By James Panter
 

Catherine Oxenberg is a versatile actress who has distinguished herself by portraying Great Britain's Princess Diana in two television movies and a strong-willed daughter of a tycoon in one of the most popular series in television history. 

She has an angelic face, blonde hair, a dazzling smile, a soft, English- accented voice and a shapely figure, and she radiates sophistication and charm in acting performances and modeling appearances. Her photogenic features have graced the covers of numerous fashion magazines, such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, Redbook, Cosmopolitan and Interview. 

She is currently pursuing a busy career as a film/television actress, producer and screenwriter in Los Angeles, yet she is channeling some of her abundant energy into improving the quality of life for others. She is passionately involved in an educational organization that preserves ancient cultures; she supports efforts to rescue the environment; and she hopes to develop a program to prevent child abuse. 

All of these are remarkable endeavors, but then Ms. Oxenberg has led a remarkable life. 

The Allure of Acting 

Born in New York to Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and American businessman Howard Oxenberg, Catherine was four years old when she went with her mother to live in London after her parents' divorce. 

Her interest in acting was initially sparked by her friendship with Richard Burton, the internationally renowned stage and film actor, who was engaged to her mother in 1974. For 13-year-old Catherine, it was an education nonpareil. 

"He coached me through my acting classes in school," she recalls. "He was so attentive to me as an individual, and that leaves a marked impact on a child. And I was fascinated by his lifestyle. 

"It wasn't so much learning techniques from him as being carried away by the cadence of his voice, the rhythms of Shakespeare and his delivery. It was an emulated learning, rather than an intellectual approach." 

Though Burton was a tremendous influence, she also admired actresses such as Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo and Julie Christie, among others. 

Ms. Oxenberg remained in London until age 14, when she decided to prepare herself to enroll at prestigious Harvard University. She moved back to the United States and was accepted at St. Paul's School, a private prep institution, where she participated in drama productions and graduated summa cum laude. 

She was admitted to Harvard, but she decided to defer for a year to accept modeling assignments and to take acting classes. Later, she enrolled at Columbia University so she could continue to pay for her tuition, and there she studied philosophy, psychology and mythology. 

"Modeling was something that was out of the blue, that I just fell into," she says. "But one of the drawbacks to being a model is that you're conscious of the camera, and posing becomes second nature. Most models find it very difficult to break that habit, in terms of making a move into acting. I think I was self-conscious in front of the camera, and it's taken me a long time to feel at ease." 

She studied the craft of acting with Stanley Zaraff, who taught group improvisational classes in New York, and with Joanne Baron, who guided her for 2-1/2 years in the Meisner technique, which Ms. Oxenberg describes as involving "repetition until you find an organic and emotional reaction." 

A 1982 CBS movie, The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana provided her first acting role, as the beloved princess. By the time she starred in ABC's Charles and Diana: A Palace Divided, 10 years later, she had gained a different perspective. 

"There were a lot of books written about her by the time the second one came out, and there was a tremendous amount of footage, so actually it was a lot easier (to prepare for the role)," Ms. Oxenberg explains. "In one movie, she was an evolved, mature woman and in the other she was a naive, rather one-dimensional persona. In the second one, I definitely focused on her maturity and her evolution as an individual throughout." 

Her visibility in Hollywood rose when she was selected for a part in the enormously popular television series, Dynasty. She played Amanda Carrington, the headstrong daughter of Blake Carrington (John Forsythe), a wealthy industrialist, and ex-wife Alexis (Joan Collins). 

"I was so naive," she recalls. "I had just come back from Spain, and I had never heard of Dynasty. If I had known what a big show it was, I would have been a lot more nervous. I had met previously with (producer) Aaron Spelling, who had tested me for three different shows, and that was the one that he chose. So it happened very, very quickly before I had any idea of what I was getting into." 

Interwoven plots about the scandalous lifestyles of the privileged class in America translated into top ratings for the prime-time series. 
"I think it was the fact that it's so extreme," Ms. Oxenberg says in describing its appeal. "Extreme opulence and power have always fascinated individuals." 

Her role on Dynasty provided a springboard for her to take on a number of diverse projects. She was the lead actress in a TV movie remake of the Audrey Hepburn-Gregory Peck film classic, Roman Holiday. She co-hosted Saturday Night Live with singer/songwriter Paul Simon. She completed TV movies-of-the-week Swimsuit and Treacherous Beauties, and she worked in two Australian miniseries, Bony and Ring of Scorpio. 

