Hollywood Obsessed

In Part Two of Tony Miros' unforgettable conversation with actor, director, and producer Robert Duncan McNeill, the beloved “Star Trek: Voyager” star takes listeners behind the scenes of one of television's most iconic science fiction series. He shares fascinating stories about the pressure of launching ‘Voyager’ and the fledgling UPN network, recalls the brief tenure of Geneviève Bujold as Captain Janeway, and explains how he instantly knew Kate Mulgrew was the perfect person to command the USS Voyager.

He discusses earning his first opportunity behind the camera on ‘Voyager,’ how directing changed the course of his career, and what makes ‘Star Trek’s’ larger-than-life storytelling so rewarding for both actors and audiences.

Fans will love his behind-the-scenes memories of some of ‘Voyager’s’ most memorable episodes. He also recalls the cast's biggest pranksters, and offers his candid thoughts on the arrival of Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine.

The conversation also explores the enduring legacy of “Star Trek.” He remembers attending his first convention, explains why the “Star Trek” community has kept the ‘Voyager ‘cast connected like family for nearly three decades, and discusses returning as both Tom Paris and Nick Locarno on “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” He also talks about producing acclaimed series including “Resident Alien,” “Chuck,” “The Arrangement,” and “So Help Me Todd".

Finally, he shares the story behind launching The Delta Flyers podcast with Garrett Wang and what's still on his creative bucket list—from directing his first feature film and writing a book to the possibility of one day stepping back into Tom Paris' shoes.

ROBERT DUNCAN MCNEILL

Robert Duncan McNeill is an acclaimed actor, director, producer, and writer whose career spans more than four decades in television, film, and theater. Most recently, he served as Executive Producer, Director, and Writer on all four seasons of the hit sci-fi comedy "Resident Alien," earning an ASTRA Award nomination in 2024 for directing and co-writing the acclaimed Season 3 finale, "Homecoming." The series also received the Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Cable Comedy Series in 2021.

A highly respected television director, Robert has helmed more than 100 episodes across comedy, drama, action, and science fiction. His producing and directing credits include "Chuck," "Turner & Hooch," "The Gifted," "The Arrangement," "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce," "666 Park Avenue," and "What About Brian," as well as the pilot episodes for "Samantha Who?" and "Heartbeat."

Before stepping behind the camera, Robert enjoyed a successful acting career after graduating from The Juilliard School. He appeared on Broadway in "Six Degrees of Separation," earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for "All My Children," starred in "Masters of the Universe," and became a fan favorite as Lieutenant Tom Paris throughout all seven seasons of "Star Trek: Voyager." It was during 'Voyager' that he launched his directing career, which has since made him one of television's most accomplished filmmakers.

In 2020, Robert reunited with his longtime 'Voyager' co-star Garrett Wang to co-host the hit podcast "The Delta Flyers," where they revisit every episode of "Star Trek: Voyager." Now expanded to include "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," the podcast remains a favorite among "Star Trek" fans and reflects Robert's enduring connection to one of television's most beloved franchises.
 
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On this episode of Hollywood Obsessed, host Tony Miros welcomes actor, director, producer, and “Star Trek: Voyager” favorite Robert Duncan McNeill for an engaging and deeply personal conversation about the career that has kept him in front of—and behind—the camera for more than four decades.

Robert reflects on his childhood in Atlanta, where a painfully shy young boy unexpectedly discovered a love for acting after being cast as a Munchkin in a local production of “The Wizard of Oz”. What began as a way to overcome his shyness soon became a lifelong passion, leading him from community theater to New York City, Juilliard, Broadway, and eventually Hollywood.

He shares fascinating stories about earning his first professional jobs, joining the cast of “All My Children” as Charlie Brent, receiving a Daytime Emmy nomination, and juggling the soap opera with filming “Masters of the Universe” alongside Courteney Cox & Frank Langella. Robert also looks back on his unforgettable Broadway run in “Six Degrees of Separation” with Stockard Channing.

Of course, there's plenty of “Star Trek” to talk about. Robert recalls his first appearance as Nick Locarno on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” how that experience led to his iconic role as Lieutenant Tom Paris on ‘Voyager,’ and why their camaraderie, laughter, and genuine affection for one another still make the ‘Voyager’ family one of the most beloved in TV history.

ROBERT DUNCAN MCNEILL

Robert Duncan McNeill is an acclaimed actor, director, producer, and writer whose career spans more than four decades in television, film, and theater. Most recently, he served as Executive Producer, Director, and Writer on all four seasons of the hit sci-fi comedy “Resident Alien,” earning an ASTRA Award nomination in 2024 for directing and co-writing the acclaimed Season 3 finale, "Homecoming." The series also received the Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Cable Comedy Series in 2021.

As one of television's most accomplished directors, Robert has helmed more than 100 episodes across science fiction, comedy, drama, and action. His extensive producing and directing credits include “Chuck,” “Turner & Hooch,” “The Gifted,” “The Arrangement,” “Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce,” “666 Park Avenue,” and “What About Brian.” He also directed the pilot for ABC's hit comedy “Samantha Who?” and the pilot for NBC's medical drama “Heartbeat.”

