1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the thing, 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 1: My chance to talk with artists, policymakers and performers, to 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: hear their stories. What inspires their creations, what decisions change 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: their careers, what relationships influenced their work. I spoke with 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: Elliott Gould in front of a live audience at the 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: Turner Classic Movie Film Festival this past April. Before our conversation, 7 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: we watched a clip reel of his films, which included 8 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: Mash Bob and Carroll and Ted an Alice and The 9 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: Long Goodbye, some of the most iconic films of the 10 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: past forty years. Elliott Gould's career spans six decades, and 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 1: unlike many of his peers, he's worked consistently from the start. 12 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,279 Speaker 1: Both his career and personal life are full of dramatic 13 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: twists and turns. A marriage to Barbra streisand working with 14 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: Carrie Rand and George Clooney, a gambling addiction, a role 15 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: on the sitcom Friends. There's almost too much to talk about. 16 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: Where the hell do I begin? Oh my god, Now 17 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: you started in the theater in New York. I started 18 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: in uh sort of vaudeville. I played the Palace in 19 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: ninety one when I was twelve doing what part of 20 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: Somebody's act? I was a messenger boy in the act 21 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: Bill Callahan. His name was and but I followed Smith 22 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: and Dale. Smith and Dale was the act before us. 23 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,119 Speaker 1: They were the original Sunshine Boards. We did four shows 24 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: a day, seven days a week, for two weeks. I 25 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: got paid fifty bucks a week and I had the 26 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: highest dressing room, right, like the fifth floor walk up 27 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: dressing room. Yeah. When when you were doing that, you know, 28 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: showbiz in your family? Correct, Well, that's pretty pretty funny. 29 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: I think everybody here is in show business. But your parents, no, 30 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: they weren't performers. They danced. My father was a good dancer. 31 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: He did a Lindy. My mother and I used to 32 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: act my uh bar mitzvah. My mother and I tangoed too. 33 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: I get ideas. No, no, no, that's the truth. It's 34 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 1: pretty funny. My mother could put a chicken in the oven. 35 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: Doesn't make her a chef. You know. It's like, but 36 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: you pay your family wasn't in the business. They weren't. 37 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: And when you would when you finished, uh not finished, 38 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: when you moved on from vaudeville, what was your first 39 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: Broadway or off Broadway show you did, was it I 40 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: Can get It for your wholesale? Was your from? No? No, 41 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: no no. I got a job in a summer stock 42 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: production of Annie Get Your Gun with Von Monroe. Do 43 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: you remember the name? And uh? But we were going 44 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: to be at a place a tent called Brandywine someplace, uh, 45 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: on this coast, and there was a storm and it 46 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: blew away. So I never got to be to do 47 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: the show. And then I got a job for a 48 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 1: segment of the Ernie Kovacs Show with fifty other male dancers. 49 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: I was primarily a dancer, and Ernie Kovacs was great. 50 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: And then my first Broadway musical was called Rumpel, which 51 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: was directed by Jack Donahue and starred Eddie Foyd Jr. 52 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: Gretchen Wiler, and Stephen Douglas. So singing and dancing was 53 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: primary for you in the beginning, and then later on 54 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: did you come back and we visit that in other 55 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: projects you've done? I mean other than I never really 56 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: had an act. We would go to the Catskill Mountains 57 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: as paying customers, and on Sunday nights they would have 58 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: me do what I did on Saturday night. I do 59 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: a couple of routines, you know, But in the films, 60 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: you never sat there and said I'd like to do 61 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: a musical in doing your there had been talked of it. 62 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: I never did it. But Jimmy conn and I did 63 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: a picture called Harry and Walter Go to New York 64 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: and we we we did a whole number in the beginning, 65 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: which was written by Marilyn and Alan Bergman, which is 66 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: nobody's perfect. The uh, I can get it for you wholesale. Obviously, 67 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: you meet your first wife. Then well, my first girlfriend, 68 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: your first girlfriend. Let's tell us all about that, tell 69 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: us all about the oh stupid, but you met she 70 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: was your first girlfriend. Well, for we had to cast 71 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: the role that I played. Once they cast this part, 72 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: then they had all the finalists come in to audition 73 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: and with me being there for them to see how 74 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: I felt about them. And Barbara auditioned for my secretary 75 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: called miss Marmelstein beyond brilliant, just so amazing, and she 76 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 1: sang three or four songs and then her song. And 77 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: Jerome Wideman, who had written the book and it had 78 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: been a picture a movie before, we did the musical, 79 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: and Susan Hayward played my part, and Dan Daily was 80 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: in it too, and Jerome Wideman said to me, what 81 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: do you think. I said, she's brilliant, and she presents 82 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: herself sort of like the way I think about myself. 