1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: Actress Elaine Stritch has been performing for nearly seventy years. 3 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: No matter the medium, she brings her characters to life 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: with a playful ferocity that naturally leads to scene stealing performances. 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: Despite her enviable career in film and television, Elaine Stritch 6 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: is a self professed Broadway baby. A big break came 7 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty when she was hired to understudy ethel 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: Merman in Irving Berlin's musical Call Me Madam. She scared 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: me to death. She's a tough When I got to 10 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: the end of Call Me Madam, it was mine. It 11 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: is not so surprising that you feel very strange. Elaine 12 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,959 Speaker 1: Stritch remained on stage for much of the fifties and sixties, 13 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: playing such iconic roles is Martha and Who's Afraid of 14 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: Virginia Woolf both Vera and Mame in the musical Mame 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: and Amanda in Private Lives by Noel Coward. In venties, 16 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: she originated what was arguably the role of her career, 17 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: the acerbic Joanne in Stephen Sondheim's Company and Here's to 18 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: the Girl who Just Watch Aren't the Best? In a 19 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: TV documentary about the cast recording of that production, we 20 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: meet Elaine's toughest critic, herself. Here she is listening to 21 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: a take of that song she made famous, Ladies Who 22 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: Lunch Rong, And of course I'm smoking a nice cigarette 23 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: which helps the situation. Yeah, just to be clear, that's 24 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: Elaine yelling at the sound of her own voice. That 25 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: was over forty years ago. But Elaine Stritch has continued 26 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: to hold herself to impossibly high standards, and she stayed busy, 27 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: at least until recently. Earlier this year, she announced that 28 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: she was leaving New York for her home state of Michigan. 29 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: In April, at Elaine Stritch performed her last cabaret show 30 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: at the Carlisle Hotel. About a month ago, I really said, 31 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: I'm I want out of here. I want out of 32 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 1: New York. I don't I shouldn't live in New York anymore. 33 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: It's not for me anymore. It's too fast for me. 34 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: Or no, it's not too fast. And I changed my 35 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: mind about that. It's not this. It's not that it's 36 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: just not for me. This is this is New York 37 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: Taxi low and it's dinner and tonight and tomorrow and 38 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: and I can't handle it anyway, because I'm not interested 39 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: in handling. You just don't want you could do it. 40 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: You just don't want to do it. Doesn't give me 41 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: any satisfaction. I don't go home and say, I guess 42 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: I told them so about a month ago. It had 43 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: been an idea, and then a month ago you went, 44 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: I'm doing it. I called up my nephew, who is 45 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: a great buddy of mine in Birmingham, Michigan, and I said, 46 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: I'm coming home. What do you think you're going to 47 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: do there? Oh, you have no idea. I'm just saying 48 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: a very active life. First of all, nothing. I'm really 49 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: going to do nothing. I'm gonna wake up and go 50 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: back to bed and go back to bed. That's exactly right. 51 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: I want to do it. I want to sleep a lot. 52 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: What's wrong with us? I would like to wake up 53 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: and have my oat meal and read the paper and 54 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: go right back to you, right back to be until 55 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: about noon. So you're gonna go there and do nothing? 56 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: And I like to go to dinner. I like to 57 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: meet my nieces, my nephew's, my cousin's, my you know 58 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: your relations there by way of who you're two sisters? 59 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: Your two sisters I had two sisters, were three sisters. 60 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: I was the baby and they kids in bedroom Detroit. 61 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: You were in like what Bloomfield Hills or yeah, yeah, 62 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: yeah yeah your dad. But your dad was someone not 63 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: in the car business. Daddy was, well, yes he was. 64 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: He was the BF good ridch rubber. He was in 65 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: the time. My mother called it the g DBF good 66 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: Rich Rubber. You got it. What are your two sisters? 67 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: What kind of lives did they have? No show business? 68 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: Very very chic, very normal. Normal. Georgine had four kids 69 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: and Sally had three seven seven guys running around and 70 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: they're all crazy about me. Why shouldn't I go home? 71 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: There's nothing to tie me here. It's not the same 72 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: My career tied me here. I talk career, I talk 73 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: I part and play and plan and plan and make plan. 74 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: What am I doing next? What am I going next? 75 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: And when you get off that merry ground, it gets 76 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: you get a different stop. What to stop? It is 77 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: the merry go around broke down? Why do you say 78 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: that you could keep working but you don't want to? No, 79 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: I don't want to find parts and look for him, 80 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: and and and I said the other night, when is 81 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: pretend going to end? Right? Slowly but surely, alex Is 82 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: I'm starting to say I don't want to pretend anymore. 