in Puerto Rico in Jan/Feb. I play a jazz singer caught up in the mystery of the village. Anolis Films in Germany is talking to me about doing their next feature. They are the company that is releasing "The Crazies" in Germany, and they invited me over this year to help advertise the film. They were wonderful, and I met so many fans there. It was such a great experience. I would love to work with them again. I also am just about to finish my first CD "Something Cool", filled with wonderful standards. So I have quite a few exciting things going on.

I want to thank you Brian for your last comments in reference to me. I often forget how powerful those films were, and that my film persona is so memorable. I am continually amazed and surprised that I have lasted all these years. But I am proud of all the work I've done, and I'm thrilled that so many fans remember me and enjoy my characters. If anyone would like to contact me, please go to my web site www.lynnlowry.com and my e-mail address is there. I love hearing from fans and will write them back. It's has been my pleasure answering your very interesting questions, and I am so sorry it has taken me so long.