Marjorie Lord felt she was too critical of herself on television

The idea of watching yourself on TV or hearing yourself in a recording is very scary to many people. It’s the moment of "Do I really sound like that?" or "Is that really how I look?" that can really catch people off guard.

For actors and actresses, this feeling can happen too— probably even for some seasoned pros. This was especially the case for The Danny Thomas Show actress Marjorie Lord, who played the role of his wife for five seasons.

According to a 1959 interview with the Evansville Courier & Press, Lord was only human when it came to watching herself on TV.

"You can learn a great deal about yourself from being in a weekly series," Lord said. 

While she enjoyed many aspects of being in a weekly TV series— including having a new dress every week and being with her onscreen husband — the pressure of looking and acting a certain way was no easy feat. 

"I'm much more critical of myself on the TV screen than I am in the mirror," Lord said. "I'm able to have much more objectivity because I see myself from every angle. I little realized the importance of details before. If I liked a dress, I never would have rejected it because it had a plain, round neckline, but I know now that this is very unflattering on me."

The little details, including fabrics, became so important for Lord. While she was used to seeing herself in a mirror, being on TV was a wake-up call for what to wear — and what not to wear.

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"I have discovered that the wrong sleeve length can ruin my whole appearance," Lord said. "I look good in dresses with three-quarter sleeves or those four inches below my shoulders, but the so-called bracelet sleeve isn't for me."

The details went down to hair color, too. According to the interview, because The Danny Thomas Show was filmed in a way that appeared dark on screen, she was asked to lighten her hair for the role so it would stand out more clearly.

Despite being concerned with her appearance on television, she wasn’t afraid of aging, like so many women at the time were. Aging is natural, and she embraced what came with it — including wisdom.

"We put too much emphasis on youth for youth's sake," Lord said. "Life has something interesting to offer at every age. ... I don't think it's a compliment to be told that I haven't changed. I want to grow up and mature."

Her honesty about image, aging, and self-critique showed that even classic TV stars faced the same insecurities as their audience.