83 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: I want to get up in the morning and I 84 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: want it to be real. I don't want to I 85 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: can't believe you're saying this, because it's so I am. 86 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: It's so much. Maybe as a result of my getting older. 87 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: I turned fifty a couple of weeks ago, and my 88 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: wife I got married again, and my wife we're having 89 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: a baby. And because of all this stuff, I realized 90 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: I want to be me for change. I want to 91 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: wake up and I want to say my words and 92 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: have my thought or not say anything. It's such a 93 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: self involvement. This, it is. It is. Why do you 94 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: think you've lasted this long? You know what talent is? 95 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: Why have you lasted all this time because you're talented? 96 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: Certainly isn't because people think you're an easy time of it? 97 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: Because I have to accomplish something in that department almost 98 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: every day of my life. I have to You've never 99 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 1: stopped trying to prove yourself. That's the key, isn't it. No, 100 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: I got to go and do that part in that soap, 101 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: in that smoke, I don't care what it is. Or 102 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: I'm with an old coward on the West End, or 103 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: I'm with how Prince on Broadway. I'm with all the big, big, big, 104 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: big shots, and they're directing me well and guiding me well. 105 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: And I'm I'm. You would approve you belong there with them, yes, 106 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: And I'm being directed in the way of the big shots, 107 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: and I'm doing fine. I'm doing fine. I'm I'm, I'm 108 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: doing fine. But you but there's a point, I'm assuming 109 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: when did you feel that you're in the room and 110 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: all of a sudden it's like, I don't need anybody's advice. 111 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: I know what I want to do. Here's what I do. 112 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: Was there a time you remember in your life when 113 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: that changed? I got self satisfied about the parts that 114 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: I played. For example, well, like I was the I 115 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: was the funny, kind of offbeat girl. I wasn't. I 116 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: was never the romantic lead. I wasn't good that kind 117 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: of looking girl in the movies. I couldn't be that 118 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: kind of looking girl I was. Well, you could, you 119 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: could have been look spised, but you just don't want 120 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: to play it becauseose we're dull parts. Well, yeah, they 121 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: weren't as good at parts, But I you're a sassier woman, 122 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: and you played those parts. But I didn't want to 123 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: be eve Arden. I really didn't. Okay, Okay, that's a 124 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: good point. Why. Well, because I don't want to be 125 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: a funny girl that's just cracking wise cracks, or staying 126 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: up with the you know, with the rollers in her hair, 127 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: or driving the car while the two leaves make out 128 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: in the back of the car. You don't want to 129 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: be that. No, what did you? What did you? I 130 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: don't want them to make up in the right? What 131 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: did you sprinkle on top of what might have been 132 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: eve Arden for you, which it very easily could have been. 133 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: What did you sprinkle on top of that to make 134 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: sure that it wasn't eve Arden? What do you do 135 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: that Eve Arden didn't do. I get dramatic or frightened 136 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:49,079 Speaker 1: or reel about something or pain. Yeah, there's a pain. 137 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: It's not in Arden's work. Something dramatic happens to me 138 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: in the course of a comedy, right, I don't know. 139 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: But were always that way? What was I always? What way? 140 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,319 Speaker 1: Complicating things with the pain of your existence? This thing 141 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: you tap into. Did you do when you were very young? 142 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: I think so. I think I did. Were you the 143 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: complicated one? Oh? I think so. I mean there's very 144 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: often I would hear around our house where is he lane? 145 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: And then my mother was and they say oh, and 146 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 1: I'd say right here. They were worried about you. Yeah, 147 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: everybody was worried about me, because when I wasn't accountable, 148 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: I was. I scared him and I didn't mean to. 149 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: When did performing begin? For he was a were performer 150 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: As a child, I was laughing. I was born laughing. 151 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: And you were funny. Oh god, I was funny. I 152 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: really was funny, and I made everybody laugh and I 153 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: wasn't conscious of it. I want to tell you something. 154 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: I'd love to tell you a line from my life 155 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: to see if you get this, and I'm going to 156 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: tell it to you. My mother and dad, as a 157 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 1: present to me when I was six years old, took 158 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: me to Niagara Falls, which was very close to Birmingham, Michigan. 