1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: A few actors are as deeply associated with the character 3 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: as Davis Gaines is with The Phantom of the Opera. 4 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: When the Kennedy Center honored how Prince, Phantom's original director, 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: they turned to Gains to perform the musical's signature song, 6 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: Music of the Night. That's your mind, saw Journey, it's 7 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: your strange for thoughts, al if you your soul change you? 8 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: Oh can you be at all? To that spine tingling 9 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: vibratos shook the risers more than two thousand times in 10 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and eventually Broadway, where Phantom remains 11 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: the longest running show in history. But Davis Gaines isn't 12 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: just that legendary voice. He's an actor first and foremost, 13 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: with fourteen Broadway and off Broadway credits to his name. 14 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: That's something he hoped for but had trouble picturing. Growing up. 15 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: He was a theater obsessive in a place that didn't 16 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: have much of an outlet for kids like him. I 17 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: want to be an actor since my earliest recollection growing 18 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: up in Orlando pre Disney, Orland, pre Disney describe pre 19 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: Disney or lots of Orange Groves and um, no traffic, sleepy, little, 20 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: sleepy town. UM. I grew up there knowing what I 21 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: wanted to be an actor, but not knowing how. But 22 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: I found a children's theater group I joined early on, 23 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: and then I had an amazing junior high school drama 24 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: teacher and Dirflinger, and she just took me under her wing. 25 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: And I just couldn't stop after that. And and I 26 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: was cast in musicals then because I had a loud voice. 27 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: But I, did you model your singing after so well? Interesting? 28 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: I was really introverted, quiet, painfully shy kid. And that's 29 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: the way I think I tapped into that phantom rolls 30 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: so much that I understood his pain and his loneliness 31 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: and his I get it all that. UM. And So 32 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: I had grew up in my room mostly by myself 33 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 1: with my record player, listening to cast recordings, listening to 34 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: John Rayton, all those people, and it's somehow sunken, and 35 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: I guess I just sung naturally. So when I went 36 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: to Florida State major in theater and not musical theater, 37 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: but theater, and then UM came to New York and 38 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: just started going to audition sold and deer Flinger and 39 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: a young Davis Gains when he's in pre Disney Florida. 40 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: Where does the but where does the middle school child? 41 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: Where does he audition? Like? What was the theater? Reality? 42 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: Back then? There wasn't nearby? There's no there was, There 43 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: was not. It was only in school. I mean to 44 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: see theater with the shows that came through town that 45 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: they were touring shows back then, Broadway touring shows that 46 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: came through and um at you know, early age. Mom 47 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: and dad knew that I loved I wanted to be 48 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: an actor and I nothing else would do. So they 49 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: I don't know if they had been to New York 50 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: at the time, but when I was ten, eight, nine, ten, 51 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: they would take me and my sisters to come to 52 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: New York, my twin sisters to three of us. So 53 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: they knew I loved it so much, so they took 54 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: us here when I was ten and my saw my 55 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: first Broadway show, Oliver Um and who was in it? 56 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: Oh my god, it was I think Georgia Brown. Yeahclistening 57 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: who Will Buy in the car and went in your 58 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: way home. But I've since done the show and I've 59 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: done it several times did. When I was here early on, Um, 60 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: I was in the ensemble of a dinner theater show 61 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: along Island, and the woman playing Nancy was Shaney Wallace 62 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: of course, which was in the movie of Course. And 63 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,839 Speaker 1: so I got to like as a like a kid 64 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: loving as long as he needs me, my goodness. So 65 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: I got to watch or do that everyone. But uh, yeah, 66 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: that's my life has been like that. Like my first 67 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 1: Broadway show was Camelot with Richard Burton. Like I was 68 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: thirty fourth spirit carrier from the left, but I got 69 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: to know him and hang out with him and be 70 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: his friend and watch him work every night. Did he 71 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: teach you anything? Oh my god? Yeah, what did he 72 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: teach you? Like? Um, storytelling? He was a great storyteller, 73 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: and he thought I was as well. But uh, he 74 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,239 Speaker 1: taught me that the simplicity, the less is more, especially 75 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: economized on stage. And it was just wonderful, man. Because 76 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: for me, when I would work with people that were 77 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: older in television or film or in the theater, what 78 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: people