Those of you who best-remember Kristine DeBell as the titular innocent-but-quick-learning lass in the 1976 adult feature film Alice in Wonderland: An X-Rated Musical Fantasy (arguably one of her best-know roles), and expect to hear some of the lowdown on it from her in this interview, may be disappointed. Kristine agreed to do this interview for Idol Features under the condition she wouldn’t be asked any questions regarding that film. However, you can get the answers to pretty much all the questions I would have asked her about Alice and the film, from the March 22, 2015 article at The Rialto Report.After “Alice,” which was her first film role, Kristine went on to have a successful mainstream acting career, that included both film and television. Her long list of big screen credits includes Blood Brothers, The Main Event, and Meatballs, alongside such names as Richard Gere, Ryan O’Neal, and Billy Murray, respectively. Her TV credits include prominent guest roles on Barnaby Jones, CHiPs, Night Court, and a stint on the long-running daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless. Of course, there were some parts she narrowly missed getting during her heyday, such as the part of Vickie La Motta in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull, but those at least lend themselves to some good audition stories.

After pretty much retiring from show biz in 1990 to raise a family, Kristine returned to acting a few years ago, and after the 20-plus year hiatus, took on the new challenge of playing characters quite unlike those she played when she was in her 20s and early 30s. In this recent interview, she talks about what that’s been like. We also touch on what Hollywood was like for her back in her 70s and 80s heyday, and drop a few names along the way. Above photos, circa 1978 and 2016, courtesy of Kristine, herself.