A biography for Mariette Hartleyhasn’t been written yet.
“I've never done a musical before. I've sung, off and on, all of my life. But I have never, ever done a musical.”
“I started acting when I was 10.”
“At some point you've got to get to yourself and say, 'Wait a minute, I've been handed this legacy but I have to become accountable so I don't hand a lot of it on to my children.'”
“There wasn't exactly a plethora of physical affection in our family.”
“Before the Polaroid commercials, my image was that of a solid actress, a theater actress who could do anything. But the Polaroid commercials were high comedy... Through them I was finally noticed as a comedian.”
“For me, that is what my mission seems to be in my life on earth - to be awake, to stay awake, and to bring a certain kind of consciousness to the world, and to myself.”
“It hasn't been easy for me to get roles in movies after so much exposure on television. There's an anathema about TV, and breaking away from it is difficult for almost everybody.”
“I modeled myself after Deborah Kerr for her romantic, untouched quality; Ingrid Bergman for her strength; and Kay Kendall for her wonderful sense of humor.”
“I didn't know anything about 'Star Trek.' I was doing theater a lot in those days, getting my life together. I didn't watch television. So, to come in on it was a really amazing experience.”
“It's nice to be thought of as soft and sensual.”
“I've always done challenging pieces.”
“The problem with 'Today' was whether it was an entertainment show. Tom Brokaw and I had that battle for three weeks. He's a purist, and I was brought in for entertainment.”
“Humility is a very tough thing to have, especially when you're a tough guy.”
“My happiest moments are when I'm on my high wire with the Johnny Carsons of the world. I don't have that opportunity if I'm doing other people's scripts.”
“A lot of people in show business don't know what I'm capable of doing.”
“I love those kinds of parts that don't seem to be huge but they really strike a chord with the audience.”
“I feel my free-est when I don't know where I'm going, when I'm not scripted, and doing crazy things.”
“Theater has always been my less-fickle friend.”
“Mariette is a nickname. My real name is Mary Loretta.”
“I've tried to tone down some of my peppiness, but for those who don't like it, just as many do like it.”