159 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: And I kept hearing about this, and I was going 160 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: to wear my new pink coat and hat and I 161 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: was going to Niagara Falls. And I kept hearing it, 162 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: and you know Christmas morning, Christmas morning, whatever it was, 163 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: and and I never said a word. I just sat 164 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: in the backseat and I just waited. They pulled up 165 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 1: Alec to the parking lot in Niagara Falls, and here 166 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: we are. We're here, Landy, We're here, Come on, get out. 167 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 1: And it was just me, Mom and dad. So the 168 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: two sisters, the old your sisters, you know, the hell 169 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: with them. And I got very teary eyed and pulled 170 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: my mother back from the car and said, Mama, what 171 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: what We're going to go see Niagara Fall? And I 172 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: asked her if Niagara Falls had a baby? And to 173 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: me and to my mother and my father, it was 174 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: one of the most extraordinary dramatic lines of all time. 175 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: All I was interested in is did this woman Niagara 176 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: Falls have a baby? Because then I could play with her. 177 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: And it was the I think, an absolute proof of 178 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: how lonely and sad I was as a kid. I 179 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: didn't know what the hell artistic was all out. I 180 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: really didn't. I knew I had to express myself. I 181 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: knew I had to express myself, and that's all there 182 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: was to it. So when you left Michigan, when you 183 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: left home, you lived at home in Michigan. Your family 184 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,079 Speaker 1: lived in Michigan until you left home. Did you go 185 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: to college? No, I didn't go to college, which I 186 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: graduated from high school where Sacred Heart Convent. You went 187 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: to a convent. I went to a convent the soccerquer 188 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: highly educational, big scholastic, scooby doo. You went there for 189 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: what twelve years? That was your high school? When you 190 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: left there? Where'd you go to Deshen Residents which was 191 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: also the soccer cur but it was a residence finishing 192 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 1: school for what it was like, um after school stuff, 193 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 1: you know, Like I'm trying to think of one of 194 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: the courses that we took, current events, isn't that? I 195 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: guess how long were you there? Uh? Two years? Two 196 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: years after and I went out and majored in dramatics 197 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:07,079 Speaker 1: at the new school in Greenwich Village. The finishing school 198 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 1: was in the city when you were back in Michigan, 199 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,319 Speaker 1: Greenwich Village. Slim in New York and you went to 200 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 1: finish your school in New York absolutely on ninety one 201 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: and fifth Avenue. Oh my god, yeah, and I uh, 202 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: I took these three courses at the school, which is fine. 203 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,679 Speaker 1: I had a roommate from Chicago who was majoring in journalism, 204 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 1: and we were all very sophisticated broads. You went to 205 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: New School for drama. That was your first acting exposure. 206 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: What do you think about it when you first I 207 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 1: loved it. I sat next to Marlon Brando. That was 208 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 1: didn't hurt at all. I don't get you through class. Yeah, 209 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: Walter Mattha was on the other side of me at 210 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: the New School. Yeah, we had a very stellar cast. 211 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 1: I was getting along fine and having the most fun 212 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: I've ever had in my what's the first job you 213 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: ever got? Well, first of all, I was at the 214 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: studio theater at the New School and we had our 215 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: own theater and Piscatter directed and Stella Adler directed, and 216 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: we had all those Stanislavski people. We had more fun, Alex. 217 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: You couldn't believe it. It was Stella like as a director, 218 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: heaven she was what made her so very insight, all 219 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: this kind of dramatics, you know, Laine and Malon and 220 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: Wolf and you do it. She screamed her head off 221 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: at us. She was crazy woman, absolutely divine. And when 222 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: you left that program, what was your first job? Job? 223 00:14:55,440 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: Summer stock, Westport, Connecticut, Do you remember what you did? Yeah, um, 224 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: Craig's wife. I think I did. And people let me say, 225 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: years ago, they go, what show did you too? And 226 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: your name a show people have just never heard of. 227 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: They go, Craig Craig's wife, would you play the saucy nurse? 228 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: Would you play? I played the aunt, the ant that 229 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: visited and told craig wife she was full of ship. 230 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: You started as an aunt, and you're going to finish 231 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: as an ant. That you're going Now you're an aunt. 232 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: That's your next that's your that's your role. Now you're 233 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: an aunt. They're not allowed to call me in because 234 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: it's so boring. They call me Toddlane because my mother 235 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: is French. I think they were going to call you 236 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: lady stretch. I would have them call you her highness. 237 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: But I just had the most wonderful time in dramatic school. 238 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 1: And then what about your first job, Douglas? I did 239 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: my first play with Kirk Douglas Craig's Um. Wait a minute, 240 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: wait a minute, I'll tell you in a minute. You 241 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: and Kirk Douglas, you're on a stage in New York. 242 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: And also, where is my black bag? Alec Hunter? I 243 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: need I need orange juice. Hunter, come in place. Can 244 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: we send Hunter in here plays with the provisions. Hunter 245 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: Ryan Herdlika, who accompanied Elaine to the studio, came through 246 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: the door juice in hand. I need some orange juice. 