Kim Fields (Finding Aid)

Kim Fields

1969 -

Favorite Color: Black

Favorite Food: Turkey lasagna

Favorite Time of Year: Autumn

Favorite Vacation Spot: St. Lucia

Interview Length: 220 minutes

Interview Date(s): November 21, 2002

Interview Location(s): The HistoryMakers, 1900 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill.

Abstract

Kim Fields talks of her early childhood in Harlem. She is quite descriptive in her earliest memories of her grandmother and mother. While Kim's father is only briefly mentioned, her mother, Chip Fields, is spoken of in great detail as she has proven to been a huge inspiration on Kim's life. She watched her mother act at a young age which motivated Kim to take on the profession. At seven years old Kim moved from New York to Los Angeles with her mother in order to be closer to the entertainment industry. Upon arrival, Kim auditioned and is hired for her first acting role in a Mrs. Butterworth's syrup commercial. Kim is asked about her early beginnings with the children's program Sesame Street. In a very funny and revealing moment, Kim admits that she never appeared in the show and that her young and creative mind made up the story during her first interview with 'TV Guide.' Kim Fields stresses the strong belief that her mother did an amazing job raising her even though she was quite young and busy with her own acting career. The differences between New York and Los Angeles were staggering to Kim. While Fields's mother, Chip Fields, worked on a few popular programs, Kim landed a role in a television commercial and officially begun her career. When asked if she remembers seeing herself on televison for the first time she admits that she doesn't but that she does remember the excitement her mother had on the phone when being informed of her early roles. Although Fields loved acting, she reveals that she missed being in school; until her junior year when she was allowed to attend high school before going to the set of 'The Facts of Life.' In high school Fields was involved with many activities and enjoyed the feeling of being out of the spotlight. Fields then discusses her experience in the short-lived program 'Baby, I'm Back.' Her recollection of this period of time is one o At age eight Kim Fields worked on her first television series 'Baby, I'm Back' which taught her the day-to-day responsibilities and rules that child actors need to learn when working on a series. After only one season, 'Baby, I'm Back' was cancelled and Fields set out for other roles. She soon won a role on 'The Facts of Life' despite producers' reservations about her height. For the first season she wore roller skates to add some extra inches. Fields's role as 'Tootie' on 'The Facts of Life' propelled her into superstardom and she talks in detail about her life in the public eye. Fields speaks positively about the cast of 'The Facts of Life' and describes the feeling of family that they shared together. She also discusses the importance of child actors' parental figures. When asked about her connection to the African American community, Fields is quick to share many examples from her past on her race awareness as a child to current support for African American politicians. Kim Fields explains that her formative years were spent with the cast of 'The Facts of Life.' She values these relationships and looked up to cast member Nancy McKeon. The importance of having a strong network of friends outside of the entertainment industry comes through; Kim's friends came from a variety of places including school and church. The conversation moves to specifics about 'The Facts of Life' episodes where Kim Fields lists off some of her favorites. As a contrast she also talks of a script that she refused to work from based on her set of values. In the show's eighth season Fields starts to have some doubts when more characters are added to the cast. She talks of how she started to think of acting outside of 'The Facts of Life.' As was mentioned earlier in the interview, 'The Facts of Life' was a spin-off of 'Diff'rent Strokes.' Fields speaks of her relationship with the child stars of that show and of the differences that the casts had compared to each other. Fields's experience in coll After 'The Facts of Life,' Kim Fields is able to become a full-time student at Pepperdine University. She enjoys her time away from the spotlight and gets involved with the school's television station where she hosts her own talk show. Fields does some theater during this time and also begins learning more about the business side of the entertainment industry. On the subject of career longevity Fields parallels her career to that of a professional sports team and makes the point that in order to stay fresh she needed to move herself around and entertain different ideas as well as hire a different manager. Even though Fields enjoys not being in the public eye at this time she also realizes that being in this sort of transition period can become dangerous. She stays positive though knowing that her time to reenter the spotlight will eventually come. In 1993 this time does come as 'Living Single' airs and quickly finds a solid audience. Fields speaks of show's chemistry of cast, writers and producers. Que Kim Fields speaks of some of her favorite episodes and memories from 'Living Single.' In a similar fashion to her feelings on her favorite 'Facts of Life' episodes, she says that episodes that dealt with issues that were able to help viewers were most important. Fields believes that 'Living Single' was true to life and able to teach all races about African American sisterhood by bringing their relationships to television. After discussing the positive aspects of being on 'Living Single' she admits to becoming detached from the show based on creative differences. At this point her marriage is also going through major problems. Fields leaves 'Living Single' and divorces in 1998. Although Regine, the character Fields played on 'Living Single,' differs in many ways from Fields's true personality she enjoys the role and is inspired to take on challenging roles in the future. Fields comments on individual cast members Kim Cole, Queen Latifah, Erika Alexander, T.C. Parson and John Hinton. She then goes into When asked of her current professional situation Kim Fields says that she is in a transition period. Although she is busy directing and producing she would like to get back into television acting. Personally she feels like she is in a proper spiritual place and talks of her hopes to get married and have children. The challenge of maintaining a marriage and a family interests Fields. She makes it known that she is fully ready to take on such a challenge and make it her priority even though it will mean putting her career on hold. She then talks in detail about the drive one must have to make it in the entertainment industry and gives examples based on successful African American entertainers. Oddly enough, Fields is inspired more by athletes than by entertainers. She gives the example of football players advancing the field even though at first glance they don't have anywhere to run. Fields feels that different networks have been successful with airing African American programs and makes a point that When talking with youth interested in working in the entertainment industry, Kim Fields wants to make sure that they are aspiring for the right reasons. She makes a point that one cannot be successful in the industry if they are only in it for fame and fortune. Fields talks of giving back to the community where she grew up in Harlem, New York and tells of a plan to build an amphitheater in a park where she spent time as a child. Kim Fields is then reminded of her childhood and explains how that little girl is still, in a way, inside her even though she has changed in so many ways. Fields speaks of future roles she'd like to tackle and keeps her mind open to try character types she has not yet experienced. She would live to be remembered for her body of work, not just a specific role. Kim Fields then speaks briefly about Sally Field's career and how she'd like to mirror it and be cast in more motion pictures.

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