taught me in the theater was he is a 79 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: little bit more precise and useful, you know, like I 80 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: know people come between you know. I did the first 81 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: prope I ever did was Loot, where we moved the 82 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: Manhattan Theater Company production with Kevin Bacon. They moved to 83 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: the Joe Wharton played David Merrick, moved it too Broadway 84 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: and Kevin couldn't come, so I replaced him with Joe 85 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: mahar And so we want to maker and Charlie Keating 86 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: and Jackavanick and Nick I'll let and all these people 87 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: that I remember like it was yesterday. And Charlie Keating 88 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: was saying to me, you come down stage mate with 89 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: that screwdriver in the hand. And he says, and how 90 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: did up? Will you say that line? I'm going to 91 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: batton down the acts now and howld up the screwdriver? 92 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,679 Speaker 1: I bet you get a laugh, tonight, give it a try, Bengo, 93 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: come down stairs, hold it up. I get a laugh. 94 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: And I would get these tips from people who they 95 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: taught me how to do the business, you know what 96 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: I mean? And uh it was and Burton was one 97 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: of those people for you. Yeah, yeah, I gave me 98 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: just simplicity. I mean, he was Richard Burton, so I 99 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: just would could just like a sponge. I just took 100 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: it all in. And uh, he was a friend and 101 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 1: we hung out. Did you become the star? And how? 102 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: When you hate that word? But why? But when did 103 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: you become the lead actor in the I guess my 104 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: first break in that way was Cornelius Hackle with Carol Channing. 105 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: I think maybe that was a big step for me 106 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 1: in my career to step out of the ensemble and 107 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: Richard Mwin's he played Lancelot in the production and Christine 108 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: ever sold Guinevere, and I remember sitting on the bus 109 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,359 Speaker 1: with him and I wanted to be him. I wanted 110 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: to be Lancelot. I wanted to be play roles and shows. 111 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: And I said, how do I do that? And he said, 112 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: just well, stop taking jobs. It's gonna be easy for 113 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: you to get a job in the course and you'll 114 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: get pegganed that way, and so just you might not 115 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,799 Speaker 1: work for a while, but you know, just hanging there, wait, wait, 116 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: And sure enough I got a call to audition for 117 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: Jerry Herman, Carol Channing and Jerry's penthouse on the on 118 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: the East Side, and walked in saying it only takes 119 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: a moment, and got the job. And then that's what. 120 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 1: Then Carol and I were turned main friends ever since 121 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: until she died this year and sang. I just sang 122 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: at her memorial service in Palm Springs and and so 123 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: that opened the doors that started me on a different 124 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: path of playing roles. And then I had done a 125 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: couple of things at paper Mill Playhouse. Um So, Angelo 126 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: del Rossi was the producer over there at the time, 127 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: and he called and said, we're gonna do a production 128 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: of Damn Yankees, and when we want you to come 129 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 1: in an audition. Um I said, great, it's fantastic. Um 130 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: look at the music and oh, by the way, George 131 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: Abbott is directing it. And I went deed, Mr Abbott, 132 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: he ba, I said, oh my god. So I was 133 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: just like I learned all Joe Hardy music. And I 134 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: walked into minskof rehearsal studios and it was just Mr Abbott. 135 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: He was ninety nine at the time, and Angelo del 136 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: Rossi and I walked up and shook his hand and 137 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: I said, Mr Abbott, what what an honor it is 138 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: to meet you and be able to audition in front 139 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: of you? And what would you like me to sing? 140 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: And he goes, well, you you look like a baseball player. 141 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: And I said, thanks, thanks you much, thanks so much. 142 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: I appreciate that. Um. He goes up, Um, can you 143 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: swing a bat? And I said, yeah, of course, you 144 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:21,119 Speaker 1: better right, and I can do that. He goes, well, 145 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: the guy we got for the movie I forget his name, 146 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: and I said tab Hunter and he goes, yeah, well 147 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: he couldn't swing a bat. I said, oh, but I can't. 148 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: I can do it. What would you like me to sing? 149 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: And then he long paused and he looked at Angela 150 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: and he says, well, if Angelo says you can sing, 151 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: that's good enough for me. I'll see your first day 152 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: of rehearsals. So I got to play Joe Hardy, directed 153 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 1: by George Abbott orson Bean was the Devil. Um it 154 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: was supposed to come to Broadway, but that's the story 155 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: of my life. But then, um, from that chance meeting, 156 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: he was and that next year he turned a hundred. 