247 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: Beanies is kicking up, Hunter, My good man, hunters here. 248 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: All's right with the world. Okay, Well, how about a glass. Yes, 249 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: that's a clean water. We'll get him a clean we'll go, 250 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: We'll go get a clean all right, it's all right 251 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: if you just empty that glass, it's heaven. I need 252 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: some orange juice. You know that I'm diabetic. Yes, of 253 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: course I need. The world knows by now, the world. 254 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: It's okay. You know what I cooded other day. The 255 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: line of my father's it really is so naughty and 256 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: just so much fun. Here's looking up your old address. 257 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 1: Isn't it a great line? And he said it with 258 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:16,479 Speaker 1: no he used that was it. That's right? All right, 259 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: I'm going to drink this being the oranges now, so 260 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: we don't have some event here. That's cool, okay, alright, 261 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: So now that you've had your orange juice and your 262 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: brain freezes over, Kirk Douglas, what was the show? Do 263 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: you remember? Now? Woman bites dog that orange juice it's 264 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 1: a miracle. Elck, sir, I want to be a case 265 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: of that orange juice. It's dog, woman bites dog. What 266 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 1: did you play in that? If you say his girlfriend 267 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 1: but he lived with I didn't even know what that 268 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: phrase meant. You were a floozy? Well, no, I wasn't. 269 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: I just but I lived with him and I wasn't 270 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: married to him. I didn't know what that meant. What 271 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,440 Speaker 1: do you remember about Kirk Douglas. Oh my god, I 272 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 1: loved him, Oh god, I loved him. And what an actor. 273 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: And he's one of the few men who was as 274 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: great an actor as he was a star. He was 275 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: a great actor. He was a great actor. He was 276 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,920 Speaker 1: a great actor. I loved him, and he loved me. 277 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 1: He flipped over me. I've known him for years, and 278 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: he took me halfway away for the weekend, and then 279 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: I discovered that I shouldn't go. He took you half 280 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: way away to Palm Springs and then I said I 281 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: shouldn't be going. So what did you hit like? I 282 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: don't know. We were halfway to Palm Beach, Palm Springs things. 283 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:47,360 Speaker 1: So you're driving east, we were driving for the weekend, 284 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 1: and you decide you didn't want to. Well, I said, 285 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: I'm getting nervous, because what do you want me to 286 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 1: do when we get up here? Oh, Elaine? He knew 287 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 1: I was a virgin, so he was ing with that. 288 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: So what was the first leading role you had on Broadway? 289 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: Big roll? Take more orangs you so you can remember 290 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: the big part, big big part I had was Angel 291 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: the Wings, which was a review, hardest thing in the 292 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 1: world to do a review, and that kind of review, 293 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 1: like New Faces, was like Leonard Sulman's sketches, And I 294 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 1: was the big busted you know, girl in the in 295 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: the bedroom. I was the I was the piece on 296 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: the side. Yeah, where are you? Isn't amazing you with 297 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: this virginal You went to suck or cur and you 298 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: went to finishing school, and as soon as you're out, 299 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 1: God is just tempting you. He's taking Marlon Brando on 300 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,719 Speaker 1: one side of you, and Kirk Douglas is reven up 301 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: the convertable to take you to Palm Springs, and you're 302 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: the flu he here and the piece on the side, 303 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: the bust defend the towel. But what I was really 304 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: doing is learning my lines to the play or to 305 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 1: the television or to the I was really loving acting. 306 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: I loved it. I loved pretending. I just loved it. 307 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:28,360 Speaker 1: Was being somebody other than I was was my idea 308 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,879 Speaker 1: of a good time? Was part of that process for you? 309 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,199 Speaker 1: Learning from people you work with, it you admire. Did 310 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: you look at other people and say, because I've had that, 311 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm not going to say I had it 312 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: well like Merman? When you worked with Merman, did you 313 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: learn from Merman? Did you did you know you didn't? 314 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: I did her part right. I did her There's no 315 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: question everybody loved everybody, but I know how to do that. 316 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: And I was so frightened and so terrified, and I 317 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: was so good in it. Did you feel that she 318 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 1: was of that type where just Mermin as Mermaid, she 319 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 1: goes out into stuff. She made, you know so long. 320 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: She'd say goodbye to me from the wings on my 321 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: opening night and then go sit in the first row. 322 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: She scared me to death. When I got to the 323 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 1: end of call Me Madam, it was mine? You felt that? Well? 324 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: When do you think you became you? The moment I 325 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 1: started to rehearse Mermaid's part, I was doing the new Mermaid, 326 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: the new everything. That's when you became you. So doing 327 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: the piece doing Call Me Madam is when you felt 328 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: things changed for you, You felt you were You're not 329 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: necessarily now everything I did, everything I did was you know. 330 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: