elcome to Mary McDonnell Vault, your online resource dedicated to actress Mary McDonnell. You better know Mary for her role as Captain Sharon Raydor for the TNT crime series The Closer & Major Crimes. But she also did others like Battlestar Galactica, Independence Day, Donnie Darko, Dances with Wolves, Sneakers and many others. Site is comprehensive of a big photogallery with events, photoshoots, magazines, stills, an extensive press library to collect all the articles and interviews on her and a video gallery section for recorded interviews, sneak peeks and trailers of her projects. We claim no rights to know her personally and it's absolutely respectful of her privacy and paparazzi-free!!!

Mary McDonnell: High Hopes for 2nd Season of ‘Major Crimes’; Richard Benjamin’s Shifting View of ‘Portnoy’s Complaint’

Stacy Jenel Smith

August 23, 2012


Article taken from Creators

With a debut that scored 7.2 million viewers for her “The Closer” spinoff, “Major Crimes” star Mary McDonnell is looking forward optimistically to word of a Season 2 sometime soon. “I can’t commit the network, because I don’t run it,” she says with a laugh. “But I will say TNT has been absolutely, stunningly, remarkably supportive of this series in the promotion, marketing and belief that this is something that can be done, should be done and is what the fans want. TNT knows what they have, and they’ve handled it beautifully,” she gushes. “They have patience. Clearly, they were not disappointed. They were super smart and super brave. They’re the kind of network you want to be working for.”

Meanwhile, with the first 10 episodes of “Major Crimes” in the can, “I am enjoying a little relaxation time,” says the brilliant actress of “Battlestar Galactica” and “Dances With Wolves” renown. “I have a little independent film I would love to do, but I can’t really talk about it because not all the pieces are there. And then, I look forward to knowing about our second season. There are some things I really want to study about things I’ve learned in the first season.”

A BIG ‘COMPLAINT’: Richard Benjamin admits he was surprised by the news that Warner Archive Collection was bringing out a special edition DVD of his 1972 “Portnoy’s Complaint.” From the controversial Philip Roth novel, the film about a young Jewish bachelor/mama’s boy who confesses his lustful ways to his psychoanalyst was a stunner in its time. Among many other things, it shattered the taboo against mentioning masturbation.

“I was surprised because it’s never come out on video in all these years — I don’t know why,” says the actor-filmmaker. He does know that response now “is more positive than the first time. People who had read the book thought it wasn’t enough like the book, and those who hadn’t read the book were shocked.” Does he remember any response in particular? “I remember a lot of people didn’t want to shake hands with me. That I remember,” he replies.

Looking back, Benjamin observes, “Analysis was such a big deal in the ’70s. Psychoanalysis was like part of your everyday life. I will say it was helpful, but … when you’re older, you definitely get wiser. When you’re younger, the things that are so important, that seem like such life and death issues — you realize they’re not, and it’s pretty great just to be here, and not worry everything. We were in an age of anxiety.”

With Karen Black and Lee Grant, “Portnoy’s” takes viewers time-tripping to those self-examining days in a big way.

Warner’s has also just brought out a DVD of “The Last of Sheila,” the mystery romp written by Stephen Sondheim and the late Tony Perkins and directed by the late Herb Ross, based on the real-life scavenger hunts that Perkins and Sondheim would set up for guests back in the day.

“That one I have seen, not too long ago. It holds up because it’s a great game you can play along.” For Benjamin, it brings back memories of shooting in the South of France with long-deceased colleagues for whom he had great respect and fondness, hanging out with “the great James Mason and Joan Hackett — such a wonderful talent, gone way too soon,” and riding around exploring with buddy James Coburn, “a great screen presence.”

But Benjamin prefers to look ahead. The multi-talent, 50 years wed to Paula Prentiss, is focused on two comedy films he wants to direct. “It’s the old chicken-and-the-egg problem: to get financing, you have to have a cast, and to get a cast, you have to have financing. But you just keep at it. Fortunately, I love both these projects.”

AN OLD MASTER REAPPEARS: Speaking of “Major Crimes,” the series’ Tony Denison will be hosting a unique event come Monday night (8/27) at Hollywood’s historic Greystone Mansion. None other than Leonardo da Vinci is getting the Hollywood glamour treatment there — with stars, red carpet arrivals and an elegant courtyard cocktail reception for the unveiling of his Horse and Rider sculpture.

Made from the mold of a beeswax statue dating back over 500 years, the sculpture has been authenticated — and is now being shown to invited guests and media prior to a world tour this fall. Mold owner Richard A. Lewis is donating a million dollars to the Salvation Army from the tour.


Script developed by Never Enough Design