157 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 1: So there's huge celebration for him on Broadway. And who 158 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: who put them together and directed them was Hal Prince. 159 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: So from Mr Abbott, that's how men. Yes, George Abbott, 160 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about who George Abbott is from the people. Goodness, 161 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: tell us who George Abbott. I mean, he's like before 162 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: Hal Prince there was George Abbott, and he was like 163 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: he was an actor to begin with and a playwright 164 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: and producer director. He wrote so many things and directed 165 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: so many things. Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, he wrote them 166 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 1: and directed them and the movies. And when Hal got 167 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 1: out of the service, he came to Mr Abbott and 168 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: they shared an office up until Mr Abbott died at 169 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: a hundred and seven. And uh uh. He was the godfather, 170 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: He really was. He was the beginning. There's a joke 171 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: that he always said that somebody asked him what was 172 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: the biggest change that he's seen in his lifetime on Broadway? 173 00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: And long pause again electricity. So that was Mr with 174 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: a great sense of humor. And so by chance then 175 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: I'm at how and then how it took me under 176 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: his wing. And and when Hal called and said, Um, 177 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: would you come audition for the Phantom? And I said sure, 178 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: so I I had where where they at in the 179 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: run of the family by that point. Um, this was 180 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: like maybe three years into the Broadway run probably, But 181 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: I remember auditioning first on the stage of the Majestica again, 182 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:33,559 Speaker 1: and then then it was down to two people, um apparently, 183 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: and they flew me to Toronto because he was putting 184 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: the Toronto the Canadian Company together, and they flew me 185 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: there and put me up. The driver dropped me off 186 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: and he said, I just dropped someone else off here earlier. 187 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: Oh there's somebody else auditioning as well. So they kept 188 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 1: as totally separate. And then I guess he went first 189 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: and I went second. And then how it comes on 190 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: stage and said do you want to go to l 191 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: A and be the phantom? I went, sure? When you 192 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: when you look at these roles where you were people, 193 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: I think, I'd love to get your take on this. 194 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 1: Mistakenly think you just come out and you just blow 195 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,079 Speaker 1: those notes and just saying where is the acting involved? 196 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: And there in the rehearsals, what was the discussion about 197 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: acting the phantom? That's a big pet peep in mind, 198 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: like people like after after six doing the phantom for 199 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: six years, I would tell people what I did or whatever, 200 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: and they go, oh, so do you also act? And 201 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: I went, that's what I've been, that's what I do. 202 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna chop you up in the ba and that's 203 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: what I do. But to me, I can't separate the two. 204 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:31,199 Speaker 1: When you were directed by people how much were to 205 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: do when when you if you were doing collection for 206 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: inst and how well George abbott Um you know he 207 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: wrote the script so he would was a very old 208 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: school and the way he would give us line readings. 209 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: You know, let's say it just like, and I go really, 210 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: but then I did it and then sure enough after 211 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: we opened like he was he was honestly it was right. 212 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: But then how Um would say to me, you know, 213 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: I've never seen it that way before. I've done that before. 214 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: I've never seen that before, but I get keeping in. 215 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: So he didn't want me to be uh like Michael 216 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 1: Cropford whoever else had played at that point. He was 217 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: just open to my ideas and my interpretation, which was 218 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:11,679 Speaker 1: a credit to him and how he cast um so 219 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: so you didn't feel you had some some pressure as 220 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: a put in. They didn't say to you, Michael did this, No, 221 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: they your interpretation. How do you think you were different 222 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: from him? I saw him do it once, but I 223 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: thought it was really pretty bad. When I first first year, 224 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: I went into it pretty young, and I you know, 225 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: I played him to you push a madman and like 226 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,199 Speaker 1: he's all over the place. And then after six years 227 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: and two thousand performances. I would do just the slidest 228 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: bit of the head or the hand, and it just 229 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:44,959 Speaker 1: really it just makes all the days it's there. It's 230 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: it's like part of me. Two thousand performances. Yeah, I 231 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: did that. When you do a show two thousand times? 