But when you do a show Elaine Stretch at Liberty, 331 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,199 Speaker 1: when you do a show that as a memoir of 332 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 1: your career, oh yeah, and it is enormously successful, When 333 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 1: did you think in your life, when did you reach 334 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:10,919 Speaker 1: a point in your life that you felt you were 335 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: someone who could write a memoir about your life, that 336 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: you thought it was interesting enough. When did you cross 337 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,880 Speaker 1: the line and say, yeah, I was convinced by this 338 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: producer who said, who saw me perform at a Judy 339 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:29,919 Speaker 1: Garland special at Carnegie Hall? And what I did was 340 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 1: tells Judy Garland stories And I told her was a 341 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: tribute to Judy. She's gone by this, yeah, and oh boy, 342 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: I really did know her very well. From where did 343 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: you first meet her? Party? At a party someplace I 344 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 1: don't know. And I loved her. So when I tried 345 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: out one of my stories on Judy Garland, I mean 346 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: she tried out one of hers, I said, Judy, I've 347 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,120 Speaker 1: got an idea, and I sincerely did. I said, I've 348 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: got a great idea. Why don't we tour Maime, I 349 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: said to Judy Ghan and she SAIDs divine. She said 350 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: that sounds great. I said, but here's the good idea, Judy. 351 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 1: When I do meme, I go to bed early, and 352 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,880 Speaker 1: when you do me, you go to bed early, and 353 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: then the other one does vera. She wan to switch 354 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 1: on and off. She bought that idea. She's listening now 355 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: and she's saying okay, okay, okay, and she's counting up 356 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 1: the songs, what songs she has? What you know? And 357 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: after this long pause she looks at me and said, 358 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: what about Matteni's And I thought it was one of 359 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: the on these things I ever heard in my whole life. 360 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: That Judy Garland wanted to know what about mannis? That's 361 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: how she carefully. She wanted her her career planned so 362 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 1: she could be able to get loaded when she wanted to. 363 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: And you know it was her way of treating a 364 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 1: very serious discuss. So you did a tribute thing where 365 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: you told stories about her. And that's when someone pitched 366 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 1: the idea to you of doing a memoir of your career. 367 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: That's right, what vaguely said, you tell a story to 368 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: an audience the like of which I have never heard. 369 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: That's true. I was that the opening night at the Public, 370 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: when that Liberty opened at the Public, and everyone who 371 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 1: was had a pulse in New York. Everyone who was 372 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: alive that night came to that opening at the Public. 373 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: Everybody in the theater came. They went crazy, They went crazy. 374 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: It's lovely, God, it's lovely. Success is lovely. It's so hard, 375 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: and it's such hard work, but it's so gratifying. What's 376 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 1: the hardest thing about it for you? What's been the 377 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 1: hardest thing? Do you find it hard to fear? The 378 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: fear of what that you won't be able to perform, 379 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 1: the fear that I'm just going to forget and I'm 380 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:13,439 Speaker 1: gonna not not so much forget. But it's the fear. 381 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: It's the fear. And that was when I was not 382 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 1: drinking at all, and I didn't drink anything to get 383 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 1: my talent out, but all my life I had. Have 384 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: you ever done a show, I'm sure you've done countless shows. 385 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: You ever done a show where you're sitting backstage thinking 386 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,399 Speaker 1: what am I doing here? How did I get myself 387 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: into this? Or were you always engaged by what you 388 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: were doing. I was always engaged always. You never took 389 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: I was leading up to it or coming down, you know, 390 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: I I was trying to get it behind. You never 391 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 1: regretted doing anything? Never? No, Wow, that's incredible. No, I 392 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 1: never never regretted doing anything on the stage. You never 393 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,480 Speaker 1: How was that possible? Because I just one every time 394 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 1: I walked out there, you know, that old expression of 395 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: that I own the stage. Elaine Stritch has never regretted 396 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: anything she's done on stage, but there are many who 397 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: regret not seeing her one woman show, Elaine Stretch at 398 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: Liberty on Broadway in two thousand two. News Week called 399 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: it abiding hilarious, even touching tour de force tour of 400 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 1: Stritch's career and life. In a minute, Stretch tells me 401 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,120 Speaker 1: a secret and very personal moment she had on stage 402 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: during the run of Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? This 403 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,719 Speaker 1: is Here's the Thing by Alec Baldwin. In the past 404 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 1: twenty years, TV and film have introduced Elaine Stretch to 405 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: a new audience. She garnered Emmy's for her performances in 406 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: Law and Order and in Thirty Rock, where she played 407 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: Mike Charagor's mother, The Irascible Colleen donahe well, wo whoa, whoa, whoa? 408 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 1: This must be the one. Uh Phoebe welcome? No, no, no, welcome, mother, 409 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 1: this is not pee, this is not Phoebe. Well, why 410 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: the hell not? I mean, just perfect. I ended up 411 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: liking Tina Fey an awful law and very quietly all 412 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:30,680 Speaker 1: by myself. Did you enjoy doing the show? No, you 413 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: didn't know why. I didn't have any fun with with comedy. 