Adrienne Barbeau on Maude, Creating Rizzo in Grease, Cult Horror and Return to Fantasy Island

Adrienne Barbeau on Maude, Creating Rizzo in Grease, Cult Horror and Return to Fantasy Island

Author: 134 West | Susan Lambert Hatem & Sharon Johnson September 2, 2026 Duration: 1:19:37
"Norman kept saying, 'If you don't trust yourself to know that you're good, trust me because I know you're good. This is what you're meant to be doing.'" — Adrienne Barbeau, on working with Norman Lear on Maude

Welcome to 80s TV Ladies, where we look back in order to leap forward, and where we say everyone has the right to body autonomy and boundless joy! In this episode, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem are joined by six-decade stage and screen icon Ms. Adrienne Barbeau.

From her early performing days touring East Asia with the USO to her Broadway roots, Adrienne shares how she went from Fiddler on the Roof alongside Bette Midler to originating the role of Rizzo in Grease. She opens up about being selected by Norman Lear to play Carol, Bea Arthur’s independent daughter on Maude, and reflects on the cultural impact of the landmark 1972 "Maude's Dilemma" abortion episodes.

Plus, Adrienne takes us behind the scenes of her legendary genre career, her love for voice and audio description work, and her second career as an author!

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Broadway Roots to Sitcom Stardom: How playing Rizzo in Grease earned her a Tony nomination and caught the attention of Norman Lear.
  • Working on Maude: What it was like working alongside Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan, the family culture on set, and learning comedic timing on the job.
  • "Maude’s Dilemma": The groundbreaking two-part episode about abortion, working in a healthcare clinic during hiatus, and writing her 2022 Guardian op-ed.
  • Cult Horror & Sci-Fi Royalty: Stories from filming The Fog, Swamp Thing, Creepshow, and the secret garage shoot behind her death scene in Escape From New York.
  • Classic 70s & 80s TV Guest Spots: Her memories from Fantasy Island (including full-face prosthetics), Murder, She Wrote, The Love Boat, Quincy, and playing a Romulan on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
  • Life as an Author & Voice Artist: Writing her vampire mystery novels, her memoir, and describing films for blind audiences.

Next Episode Teaser:
Don't miss our next episode, where we begin our deep dive into the classic 1975–1984 Norman Lear sitcom One Day at a Time, starring Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips, and Valerie Bertinelli, featuring 25 surprising facts about the show!

📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHING


L
earn more about Adrienne Barbeau at abarbeau.com or on Instagram @adrienne_barbeau.
Watch The Fog on Pluto,
Escape From New York or Maude on Tubi 

Check out the documentary Hollywood Does Abortion at hollywooddoesabortion.com.
Read Adrienne’s 2022 op-ed on Maude's Dilemma in The Guardian.

Pick up Adrienne's books—There Are Worse Things I Could Do on Amazon.
Listen to it on

Remember those iconic women from television who defined an era? 80s TV Ladies revisits the groundbreaking, often delightfully campy, female-driven series that filled our living rooms with big hair and even bigger personalities. Hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson, under the 134 West banner, aren't just offering nostalgic recaps. They dig into the fascinating stories behind how shows like "Murder, She Wrote," "Kate & Allie," or "Designing Women" were actually made, examining the creative forces and network battles that brought them to air. Each episode explores how the politics and social climate of the 1980s shaped these narratives, and conversely, how the characters and stories themselves pushed cultural conversations forward, often in a complex dance of progress and tradition. This podcast celebrates the legacy of these programs while honestly assessing their place in history through that "two-steps forward, one-step-back" lens. It's a deep, engaging listen for anyone who loves television history, cultural analysis, and the powerful, complicated women who made the decade's TV so memorable. The show's quality is underscored by its recognition as a 4-time Podcast Awards winner and a Webby nominee for Best Indie Podcast. Tune in for thoughtful, well-researched discussions that go far beyond the opening credits.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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