"Providence" is not Paula Cale's first prime-time television series. She had a part in the short-lived ABC sitcom "Buddies" in 1997 -- but what really kicked off her TV career was a recurring role in CBS's "Murphy Brown."
In 1995, she joined the cast as McGovern, a young, hip, politically conservative reporter (patterned after MTV's Kennedy) who drove Murphy crazy."It was my first experience on television," Cale said. "And what more could you ask for -- to walk onto a set with Candice Bergen and those seven phenomenal actors who'd been doing it for five years already.
"They all really took me under their wing and showed me how it was done."
And she's personally grateful to Bergen, who "discovered" her. The multiple Emmy winner happened to take in the Los Angeles production of Steve Martin's "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," which featured Cale (then Korologos) in the cast.
"And she was taken by my performance, which I feel blessed by because I didn't think I was that fantastic in it," she said with a laugh.
So here was Cale, a 24-year-old with no TV experience to speak of, suddenly joining the cast of an established hit and playing opposite Bergen. It was, to say the least, a little bit intimidating.
"It was terrifying," she said. "Intimidating? Driving onto the Warner Bros. lot was intimidating enough. You know, driving by and seeing George Clooney playing basketball.
"It was, like, I don't even want to get to work. This is unbelievable. I was intimidated by the salad bar at the Warner Bros. lot. I was terrified, but it was a thrill."
And then, of course, there was the fact that the daughter of a man (see accompanying story) who has worked in several Republican administrations was appearing in a show set in Washington -- a show with a decidedly liberal bent. Not that Tom Korologos was bothered by that.
"He loved it," Cale said. "And the (CBS and Warner Bros.) publicity people loved it even more. I mean, what an angle! They went a little berserk with it."
While the character only remained with the show for a season, Cale said she looks back on that season with great fondness.
"It was a phenomenal experience," she said. "And I feel completely indebted to Candice Bergen for being so kind to me and nurturing me and believing in me."