414 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 1: I did with you for a while, but then it 415 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: got a little bit too routine for me and I 416 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: wasn't challenged. I didn't have a challenge with it. But 417 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: I mean I was fine, but u oh, I don't know, 418 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: Alexi just wasn't. Would you think TV is not your No? 419 00:27:55,480 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: I think TV is fine with me. I nothing's nothing's 420 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: wrong with it. I love TV, I love comedy. I 421 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,440 Speaker 1: loved working with you. It was almost like we need 422 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 1: It was something that I did two weeks ago at 423 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: the Carlisle when they said challenged me to do a 424 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 1: show and just go out there and do a show 425 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 1: for an hour and a half. And I accepted the 426 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: challenge and did it. And how did it? I didn't 427 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 1: have any rehearsal or anything how did it go? Fantastic? 428 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 1: And Warren Baby people like Warren and and it came 429 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: I adore both of them. And he said, I've got 430 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 1: to get three cameras on this. This is terrifying. You 431 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: know the fact that I did it with no rehearses. 432 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: Winged it exactly. It's a good way of putting it. 433 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: But you don't want to wing it anymore. It's so hard, 434 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: My god, is there any place you can perform if 435 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 1: you have a notion? If you're sitting there in Birmingham, Michigan, 436 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 1: and you decide you want to get up and you 437 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 1: want to do a show, you want to do an 438 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:27,000 Speaker 1: hour and a half, like you are their facilities there 439 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: that you're dialed into the you can go. I go 440 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: up to ann Arbor and I rehearse it. But I 441 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't I just say, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm 442 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: going to learn three songs. I have to learn them 443 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: sort of. And if I go up in the lyrics, 444 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter who's your piano player, your company, and 445 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: he's feeding you the lyrics all the time. Well, he amusingly, 446 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: that's part of the act. Well, I've never heard a 447 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: laugh like this but the other night when I said, Rob, 448 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: what is that and I'm out of control, I don't 449 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 1: know that's what it is, and he was and I 450 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: was hit, you know, like I said, okay, but I 451 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: mean we got to start over then, don't we? Alec 452 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 1: I mean Rob? And he said yes. So we went 453 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: to a new song and I sang it straight through 454 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: with no mistakes, and they went crazy. I sang a 455 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: Sunheim song. Um, everybody says don't. Everybody says don'tbody says don't. 456 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: It is said right that song. God, it just goes 457 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 1: so fast and furiously, and then they went nuts. I mean, 458 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: when you do know something by heart, they really go 459 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: give him one. Yeah, that's it, that's it. So we did. 460 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: So we with the with the the Are you okay? Yeah? 461 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,000 Speaker 1: I think so. Um, did you ever want to do 462 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: a drama in your later years? I mean in the 463 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: last years, I was just cut out for it, cut 464 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 1: out for it. Were what's the less drama you did 465 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: on stage? Edward All be Um lady from Dubuq No No, No, 466 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: Three twelve Women No. I was asked to do that. 467 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 1: I didn't do it. It's too much to learn. M 468 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:36,479 Speaker 1: A delicate Ballot, one of the best players ever written 469 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: in the whole world, and also a play for me. 470 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 1: What did you like about the part? What did you 471 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: like about it? Was very quiet and very subtle, subtle, 472 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 1: like forget about it and just and I just went 473 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: about my business on that stage and I did everything. 474 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: I drank too much, I talked too much. I I 475 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 1: did exactly as I pleased. I went upstairs when I 476 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: want him to go upstairs. I was absolutely all over 477 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: the place and not promising anything to anybody. It was unbelievable. 478 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: Who directed Jerry Gutierres, who is the best director with 479 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 1: aside from George Wolfe. The two of them were what 480 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,880 Speaker 1: does it? No? No? No, help illuminate this for people, 481 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:33,640 Speaker 1: because this, to me is a very important question for you, 482 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:38,120 Speaker 1: and that is you're so self directed. You know you've 483 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 1: got the talent, you've got to feel good, but baby, 484 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: you got so many bullets in your chamber, it's not funny. 