Fame & Fortune: Peggy 'Mod Squad' Lipton
Lifetime of wealth didn't dislodge her values |
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Lipton: Modeling, going
into the city every day by train and subway, going up to the Ford
offices -- it was all rather scary and breathtaking at the same
time. I had been sheltered and the whole world of New York City
was now open to me. I went to a new school, I studied speech and
acting with the master teacher Herbert Berghof in the West Village
and went on modeling assignments. Leaving the suburban life behind
me was a burning need, so I threw myself into it all. But it was
frightening. I stuttered very badly and had a hard time making phone
calls to the different photographers to see if they wanted to meet
me and see my modeling book. I was unbearably shy, but I knew it
was my ticket out of the ordinary.
Bankrate: You became an overnight success and fashion icon as Julie Barnes on "The Mod Squad." Was this a happy time for you, or did you find the experience claustrophobic or otherwise unpleasant?
Lipton: It seemed I was
an overnight success, but really I had been under contract to three
studios and had done dozens of small parts. The part of Julie was
a dream come true because I identified with her so deeply. I loved
my cast members, but it was grueling work that went on for five
years. Luckily I was young and had the energy and ambition. At times
I wanted out, but we were all very surprised by our success, with
our fans and the public. I didn't intend on being a fashion "icon,"
I just loved clothes. My mother had stunning taste, and the era
enhanced the freedom to create a character through clothes and attitude.
Bankrate: With celebrity came a series of brief romantic encounters with famous men, including Paul McCartney, Sammy Davis Jr. and Keith Moon. With whom did you find the most in common? The least? What did these encounters help you discover about yourself?
Lipton: Because of my
insecurities about everything, I sought confirmation of who I was
through work and relationships. I chose the most challenging, complex
people and situations to prove I was attractive and worthy. The
harder they were to approach, the more I threw myself into the fire.
Basically, it was a narcissistic whirlwind of seeking out and conquering.
It wasn't until I met Quincy Jones at the age of 26 that I understood
what true love could be.
Bankrate: When you fell
in love and married Quincy Jones, you became Hollywood's most striking
"it" couple. What was that change like for you?
Lipton: I took a big giant
breath and realized I could be loved for who I was. I wanted children.
I wanted a family where there was so much love out there for all
to see and feel. I didn't want to work anymore. I wanted to change
the focus of my life and I did. None of it was easy. We went through
his divorce, raising stepchildren, building his career and his illness.
Once again, we never saw each other as the "it" couple;
we just did life. Now when I look at photos from that time, I go,
"Yup, we were cute."
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