Before moving behind the camera, Robert built an impressive acting career after graduating from The Juilliard School. He appeared on Broadway in “Six Degrees of Separation,” earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for “All My Children,” and starred alongside Courteney Cox in “Masters of the Universe.”

Robert is best known to audiences worldwide for his iconic portrayal of Lieutenant Tom Paris in all seven seasons of “Star Trek: Voyager.” After first appearing as Nick Locarno on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” he returned to create one of the franchise's most beloved characters. It was during ‘Voyager’ that he began directing, launching the second phase of a career that has made him one of television's most respected filmmakers.

In 2020, Robert reunited with his longtime friend and ‘Voyager’ co-star Garrett Wang to launch the hit podcast “The Delta Flyers,” where the pair revisit every episode of “Star Trek: Voyager.” The podcast has since expanded to include “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” featuring regular appearances by Armin Shimerman and Terry Farrell, and remains a favorite destination for “Star Trek” fans around the world.
 
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In Part Two of Tony Miros' conversation with actress, author, and speaker Lydia Cornell, the “Too Close for Comfort” star pulls back the curtain on one of TV's most beloved sitcoms. Lydia shares what it was really like working alongside Emmy Award winner Ted Knight, the magic that made the series a hit, and the enormous pressure she faced as one of television's biggest sex symbols. She opens up about the relentless scrutiny over her appearance, the tabloids spying on the set, and the behind-the-scenes tensions that threatened to change the direction of the series.

Lydia candidly discusses her complicated relationship with Ted Knight, revealing how studio politics, publicity, and misunderstandings created friction between them despite their deep affection for one another. She recalls becoming close friends with co-stars Nancy Dussault and Jim J. Bullock, reflects on Deborah Van Valkenburgh's remarkable career, and explains how industry pressures contributed to her struggles with alcohol and drug use during the height of her fame. She also shares why she believes TCFC lost its way after major cast changes and how Ted's untimely passing brought a heartbreaking end to an era.

The conversation expands beyond the sitcom to explore Lydia's life after TCFC. She discusses guest-starring on hit series including “The Love Boat,” “Charlie's Angels,” “Quantum Leap,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” where she improvised alongside Larry David in one of the show's memorable episodes. Lydia also reflects on the challenges women continue to face in Hollywood, her acclaimed one-woman show “RelationShop,” her passion for writing and teaching acting, and the inspiration behind her upcoming memoir, “Hiding My Brain in My Bra.”

Finally, Lydia shares the deeply personal journey that transformed her life. Celebrating more than three decades of sobriety, she speaks openly about overcoming addiction, healing from trauma, and discovering a renewed sense of purpose through recovery. She offers heartfelt advice for aspiring performers, reflects on learning to embrace her sitcom legacy after years of taking it for granted, and explains why making people laugh has become one of the greatest gifts of her career.

LYDIA CORNELL

Lydia Cornell is an actress, comedian, writer, and producer best known for her starring role as Sara Rush on the hit ABC sitcom Too Close for Comfort. Born Lydia Korniloff in El Paso, Texas, she is the great-granddaughter of author Harriet Beecher Stowe and grew up in a family of accomplished musicians. After studying drama and several other disciplines at the University of Colorado Boulder, she worked at the legendary Caribou Ranch Recording Studios.

After moving to LA in 1978, Lydia worked as a production assistant for Jack Webb Productions before landing her first screen role in Steel, starring Lee Majors. Following appearances on The Love Boat and the cult horror film Blood Tide, she found stardom as Ted Knight's daughter, Sara Rush, on Too Close for Comfort. She later enjoyed a successful television career with guest appearances on Charlie's Angels, Knight Rider, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, Full House, Quantum Leap, The Drew Carey Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and many other popular series, while also appearing on several television game shows.

Beyond acting, Lydia has built an impressive career as a stand-up comedian, producer, novelist, and inspirational speaker. She wrote and produced the feature film Venus Conspiracy and has remained a passionate advocate for addiction recovery.

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On this episode of Hollywood Obsessed, host Tony Miros welcomes actress, author, and speaker Lydia Cornell, beloved by millions as Sara Rush, the lovable daughter of Ted Knight's Henry Rush on the hit ABC sitcom “Too Close for Comfort.” More than 45 years after its debut, Lydia reflects on the series that launched her career and made her a television icon.

Lydia opens up about becoming one of TV's biggest sex symbols during the early 1980s. She reveals how ABC required her to pose for a bikini poster, why Ted Knight was uncomfortable with the publicity surrounding her, and how difficult it was to be taken seriously as an educated woman while playing a bubbly teenager.

She also shares one of the most unbelievable stories of her career while filming a movie in the Greek Isles alongside James Earl Jones and José Ferrer. Pressured into performing an unexpected topless scene without union representation, Lydia recounts the clever and courageous steps she took to protect herself and ensure the footage never made it to the screen.

