Martha Smith

TV Series The Scarecrow and Mrs King

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085088/

Q: Hi Martha,

I have a few questions about the SMK episode "A Matter of Choice." In this episode, you were bound and gagged. Did it botther you when you first read the script and found out you had to be tied up? I have always wondered how these kind of scenes were filmed. How long did you actually have to be tied up? Did they shoot the scenes as fast as they could so you wouldn't have to be uncomfortable for too long? Were you tied loosely? Were you able to speak through the gag? Did they give you a choice of being gagged with a cloth, or tape over your mouth? Tape would probably hurt when they removed it.

Thanks for answering my questions.

Your fan,

Ron

A: Hi Ron--

I loved that episode! James Cromwell kidnaps me in that one, right? What more could a girl ask for? He's terrific! I also love it because they were told to do NO hairdo (au naturel), and the barest of makeup . . . which I would have preferred all along. And then, I got to speak . . . was it Russian? In any case, I got to do a lingual feat! The "binding" was really nothing. Usually they do it loosely, and it's up to the actor to act out the "struggle" or tension of the ropes. No, I had no choices as to type of binding or gag--that was a writer-producer call.

Now, for the Scarecrow restraint scene! My memory of it isn't all that clear now, it was so long ago--but I'd say we shot the scene for about 1/2 hour or so. In between takes, I would be "untied." The gag was not too bad, I could utter some sounds, I think. Like I said, it was a long time ago. They were careful with me!

[Ed. Note: The James Cromwell episode, in which Francine does indeed get kidnapped was "Wrong Number." In "A Matter of Choice," Francine is drugged, bound, gagged, and stuck in a crate. Didn't she live a glamorous life?]