# Sally Field's most iconic role? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143 "2016-01-25T02:00:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/41 "2016-01-25T22:39:19Z")
I think with Sybil, she was able to break out of that Gidget and TFN casting shell she was encased in. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/42 "2016-01-25T23:55:50Z")
For those of you who have never seen _The Flying Nun_ and think it’s literally about a Nun who can fly. It is. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/43 "2016-01-25T23:59:50Z")
That’s what I was thinking too. These kids probably think it’s a somber movie about a serious, tormented nun. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/44 "2016-01-26T00:05:18Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > For those of you who have never seen _The Flying Nun_ and think it’s literally about a Nun who can fly. > > It is. 😃 I say The Flying Nun. When Div finally worked out who I was talking about, he said “Oh, from Mrs Doubtfire!”. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/45 "2016-01-26T00:09:45Z")
My first thought when someone says Sally Field is The Flying Nun, then Norma Rae. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/46 "2016-01-26T04:30:33Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Speaking of Gidget…is [this](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1713043968/nm0000398?ref_=nmmd_md_nxt) a creepy-ass picture?? That’s Gidget and her dad, who was always at a loss to understand his daughter but tried very hard to. He was a very loving and caring TV dad. In what way is it “creepy”? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/47 "2016-01-26T11:08:11Z")
I’ve mentioned it a previous thread, or threads, but I’ll repeat it here: [“(Wait 'Til You See) My Gidget” is my #1 all-time favorite T.V. theme song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZqBIQCIu5g) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/48 "2016-01-26T11:56:28Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > I’m really surprised “The Flying Nun” is getting so many votes in this thread since even though it had a successful run, it nearly brought Sally Field’s career to a dead stop. . I remember seeing her doing publicity when she was trying to “change her image”. But doing publicity for a serious adult drama, her character was still Gidget / Flying Nun. So I think that her problem as a “serious” actor wasn’t that people identified her with Gidget and the Flying Nun (out of hundreds of beautiful actress, the memory of those roles was the reason she was offered roles)-- the problem was that she was selected for those roles because that was her natural character. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/49 "2016-01-26T12:14:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The Flying Nun was in syndication for decades. I watched it in the 80’s. I think Nick at Night ran it in the 90’s but I’m not positive. Gidget had a run on Mtv in the 90’s. Pretty sure Flying Nun too. > [@terentii](#): > > That’s Gidget and her dad, who was always at a loss to understand his daughter but tried very hard to. > > He was a very loving and caring TV dad. In what way is it “creepy”? 😕 It’s not creepy to you, because you get the context. Someone not having the advantage of context, might find it creepy. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/50 "2016-01-26T16:42:53Z")
My favorite is **Places In the Heart** , but I could go **Norma Rae** too. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143/51 "2016-01-30T02:32:04Z")
Definitely not Aunt May. About the only way she could have been worse for the role would have bee if she was Idris Elba. Or Marissa Tomei… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sally-fields-most-iconic-role/744143.md?page=2)