Angie Dickinson Reflects On Her Iconic Career And Hollywood Adventures

Juanita Wiegand 18 May 2025

Let me tell you about Angie Dickinson, the legendary actress who has seen it all in Hollywood. If you were to ask her if she’d do it all over again, she might surprise you with her honesty. “If I had to do it all over again, I might not,” she confides to Closer. Now, that’s a bold statement, but when you think about it, she’s got a point. Making movies is no picnic. Angie explains, “All movies are way harder than you ever imagine. You start at 5:30 in the morning and work until 6 p.m., if you're lucky.”

But here’s the thing—despite the long hours and grueling schedules, Angie Dickinson, now 92, decided to take the leap into show business, and we’re all better for it. Over her remarkable career, she’s been part of dramas, thrillers, westerns, and so much more. “I don’t think I did any comedies—at least not on purpose,” she jokes, giving us a glimpse of her charming sense of humor. On television, Angie earned three Emmy nominations for her role in Police Woman, a show that aired from 1974 to 1978 and became a cultural phenomenon.

Now, Angie didn’t exactly plan on becoming a Hollywood icon. In fact, she says it all happened by accident. “I never thought of myself as being on the same level as actresses like Katharine Hepburn or Bette Davis,” she admits. But when the opportunity to enter a beauty contest came her way, she saw it as a fun challenge. “I thought, ‘Why not? It would be exciting.’” Angie ended up placing second in the pageant, but that’s where her journey began. It landed her a spot on The Jimmy Durante Show, where she met Frank Sinatra. Their connection led to a romantic partnership and a lifelong friendship. “Frank was my heartthrob from the start,” Angie shares. “We never talked about marriage, but we had something special that worked for us.”

One of Angie’s most cherished memories is from the 1959 film Rio Bravo, which she considers the highlight of her career. In this iconic movie, she starred alongside Dean Martin and John Wayne. “Dean was such a wonderful guy—easygoing and friendly. Everyone adored him,” Angie reminisces. “I already knew him because he had a restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, but we weren’t close until we worked together. He was that cool Gemini guy who made everything seem effortless.”

Her collaboration with John Wayne, whom she affectionately called Duke, was equally memorable. “This was his 300th movie, and he was the epitome of professionalism,” she says. “He was such a gentleman. I was still new to the business, so I was a little nervous, but Duke was always patient. He’d lean on his rifle and wait quietly while I got the scene right. It was a lesson in patience and respect.”

Angie Dickinson wears black outfit and hat — Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TCM

Breaking Barriers: Angie’s Trailblazing Role in Police Woman

After Angie’s appearance on a 1974 episode of Police Story, she was offered the lead role in Police Woman, one of the first hour-long dramas to feature a female lead. Her character often went undercover, which Angie found thrilling. “That was the fun part. I’d dress up as a hooker or someone down on their luck,” she says with a laugh. She also loved working with guest stars like the delightful Joan Collins. “She appeared on the show a few times, and she couldn’t have been more gracious,” Angie recalls.

However, the demands of the role and the long hours began to take their toll after the second season. “When you’re a TV star, you’re working nonstop,” she explains. “I did 90 episodes, and each one was fascinating, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s like slave labor.”

Despite the challenges, Angie feels fulfilled by her time in the spotlight. “Sure, you always wish you could redo things,” she says. “But when I look back on all the mistakes and missed opportunities, I realize I stood on my own two feet. And that’s something to be proud of.”