The conversation then turns to Lydia's childhood in Texas and Scarsdale, New York, and her love of Disney classics. She reflects on being the great-granddaughter of “Uncle Tom's Cabin” author Harriet Beecher Stowe, and explains how watching her father perform as a concert violinist sparked her dream of becoming an actress.

Before finding fame, she worked at Colorado's legendary Caribou Ranch recording studio, where she crossed paths with several music legends. She also recounts sneaking onto the Paramount Studios lot, landing a job after an unexpected encounter with Jack Webb, and the chance meeting with legendary casting director Joyce Selznick that ultimately led to her unforgettable audition—and career-changing role—on “Too Close for Comfort.”

LYDIA CORNELL

Lydia Cornell is an actress, comedian, writer, producer, and speaker best known for her starring role as Sara Rush, the lovable daughter of Ted Knight on the hit sitcom Too Close for Comfort. Born Lydia Korniloff in El Paso, Texas, she comes from an artistic family. Her parents were both accomplished concert violinists, and she is the great-granddaughter of Uncle Tom's Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe.

After growing up in Texas & Scarsdale, New York, Lydia attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where she studied business, drama, English, Russian, Spanish, and anthropology. While in college, she worked at the legendary Caribou Ranch Recording Studio, crossing paths with music legends including Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Chicago, & The Beach Boys. She moved to LA in 1978, working for Jack Webb Productions before landing her first film role opposite Lee Majors in Steel and appearing in The Love Boat & the cult thriller Blood Tide.

Lydia's breakthrough came in 1980 when she was cast in Too Close for Comfort, a role that made her one of television's most recognizable comedic actresses of the decade. She went on to guest star in hit series, including Charlie's Angels, Knight Rider, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, T.J. Hooker, Hotel, Fantasy Island, Quantum Leap, The Drew Carey Show, and HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has also appeared on popular game shows such as Battle of the Network Stars, Super Password, and The Match Game–Hollywood Squares Hour.

Beyond acting, Lydia has built an impressive career as a stand-up comedian, producer, novelist, and screenwriter. She produced the feature film Venus Conspiracy and has remained an outspoken advocate for sobriety and recovery.

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In the second part of this captivating conversation, former actress turned psychotherapist Constance McCashin pulls back the curtain on the making of “Knots Landing”, sharing the emotional highs, heartbreaking lows, and lifelong friendships that made the groundbreaking drama so special. She reflects on Laura Avery Sumner's remarkable evolution, explains how the writers gradually tailored storylines to the actors, and reveals what it was really like becoming a TV star despite being shy off-screen.

Constance offers fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about some of the series' most unforgettable moments, including Laura's groundbreaking rape storyline, incorporating her real-life pregnancy into the show by casting her infant son as Laura's baby, and Richard & Laura's turbulent marriage. Looking back through the eyes of a psychotherapist, she also shares why many of the show's characters could have benefited from therapy.

She reminisces about her enduring friendships with co-stars William Devane & John Pleshette, and fondly recalls working alongside Hollywood legends Julie Harris, Ruth Roman, and the incomparable Ava Gardner, including hilarious and touching stories that reveal the warmth & humor behind these iconic stars. Constance also opens up about the decision to kill off Laura Avery, the emotional impact of leaving the series after eight seasons, and why she has never been able to fully revisit Laura's final scenes.

The conversation concludes with memories of “Brooklyn Bridge”, working with John Cleese in “The Out-of-Towners”, and her seamless transition from Hollywood to a rewarding second career as a licensed psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders and body image.

CONSTANCE MCCASHIN
Constance McCashin is an American psychotherapist and former actress best known to millions of television viewers as Laura Avery Sumner on the iconic CBS primetime drama “Knots Landing”, where she starred from the series' premiere in 1979 until 1987. Her character's heartbreaking battle with a brain tumor culminated in one of the show's most unforgettable storylines and its landmark 200th episode.

Born in Chicago and raised in Connecticut, Constance's introduction to show business came at the age of five when she appeared alongside Clarabell the Clown on the legendary children's program “The Howdy Doody Show.” Although her parents chose to give her a normal childhood instead of pursuing a career as a child actress, her love of performing never faded. After earning a degree in English, she moved to New York City just five days after graduating, supporting herself with jobs—including selling belts at Saks Fifth Avenue—while pursuing an acting career.

An acting teacher's suggestion that she begin psychotherapy not only transformed her craft but also changed her life. As she became more emotionally open through therapy, her acting career flourished, leading to a successful move to Hollywood where she appeared in numerous TV series, movies, pilots, and commercials. Along the way, she starred opposite Lindsay Wagner in “The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan”, became a familiar face on TV game shows including “The $25,000 Pyramid”, “Super Password”, and “Battle of the Network Stars”, and later co-starred in the Golden Globe-winning comedy “Brooklyn Bridge.”

Following her successful acting career, Constance embraced a remarkable second act. She earned a Master's degree in Social Work from Simmons College and became a licensed psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders and body image.

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