83 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: She's scared and she's hiding behind things. And I called 84 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: her because she announced her number. And then, uh, she said, 85 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: I'm singing tonight, come and see me. I said, I 86 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: think you're going to be in the show. And once 87 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: you're in the show, we can see if we get 88 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: to know one another. Is that when she really really 89 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: took off during that No, oh no, no, she she's 90 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: you would say that she stole the show. It was 91 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: the best thing in the show. Uh. And and then 92 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: she this was just prior to her first album, and 93 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: she had done a Jack Parr show, and she had 94 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: done a few talk shows. And her career is, as 95 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 1: we all know, amazing, and she's just one of a 96 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: kind and brilliant. She certainly has. Your first film, you 97 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: tell me, was with Dieterley, was with William Dieterley. Yes, 98 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 1: your first film? Described that film? What was the film? 99 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 1: The film at the time was called The Confession and 100 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: it was going to be shot on the island of 101 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: Jamaica at the same time that Dr No was being done, 102 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: and also High Wind in Jamaica that Alexander McKendrick did 103 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: with Anthony Quinn. And I went in and they asked 104 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 1: me to play a part called Alessandro, who was a 105 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 1: death mute. And the picture was starring Ginger Rogers, my 106 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: first star, and h and Raymond Land and William Diechley 107 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: was directing it and I was a death mute. And 108 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: at the end of the picture, I get shocked into 109 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: sang a hearing. I wonder what was it like for 110 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: you to go from vaudeville and theater in New York 111 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: and to do your first film. When you were making 112 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 1: your first film, did you say yous of oh this 113 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: is it? Because I as you and I bought other 114 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 1: people who come on and they're like them. They were 115 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: born on a sound stage in Hollywood, and it took 116 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: me three films to find the camera. The first first film, 117 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: and I know you understand this was William Dicholi, who 118 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: had directed Charles Lawton as the Hunchback of Notre Dame 119 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: Beautiful film and Paul Muni as a bunch of stuff 120 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: that he did, and um, he was calling me Nugent, Nugent. 121 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: There was an Elliott Nugent, so in his mind, I 122 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: was at Elliott Nugent. Doesn't matter to me. I don't 123 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: care who anyone is, you know, And I call you nugent, 124 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: call me anything, I'll give you a better name than that. 125 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: So so you he kept calling you nugent when when 126 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: you were there was did you sit there and say, oh, 127 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: I don't have it. I don't know if I have 128 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: what it takes to make films or no. No, I 129 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: mean I had no experience. I remember one Sunday there 130 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: was an actor's on a benefit of Hamlet with h 131 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: Richard Burton, and I wanted to see it, and Barbara 132 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: was here in New York, and I want and I 133 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: came back, which was more than naughty and not supposed 134 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: to leave. I left the island to come to see that. 135 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: And I got back and Ginger Rogers and her husband 136 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: said no, no, that's no. I said, okay, I really 137 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: wanted to see it, you know, and I had a 138 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: really good tan. I wanted to proper to see my 139 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: tan also. Uh. But in this scene where my character 140 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: is shocked because everyone's looking for treasure and the treasure 141 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: is inside of a statue nobody and it sort of falls, 142 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: and so I'm shocked into and I didn't know what 143 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 1: to do. And I went to see digitally there with 144 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: about five thirty in the late afternoon, early evening, and 145 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: I said, do you have a thought for me or 146 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: what to do? And he said, then I did act 147 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: the Lawton in Hunchback of Notre Dame. He went and 148 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: then he went and his wife, who was always there, 149 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 1: and she said, he's sleep now, because the next day 150 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: I did it. And I blew myself out in in 151 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: the rehearsal because I was more than insecure. I mean, 152 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: you know, I took a deep breath, but you got 153 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:31,199 Speaker 1: to do it over and over and over again. So 154 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: on a Richter scale, in the first picture, I was zero. 155 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: I wasn't below it or I wasn't above it. I 156 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: just did it and got through it. Remember, because I 157 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: remember the same thing I did a TV show years ago. 158 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 1: You don't want to be caught with your pants down 159 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: energy wise. I don't want to be dull, so I 160 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: would over invest and mellow dramatize things I did. I 161 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 1: did a TV show and the character uh, a woman 162 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: was a benefactress of a medical center and she was 163 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: going to withdraw all her funding of the medical center 164 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 1: because she didn't appreciate some of the work we were doing. 165 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: And I have a scene with her work in front 166 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: of her, and when they rolled the camera, I was like, 167 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: you know, you don't I stand it was this place, 168 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: would like I'm sobbing, and the directors like, whoa, we 169 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: got another We got another forty minutes to go here. 170 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: I mean, but in things I've read about whether you 171 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 1: said this yourself or not, or what was said about you, 172 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: was it Working with Altman was a big seminal thank 173 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: for you that he helped you to open up. And 174 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: he gave me so much space. I mean. Prior to 175 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 1: working with Bob, I had made a second film that 176 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: Billy Freakin did the night they rated Minsky's, and I 177 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: played the last scene that Bert lar Ever did. And 178 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: now that I have an idea of how to breathe 179 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: from the first film, now I'm playing the title role 180 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: in the Night they rated Minsky's. But I had no 181 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 1: idea about light or a camera and Bert Laar this 182 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: is his his last scene because he didn't finish the picture. 183 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 1: He passed away, and I would be taking a position 184 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 1: and putting his shadow on me, and and he would 185 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: be adjusting and we'd be moving, but the camera had 186 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: to be stationary. And we did it over and over 187 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,079 Speaker 1: and over again, and and Bert Laura brought me home 188 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,079 Speaker 1: that night. He had an apartment of Park Avenue, and 189 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: he said to his life, look what I brought with me. 190 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: That was Burt laura third film, Paul Masserski's first film, 191 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: and Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice. I discovered 192 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 1: my first objective relationship in life and existence with the camera. 