Candice Bergen: 10 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets Of The ‘Murphy Brown’ Star

Candice was an in-demand model, and appeared on the cover of Vogue before becoming an actress — and then used her fashion experience to work as a professional photographer while waiting for her acting career to take off. She'd end up publishing work in LIFE, Esquire, and Playboy.

Candice's work as a photojournalist would later have CBS offering her a place on the "60 Minutes" reporting staff after "Murphy Brown" went off the air — but Candice politely declined.

Candice has an Oscar nomination for the 1979 romantic comedy "Starting Over" — and was never shy about crediting director Burt Reynolds, who also took the film's starring role: "I have always said Burt's sensitivity and generosity were in great measure responsible for my Academy Award nomination."

The National ENQUIRER revealed how Candice had to become close to the other women who had children with her French film director husband, Louis Malle. But in another European twist, Candice later revealed that her mother was left "devastated" after being romanced by her brother-in-law, Jean-François Malle. "He’d left a trail of broken hearts in his path," said Candice. "My mother’s was now at the end of the list."

Candice was the first woman to host "Saturday Night Live," appearing on the fourth episode in the first season. (She's seen here with Phil Hartman in 1987.) She later became the first female to join the "Five Timers Club" for multiple "SNL" hosting — later joined by Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore and Tina Fey.

She was left out of the will when her famous ventriloquist dad, Edgar Bergen, died in 1978 — but the film star put aside a $10,000 inheritance for his dummy sidekick, Charlie McCarthy.

Candice also revealed another way that Charlie overshadowed her childhood in Beverly Hills, recalling: "Charlie had his own bedroom next to mine — and his was bigger!"

Murphy Brown's love for Motown and Aretha Franklin was shared by both Candice and show creator Diane English. The original pilot episode ended with Murphy singing a comically off-key take on Aretha's "Natural Woman" — with Candice then suggesting that the tune be reprised as a lullaby sung by Murphy when the character gave birth in the fourth season.

When asked to name the worst guest star to ever appear on "Murphy Brown," Candice declined to name names — but didn't contradict co-star Faith Ford, who said: "I know who it is for you, but I’m afeared I shouldn’t say it. You had a secretary, Michael Chiklis. It wasn’t the best marriage, I guess." Michael, however, had recalled Candice as "gracious and welcoming." (Also, he'd played an obnoxious comic styled on Andrew Dice Clay.)

Candice's return as Murphy Brown has also kept her busy recalling a Presidential anecdote, remembering her date with Donald Trump when they both attended the University of Pennsylvania. "It was like 500 years ago,” she joked. “All I remember is that I was home very early."