‘All My Children’ and ‘Knots Landing’ Star Kathleen Noone Talks About That Liver at The Hollywood Show
When Donna Mills departed Knots Landing in the 10th season of the primetime hit drama, the creators knew they needed a new villain. They found their villain in All My Children alum Kathleen Noone and her character Claudia Whittaker.
Noone was all smiles remembering her days on Knots, portraying the gold-digging, calculating Claudia as she greeted her fans at The Hollywood Show in Burbank.
“It’s always touched my soul and heart to meet fans,” Noone told us. “When I was on All My Children we traveled across the country to different malls where thousands of people would show up. You would meet the most interesting people and sometimes they would try and [endearingly] grab my hand — because I was playing such a mother earth creature on All My Children — and they would tell a personal story to me. My heart is always touched by the experiences they have [with the characters I have played].”
Knots Landing, however, was totally different, she said: “My character was such a witch.”
Audiences were first introduced to Claudia Whittaker in Season 12, Episode 1: “Return Engagement.” Claudia immediately saw an opportunity when she read in the paper that her powerful business mogul brother Greg Sumner (William Devane) was dying of liver disease. The master manipulator immediately packed up and moved to Knots Landing with her daughter Kate (Stacy Galina) in tow.
“I see the vultures are circling,” Sumner said on her arrival, and he was right.
Ask Noone what Knots Landing episode she’ll never forget, and the radiant 80-year-old immediately smiles and brings up that liver.
“When she got the liver for her brother and passed that woman whose husband was denied the liver … I’m just like, ‘Oh God,’” she laughs. “I got a lot of flack on that one.”
The episode she references is “The Lady or the Tiger,” in Season 12, Episode 10.
Fans just loved to hate Claudia.
“I must say I had great fun doing it,” Noone admits. “I tried to bring a sense of humor to it, too. You had to.”
Kathleen Noone with Lorenzo Caccialanza. Credit: Tony Esparza /© CBS /Courtesy Everett Collection
Whether it’s Claudia on Knots, Ellen Shepherd on All My Children, Bette on Sunset Beach, Edna on Passions or even Maura on Dexter, Noone is grateful to all of her fans.
“I think it’s important to be in touch with the people who have watched you. These shows that were on in the ’80s, ’90s and the early 2000s — people were dedicated to these shows so when they come up to you I realize that dedication,” Noone explains. “I’m always humbled by that.”
Robert Gentry, Kathleen Noone and Lauren Holly on ‘All My Children.’ Credit: American Broadcasting Company /Courtesy Everett Collection
As for what’s next for Noone, she shared that she went back to school at the University of Santa Monica to get her master’s degree in spiritual psychology.
“In my industry, as I was getting older, I knew I needed some support for that transition,” Noone explained. “It was most extraordinary.”
As she spent time at The Hollywood Show connecting with old friends and her fans, she finished our chat saying she’s humbled by her blessings.
“I’ve been very fortunate because I’ve had a varied career,” Noone concludes. “I started back in New York in theater and then did All My Children, and then came out here and I did a variety of shows before I got to Knots Landing [about a year after arriving in LA]. I knew the only way to survive out here was to be on a series, so, I was so fortunate. And when that was over, I felt fortunate that I could go on to L.A. Law and Dexter, all the different things that I did.”
