Episode 158 – Actress & Author Denise Nicholas: Breaking Barriers and Finding Home – Part 2
Hollywood ObsessedShow Notes
In Part Two of this wildly entertaining and revealing conversation, host Tony Miros continues his deep dive with actress, screenwriter, and author Denise Nicholas, whose career places her at the center of some of Hollywood’s most unforgettable moments.
Denise walks us through her film journey—from the Aaron Spelling TV thriller “Five Desperate Women” to the cult classic “Blacula,” the first film to feature a Black vampire. She shares unforgettable stories about working with Sidney Poitier, including their first meeting at Carnegie Hall, and reflects on witnessing Hollywood “firsts,” including being among the earliest Black leading ladies on primetime television.
She also opens up about collaborating with legends such as Bill Cosby, James Earl Jones, Ossie Davis, and Brenda Vaccaro, winning an NAACP Image Award for “Let’s Do It Again,” and navigating the pressures of sitcom life on “Baby… I’m Back!”—an experience so stressful it sent her straight to Spain once the show ended.
The conversation turns especially powerful as Denise recounts joining “In the Heat of the Night,” forming a deep bond with Carroll O’Connor, and making television history once again as part of one of the era’s first interracial couples. Mentored by O’Connor, she went on to write six episodes of the series, launching a second career as a writer that led to her acclaimed novel “Freshwater Road” and her deeply personal memoir “Finding Home.” Honest, funny, and inspiring, this episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood—told by someone who truly lived it.
DENISE NICHOLAS Denise Nicholas is best known for her groundbreaking role as high school guidance counselor Liz McIntyre on ABC’s “Room 222” and for co-starring as Councilwoman Harriet DeLong opposite Carroll O’Connor on “In the Heat of the Night.” Between those landmark series, she appeared on numerous television shows including A Different World, Amen, 227, Magnum P.I., The Cosby Show, and My Wife and Kids. Her film work includes Let’s Do It Again and A Piece of the Action with Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby, as well as Ghost Dad. Over the course of her career, she earned three Golden Globe nominations, three NAACP Image Awards, and two Los Angeles Emmy Awards for the PBS special Voices of My People: In Celebration of Black Poetry.
Denise began her professional journey as a founding member of the Free Southern Theater,during the most dangerous years of the Civil Rights Movement. She later became a founding member of New York’s Negro Ensemble Company, the first professional company of its kind. From the stage of St. Mark’s Playhouse, she was invited to screen test for Room 222, launching a television career that would make history. During her time on In the Heat of the Night, she also wrote six episodes of the series under the mentorship of Carroll O’Connor.
After the series ended, Denise devoted her creative life to writing. She trained in Janet Fitch’s Journeyman’s Workshop, where she developed her acclaimed debut novel “Freshwater Road,” named one of the Best Books of 2005by The Washington Post and other major publications and later adapted for the stage at Brown University. Her writing has appeared in Essence, The Washington Post, and Hands on the Freedom Plow. Her memoir, “Finding Home,” was published by Agate Publishing in November 2025 and is available now in bookstores and online.
Denise Nicholas Website - https://denisenicholas.net/about/
To Purchase Denise’s Books on Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/5h4r4nwf
The Official Hollywood Obsessed Website - https://www.hollywoodobsessedthepodcast.com/
Follow the Official Hollywood Obsessed Facebook Page – HOLLYWOOD OBSESSED PODCAST
Follow our Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodobsessedpodcast/
Titles VO Talent – Cam Frierson - http://camfrierson.com/voice
Music by QubeSounds from Pixabay
More from Hollywood Obsessed
In PART TWO of my fascinating conversation with the extraordinary DOUG JONES, we dive deeper into his remarkable collaborations with visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and the unforgettable characters they’ve brought to life together! Doug reveals how a chance encounter on the set of “Mimic” led to their longtime creative partnership and how del Toro specifically chose him to play Abe Sapien in “Hellboy.” He takes us behind the scenes of “Pan’s Labyrinth,” sharing the incredible challenges of portraying both the Fawn and the terrifying Pale Man, including five-hour makeup applications, towering stilts, and a mechanically operated head. Doug also reflects on the magic of “The Shape of Water,” predicting its Oscar success two years before filming began and describing the unforgettable, emotional moment he stood onstage as the film won Best Picture!
In PART ONE of my conversation with the extraordinary DOUG JONES — the acclaimed actor, contortionist, and mime artist behind some of Hollywood’s most unforgettable characters — we go behind the makeup for a fascinating look at his remarkable career, from the Oscar-winning “The Shape of Water“ and “Star Trek: Discovery” to the beloved Halloween classic “Hocus Pocus!” Doug reveals why he’s flattered by comparisons to legendary horror icon Lon Chaney, and how childhood idols Don Knotts, Bob Denver, and Dick Van Dyke inspired his dreams. He even shares the magical story of finally meeting Dick Van Dyke and telling him he wouldn’t have a career without him!
The conversation with Marc Singer continues on Hollywood Obsessed! In Part 2, Tony Miros goes deeper behind the scenes of the films and television shows that made Singer a beloved action, fantasy, and sci-fi star. And if you thought making “The Beastmaster” was an adventure, wait until you hear what happened when Marc had to share the screen with a very unpredictable—and very large—co-star!
On the latest episode of Hollywood Obsessed, Tony Miros sits down with the talented Marc Singer, best known for his iconic roles as heroic Dar in “The Beastmaster” and Mike Donovan in the groundbreaking 1980s sci-fi series “V”. But there’s much more to Singer’s Hollywood story than these unforgettable roles. In this fascinating first part of our conversation, Marc takes us back to the creative family and early experiences that inspired him to pursue acting—and ultimately led him to a remarkable career on stage, television, and film.
My conversation continues with filmmaker David Kittredge about his extraordinary documentary “BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL” and the troubled, fascinating history behind “Exorcist II: The Heretic.”