193 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: I realized that the camera doesn't give me problems. I 194 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: give me problems. The camera will never lie to me 195 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: and will never manipulate me. So we were all set up, 196 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 1: we had always many people as are in the room, 197 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 1: and then we had to break for union regulations. I 198 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 1: think we're both unionists, but we had to break, and 199 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: so I had no place to go as usual, and 200 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: they turned the lights down and left the set there, 201 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: and I just sat there. And that's when I got it. 202 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: That's when I got it. So when I went back 203 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: to New York to start to do a show play 204 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: that Alan Schneider, who had directed the original Virginia Wolf, 205 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: they replaced him, and then they replaced me. But I 206 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,719 Speaker 1: had found my relationship with the camera and and so 207 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: I came out to Los Angeles and was asked to 208 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 1: meet Bob Altman, and Bob Altman gave me the script 209 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: to mash and he asked me to read it. And 210 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 1: I came in and he said, would you consider playing 211 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: the American Southerner? I said, I've never questioned an offer, 212 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: but I'll be so intense and drive myself crazy validating 213 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 1: me as an American Southerner. But this guy, if you 214 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 1: haven't cast Trapper John, I got the juice for that. 215 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: I know, I know what that guy has. And it's 216 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: like he let me cast myself. And when you did 217 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: Bob and Carroll? What was that film like for you 218 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: to shoot and Carroll? Yes? How was Missoursky as a director? Great? Uh? 219 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: I was incredibly insecure and frightened about the the sexual 220 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 1: part of it. I really didn't have very much confidence. 221 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: But then Larry Tucker and Paul Missourski, they were partners. 222 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: They wrote it and they had improvised the bedroom scene, 223 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 1: the scene with the Diane Cannon and me, and it 224 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 1: was funny. It was just so so right. So I 225 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:37,439 Speaker 1: was able to do that. And with Missouriski, the thing 226 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: in there when he goes that I don't know what 227 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 1: to do? That was that was for real. I asked 228 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: him if I could do that. He said, do anything 229 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: that that you want. It's funny when you do sex 230 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: scenes and films you had an issue with doing you 231 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: didn't feel confident. Why well, how well, we didn't really 232 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: do anything even when we were in bed, even the 233 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 1: idea where I had a prepping brushing my teeth, gargling, 234 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: you know, and putting deodor into on. I mean a 235 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:12,479 Speaker 1: lot of us are like that, weren't you? Sure? Yeah, 236 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: I was so nervous every time. I'm nervous. Um. But 237 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: the but but I'm saying, as you say, you lacked confidence, 238 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: and then, uh, I lacked confidence in me and I 239 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: had a very little experience and therefore at that point 240 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: to exhibit or be as as transparent as I am. 241 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: I have a lot of experience now in the work, 242 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: you know, in life. So I understand, I'm I'm in balance. 243 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: But but for me, when I look at me, I'm 244 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: in the clip real obviously, just as a as a 245 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 1: guide to this, it's eventually become someone who's supremely confident 246 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: in front of the camera. You know, you really have 247 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: a great with it. Yeah, well I've worked for George. 248 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: You know it's more than it's maturing. I mean even 249 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: after uh working within Mark Berkman, which was like you 250 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: know beyond uh you know to work. This is a 251 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: business and uh, it's a business that's driven by the audience. 252 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: And and you know this and I didn't always know it. 253 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: Uh you know who Jerry West is? Right, So I 254 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: said too, we're friendly. And I've said I always thought 255 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: it was about talent, but now I believe it's about character. 256 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 1: You can be born with talent, but character is something 257 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: that we have to develop through experience, through education. And 258 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: he educated me in a moment, Jerry did, because on 259 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: this level, you have to be talented, but I mean, 260 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: nobody can teach you character. You have to have character. 261 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 1: You have to know and I didn't have perspective and 262 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: I didn't have judgment, and so I had to put 263 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: myself through a lot of stuff. But I never gave 264 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: in and never gave up. But still you've got to 265 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: be employed. In order to gain this experience. You've got 266 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: to work. I mean, I I the older I get, 267 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: and the more I have done this, the more technical 268 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: it becomes. To me, you either you have the inspiration 269 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: or you don't. Well, that's nature. What I've recently discovered 270 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: is that what's true and what's real is not necessarily 271 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: the same. And to me, I can only talk for myself. 272 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: What's true is what you feel. Nature is true, what's real. 273 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: Sometimes we invent what's real, and I have found that 274 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: the corporate intelligence will build on that and it can 275 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: be misleading to us. As far as being alive in 276 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: everything we do, sometimes we have to be technical. I've 277 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: done some work where I said, it's very difficult for 278 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: me not to be natural, so let me make my mistakes. 