My father was an ironworker who eventually co-founded a construction business. My mother, Jeanette, was a stay-at-home mom who had been an operating-room nurse until my older brother, Jimmy, was born.
Overcoming my shyness has been a lifelong struggle.
Before I was working out, if somebody told me that I would actually choose fruit over french fries, I would never believe them.
You don't have to get doughty or, suddenly, because you have a new label on you, 'Oh, I'm 50, so therefore, I have to be a certain thing.' Follow your heart and look at your rear view as well as your front view!
My grandsons really love my apple cake, which is from my grandmother's recipe.
You know what my greatest personal stumbling block is? My shyness.
I was a shy little girl. Growing up, I was often content being alone in my room, making up stories, and acting out all the parts. I became so good at it that, with the door closed, my parents thought I had friends over.
I love spaghetti and meatballs... I eat a lot.
I drink hot water and lemon - after two cups of the coffee in the morning.
I think we all cheer for couples who just seem right together and go the distance.
It took awhile for me to get used to speaking candidly about my own life. I got into it, and it turned out to be a wonderful experience.
The 'All My Children' studio was near Lincoln Center, and I used to see all the ballerinas and the dancers, and I thought, I don't want to bulk up; I want to have long, lean, toned muscles. And I found out that through Pilates, you can achieve those strong, lean dancer muscles.
When someone has that combination of arrogance and ignorance - that drives me crazy.
My parents were both from extremely different backgrounds. My father's Italian, my mother was of Swedish descent. They're both first-generation Americans.
In 1949, when I was 2, my family moved from Yonkers, NY, to a development of brick houses in Elmont, a Long Island suburb of New York City. What I remember most about the house was the glider on our porch. I used to sit there evenings close to my father, Victor, as he talked about the moon and the stars. He taught me to dream big.
I grew up loving Broadway musicals. I'd put on my parents' cast albums and stand on the stool and sing in the mirror.
Erica Kane was a spectacular role for any actress to play, and I felt so lucky to be the one who got to do it.
People always ask me, how do you do everything you do?
I married somebody who is very secure. He's been in my corner from the time we met, and we grew in this together.
I really always felt that I was going to be an actress. I had a lot of confidence in the fact that I would do well from a very early age. I didn't know how tough the business is.
