Marion Ross, 89
Title: President, Marion Ross Enterprises Inc., Woodland Hills
Background: Marion Ross is best known for her roughly 10-year portrayal of Mrs. C. on “Happy Days” from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s. The Minnesota native also acted in shows including “The Drew Carey Show” and “The Gilmore Girls,” to name a few, and does voice work on “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Ross has performed on the Broadway stage and toured nationally. She’s been nominated for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe and is a two-time winner for Best Comedy Actress of the year by Viewers for Quality Television.
Ross worked under contract with Paramount Studios in the 1950s. In 2001, Ross received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is now on tour for her book about her memoirs, My Days: Happy & Otherwise.
How many hours a week do you work?
I work about four hours a day. I have an assistant and we’re very busy with the book. We do lots of interviews, and we’ve been to many book signings in New York City, San Francisco, San Diego and Missouri, among others.
Why not retire?
I am retired from acting, because one of the last TV shows I did, I kept saying, “What is that line?” I love talking and meeting people, but I think at 89, we can wrap it up.
Have your work habits changed much since you approached, and then passed, retirement age?
No, because I’m very strong and healthy, and actors don’t work all the time.
How do you go about learning new technologies, and is that necessary for your work?
I know that the selling and merchandising of my book is not going to be my forte, so I have agents who do all of that – the social media marketing.
Do co-workers seek out your experience and knowledge?
(My son) Jim Meskimen is a very successful actor. (My daughter) Ellen Kreamer was a writer and producer of “Friends,” and now has a contract with Warner Bros. and is writing a pilot. Yes, (in the 1990s) my daughter called me, and said she was offered this job on “Friends,” and said, ‘We’re not even getting paid.’ I said, ‘Take that job, because now you’re in there!’ Some apprentices turned the job down. They didn’t know that “Friends” was going to be that huge.
How do you keep the work you do fresh and interesting?
I got trained over a lifetime to work off the moment. It keeps you on the creative edge. The way we live – the phone rings and it’s something new – you have to make yourself ready. One time the phone rang, and I had just eaten half a chocolate cake. I answered the phone and the call was, ‘Can you get down here, and look great?’ It takes nerves of steel.
What are the biggest changes you’ve observed in your workplace environment across your career, and what are key aspects that have never changed?
It’s expanded, so, it’s now huge. In a way, that means there are more opportunities. When I started, there were not very many people doing this; now everybody and their uncle decides they want to be an actor. (Also), it was a smaller industry, and so much was controlled by three big studios, and maybe the Broadway stage.
Are there advantages to working at your age? If so, what are they?
It’s wonderful to keep going. It makes you not realize you’re older. We want to be in the game. It’s fun! If you can keep going, you should make every effort.
What do you do for fun?
Everything I do is fun. I love decorating and remodeling. All of life is good to me, and exciting to me. I followed my dream – it’s a terrific thing to say you did that.