232 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: What's the key for the long distance runner like you 233 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 1: in that isn't husband and your voice and you take 234 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 1: care of your voice and you're very cautious. Well that 235 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: I was a monk. And I listened to your podcast 236 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: with Julie Andrews, and when she said I think she 237 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: was talking about I don't about herself, but I had 238 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,959 Speaker 1: no life for six years. Basically, I I that was 239 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 1: my life. And I couldn't drink, I couldn't go out. 240 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: I just went home and slept and drank water and 241 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 1: came back and because I felt a huge responsibility to 242 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,199 Speaker 1: the people that were buying tickets to be it on 243 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: my best on my best game. And yeah, and I 244 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: that was my life. Um. She also said, Julie Andrews 245 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: on your thing that you asked her about doing the 246 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: same roll over and over it and I just figured 247 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: out things that that no acting class could teach me, 248 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: or it was just I would have hit a plateau 249 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: like two years in like that was my personal best. 250 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,719 Speaker 1: And then a year later, no, that was my personal best. 251 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 1: So I kept challenging myself and get trying to get 252 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: better and trying to tell the story more clearly and 253 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: more economically. And you did l A for how long? 254 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: I did two and a half years at the Amondson 255 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: And then uh, I thought, I bought a house in 256 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: Hollywood Hills, and I just I'm gonna start my TV 257 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: and film career and you know, and and that didn't 258 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: and how called He said, would you would you poor thing? 259 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: He would you open the show for us in San Francisco? 260 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: I said, oh, sure, like so I did it four 261 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: months up there. I was on my way back to 262 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: l A literally and uh starting mine. Then he kind 263 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: called again and he goes, you know what, Uh, it's 264 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: not right. I think you should come back to New 265 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: York and show everybody what you've been doing for three years. 266 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: And so I said, okay, so two and a half 267 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: years at the Majestic And so when you left l 268 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: A and I'm sure it was a very comfortable life 269 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: for you, and he went back to New York. What 270 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: was that like, uh, well as now it was fantastic 271 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: as a dream come true, like I was playing the 272 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: freaking family opera. Probably it's like it's not you know, 273 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: a good perspective. Yeah, it was like how lucky? How 274 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: lucky can one one person when you when Phantom is 275 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: going to end in New York? Whose decision is that? 276 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: What happens? For me? It was once again I was 277 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: home and hal caholed, how's your travelated from christ? He 278 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: goes Davis Andrew and I are doing a new show 279 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: and together first once since we did Phantom, and we 280 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: want you to be in it. And I went, well, 281 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: can I once again? Could I sing something for you? 282 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: Because is there anything you can't sing? And I said, 283 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: well probably yeah, no, just just just stay putting Phantom. 284 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: We'll pull you out when the time comes. And that's 285 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: how it happened. Um it was called whistle down the 286 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: wind Um hal cahold and said time to come. So 287 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: I left the show, so mine it was gonna be 288 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: a new show. How Prince Andrew Lord Howeber playing the 289 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: lead Mine to originate a role on Broadway. It was 290 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: like it was everything was great and we we we 291 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: got to Washington, d C. And opened in the views 292 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: were imagine didn't happen, no, and and we got okay reviews, 293 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: but Hall and Andrew didn't. And like the next day 294 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: how I went to Spain and Andrew back to England 295 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: and left us there and they were they were Marquis 296 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: was up at the st James were coming in and 297 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: then um, last night they came on stage and told 298 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: us that it was the stay chance, because where do 299 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: you want your trunk to go? I said, I guess 300 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: back to l A, so that that was my one 301 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: chance to come back. They pull you from and then 302 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: Washington and then you know, I went back and didn't 303 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: have a job anymore. But but then I think I 304 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: did Phantom one more time in Los Angeles at the Pentage. 