She relocated to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for a year to star in 22 episodes of an action/adventure television series, Acapulco H.E.A.T. 

Taking Charge of Her Career 

Ms. Oxenberg made her feature film debut in 1988 in Ken Russell's The Lair of the White Worm, and subsequently completed Overexposed and Rubdown. She is now concentrating on developing her motion picture career. 

"What I'm preparing to create is a transition from television to film," she says. "I know that I'm a lot more ready for it now than I ever was." 

The scarcity of top-drawer Hollywood scripts and the desire to have more artistic control have led a growing number of actors and actresses to develop film and
television roles for themselves. Being an astute businesswoman, Ms. Oxenberg has formed her own production company, Good Medicine, which is currently
developing several projects. 

"The focus of my company is to - in some way, shape or form - enlighten or inspire people via the visual medium," she points out. 

She is currently developing, with partner David Michaels, an epic miniseries on the life of Lola Montez, a notorious 19th century actress and dancer. 

"She was an extraordinary woman who came from nowhere and ruled Europe, because she was the mistress of the King of Bavaria," Ms. Oxenberg explains. "She truly exerted tremendous political influence throughout Europe at that time, and then she really scandalized America through her un-Victorian behavior. She was quite a maverick." 

Ms. Oxenberg has also written a screenplay for a science fiction adventure film, Abduction, which has drawn interest from other production companies. 

"It is very exciting for me," she says. "It has a lot of action in it, but it also has my metaphysical and spiritual beliefs, as well as a sense of humor. It has a little bit of everything." 

A Healthy Lifestyle 

Though her career runs at a fast pace, Ms. Oxenberg is consistently focused on a healthy lifestyle which includes proper nutrition and a well-planned exercise routine. She is an avid skier, tennis enthusiast, aerobics participant and hiker. She regularly fills her spirit with yoga and meditation. 

One of the most profound experiences in Ms. Oxenberg's life was the natural childbirth of her daughter, India. 

"It was absolutely extraordinary!" she recalls. "Although it was the most intense pain I've ever experienced, I was determined not to have any drugs in my system, and I knew that I could live through it and endure the pain. Prior to the birth process, I practiced pre-natal yoga, meditated and received ample massage and chiropractic care. 

"I engaged the services of a professional midwife, who worked closely with a medical doctor. Although the physician was present during the birth process, he acted only as an observer, allowing the midwife to perform the entire procedure." 

Catherine's commitment to a natural way of life includes utilization of chiropractic care on a regular basis. Actor George Hamilton introduced her to chiropractic, and she received her first adjustment from Dr. Leroy Perry, a well-known Los Angeles practitioner. 

Today, she believes in the drugless philosophy of chiropractic and has established a strong bond with her chiropractor, Dr. Alan Lazar, a Santa Monica practitioner who is highly regarded for his genuine care and selfless love for his patients. 

"I have minor scoliosis in my upper back, and also I took a fall when I was a child and damaged my coccyx, so I've always had referred pain in my spine," Ms. Oxenberg says. "I've been acutely aware of when my spine goes out of alignment and what it refers to as far as what specific organs are affected. Dr. Lazar has taught me about the importance of a healthy nervous system and what role it plays in communicating with all of the other parts of my body. 

"Chiropractic definitely gives me physical and emotional relief. Over the past two years, since I've been receiving regular treatments from Dr. Lazar, I find I have more energy, better flexibility, clearer thinking, a healthier functioning nervous system and more life force flowing through my body. 

"What I like about Dr. Lazar's technique, which other chiropractors generally do not focus upon, is his fantastic ability to work on the various muscle groups encompassing the area he's planning to adjust. It's my opinion that, often, when chiropractors adjust the spine, they sometimes neglect these various muscle groups, and the spine is then pulled out of place by the muscles that are in spasm in that particular area. Dr. Lazar gives me tremendous relief in the muscles of my body
around my spine, neck and shoulders; thus I have a far greater benefit from the treatment." 

Her four-year-old daughter, India, also receives care. 

"She loves it," Catherine says. "She's at the point now that when she takes a tumble ...she says, 'Mommy, I have to go see Dr. Lazar.' When India and I go for a treatment, India runs into the treatment room, jumps on the table and says, 'Dr. Alan, I want you to work on me before Mommy.' 

