Behind Chamber Doors an Interview with Marilyn Chambers By Robin Steeley
While Marilyn chambers is maybe best known for her unforgettable performances in early adult films like “Behind the Green Door” it’s only a small part of the legendary actress’s career, which has spanned more then three decades. Now living in Los Angeles and managed by Attitude Management, her future is brighter then ever. She is the perfect example, even today, of good girl gone naughty. She was a leader in the sexual revolution of the 70’s, and she was an actress who deserved recognition from her first role in Barbra Streisand’s The Owl and the Pussycat, to her latest works. Some of you may remember her from commercials from major sponsors such as Pepsi and Ivory Snow, where she appeared as a young mother holding her baby.
This combination became gold and today she is often described as the most influential adult actress of all time.
Five years ago, at 47 years old Marilyn starred in her last adult film showing that a mature woman can be just as beautiful and sexual as her younger counterparts. Most recently she has been concentrating on her job as a single mom to her fourteen year old daughter as well as her new production company, Chamber's Maid and is currently working on four major projects. I got a chance to talk to her today while she is at home busy preparing for another full day.
Crave: Where were you born, and what were your junior
high school years like?
Marilyn: I was born in Providence, Rhode Island but I grew up in Westport, Connecticut. It’s beautiful there, but of course I didn’t think so at the time. I had a great childhood, I was a junior Olympic diver, I was a cheerleader, I played field hockey, and I was voted best student body in high school. I started commuting to New York when I was a junior in high school because I got a role in the Owl and the Pussycat with Barbra Streisand and George Segal. I couldn’t wait to get out of school and move to Manhattan but once I got there I did some modeling jobs but I didn’t really get a lot of work, and I went to California for a promotional tour for the Owl and the Pussycat and I fell in love with San Francisco so I moved there immediately.
Crave: What did you want to be when you grew up? Did you always want to be in film?
Marilyn: I always wanted to be in movies, from as far back as I remember I was dancing and singing in front of the mirror. Back when I was growing up stuff like Bye Bye Birdie and Westside Story, the musicals were really prevalent. I was fortunate that I lived only 50 miles from New York City so for Field trips we would go to the New York Opera, to see the Sound of Music on Broadway, the ballet at the Mets, so for culture I was very fortunate to be exposed to all the musicals, in L.A. I wouldn’t have had that opportunity. So yes, I always wanted to be an actress. I always kind of wanted to emulate Ann Margaret, who was a really big star back then. I wanted to be in Las Vegas on the stage, I wanted to be a song and dance star.
Crave: Were you nervous your very first time on camera?
Marilyn: Yes I was, in the Owl and the Pussycat, I was scared to death.
Robert Klein, a comedian played Barney and I played Barney's girl. We came in and you him standing there, and me standing there, and then you saw us in bed kind of tossing and turning and then we get up and stand there and then leave. It wasn't a huge part but it gave me enough screen time to get noticed and to get my SAG card.
Crave: What has been your favorite film?
Marilyn: I have to say Insatiable. The pool table scene, and driving the Ferrari.
Crave: Who has been your favorite actor to work with?
Marilyn: A guy named Richard Pacheco, he was really good. He played in Insatiable; he was Arty Goldberg the guy I picked up in the Ferrari. He also played in Up and Coming, he was a DJ. He was really easy to work with, he’s a great guy. I really liked working with him. Working with Robert Klein was really cool. I’ve been really fortunate, its not that I’ve worked with so many famous people, but I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of great actors in my career. I have to tell you too that John Holmes was not the evil person that everyone tried to make him out to be, that was not the whole story. I also have to mention David Cronenburg, working with him in Rabid, the horror film that I did for him, that was really fun, I think David Cronenburg is a great director.
Crave: Was it hard to switch from adult films to horror or other genres?
Marilyn: I have never been taken seriously enough as a serious actress and that has always bugged me because that has always been my main intention to be a serious mainstream actress. When you do hardcore films, there is always going to be a stigma attached to you for the rest of your career.
There's just no getting around it. I don't care what Jenna Jamison or Tracy Lords have done, you're still going to be cast as some sex star or hooker in all the roles you do. I have always been sorry I wasn't able to really break out and do a television series or things like that. But it was usually because the producer's wife or the other actor didn't want me to be in it. I have been up for some very big parts, almost gotten them, and the other actor, the lead actor says he wont do it if I'm going to do it because I would get top billing and he had more seniority then me. Instead of being bitter about it, I just enjoy what I have already done and keep working. I think I paved away for other stars to be able to do it and hopefully if nothing else I will be remembered for that, for breaking the mold.
Crave: How many films have you done in your career?
Marilyn: I would have to say about 35. That's not a lot for this day and age, some of these girls now are doing over 100 a year.
Crave: If you could choose any director to work with who would it be?
Marilyn: I really love Sean Penn, and I think he is a terrific director, I think he is just great. I would really love to work with Sean Penn or Robert Deniro, he is quite a quy.
Crave: Are you interested in directing and producing?
Marilyn: I just started my own company it's called Chambers Maid, and my trademark is a French maid with my face on her. We've got a lot of stuff in the works, we are working on a Marilyn Chambers film festival, a documentary type of a thing, we have been talking to HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime for the R rated soft stuff, and then also were thinking about doing hardcore and softcore at the same time, for both audiences. So we really have about four projects in the works right now, it's really exciting. As far as directing, I think for now I want to produce and look over the shoulders. I am so used to being the one in front of the camera. But I certainly do know how to produce a film. A lot of the stuff I did for Private Screenings, that's the R rated crap they play on late night, I mean I could do better then that with my eyes closed. It's really awful, really bad. If they can put that stuff on then I'm sure we can do something great. Kind of like a Red Shoe Diaries, or The Hitchhiker type of thing, more of a serial thing.
Crave: Has the seriousness of AIDS changed the adult film Industry?
Marilyn: It did for awhile, but now it just seems like people are really taking their lives in their hands, their throwing caution to the wind and not using condoms, and I just think that’s really bad. When John Homes died, I had been with him a few times so I really freaked out. I have had to get tested every six months for the last ten years. For me, myself the last three things that I did for VCA were condoms only that’s the only way I would do something like that. I realize that most people don’t think it’s very sexy, but its safe and I think it’s better to promote safe sex in a sexy way. But in the beginning it did change it for the better, but then they stopped using condoms. People are taking some seriously stupid chances just to one up another company.
Crave: Most importantly, tell me about your career now.
Marilyn: I hope to produce and someday direct. For a long time I thought I didn’t want to be involved in this business anymore, I was so tired of it; I had been living out of a suitcase since I was eighteen years old. I have been married three times, my last marriage produced my daughter who is the best production I have ever done, and for a long time I just wanted to be a mom and bring my kid up, but after awhile I realized it was stupid, money wise, because being a single mom is really hard. I just wanted to be not in the business, but then I realized I had spent the last 35 years to build my name and reputation to what it is, and I should be capitalizing on it, and here other people were making money off my name so I thought it was time for me to get back in. So I jumped back in, I enjoy being behind the camera itself now. Most recently I do a lot of autograph and memorabilia shows, I do that all over the country and that is pretty profitable for me. I just got roasted by the FOX awards and that was nice. I will be going to Brazil in August for an award show. There’s a lot of stuff happening, I am definitely staying busy.
