September 14–21, 1995

20 questions

Sally Kellerman: Grandes Dames

That's french for women of presence and ability.

By David Warner

If nothing else, Robert Altman's disappointing Ready to Wear boasted perhaps the greatest collection of voices ever assembled in one film: Loren's purr, Bacall's rasp, Mastroianni's mournful lilt — and above all, Sally Kellerman's elegant, silky slouch of a voice, familiar from countless TV ads. That sound — and Kellerman's mix of cool, off-limits blondeness and down-to-earth sensuality — helped propel her to stardom and an Oscar nomination as "Hot Lips" Houlihan in Altman's first hit, M.A.S.H.

Not many people know about it, but Kellerman's original ambition was to use that voice to launch a singing career. She started sending out demo tapes while still in high school and signed with Verve when she was 18, recording one album called Roll with the Feeling. Through years of TV appearances and B-movie roles, even after her big break in M.A.S.H. and subsequent co-starring roles opposite the likes of Jack Lemmon and Sir Laurence Olivier, she entertained notions of becoming a singing star. In fact, she suspects she derailed her acting career a bit by eschewing important movie roles in favor of club dates.

But she never made it as a singer — until now. After reworking her act — and, more importantly, she says, after getting more comfortable in her own skin — she won rave reviews from L.A. critics. She's in the process of recording Something Kool, an album of '50s ballads, and this November she'll appear at the AMTF Cabaret.

Now in her 50s, Kellerman is by all measures a survivor. Despite an uncanny knack for winning big roles in famous flops (from the musical remake of Lost Horizon with Liv Ullmann to the short-lived Broadway musical of Breakfast at Tiffany's with Mary Tyler Moore), she is still a presence in the industry. At a press junket for Ready to Wear last year, she looked fabulous (white angora sweater, whiteblonde bob, those red lips) and chatted effortlessly with a roomful of reporters as if we were all old friends. A real pro. And speaking on the phone last week from her home in the Hollywood Hills, she was just as relaxed — despite interruptions from her soon-to-be-six-year-old twins Jack and Hanna.

How would you describe your singing to someone who hasn't heard it before?

I wouldn't.

Well, that's all right. Enough people know your voice by now...

That's how I sound... That's what's taken me so long — it's taken me all these years to sound like I talk...

We were recording an original cast album of Breakfast at Tiffany's [with Moore's role being taken by Faith Prince] and the conductor said, "You know, it doesn't matter what you sing, you sound like you're on heroin. I mean that as a compliment."

Tell me about the show you'll be doing in Philly.

It's all those nice '40s and '50s ballads just before rock and roll. I always hate to say which ones. You know what I mean — we're working on this album... and we're always hoping to get one song in that five other people haven't cut this week.

Is there one ballad you would never give up no matter how many people have sung it?

Oh, I don't know..."How Deep Is the Ocean,""Funny,""Midnight Sun"...

I stopped my film career so I could travel with bands on the road and become Diana Ross or whoever it was I had in mind — my first album I wanted to be Janis Joplin, a big smashing success.

When I didn't turn out to be this huge rage, for which I still absolutely hold out hope, I'm eternally optimistic... [screaming kid] Hey, hey, what is this with the pulling? [more kid sounds] Oh-oh, oh-oh. Excuse me... it's a six-year-old twin thing. [Silence]

[She returns to the phone.] Hi. Sorry we have two girls here and a little boy — girls, don't go near Jack. If Jack's giving you a rough time, just stay away from Jack now... Jackie, just leave the girls alone

I have a hard time imagining you as a mother of six-year-olds.

Well, maybe 'cause I've lived so long. I have a grown daughter, too... [Another interruption. A lawyer has arrived to check out something about a fence. After another pause, she returns.] Sorry... Anyway, go on about how fabulous I am.

You have one of the great voices. What do you think makes it distinctive?

My older sister used to tease me: "You with your low voice and your big lips." Now I say, "Excuse me dear, you with your thin lips and high voice..."

"I'm famous and you're not."

[Laughs] Right, for my voice and lips...

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a one-horse Mexican town in the San Fernando Valley — so maybe [my accent is] Espanol. And my mother's from Arkansas...

So there's a Southern edge to it. It's not a whiskey and cigarettes voice?

Wish it was. I just had some minor, minor surgery so I can't have even a glass of wine.

Do you banter with an audience, or are you one of those singers who feel the songs should speak for themselves?

No, I love the audience. My rapport with them has changed. I used to do sort of a diva show with a lot of lighting and drama. But I'm not a diva, I really am from the Valley...

It's really taken me all this time to be comfortable in my own skin and sing, too. You know, maybe I could sing a good song but I couldn't be real on stage, or I could be real on stage but I couldn't sing. It's coming together now.

Which products are you the voice of?

I don't know if I'm supposed to say...

Really?

Honestly, sometimes they say don't say a word, other times... Well, everyone knows I did Hidden Valley [salad dressings]... and Hyundai...

Lena Horne once thought I was trying to steal her voice and tried to do something to keep me from appearing... she didn't realize I'd been doing voiceovers for 20 years.

What did you think of Ready to Wear when all was said and done?

You know what, I loved it — so go know. The fact that it wasn't successful was very triste for me and for Bob... For me it was heavenly... one of those experiences you have every 20 years or so whether you need it or not.

How did Altman find you for M.A.S.H.?

I went on an appointment for another part [in the film], and I wore red lips that day. Compared to the models of today I have a tiny little mouth, but in the old days I had a big mouth so I was always hiding it. But that day I wore red lips. He said, "I'll give you the best part in the movie: Hot Lips."

And I read it and I thought, oh, there's nothing here — about seven lines. So I went back and told him I don't want to do this part. He just looked at me, and I'm there all worked up, in tears, so he says, "Why don't you take a chance? You could end up with something, or nothing."

So the part expanded because he liked what you were doing?

If you come up with ideas, he's hungry for them. Then he takes your idea and makes it better.

What kind of roles were you doing before M.A.S.H.?

Season after season of TV: Mannix, Ben Casey, the pilot for Star Trek [which gives her great cachet with Trekkers everywhere]. And then my first movie role was in a Reform School Girls picture.

Did you play a reform school girl?

Yeah. And I did a little tiny part in The Boston Strangler which I call the romantic lead because he raped me and I lived to tell about it. But M.A.S.H. was my big break.

Which would you prefer to be called — a grande dame or a great broad?

A great broad. I know my mom always wanted me to be a lady — she was such a lady, she was from the South, white gloves. I'm a big disappointment to her. Claire is a great broad — my older daughter. But Hannie, my little daughter, is going to be "the lady." She says, "Mom, are you going to wear a dress tonight? I say, "No, darling, I'm not." I'm driving her to school, I have to put a dress on. No makeup, stringy hair, but she says, "Isn't my mom beautiful?" because I'm wearing a dress."

What's up for you in addition to the singing at this point?

Well, that could be it. I could be out of show business after this gig.

That's what you said in New York.

Oh, I see, good. Well, what did I do? I did Mame in Florida about a month ago — I'm trying to get them to hire me to do it for a special on television. But now they're interested in Meryl Streep. So maybe I'll play Vera.

Anyway, I'm in there slugging.

Sally Kellerman at the American Music Theater Festival Cabaret, Hotel Atop the Bellevue, Nov. 29-Dec. 16 (893-1145)