485 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,480 Speaker 1: And you come out there you're loaded. And what does 486 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: the director do for you? How does the director help you? Oh, 487 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 1: he makes me feel comfortable about myself. For instance, George 488 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: Wolfe when he did my one woman show. He has 489 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: a way of laughing that he had. When he laughs, 490 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: he falls on the floor. He throws himself on the 491 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 1: floor because he's got to do that. He's got to go. 492 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 1: He goes crazy when he laughs, and he's laughing and 493 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: he's and that will make me listen to a director 494 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: that will that will tune me in. Isn't a nice one. 495 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: A director gives you confidence, Oh my god, I've worked 496 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 1: with so many of them. Were not that they undermined you, 497 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 1: but they certainly didn't give you any confidence. They they 498 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 1: almost resented the implication that they do that. They kind 499 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:35,479 Speaker 1: of looked at you like, well, you're getting paid all 500 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 1: this money, you just get up there and do it. 501 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not here to help you know. They 502 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 1: don't help you at Oh there's no mentoring or care 503 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 1: or whatever. It's very very strange. But Wolf you loved, 504 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 1: and Gautier as you love. Oh God, Now tell me 505 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 1: about performers in the latter part of your career that 506 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: you worked with. It you love? Did you love Bernadette? 507 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 1: I am assuming you just love adored here and I 508 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: and I kind of ran her. I was her older sister, 509 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 1: her older everybody, and I made her laugh until she 510 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:10,879 Speaker 1: just went crazy and vice versa. I want a little 511 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 1: more orange juice, Gang Hunter Hunter. That beeping sound we've 512 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 1: been hearing periodic? Is that a glucose meter? What's that? 513 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: What's that thing that went off? Where's mine? It's ducks 514 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 1: com it's telling us to enter the blood sugars. Oh 515 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: my god, I forgot all about them. We're done with 516 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:36,880 Speaker 1: Oh are we? Okay? Do you want to take a 517 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: break and do it now? A minute? Go right? A hell? 518 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: Please do it now? We should wait. I wouldn't want 519 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 1: it in the post that you were hospitalized on my 520 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 1: account because Alec Baldwin refused to allow me to administer 521 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 1: my diabetes treatment. Oh boy, okay, this is right away. 522 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to do it now. Okay, there we go. 523 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:06,720 Speaker 1: I don't have my ladies and gentlemen. Okay, Elaine Stretch 524 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:13,360 Speaker 1: and Hunter, the ever trusty Hunter are squeezing droplets of 525 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 1: her blood onto a device, so I know to tell 526 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:24,400 Speaker 1: us that we've nearly killed her here, okay, okay, and 527 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 1: then it's done. And then and you want to keep 528 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: it at what number? It's not a matter of keeping. 529 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:35,359 Speaker 1: It's just entering them. What they are now? That are 530 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:38,879 Speaker 1: two hours after I'd love to do mine too. While 531 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 1: we're at it, Let's have a let's have a prick 532 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,560 Speaker 1: our finger and squeeze it on the glucose meter. Party 533 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: stop that, Alex, Listen, there's another BB. This is why 534 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 1: you're so glad we're not doing this on television because 535 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: to see this happening, it's really unsettling. And we've done 536 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:01,279 Speaker 1: both of them. Now, done both of them. And what 537 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 1: number you have any where do you want to be? 538 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:09,240 Speaker 1: Doesn't have to be That's fine, that's good, it's cool. Okay, 539 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 1: she's cool. Oh oh, I know what I wanted to 540 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 1: tell you. I want to tell him something that I 541 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 1: that I got the nerve to tell John to tourists. Now, 542 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: when you told John to touro what you wanted to 543 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 1: tell him, it's something that meant a lot to you, 544 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,000 Speaker 1: Because we will edit that you called him to tourists. 545 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:32,000 Speaker 1: A lot of people have. Alex Baldwin called John to tourists. 546 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:34,600 Speaker 1: What did you want to tell John to? Trying to 547 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:39,480 Speaker 1: tell somebody something about me and acting that sort of 548 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 1: I thought kind of represented something about me that I 549 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: had had courage to tell. And the thing was that I, Oh, 550 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,279 Speaker 1: how can I tell you this. Will you tell me 551 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:54,399 Speaker 1: that your secret and I'll tell you mine? All right? 552 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:59,319 Speaker 1: My secret is is that? How can I put it 553 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:06,839 Speaker 1: to you? Yeah? My secret is in Virginia Wolf. When 554 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 1: I was playing Virginia Wolf, I am sometimes I get 555 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:17,840 Speaker 1: fuzzy when I'm telling a story. Now and it's we 556 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:21,960 Speaker 1: had in comment go ahead. I wanted to tell something 557 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 1: intimate about myself to John about when he was interviewing me. 558 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:31,680 Speaker 1: I told him that when I was doing Virginia Wolf, 559 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 1: and when George and Martha had their scene together and 560 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 1: George said, our son is dead. You know the big scene. 