305 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: Is just like six months or so. Yeah, um, but yeah, 306 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: whatever House said, you do. I'm at some show. I 307 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: want to say. It's like a good benefit for the 308 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: round About or something like back in the nineties, maybe 309 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: late nineties I think. And McIntosh is there at the 310 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:04,120 Speaker 1: table and he says Mr Baldwin, and he's very gleaming 311 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: and very shiny, and he says, Mr Baldwin, I like 312 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: very much for you to come and meet with my 313 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: staff and I and we'll talk to about doing a 314 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: play a musical. And I said, well, I said, I 315 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: don't think nonsense, Mr Is, that anyone can sing, and 316 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: he is, and this is a part that was made 317 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: for You're born to play the spot and he said, 318 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: it's we're going to do the Witches of east Wick. 319 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: Can I want you to assay the role played by 320 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 1: Jack Nicholson in the film, the lead male role. And 321 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,399 Speaker 1: I said, oh god, that sounds phenomenal. And you I'm 322 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: in such a boundless admirer of you. But I said, 323 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 1: you don't want me to do this. You don't want 324 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: me to do this, I said of Mr Boaldwin, nonsense. 325 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: I want you to meet with Is. You're going to 326 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: meet with my New York based music director John Clark, 327 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: and he will take you through some tunes and he 328 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: will take so we go to his apartment on the 329 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: Upper West Side, this old old building. We're going and 330 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 1: you got the piano and we're singing. Just say that 331 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 1: word and our beach your bird down to a Polco bay. 332 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: I'm doing all my Sonatra rip offs. I'm doing it. 333 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: I'm'm doing impersonation. So I can't sing. I finally get 334 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: to like the third song, you know, John larry By 335 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,120 Speaker 1: or whatever his name was, and he stops the piano 336 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: in the middle of song. We're literally, we're literally in 337 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: the middle of the song. He goes, Mr Bould, and 338 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 1: I believe you are. He says, you really really come sing. 339 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: You were listening to my conversation with the actor Davis Gains. 340 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: If you're a Broadway fan, here's a quiz. Gains is 341 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: to the phantom as Audrey McDonald is too. Well. Maybe 342 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:34,640 Speaker 1: it's a trick question. You could say Porgy or Billie Holiday, 343 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: But to me, the answer is Carrie Pittbridge, the spunky 344 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: mill worker with the best songs in Carousel. It was 345 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: her breakthrough role, performed in the shadow of her alma mater, Juilliard, 346 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: where she had once felt so hopeless that she tried 347 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:56,400 Speaker 1: to take her own life to then open in Carousel 348 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: at Lincoln Center, where you can look up and I 349 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: can see this school that I had a hard time 350 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: in and and I remember standing in those windows seeing 351 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: Patty Lapone performing there, going why am I not doing that? 352 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 1: And then how do you feel? Um like lucky survivor 353 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: in the world. You can find the rest of that 354 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: conversation with Audrew McDonald. If you text Audre, that's a 355 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: U D R A to the number seven zero one 356 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 1: zero one. I'm Alec Baldwin and you're listening to hear 357 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 1: is the thing. Davis Gaines is remarkably unassuming for a 358 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: Broadway leading man, but he nonetheless has got friends in 359 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: high places. The entire Bush family, for one, starting with 360 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: the late President George H. W. Bush. I sang in 361 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: Orlando for a cancer center gala benefit and h W 362 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: was the speaker. I had met him during the Whistle 363 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: Down the Wind Time in Washington, had a picture, but 364 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: he doesn't remember, but I did. And so then after 365 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: the show he came up and said, Barbara would really 366 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 1: like you, and thanks, like, yeah, her birthday is coming 367 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: up and I'm gonna get my boys and we're gonna 368 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 1: do something. But what's your email? So I gave him 369 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: my email address. Two weeks later he wrote and said 370 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: would I come and sing for Barbara Bush's seventy surprise 371 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: birthday party in Kennebunkport. I said yes, yes, you know 372 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: I can't. I cannot pass this out of course, And 373 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 1: so it was amazing experience. Barbara Bush ran that family, 374 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 1: and she was the boss and she had a mouth 375 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,199 Speaker 1: like a sailor. She was an amazing lady. I loved her. 376 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: But they just took me in and h W said, 377 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: what are you doing tomorrow Sunday? I said, I'm going 378 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 1: back to New York because well, come I a house 379 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 1: for coffee and donuts. I said, okay. So I walk in. 380 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: There's no servants, no secret service. Really to park and 381 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: went in the house and there's Henry Kitsons, you're going. 