279 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: I'll I'll make several mistakes over and over again until 280 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,239 Speaker 1: I can master that and do it because being dependable 281 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: and being reliable is the basis of of of the work. 282 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: I found that the you know for me, the longer 283 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 1: longer I've done it in my life. The thing I've 284 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: fantasized about is to have worked with great directors. And 285 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: you worked with a lot of great directors. What do 286 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: you think Almen hired you for? What did he see 287 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: in you? We're gonna be out of time very soon. 288 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: No no no, no no no. It's a possibly an 289 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: energy and energy which was necessary because I mean we 290 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: that was the first of quite a few opportunities that 291 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: we had to work together. So I don't quite know 292 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: what Bob necessarily saw in me, but I was able 293 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: to get past myself and express myself and free myself 294 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: to do what he was doing. I never worked like 295 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: that before. I was a chorus boy, a tap dancer, 296 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: a real good tapp answer. And so I said, I 297 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: understand repetition, and I understand precision, and we'll do it 298 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: until you're satisfied. Robert Altman he published me first as 299 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: his enemy because I I was always wanting things to 300 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: be prepared and to know what the next. But in life, 301 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: you don't know what's next. And I've seen and learned 302 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,199 Speaker 1: through Bob that his work, that Altman's work, uh is 303 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: about life taking its course, which to me is the 304 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:36,719 Speaker 1: most interesting thing. Aldman said that I was the most 305 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 1: h honest actor that he that he knew. Nichols said 306 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 1: that about about Nicholson. I said, why did you love Nicholson? 307 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 1: Because he had no vanity? You know, when he when 308 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: he let himself go, when he was kind of a 309 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,439 Speaker 1: little rounder, and he did terms of endearment and he 310 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: lays on the bed and pats the bed. For surely 311 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: McLean's has come on up here, come on up here. 312 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: We're friendly. Jackie. I like to call him Jackie, you know, 313 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: or do you really Yeah, Jackie, I want to call 314 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 1: you a b I love it. I love it well. 315 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,159 Speaker 1: Nicholson whether we talked about directors, if I did this 316 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: little survey of for HBO about Ken, we interviewed Polanski, 317 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 1: and later on I saw Nicholson and I couldn't help 318 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: but ask him, you know, what was it like to 319 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 1: do China Temper was like to be directed by Polanski? 320 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: And Nicholson said that to be on the set with 321 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: Houston and Polanski. So Houston is in the one of 322 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 1: the greatest directors of all time is acting in the film, 323 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 1: and polanskys there. Nicholson said that Houston called him Roman. 324 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: We called him Roman, and he studied, tourned him and said, 325 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:48,879 Speaker 1: now Roman really only two directions, a little more and 326 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: a little less like Boy. It seemed to have served 327 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: him pretty well. You know. It was a lot of 328 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 1: a people who don't know. But when you see mash 329 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: I mean, the two of you are so Donald was such, 330 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: you know, he was cast before me and Bob Altman 331 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: asked me to have lunch with him once we set 332 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: me and the commissary at Fox, and it was just 333 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 1: me and Donald at lunch. And my first sense was 334 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: I didn't think he liked me. I thought, whatever, you know, 335 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 1: but we we got a long grade and we we 336 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 1: stayed together, Donald and me, Bob and everyone. I wouldn't 337 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: look at any film. I wouldn't look at any dailies. 338 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: I don't want to fall in love with anything. It's 339 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: it's just work and getting it, and we did. We 340 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,479 Speaker 1: did three films together. Donald was it was what was 341 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: mash because of that a live quality, that immediacy to 342 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: it that I see whenever I see that film. Is 343 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: it a lot of it was a lot of improvisation? 344 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 1: Was it all written down or most of it written down? Well? 345 00:20:55,960 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 1: When we showed Ring Lardner Jr. The film Uh at 346 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:07,479 Speaker 1: Fox with the cast there, and I probably I may 347 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: have already seen it, and I was showing Donald how 348 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: to play against the wall like with a spaldine, like 349 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: you know, a street game with a ball and pretend 350 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: to be baseball. And that was the night that lou 351 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: al Cinder was playing against Will Chamberlain and and the 352 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: picture had been shown and we were there on the 353 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: back lot and ring Lardner walked up to me and 354 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: I thought, what are you talking to me? It's not 355 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: my picture? And uh he said, you know, how could 356 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: you do this to me? There's not a word that 357 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: I wrote on screen? And ring Lardner went on to 358 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: win the Academy Award that year for the Best Screen. 359 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 1: I think that ring Lardner now, when he asked you 360 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: to come to uh the marlaw was aftermash the director 361 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:58,959 Speaker 1: who we thought was going to do it. Another director 362 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: couldn't see me in it, and and I was thinking 363 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: in terms of uh Lee Marvin, the great Lee Marvin, 364 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: and Robert Mitchum, the great Robert Mitchum. And I said, well, 365 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,640 Speaker 1: I mean, I can't argue with them. They're like my uncle's. 366 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: But we've seen them. You haven't seen me. But and 367 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,199 Speaker 1: then they gave it to Bob and Bob called me 368 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: from Ireland where he was finishing images, and he said 369 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: to me, what do you think? And I said, I've 370 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 1: always wanted to play this guy. And Bob said, you 371 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: are this guy and that was the beginning of the picture. 372 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,880 Speaker 1: What was the specific challenge for you to do that film? Because, 373 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 1: like a lot of people, we'll say to you if 374 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 1: you're reprising a role that other people have their fingerprints on. 375 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,679 Speaker 1: I did street Car on Broadway and people always like, well, 376 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: what about you know? You know? And I was like, Okay, 377 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 1: if you want to see the show live on Broadway tonight, 378 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 1: I'm it. He's not here, right yeah, right right, He's 379 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: up on Mulholland Drive right now, dinner. And uh, you know, 380 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: I'm kind of it right now if you want to 381 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: buy a ticket. But every perception is every every job 382 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 1: is a challenge. But when you did it, do you 383 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: weren't conscious of ghosts and things like that? You know nothing. 