Episode 161 – From Walnut Grove to St. Eligius: Bonnie Bartlett Daniels Reflects on an Iconic Career (Part 1)
Hollywood ObsessedShow Notes
In Part One of this candid and captivating two-part conversation, host Tony Miros sits down with two-time Emmy winner Bonnie Bartlett Daniels — best known as Ellen Craig on “St. Elsewhere” — for a fascinating journey through nearly a century of life in and around Hollywood.
At 96, Bonnie is sharp, funny, and wonderfully outspoken. She shares how her memoir “Middle of the Rainbow” began as a screenplay years ago before being revived during the #MeToo movement, when she decided it was finally time to speak honestly about the way women were treated in the entertainment industry. As Bonnie puts it, “At my age, I’m entitled to say what I want.”
The conversation travels back to her childhood in Illinois, where movie stars were her idols and theater was her dream. She recalls studying Method acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio — alongside classmates like Marilyn Monroe — and explains why she always saw herself as a character actor devoted to the craft rather than chasing glamour.
Bonnie also reflects on performing live on the soap “Love of Life,” her move to Hollywood with husband William Daniels, and memorable experiences working on “Little House on the Prairie,” “Salem’s Lot,” “Ike,” and films like “The Last Tycoon” and “Primary Colors.” Along the way she shares behind-the-scenes stories about Robert Duvall, Robert Mitchum, Ed Flanders, and Larry Hagman — and recounts the moment she stood her ground during an uncomfortable scene in Blake Edwards’ “S.O.B.”
It’s an honest, entertaining, and eye-opening look at classic Hollywood from someone who truly lived it — and this is only Part One.
BONNIE BARTLETT DANIELS
Bonnie Bartlett Daniels is a two-time Emmy Award–winning actress whose career spans more than seven decades across television, film, and theater. She first gained national attention in the 1950s playing Vanessa Dale Raven on the daytime drama Love of Life, launching a career defined by versatility and memorable character performances.
Born and raised in Moline, Illinois, Bonnie was inspired by her father, a touring stock actor. She studied drama at Northwestern University, where she met fellow actor William Daniels. The two married after graduation and moved to New York City to pursue acting careers. During this time, Bonnie studied with legendary acting teacher Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio, refining the Method techniques that helped shape her long and successful career.
Bonnie later became widely known for her role as Grace Snider Edwards on Little House on the Prairie and for her Emmy-winning portrayal of Ellen Craig on the acclaimed medical drama St. Elsewhere, where she starred opposite her real-life husband, William Daniels. In 1986, the couple made television history by winning Emmy Awards on the same night. Over the years she has appeared in numerous television classics including V, The Golden Girls, Home Improvement, ER, and Boy Meets World, as well as the hit film Twins. After more than 70 years in show business, Bonnie recently added “author” to her résumé with her memoir, Middle of the Rainbow, reflecting on her extraordinary life and career.
To Purchase Bonnie’s Book - https://www.amazon.com/Middle-Rainbow-daughter-managed-herself/dp/B0BRLYKLQM
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