382 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 1: Good job last night, David's good job, and thank you general, 383 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 1: thank you so much. And then h W goes, there's 384 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: coffee in the kitchen, go help yourself. And so I 385 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 1: was in the dining room, um, hanging out, and George 386 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 1: W walked in. W W walked in and said, good morning, 387 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: having no how are you doing? How you doing? It's 388 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: like feeling fine, feeling fine. It ran for a couple 389 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: of hours after church, feeling good. So good for you. 390 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: And he goes, can I ask you a question? He said, yeah, 391 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: he Um, can you learn how to sing? Or is 392 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: it something you're born with? And I said, good question. 393 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: I think one can learn to sing, but you probably 394 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: have to have some musicality in your head. Maybe long 395 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: pause again and he goes, well, I don't know shit 396 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,360 Speaker 1: about singing, but you probably got the best boys in America, 397 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:56,639 Speaker 1: and so well, thank you so much. And then I 398 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: looked around. All the out of town guests were gone 399 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: but me and the Bush and I said, oh my god, 400 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: I just me and him. Now I better get going, 401 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: and he goes, no, no, no, no, stay for lunch. 402 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: And I said, I really overstayed my welcome. Look there's 403 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,440 Speaker 1: mama was putting out lunch stuff and I got to go. 404 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: He goes, no, no, no. If you're gonna pick a 405 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 1: day to eat here, this is the day because we're 406 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: having tacos. And I went, oh wow, I love me 407 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: some tacos. I said, you better go ask your mom 408 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:25,719 Speaker 1: if I can stay, because you're right wait right here. 409 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: So he went in the kitchen to ask Barbara bushop 410 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: I can stay for lunch, comes out and goes, you're in. 411 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: So I was his little buddy all day long, and 412 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: pinching myself undertainb why pinching myself like thanks, Oh my gosh. 413 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 1: Do you know when you go out there every night 414 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: the effect you have on people? No, but no, no, 415 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: but you know know, but sometimes like that's the goals 416 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 1: to move people or you know or um, like in Phantom, 417 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: like if I didn't feel like I had a if 418 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 1: I wasn't my best that night, there was a huge 419 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: long embarrass bow that we had to do, like stage left, 420 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: stage right in the middle of I said short bow, 421 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,640 Speaker 1: short bow, because I didn't think I deserve I didn't 422 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 1: deserve that all that. So yeah, I go out there 423 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,879 Speaker 1: trying to do my best, and it's nice when people 424 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: laugh or cry. Um. Yeah, it's nice to do that 425 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: to feel that. I love that the show you go 426 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: back six months of the amis and then what happens 427 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: then you know, I just uh settled back in l 428 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: A and so a lot of concerts. Yeah, I do 429 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: a lot of concert work. Enjoy that, yeah very much. 430 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 1: So pays the bills and people want to come see 431 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: very muchself. Could you need to do anything? I get 432 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: to do what I want to do. But what's great 433 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,880 Speaker 1: about that is like I get to sing. I can sing. 434 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: It only takes a moment as that character, as Cornelius, 435 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: I can do Fagan. I can sing uh reviewing the situation. 436 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: As Fagan, I I can go impossible possible dream and 437 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:56,880 Speaker 1: every every song has it. I've become a character, which 438 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: that's what I love to do, and so like morph 439 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: into that and then I can just sing, you know, 440 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: normal standards or some standards that you were. What are 441 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: some of your favorite I did on an album Sammy 442 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: Contunes because I sang at his memorial service. I wonder 443 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: if that's the go to what these guys are dying 444 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 1: and they're saying, you know, I love you, Irene. And 445 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: one more thing, Yes, Sammy, you gotta get Davis my memorial. 446 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,120 Speaker 1: You know who. Michael Schilders is, the photographer. He called 447 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: me the day to come sing at a funeral of 448 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,679 Speaker 1: someone I didn't know, but it's so sure. And then 449 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 1: I was sitting next to him because you know you're 450 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 1: singing at my funeral on it? No I didn't. I 451 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: didn't know that, Michael. He said, you know you sing 452 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: at John Schlessinger's funeral. I went, you're too kind. How 453 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: did the film and TV thing go many years? Well? 454 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: I did a lot during the fense when I was 455 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: spent him. They wanted me as a guest star on 456 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: Vernics Closet with Kristie Alley, and I did it. Murder 457 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: she wrote with Angela Lansbury and those guests, Things Charmed 458 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: and all those. But since then, I have no representation 459 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, so I don't go out on anything. You 460 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: don't want to? Yeah, I do, but I don't have 461 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,640 Speaker 1: an agent, so that stuff has kind of fall off. 462 