384 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: I grew up watching a bog Art, you know, and uh, 385 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 1: I mean bog Art. It can't compare anyone to bog Art, 386 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: And so I just knew it was going to be 387 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 1: something different. And and Bob who told me I scared 388 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: him in it because he gave me all of this 389 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 1: space and I'm painting a picture, and um so and 390 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: when when we tested ninav and Palant, I didn't see 391 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 1: her in it. I thought it would would have been 392 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: somewhat a bit younger, but I knew Alman knows what 393 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 1: he wants. So I got my wardrobe when we did 394 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: the screen test for Nina van Palant, you know, a 395 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:51,120 Speaker 1: mismatched jacket and pants and a tie, which was my 396 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: statement because when I go into the water into the 397 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: ocean and nearly drowned that night, I have a little 398 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: American flags on it which you can't even see, and 399 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,959 Speaker 1: I keep my shoes are on, my jack everything's on, 400 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: and I just take the tie off to give to her, 401 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: which was my message to outer space. We're America, you know. 402 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: So when you do California Split, are you like researching or? 403 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: That was semi autobiographical, and we thought that Steve McQueen 404 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: was going to play that part. Uh and uh. In 405 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: the picture, the character that George Siegel plays was me 406 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 1: and I played the character of the writer who played 407 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 1: the bookmaker in a Joseph Walt who was a child star. 408 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: So I had that experience. I knew about gambling. I 409 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:46,399 Speaker 1: gambled how well and the and there're sports nut? You 410 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,920 Speaker 1: like sports? Yeah, your sports nut, So I'd have an opinion, 411 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: and you know it's was being somewhat obsessively compulsive, you know, 412 00:24:55,600 --> 00:25:00,239 Speaker 1: with baseball, football, basketball, not hockey so much, but at 413 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: a certain point anything. And I played cards, and I 414 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:06,360 Speaker 1: don't do that anymore. Once I got through the Oceans thing, 415 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: I've realized, as much as I love to win, I 416 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: hate losing more. And there's nothing I need that I 417 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,199 Speaker 1: can win. I've got to make it for myself. And 418 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: then I realized, I thought, well, but sometimes I'll pay 419 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,879 Speaker 1: to play. But even now, I'd rather read a book. 420 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: I'd rather give the family, give the kids the money. 421 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: I don't want to. Uh. Gamble. Was there a white 422 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 1: hot period? Few though an intense period. You did a 423 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 1: lot of game, a big game. There was a big 424 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: game which was when Alan the Horse Amici went over 425 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 1: to beat the giants Baltimore Colts. And that game would 426 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: a three and a half point spread. So if they 427 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: just kicked the field goal, we lose because we're allaying 428 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 1: the three and a half points. And Carol Rosenbloom, who 429 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: was the owner, uh and he then owned I think 430 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,399 Speaker 1: the Rams, and that was very big. Walsh and I. 431 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: That was in the late fifties, in the late fifties, Yeah, 432 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: that was terrible, terrible, just terrible. I don't want to gamble. 433 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: I don't want anyone to gamble something. You've got to 434 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 1: have an open mind to take a chance. Sometimes I 435 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: don't want to gamble. When asked if he had a 436 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 1: drug problem on a late night talk show in Elliott 437 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,719 Speaker 1: Gould answered that he didn't. He had a problem with 438 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: reality coming up. Googled on his relationship with Alfred Hitchcock 439 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 1: explore the Here's the Thing Archives. I talked with Michael 440 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: Douglas about what makes a great director. For Douglas, Adrian 441 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: Lyne was one of the best. I remember, you know, 442 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 1: when Glenn and I were doing Fail Attraction and we 443 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 1: had the scene in the kitchen the first time we 444 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: were kind of going at it, got her up on 445 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,199 Speaker 1: the kitchen sink, and so he did it. Take on 446 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 1: that and said, well that was that was one of 447 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: the love That was just great. What could we do? 448 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 1: I think? And glab said, well, maybe I can take 449 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:52,440 Speaker 1: the water and I can stick my wet fingers in 450 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 1: his mouth. Lovely, lovely, lovely. Take a listen and here's 451 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:11,120 Speaker 1: the thing. Dot Org, this is Alec Baldwin and you're 452 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: listening to Here's the Thing. Elliott Gould was the first 453 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: American actor to work with legendary director Ingmar Bergman. Gould 454 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 1: was fresh off the movie Mash when Bergman approached him 455 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: to work on The Touch. Gould considers the film a masterpiece. 456 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: Bergman sent me the script scared the hell out of me. 457 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: Made Bob and Carolinda Analis looked like Abernic Ostello to me, 458 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: and uh and and so then I thought, I can't 459 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,199 Speaker 1: say no to Inmar Bergman. Have him called me in 460 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 1: the West Village Morton Street. And so he called me. No, no, 461 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: little Brad, you said, I said. My hair stood up, 462 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: and I thought, okay, I mean it can be rather impulsive. 463 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: I said, I can trust me with him and him 464 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: with me. And so I said okay, and I came 465 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: across us and Uh. The first thing he said to 466 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: me when I came down the elevator at the Diplomat 467 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: Hotel in Stockholm, he said, my father taught me to 468 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 1: always be a little bit early. And so we went 469 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: through everything at an office in the theater, met B. B. 470 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: Anderson and Max found said and then I went away 471 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 1: for a while, Uh, to Sorrento and to Paris. And 472 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 1: in Paris, uh, Sam Peck and Paul wanted me to 473 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 1: do straw Dogs and I wasn't going to be able 474 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: to do it, but he called me in Paris while 475 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 1: I was getting ready to come back to Sweden to 476 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 1: work with Ingmark, and Sam said to me, Elliott, you 477 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: do read between the lines, don't you? And I said Sam, 478 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: I lived between the lines, and until such time as 479 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: I understand the lines, it's way too terrifying for me 480 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: to think where I live now maybe I'm now that 481 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: I'm getting it. I mean, I can see, Oh, there 482 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: are boundaries, there are limits. Because in the second week 483 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: of principal photography on the Touch, which I thought could 484 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: be about Larry Bird or it could be about somebody 485 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: who could deal cards, I thought, yeah, he said, you've 486 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: gone beyond your limits and you'll have to live more 487 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: to understand what you've done. And at that moment I 488 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: was secure in playing him. I play him in it. 489 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: Uh and uh. But I had no confidence in me, 490 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 1: and I didn't know any limits, and I couldn't say 491 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: stop everything. I couldn't so I had to go further. 