Jayne Mansfield's daughter Mariska Hargitay remembered auditioning for a part on 'Falcon Crest', "I read for (another role) and they called me back 2 days later. They said I did good, but Tahnee Welch, the daughter of Raquel, got the role. They called me back the next week and said they loved me so much they were writing me a part...I'm like a little Angela Channing. She manipulates me; she uses me to get information on other people. Yet, I treat Angela in a way no one else ever has. I call her a 'groovy old lady' or 'Ange' or 'Angie Baby'". Earl Hamner explained, "Angela is like Big Daddy from 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'. Her passion for land and that way of life is akin to plantation owners before the Civil War...Traditionally, this Machiavellian role would have been filled by a man, Angelo, and it would have been rather ordinary." Laura Johnson observed, "As a bad character you get a lot of attention and a lot of fan mail. And you get to do the best scenes."
Mariska made known, "When I went on auditions, older people would know the name of Mansfield and Hargitay. When I grew up none of my friends knew who they were." Cesar Romero conceded, "I'd never worked with Jane (Wyman) before. She was at Warner Bros, and I was at Fox. But in those days you knew everybody. There was a motion picture colony. There was a society, a very elegant society...The studios as we knew them don't even exist any more."
At one time, she was regarded the world's most beautiful woman. Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida's first English-speaking part was in the 1953 movie, 'Beat the Devil'. In 1984, Gina made her first appearance on American TV when she guest starred on 'Falcon Crest'. Gina was nominated for best supporting at the Golden Globe Awards, "My character is Italian, and that's good. She and Angela have the same father. He went off to Italy, met a pretty girl and had another daughter. Naturally Angela is not happy to find a new sister and has to share her land and wealth with her."
Anne Archer believed, "The best parts for women are now in television...When an important television part comes along now all the major actresses will take it. It's become a new thing for stars to move back and forth between movies and roles in the prime time soap operas."
In October 1984 Anne was offered a role on 'Dynasty' however she turned it down. The producers of 'Dynasty' eventually settled on Ali MacGraw to play the part. "Then 'Falcon Crest' called 4 weeks later," Anne recounted, "I get to play a bit of a villain. It's more fun than being a goody-goody. You have a double-edged sword." Susan Sullivan maintained, "It's very difficult playing the good guys because they have boundaries that they don't go beyond, and it's hard for the writers to write within those boundaries and to give the character a lot of dimension. I really think it's up to the actor to provide, wherever they see the opportunity, the dark side of the character."
Anne recalled, "One thing I can’t get used to is how fast they work on these shows. You just finish a rehearsal and it seems they’re printing the film. You have to deliver the goods on the first take." Gina added, "I thought we were doing a rehearsal and the director says, 'That's a take.'"
