Mercedes McCambridge, Solo Interview, 1998

McCambridge focuses her solo interview on Sister Mary Leola Oliver, BVM and how she influenced her life. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago, attending college at Mundelein. McCambridge began her association with sister right as she began in college and took performing arts classes. Oliver emphasized diction, body movement, and overall excellence. The choir that Oliver composed of Mundelein students gained citywide attention and eventually performed on NBC. That particular moment pushed McCambridge into fame. She credits all of her success in the interview not to herself, but rather to Sister Mary Leola Oliver.

1998

Mercedes McCambridge was born in Joliet, Illinois in 1916. She was the daughter of Irish-American Roman Catholic Parents. McCambridge trained in theatre, and was a member of the verse-speaking choir at Mundelein College, where she graduated in 1937. She became a radio actress with NBC in the 1930s. Her stage work contributed to her being involved in Hollywood films starting in the 1940s until the 1980s. She received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in All the King’s Men in 1949. McCambridge passed away in 2004 in La Jolla, California.

Mercedes McCambridge, Solo Interview, 1998
La Jolla, CA

NOTE: She accidentally stops the recording at several points during the interview.

Side A

0-5 minutes
Shares her recollection of Sister Mary Leola Oliver. Most influential person in her life. Must decorate the truth. Her name was actually Sister Mary Leola Graham. She knows nothing of where she came from. McCambridge attended high school at St. Thomas Apostle School on the South Side of Chicago, teachers were Dominican Sisters. Mary Rose Brown was a better actress than her, won scholarship examination over her to go to Mundelein College. Dominican Sisters wanted her to go to Rosary College in River Forest, Illinois. Sister Mary Leola oversaw examination; if she was to be a nun, she would be like her.
5-10 minutes
After her freshman year, she entered Mundelein and so began her association with Sister Mary Leola. Was very petite, eyes sparkled. Notes pinned to her under blouse. Sister was a very hard teacher, a task master. Noted the importance of diction. Sister made her think she was really something.
10-15 minutes
Sister emphasized body movement. Drama department. Knew everything about stage design. Was not a great theater, but the theater was church. Sister made her do an entrance into Twelfth Night from stage right. Called her “Miss McCambridge.” Had a mean satanic streak. McCambridge was eighteen at the time. Sister believed in many of the students, not just her. First speaking choir was her brain child.
15-20 minutes
Convinced sister was her guardian angel. Blames a lot on St. Augustine. Sister didn’t know everything. She had her eyes set on one of the roles in the play that might have gone to her had she been a student.
20-25 minutes
Hard for that particular actor. McCambridge remembers Ari Guyon’s play, The Comedian. Sister received the lead role in rehearsal. She had a range in her voice. Sister was an actress. She had pride in Mundelein. Editors of The Chicago Daily News and Chicago Tribune came up, and she would impress them. They went down to NBC to record one of their poems into the microphones; never had seen microphones before. Signed into a year’s contract for weekly appearance with Chicago Symphony Orchestra. McCambridge signed into five year contract with NBC.
25-30 minutes
Sister was an entrepreneur, had ambition. Chicago Tribune wrote that McCambridge was best non-professional interpreter of Shakespeare; wasn’t her, but sister. Sister learned this from Sarah Sutton. Need to become defense attorney for the character. Lucifer is true prodigal son and will come back and ask for forgiveness. Greatest attribute for anybody is compassion. Sister and her used to have long talks. McCambridge sent the Academy Award to sister at Holy Family School in Milwaukee. She put it on display at a local theater.
30-35 minutes
This is an emotional exercise for her. Sister not only changed her life, but made her life. Thanks sister, Mundelein, God, and the listener.

Mercedes McCambridge 1999 Index

KEY
MM 1999=Mercedes McCambridge 1999 Interview

INDEX
Academy Award, MM 1999 Side A 25-30
Brown, Mary Rose, MM 1999 Side A 0-5
Guyon, Ari, MM 1999 Side A 10-15
Chicago, Illinois, MM 1999 Side A 0-5
The Chicago Daily News, MM 1999 Side A 20-25
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, MM 1999 Side A 20-25
Chicago Tribune, MM 1999 Side A 20-25, MM 1999 Side A 25-30
Dominican Sisters, MM 1999 Side A 0-5
Holy Family School, MM 1999 Side A 25-30
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, MM 1999 Side A 25-30
Mundelein College, MM 1999 Side A 0-5, MM 1999 Side A 5-10, MM 1999 Side A 20-25, MM 1999 Side A 30-35
NBC, MM 1999 Side A 20-25
Oliver, Mary Leola, MM 1999 Side A 0-5, MM 1999 Side A 5-10, MM 1999 Side A 10-15
River Forest, Illinois, MM 1999 Side A 0-5
Rosary College, MM 1999 Side A 0-5
St. Augustine, MM 1999 Side A 10-15
St. Thomas Apostle, MM 1999 Side A 0-5
Shakespeare, MM 1999 Side A 25-30
South Side, MM 1999 Side A 0-5
Sutton, Sarah, MM 1999 Side A 25-30
The Comedian, MM 1999 Side A 10-15
Twelfth Night, MM 1999 Side A 10-15

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