492 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: Now I come back to America and I'm resuming, resuming 493 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: my producing career because it appeared that I had a 494 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: very rather fertile career as a producer. I had already 495 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: produced Little Murders. We had several pictures that were there, 496 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: but I didn't know who I was dealing within, what 497 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: I was dealing with. I had to find out. I 498 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: had to find out. I went all in and I 499 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: had to pay everything off. But I didn't lose this. 500 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 1: I didn't lose my soul. And I'm here and I'm 501 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: grateful to it to everyone uh for valid aiding my work. 502 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: I've done a lot of films. Some are betteran some aren't. 503 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: But I could look at anyone and everyone I've ever 504 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 1: been in and find a reason for participating. Since I'm 505 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: still working, and that's the key to continue to work. 506 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: There was someone acting wise, I mean you you work 507 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: with great directors and great film actors. Who was someone 508 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: that before you started doing the film you were really 509 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: excited to make a film with you just Oh, I 510 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: I don't know if I knew anyone, uh that I 511 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: had participated in a film. First film, I mean I 512 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 1: knew Bert Law from The Cowardly Lion and he was 513 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: a great, wonderful actor. And then Bob and Carroll and 514 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: Ted and Alice. You say about Natalie Wood and and 515 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: that Bob cab that night it was the night, one 516 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: of the nights that Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey, which 517 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: was terrible, not very happy for many of us. Uh. 518 00:30:55,960 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: And then with Mash, I didn't know anyone, and then 519 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 1: there was getting straight. I didn't know anyone. I've met 520 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: people and developed relationships through the through the work, and 521 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: I mean I do love us, you know, I mean 522 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: each one. No one is more important, the least of us, 523 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: the least the craft services, the least of us, the 524 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 1: guy at the door. It's an all team effort. You know. 525 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 1: Um you Uh. I've done some television in the last 526 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: several years. Everybody knows you did. Uh Friends. Did you 527 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: enjoy doing that? Yes? And uh, I did an episode 528 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 1: of Friends. I was It was terrifying to me, Oh 529 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 1: my god. But the reason, the main reason I did 530 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 1: it is because A. Burrows directed me and my second show, 531 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,440 Speaker 1: which was Say Darling, and he had directed the original 532 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: production of Guys and Dollars that my parents took me 533 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: to see. And Jim Burrows, who was the top director, 534 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,200 Speaker 1: he was directing it. And I was told because it 535 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: wasn't much for me in it that Jim Burrows would 536 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: kill them if they couldn't deliver me. And and so 537 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: I did it, and then they did some writing for me. 538 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: And it's a very very happy experience. Yeah, um, we 539 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: are going to take some questions, uh, because I know 540 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: we do have some time limits and I can't see 541 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: very well. So if I don't call on you, get 542 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:19,480 Speaker 1: over it. We're gonna go with this gentleman back here 543 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: right were right there, you wave your hand, that's here 544 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: we go. When I was brought to song and dance 545 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 1: school at the age about nine eight or nine, that Freddy, 546 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: who is the tap teacher, said you know, what do 547 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 1: you want to do? And I thought, I mean, what 548 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: what can I say? To be a fireman? I don't 549 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: think so to be a cowboy, no, that sounds weird 550 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,800 Speaker 1: to uh blow a trumpet and have the walls come 551 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 1: tumbling down, a little esoteric. I don't know what to 552 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: be or what to do. And you know, I'd like 553 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: to play soldier. I like to be law enforcement. Jack 554 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:00,959 Speaker 1: Webb wants at me if I would be the new 555 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 1: law enforcement person at universally was going to produce me, 556 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: which was interesting. I liked talking with him, but I 557 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:10,600 Speaker 1: never could make a deal. This woman right here in 558 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: the third fourth row. If you're in the back, wave 559 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 1: your hands, wheck and see if I see you in 560 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 1: the backgroup, good go ahead man. That thought. Personally, what 561 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: what character did you relate to the most? Uh? Well, 562 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 1: the work I relate to just about every character. I 563 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: told you with with Mash that that was the most 564 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 1: popular thing that that I've ever done. Getting straight was 565 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 1: really interesting, and when I fell out, uh industry wise, 566 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: which maybe we'll talk about at another time. Off off 567 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: of it, I was really pleased that two of my 568 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 1: students in it because I played a teacher. Uh. Two 569 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 1: of my students in it were h Harrison Ford and 570 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: Candis Bergen, which was good for me, you know that. 571 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:13,320 Speaker 1: And that was the picture on Time magazine that date 572 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:17,320 Speaker 1: of that cover. There were two covers in the world. 