"People need to be better educated about the benefits of regular chiropractic care," she continues. "The more involved I am, as a patient, the more subtle and refined is my understanding. The main thing that I want to stress is that chiropractic needs to be made more available. People need to become better educated to the wonderful long-term health benefits that can be derived from treatment." 

Actor/director Kevin Dobson referred Ms. Oxenberg to Lazar, who then became the chiropractic provider for the production of Acapulco H.E.A.T., in Puerto Vallarta. During the intensive six months of production, the cast and crew members worked tirelessly seven days each week. Consequently, they were under enormous stress, which Lazar helped alleviate through chiropractic adjustments. 

Lazar, a 1990 Life Chiropractic College West graduate, is well known and trusted by many people involved in the high-stress entertainment industry. He has worked on more than 10 film projects in addition to concert tours and television series. His patients have included some of the top names in show business - dancers who have performed with Janet Jackson and Ben Vereen; supermodels/actresses such as Brooke Shields and Ms. Oxenberg; motion picture stars, such as Tony Curtis; professional athletes; leading television performers, such as actors James Brolin and Fabio; and contemporary jazz performers Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin. He has worked with many studio executives and film directors, such as Richard Donner, director of Lethal Weapon and Maverick, and Danny Jacobson, the producer of Roseanne and Mad About You, and has also provided care for many of the top rock groups and artists, such as U2, David Bowie and Journey. 

"The entertainment industry is very stressed," Lazar says. "People are interested in taking care of, and preserving, their bodies. Getting regular chiropractic care is as important to them as going to the gym to work out or attending yoga and stretch classes." 

Prior to his enrollment at Life West, he had specialized in massage therapy and deep connective tissue work, so he made a smooth transition into a profession that fuels his passion to serve. He has an eclectic approach to delivering adjustments and utilizes Diversified, B.E.S.T., S.O.T., cranio-sacral, Upledger, soft-tissue and deep-tissue techniques in providing care for his patients, depending on their health condition. 

"I really stress the importance of family health care," he says. "I encourage patients to bring their children in for care. Once a month, I adjust children free of charge. 

"Last year, during the devastating fires in Malibu, I was able to provide care to the firefighters and others affected by the fires. And after the January 1994 earthquake, I also assisted those in need." 

Lazar provides care for members of his spiritual congregation, AGAPE, a non-denominational Science of Mind Truth Center in Santa Monica. He asks those who are unable to pay to give a service, or tithe, back to the community. 

"I truly believe that we'll always be taken care of to the degree that we provide a valued service and give more than is expected," he says. "If I may borrow a treasured quote from Emerson, 'I want to be fully used up when I complete this life.' I want to know that my life has had purpose, value and meaning and that I've truly made a difference in the lives of others. 

"The benefit of working within the framework of the entertainment industry is the power and influence that just one individual, such as Catherine Oxenberg, has to enlighten millions of people worldwide about the value of their health and well-being and the importance of chiropractic care." 

Social Awareness 

Like her chiropractor, Ms. Oxenberg is aware of people's needs and is trying to make the world a better place. 

She has supported efforts to protect the environment and has co- hosted, with recording artist Kenny Loggins, an environmental program, This Island Earth, for Disney. 

A spiritual person who has studied shamanism and native American philosophy, she became interested in preserving culture for future generations, and she now heads the Children's Craft Village, a unique charitable organization which captures ancient knowledge on film and educates young people about sacred arts. 

The organization maintains the Museum of Ancient and Modern Art in a small Northern California town. Representatives give students free instruction in prehistoric and modern art "like the old Renaissance schools of art," according to Ms. Oxenberg. 

Not only is the education of children important to her, but also their well-being. 

"Right now, my focus is to set up a program, perhaps through the Children's Craft Village, to protect children against abuse and promote children's rights," she says. 

Through her involvement in these programs, Catherine Oxenberg can enlighten and inspire in ways beyond her film and television roles. 

About the author: James Panter is editor of Today's Chiropractic.
 
 

From People Online...

Now that actress Catherine Oxenberg (Dynasty) plans to start selling jewelry on cable television and her mother, the long-exiled Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, can already be seen on TV hawking perfume, "what chance do I have?" jokes Christina Oxenberg, who skewers characters based on her mother and sister in her just-published first novel, Royal Blue, a story about a New York City girl from a dysfunctional royal family. Oxenberg tells me that while she is not exactly estranged from her mother (the daughter of Princess Olga of Greece and Prince Paul, a regent in Yugoslavia until he was unseated by a military coup in 1941), "I don't expect that she'll ever read my book."