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't really have anybody to book me 463 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: in concerts and clubs or music anymore. So people just 464 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:16,639 Speaker 1: come to me and say, well, I sing um, I 465 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 1: definitely want to, but I'm only I'm really good when 466 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 1: I'm working. When I'm not working, I'm not so good. 467 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: And you know, as a person, and as I get 468 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: what do you mean, any get anti depressed? And when 469 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: I'm on stage. When I'm on stage, I'm like the 470 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: long as you went where you didn't work? Oh gosh, 471 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,119 Speaker 1: months six months year, six months? A year? Maybe, so 472 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: let's let's say we'll split the differences nine months. Maybe 473 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: we'll say a year. And without getting to too much detail, 474 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:46,200 Speaker 1: I don't want to pride. But when you say you 475 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: get answer it? What what's what does that say? I 476 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: don't feel like I'm worth what do you do? What 477 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:52,640 Speaker 1: do you want to tell? This? Interesting? So I don't 478 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,719 Speaker 1: I just I probably wanted to quit many times the business, 479 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: like I don't know else, but I don't know else 480 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: to do, but I would rather I mean, the part 481 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: of me wants to just have a normal job, like 482 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 1: a normal person. But on the Phantom, like its happened 483 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: on and the Majestic. Um. I was probably you know, 484 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: five years, five and a half years into the run, 485 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: and for whatever reason, I just hit me, Um, I 486 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 1: was at the organ. I had just came in and 487 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,159 Speaker 1: I was Phantom was going at the organ in the 488 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 1: beginning of the show, and I just burst out into 489 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: tears like me not the Phantom, I had to use it. 490 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: And I just realized that that moment, like I only 491 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: felt worth anything or loved between eight o'clock and ten 492 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: thirty every day. It's like I went there's and I 493 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,200 Speaker 1: loved what I did, and I just loved it. But 494 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 1: I realized there's got to be more to life than 495 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 1: Phantom or between our job, TV business and film business. Yeah, 496 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: so I just like knew that I just had this 497 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,920 Speaker 1: thing like that I only felt worth anything in those 498 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: hours that I was there to work on that. Yeah, 499 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: I went just there at me. The next probably the 500 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: next day, I found a great therapist here. But I realized, Yeah, 501 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: and it's always a balance now just to you know, 502 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 1: be happy, um doing not working. But but when I 503 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: appreciate when I get on stage even more now because 504 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 1: I've just it's like home. It's like, don't to me exactly, 505 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: don't let it define you in the way that it's 506 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 1: going to cripple you. Yeah, And when I did when 507 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,679 Speaker 1: I did I did this Joe Orton play. I did 508 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: another Joe Orton play after we did Luton eight six 509 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: Entertaining was just Sloan in two thousand four. And I'll 510 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:34,040 Speaker 1: never forget when I had the scenes with the young guy. 511 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: I'm ed the middle aged of brother with you know, 512 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: my sister lives in the house with my father, and 513 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: then this male hustler shows up and I'm this bisexual 514 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: man who's in love with and Chris Carmack. And I 515 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: remember the moment when I was alone with Chris on 516 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 1: stage for some of the funniest parts of the play. 517 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: I remember saying to myself, oh my god, I never 518 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 1: want this to end, because I don't have as much 519 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: fun anywhere else. Right. This is before I met my 520 00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 1: wife and my kids. This is two thousand four. I 521 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 1: met my wife and too in eleven so seven years 522 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:03,879 Speaker 1: prior in the in the thick of my divorce, and 523 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 1: my life was hell and custody, battles from my daughter 524 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:09,240 Speaker 1: and just everything outside the doors in the theater was shit. 525 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: And I'd walk into that theater, I thought, I know 526 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: exactly what I'm going to say for the next two 527 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 1: and a half hours. I know exactly what you're gonna say. 528 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:18,640 Speaker 1: I know exactly how they're going to react, and people 529 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:21,479 Speaker 1: will love you. And I was, yeah, I never had 530 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: more fun in my life. He's like, that's line from applause. 