573 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 1: The one in America here was the one that you 574 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 1: saw in that film. The one in Canada and in 575 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:28,319 Speaker 1: Europe was a photograph of trapper John As and just 576 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: me the man from Mash which I don't want to 577 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: be too proud, but my father was very proud. But 578 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:39,439 Speaker 1: I I find that a grain of pride is good 579 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 1: for the heart, But no more than that. It's blinding. 580 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: But so a character that I might have a problem with. Uh, 581 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: And that if a director or a writer wants me 582 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: to help to interpret it, that's very interesting to me. 583 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 1: But no matter what I play, I have this heart, 584 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:02,359 Speaker 1: I have a brain left some of it, and I 585 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 1: do believe in the soul. And so I bring my 586 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 1: life to whatever I do. And what is the film 587 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:10,839 Speaker 1: you did that on a technical level or in terms 588 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 1: of the role and kind of getting at the way 589 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:14,879 Speaker 1: you went. What was one of the toughest ones you did. 590 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: What was a hard movie for you to make? Wow? 591 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 1: The role? No, no, I I I understand you. So 592 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 1: no matter if I don't mean they had no hot 593 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:37,960 Speaker 1: water at the hotel, I mean the role itself. No, no, no, 594 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 1: I mean it's deeply personal. I have no secrets relative 595 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:52,879 Speaker 1: to that. Uh. I was friendly with Casey Afflick during 596 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 1: the Oceans movies, but I never connected with Ben and 597 00:35:56,760 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 1: Um and Matt Maddie. Matt Damon said Ben is the 598 00:36:00,719 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: smartest person that he knows. And I said to Matt 599 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:06,200 Speaker 1: and Clooney, I guess you haven't met all of us, 600 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:13,360 Speaker 1: you know, And because we're all on and so after 601 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 1: seeing Argo, I'm really impressed with Ben's work. I think 602 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:19,960 Speaker 1: he's really good. And so I thought I'll go to 603 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 1: their party and see if I can have a moment 604 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 1: with him, and I did, and I told him how 605 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,360 Speaker 1: impressed I am with with your your work, your craft, 606 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:32,200 Speaker 1: your craft. And he was pleased. And then after a 607 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:34,319 Speaker 1: moment or two, he said, I have a question. Have 608 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 1: you ever done anything in all of this that you 609 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 1: were sorry you did afterwards? It's a really good question. 610 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,279 Speaker 1: I said, no, it would be so disloyal. There's so 611 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: many people who are dependent on our work, and we 612 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:49,759 Speaker 1: do everything that we can to do the best. Sometimes 613 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:52,279 Speaker 1: it doesn't work, but I wouldn't be sorry about that. 614 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,640 Speaker 1: One of the great things is to be vulnerable. That 615 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: that's one of the things in life, to be vulnerable. 616 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:01,880 Speaker 1: What character who was most difficult? Oh, my god, working 617 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:04,520 Speaker 1: for Ingmar, I'm playing his part. That wasn't so easy. 618 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:06,920 Speaker 1: But oh, I'm so glad I can share this with you. 619 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: There's a scene where, my God, the character David I think, 620 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:13,840 Speaker 1: is lying outside of a church, lying. He's not telling 621 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:18,399 Speaker 1: the truth to B. B. Anderson's character. And I had 622 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 1: my eyes closed because he's lying and we broke for 623 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:24,799 Speaker 1: luncheon ingmar came up to me and he said, I'll 624 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:28,160 Speaker 1: never mislead you. He said, I can't. I will never 625 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:31,239 Speaker 1: mislead you. I think that you have your eyes closed 626 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:34,160 Speaker 1: because you're afraid you can't give me what you think 627 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:36,879 Speaker 1: I want. He said, I need you. I want your 628 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:39,799 Speaker 1: eyes open because even if there's nothing there, that's what 629 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,480 Speaker 1: the scene is about, for me to see where I am, 630 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 1: which is the best direction I've ever had. Isn't that good? 631 00:37:48,680 --> 00:38:11,240 Speaker 1: M y go ahead? Oh? I did that this weekend 632 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:13,759 Speaker 1: to my assistant, the assistant director of the movie that 633 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:17,960 Speaker 1: I'm participating in Now Back East, and I said, do 634 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 1: you know the quiet man john Ford? I sometimes have 635 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:26,400 Speaker 1: been uh addressed. I've been dressed to go black tie 636 00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: and if it's on, I can't leave. I can't leave. 637 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 1: I mean john Ford, john Ford, John Wayne in that 638 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:38,839 Speaker 1: marine O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald. It's one of the most romantic 639 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:42,279 Speaker 1: things you can ever see. And Spielberg used it in Et. 640 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:45,319 Speaker 1: You know he has it affecting all of us. Well, 641 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 1: those movies that are like that, you know, it's funny. 642 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 1: I use the exact same analogy. I say, a good 643 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:52,799 Speaker 1: movie you watch and you enjoy it, but you have 644 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:54,439 Speaker 1: to be in the mood for it. Sometimes I said, 645 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 1: a great movie put you in the mood for the 646 00:38:56,760 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 1: said how many times it was I sitting there nothing consequential, 647 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:01,800 Speaker 1: but I'd say to my wife, I'd said, oh, we 648 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:03,920 Speaker 1: need to go buy pillows today or something. I we 649 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 1: need new pillows or something. And I'd sit on my 650 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 1: bed and my you know, well out of the shower, 651 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:12,320 Speaker 1: and the minute you see that marble swirling around and 652 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:15,239 Speaker 1: that cigar box, and it's the opening titles of To 653 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:17,480 Speaker 1: Kill a mocking Bird. And I'm not going anywhere, And 654 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,440 Speaker 1: I mean I just started sobbing and I'm crying at 655 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:24,480 Speaker 1: the titles and I'm crying at the marble. Is no, no, 656 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 1: no one's shown screen, No one said anything. And I 657 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 1: want to tell you a little bit about Hitchcock. I 658 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:32,560 Speaker 1: spent real so we're gonna get to you. I promised 659 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,280 Speaker 1: you go ahead. So I was co hosting an award 660 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:40,759 Speaker 1: show prime time on NBC. We we finished the rehearsals 661 00:39:40,760 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 1: and management came to me and said, Alfred Hitchcock is 662 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:46,719 Speaker 1: here to claim his award. He's got some problems with 663 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:48,640 