I thought my nose was too prominent so I had this corrected via plastic surgery in 1959.
I'm 5 9, and there were two stars in my life who didn't mind that I was taller than they - George Raft and John Garfield.
Raft told me how to walk with him in a scene: We'd start off in a long shot normal, and about the time we got together in a close-up, I'd be bending my knees so I'd be shorter.
My forehead is sometimes too high, but bangs could correct this.
This has taught me that being pleasant is always so much more productive, for I know well the rewards for being good-natured.
This I regard as a classic example of my not being properly prepared for a part I very much wanted.
In '48 when I left Metro, I tried to go back to radio, but somehow just didn't do well at it.
I didn't know I was doing film noir, I thought they were detective stories with low lighting!
The scene where I took my eyelashes off we did in two takes.
Elisha Cook was a darling, and full of the devil. A wired - up little fellow who was always busy, busy, busy.
I got to know Sterling Hayden fairly well. He was a quiet man, who got more complicated as the years went on.
I can't remember anybody saying, Let's get this show on the road.
I had to do a tango with Raft and I learned to dance in ballet shoes with my knees bent.
The way animals were and are abused appalls me to this very day.
For instance, it was very rare for anyone there with dogs to allow them into the house.
But painting can be too lonely... I like being with people too much to have ever made that my life's work.
Of course, in later years, I'd studied acting more than ever before - mostly with the late Stella Adler, who was marvelous! - but in my earlier years, I couldn't afford to do this.
So, I certainly subscribe to what Bette said about acting being very hard work.
Some actresses seem to thrive on chaos, and I've often wondered if they felt they had to be that way in order to perform well?
Most actors are insecure enough already without having a director who adds to that.