531 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: I'm only alive at night when I'm in the show. 532 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: It's like, that's what I gotta do. That's what I do. Now? 533 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 1: Would you do shows? Now? Yeah? I mean I do 534 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 1: most of my stuff in l A. But I've got 535 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 1: the thing about living there, Like the last ten years, 536 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 1: I got to play roles that I never would have 537 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: played here. What's the least. I just played Nostradamis in 538 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: Something Rotten, and then up Fagin and Oliver and music 539 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: Man and silence the musical Hannibal Electors. That's that's the 540 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: nastiest but the greatest silence of the lambs of the 541 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: music and you played lect her. Yeah, you could probably 542 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: of beans and everything. The song my first song, it's 543 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: like I can't even speaking on My parents were so 544 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 1: great about coming to everything I ever did. And that's 545 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: the only show, the first song that you can't I 546 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,680 Speaker 1: can smell your blank if I knew if I could 547 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: smell her w Yeah, it's huge. Oh god, what is 548 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: that you've done? The gamut was something really fun. I 549 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: just play with Rita Rudner a comedy just the two 550 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 1: of us kind of and and uh so, yeah, I 551 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: love doing all different kinds. Not to sing, but I can, 552 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 1: but I don't have to. But it's fun to do 553 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: all those different things. Uh. And what I'm wondering are 554 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: their songwriters and are their individual songs get you name 555 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 1: a couple that you never tire of singing. Gosh, there's 556 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: a song Sammy con the words that he wrote and 557 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: he won four Oscars and twenty Oscar nominations all that 558 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 1: music that he wrote. His words are amazing. It's me. 559 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: There's a his his one of his favorite songs that 560 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: my favorite song that he wrote was from a Broadway 561 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: show called Skyscraper, and it's called I'll only miss her 562 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: when I think of her, and it's like just a 563 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: simple poem. It just I never tired of singing something 564 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: like that, songs that are are sad, songs that hit 565 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: the heart and UM like listening to. Like when John 566 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: Rate was old in his eighties and I was doing 567 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: Phantom in l A. We did concerts together, me and 568 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: John Ray and it was my and I would we 569 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 1: would sing if I Loved You together as a duet 570 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: or hey, they're from Pajama Game, and I watched I 571 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: would watch him sing soloquy and then he watched me 572 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: singing music to night and it was like a dream 573 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: come true. Why Why? Why me? And and be able 574 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 1: to like having Rosemary Clooney come backstage in l A 575 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: after Phantom and said, I can listen to you sing 576 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: all day. I said, no, Rosemary Clooney, and she give 577 00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: me your home phone and call me. It's like, I 578 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: just don't embases me. And I'll bring this full circle 579 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 1: back to Carol Channing's memorial. The other day, I was 580 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 1: in the wings in rehearsal sound check with Time Daily 581 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:12,680 Speaker 1: and we were talking about how lucky we are too 582 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 1: to be there and keep working and be there and 583 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 1: keep working and how much? And she goes, yeah, I 584 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: felt she thought I felt so great about being in 585 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 1: the golden end of television with Cagney and Lacey and 586 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: then I then Gypsy on Broadway, and I said, yeah, 587 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 1: I just feel the same way, like I don't know 588 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: why me? And why did I get to work with 589 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 1: George Jabbott and how Prince and Carol Channing and Richard 590 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 1: Burton and and um, I just don't sometimes can't put 591 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: process it, like I loved it. It was a dream, 592 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: but I and I don't know why me? Um? And 593 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: then she just put her hand on my chest and goes, 594 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: why not you? And I went it was like a 595 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: lightbulb moment for me, like wow, why not me? And 596 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 1: I'm told us to people since then, and it's like 597 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: if I only knew that twenty years ago, thirty years ago, 598 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 1: why not me? It would have mind emitted given me 599 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: that thing. But now this week just just I'm here 600 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: talking to you and and why not me? And I 601 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: I'm so grateful and I can't wait. I just you 602 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: know what I want to say as we go out 603 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,080 Speaker 1: of this show. Sometimes it will wraps itself up perfectly, 604 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: does it wait, we'll tell you why, because we're gonna 605 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 1: play some music as we go out here, and when 606 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: I play this music, everyone will know what I know, 607 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 1: which is when you say why me, This is why. 608 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: The music we're going to play right now, this is 609 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 1: why because you are literally one of the greatest singers 610 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:47,520 Speaker 1: ever in thank you so much. I love you too, 611 00:32:47,840 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 1: Davis Games. While you were seeing now One Manue Low, 612 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: I saught one all my old I'm Alec Baldwin and 613 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: you're listening to Here is the thing us know Heavens 614 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: he dont le