Speaker 1: his knees. Can he sit in your room. My room 664 00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 1: was closest to the stage. I said, well, naturally. I 665 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:54,279 Speaker 1: came back to my room and there's Alfred Hitchcock, and 666 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,320 Speaker 1: I said to him, are you going to make another film? 667 00:39:56,640 --> 00:40:00,680 Speaker 1: And he said to me, I'm toying with one, he said, 668 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:02,799 Speaker 1: and then he leaned closer to me and he said, 669 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:06,000 Speaker 1: I said, I'm toying with one now, but I don't 670 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,319 Speaker 1: know if the audience still wants my fantasy, to which 671 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:12,799 Speaker 1: I responded without a doubt. And then I started to 672 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 1: write to him, and I spent two amazing lunches with 673 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:23,640 Speaker 1: him at Universal, where he sang to me, it won't 674 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:28,880 Speaker 1: be a stylish luncheon. I can't afford a munch, and 675 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 1: he said, we'll be dining in my dining room in 676 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 1: my office in my building at Universal. For you, let 677 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 1: just meet Hitchcock. I'll never forget. Bob Redford was doing 678 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,360 Speaker 1: quiz show when I got a message to him. The 679 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:42,480 Speaker 1: only reason you're with CIA, by the way, is because 680 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:45,359 Speaker 1: they can connect you with anyone in the world. Not 681 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:47,080 Speaker 1: to get a job, by the way, but to talk 682 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:50,319 Speaker 1: to them on the phone. So I wanted to meet 683 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 1: Redford and and a car pulls up to my apartment 684 00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:54,319 Speaker 1: in New York, and a town car takes me out 685 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:56,560 Speaker 1: to New Jersey and there in Secoca shooting quiz show. 686 00:40:56,760 --> 00:40:58,560 Speaker 1: And I go out there and the woman is there 687 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,120 Speaker 1: with the headset, gorgeous woman as there's a chair and 688 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:05,680 Speaker 1: she goes, it's my chair. I sit down and Bob 689 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:08,759 Speaker 1: is directing Rob Morrow or David Paymer to do in 690 00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:12,239 Speaker 1: the scene at Bob Box. How you doing, I'll be 691 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:14,200 Speaker 1: right with you. He directs the scene that they break 692 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:16,080 Speaker 1: for lunch to go, goes, We're gonna you're gonna have 693 00:41:16,160 --> 00:41:18,960 Speaker 1: lunch of Bob's trailer. You can have lunch of Bob's 694 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:21,520 Speaker 1: trailer right this way, right this way. It's like Disneyland. 695 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: Everyone's very very happy. They're shooting the movie with Bob Redford. 696 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:26,840 Speaker 1: So we go. They take me into the trailer and 697 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:29,319 Speaker 1: read fast as you're a vegetarian, and I said, back then, 698 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,319 Speaker 1: I was a strict vegetarian. And he opens up these 699 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 1: the woman services from these plastic containers and these tupperware 700 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:36,560 Speaker 1: of me eat the thing. And Bob's like, how's this? 701 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:38,480 Speaker 1: And I was married to Max's wife. He worked on 702 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:40,799 Speaker 1: the Natural with Kim. He said, how's Kim bah blah 703 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:43,200 Speaker 1: blah blah blah. Smalltalk. Small talk finally goes, so what 704 00:41:43,239 --> 00:41:45,279 Speaker 1: can I do for you? And of course I'm not 705 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:47,359 Speaker 1: realizing he thinks I'm there to ask him for money 706 00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:50,440 Speaker 1: for like a charity. Maybe I looked at Mike, he goes, 707 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: what can I do for I go, I want you 708 00:41:52,239 --> 00:41:56,879 Speaker 1: to put me in a movie with you. I want 709 00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:00,239 Speaker 1: to be in a movie with you. And think he 710 00:42:00,280 --> 00:42:01,840 Speaker 1: was stunned. That that's why I came all about the 711 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:03,719 Speaker 1: New Jersey to ask him. He was like, could was 712 00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:05,719 Speaker 1: almost mortified, you know what I mean? And I learned 713 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:07,399 Speaker 1: that about the business that you don't reach out to them, 714 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:09,839 Speaker 1: You wait for them to reach out to you. Um, 715 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:20,840 Speaker 1: We're gonna have time for a couple more, all right ahead, Well, 716 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 1: I mean, is there anybody here who doesn't have arthritis? 717 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:33,000 Speaker 1: And uh so it would have to be more more 718 00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:35,319 Speaker 1: than just a labor of love. It would have to 719 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:39,719 Speaker 1: be so comfortable. And when ingmar came to visit me 720 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:42,799 Speaker 1: in l A, we thought he'd be living there for 721 00:42:42,840 --> 00:42:47,440 Speaker 1: a while. Uh you know, and he said his agent 722 00:42:47,560 --> 00:42:50,120 Speaker 1: he had to listen to his agent, Paul Corner. I said, well, 723 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:53,560 Speaker 1: I think of you living in the Pacific Palisades where 724 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,680 Speaker 1: Henry Miller lived, you know, not to live down here. 725 00:42:56,719 --> 00:42:59,440 Speaker 1: It's too hot here. And he said, would you consider 726 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:02,600 Speaker 1: doing go Off? You're just right for check Off? I said, 727 00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:04,879 Speaker 1: would you direct me? He said yes. I said, well, 728 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:09,160 Speaker 1: I'll have to go away for oh six seven months 729 00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:11,319 Speaker 1: to learn it, to absorb it, because once you're in 730 00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:14,799 Speaker 1: rehearsals then it's a business. The clock is going like that. 731 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:18,040 Speaker 1: I'd need to to absorb the text so I could 732 00:43:18,080 --> 00:43:21,760 Speaker 1: integrate with the people, you know, would I I would 733 00:43:21,760 --> 00:43:23,759 Speaker 1: want to keep an open mind, but it would have 734 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:26,680 Speaker 1: to be so much fun, because then I want to 735 00:43:26,719 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 1: do I wouldn't want to give up a performance. This 736 00:43:29,160 --> 00:43:33,400 Speaker 1: is what I really love about Al's commitment to theater Piccino. 737 00:43:33,760 --> 00:43:37,000 Speaker 1: He's really kept it up. I didn't. But he once 738 00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:39,920 Speaker 1: introduced himself to me at the bar at Downey's, you know, 739 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:43,640 Speaker 1: and we've played cards together. He's a much better with 740 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:47,759 Speaker 1: Larry cart player. That's what I hear. We are out 741 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:49,160 Speaker 1: of time, and I just want to finish my saying. 742 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:53,560 Speaker 1: One thing. Interesting that you reference arthritis. Interesting that your reference. 743 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:56,200 Speaker 1: But not all of us are as young as we 744 00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,560 Speaker 1: used to be. Perhaps, But the interesting thing about you, 745 00:43:58,560 --> 00:43:59,960 Speaker 1: and I mean this from the bottom of my heart. 746 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:04,239 Speaker 1: It is everything you are on screen you still are 747 00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:09,759 Speaker 1: today in every way. You're just as funny and interesting. 748 00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:14,799 Speaker 1: Everything you have you still have. It's amazing. But's Eric. 749 00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:22,360 Speaker 1: Come on? Elliott Gould live at the Turner Classic Movie 750 00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:28,760 Speaker 1: Film Festival from earlier this year. This is Alec Baldwin 751 00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:30,839 Speaker 1: and you're listening to Here's the thing.