561 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:48,000 Speaker 1: Our son, he yells in my faith is dead, and 562 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: I went no. At the height of my force, I 563 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:02,160 Speaker 1: said no to him, and I had an orgasm for 564 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: the first time in my life. Yes, really, so, so 565 00:38:06,640 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: this is this is how important that moment was on 566 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:15,680 Speaker 1: stage to me. This is unbelievable, you know. So it's 567 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 1: safe to say this is a very I'm not gonna 568 00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 1: I'm gonna sound like I'm making a joke here, but 569 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:23,720 Speaker 1: I'm only half making Honey. I just think it speaks 570 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:27,520 Speaker 1: volumes about you, about what a real uh creature of 571 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:29,919 Speaker 1: the theater? You want that the only time you ever 572 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 1: had an orgasm, was saying the words of a homosexual man. 573 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 1: I mean it this far from a heterosexual orgasm as 574 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: you could possibly No. I think I'll be very particular 575 00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 1: about who he casts very Did you have a good 576 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:50,120 Speaker 1: relationship with him? You're close. He's very tough, but he's 577 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:55,399 Speaker 1: and he's very fond of me. I got two last 578 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 1: questions for you, and I want you to give me 579 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:03,400 Speaker 1: a simple answer to this first question. I've met a 580 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:05,880 Speaker 1: lot of people in this business, and I've worked with 581 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people who were powerful. Julie Harris played 582 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:11,319 Speaker 1: my mother on a TV series, and I work with 583 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:15,160 Speaker 1: I work with some great people, you know, great great people. 584 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 1: So I'm not so great, but some great ones. And 585 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:19,080 Speaker 1: you're one of the great ones I worked with you. 586 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:23,520 Speaker 1: But just give me a yes or no if you're capable. 587 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:26,759 Speaker 1: And that is, do you realize what you mean to 588 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:28,719 Speaker 1: other people who were in this business, how much they 589 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:30,640 Speaker 1: love you and how much they admire Do you know 590 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,879 Speaker 1: I'm beginning to do you into the mic place. Don't 591 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,760 Speaker 1: talk to you. I'm beginning to because in this business, 592 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:42,120 Speaker 1: as you know, especially for people who themselves are very 593 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:46,560 Speaker 1: talented and or successful, other talented people, that's like um 594 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 1: an aphrodisiac to them. Talent is the greatest aphrodisiac. And 595 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:54,239 Speaker 1: everyone basically says, there's no one more talented than you. 596 00:39:54,239 --> 00:40:00,120 Speaker 1: You're an immensely, immensely incalculably talented woman and people, and 597 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:03,080 Speaker 1: you're a gigantic pain in the ass. Sometimes you're a 598 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:07,320 Speaker 1: legendary pain in the ass. You're a gigantic pain in 599 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:11,799 Speaker 1: the ass. But people don't, you know, they joke about 600 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:14,200 Speaker 1: that because they love you. And why do they love you? 601 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:18,719 Speaker 1: Because you're so talented, you're so funny, you're whatever. Your 602 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:21,640 Speaker 1: timing is impeccable. Now, what are you gonna miss about 603 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:27,520 Speaker 1: New York? The personality of human beings in New York? 604 00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 1: They are so opened and second, they're not watching what 605 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:41,440 Speaker 1: they're doing. They're not you know, they're they're not watching 606 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:44,799 Speaker 1: their language, they're not watching anything. They're just going through 607 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:51,040 Speaker 1: life's day. What yeah, all right, fuck you, you know, 608 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:57,279 Speaker 1: and everybody's and they're engaged by every day is an 609 00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:05,120 Speaker 1: event to New York. Elaine Stritch says she's going to 610 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:07,640 Speaker 1: miss New Yorker's and I can tell you that we 611 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:09,920 Speaker 1: will miss her too. But she's not out of the 612 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:13,960 Speaker 1: spotlight just yet. Elaine Stritch Shoot Me, a documentary about 613 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:17,319 Speaker 1: her life, which I helped to produce, recently premiered at 614 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:20,360 Speaker 1: the Rebecca Film Festival. The film has been picked up 615 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:26,200 Speaker 1: by Sundance Selects for a wider distribution. Are you there, Alex? Yeah, okay, 616 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,160 Speaker 1: I can hear you, sweet, So you're in the kitchen. 617 00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:31,000 Speaker 1: I called Elaine up to ask her how the transition 618 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:34,839 Speaker 1: was going from New York City to Birmingham, Michigan. I 619 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:39,319 Speaker 1: did the right thing moving away from the Carlisle. You know, 620 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:43,560 Speaker 1: you get hung up on perks. You live with perks, 621 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:47,719 Speaker 1: and then your perks run out because you fall and 622 00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:50,040 Speaker 1: break your hip and you blah blah blah blah blah, 623 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:55,120 Speaker 1: and then you have no um, you have no deal card. 624 00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:58,319 Speaker 1: You know what I mean. I'll go down and talk 625 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:01,120 Speaker 1: to the audience for an hour every night, and you 626 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:04,040 Speaker 1: give me my cleaning. Now, that would be a funny 627 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:08,520 Speaker 1: TV show to have you be this famous broad, this 628 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:14,120 Speaker 1: famous cabaret stage actress, award winning actress. And she moves. 629 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:16,480 Speaker 1: Of course, it's a fish out of water story. She 630 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 1: moves back with the cousins and the nieces in Birmingham, 631 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:22,360 Speaker 1: Michigan and what you're used to is bartering with people. 632 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:25,200 Speaker 1: You're walking up to some dry cleaner there and saying, 633 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:26,680 Speaker 1: we'll tell you what do I want you to clean? 634 00:42:26,719 --> 00:42:28,799 Speaker 1: My coach to me and I'll come sing at your 635 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:33,160 Speaker 1: kids bar mitzvah. And they look at you like you 636 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:37,640 Speaker 1: gotta screw loose, like you want to work. The guy 637 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:47,480 Speaker 1: says that'll be sixty please, and the well listen, um, 638 00:42:47,880 --> 00:42:50,480 Speaker 1: I love it and I miss your humor, like, well, 639 00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:53,000 Speaker 1: listen to you. I'm not sure I want to work 640 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 1: with you again. Yeah, I definitely don't want to work 641 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:57,000 Speaker 1: with you again. Definitely don't want to work with me. 642 00:42:57,120 --> 00:43:00,520 Speaker 1: I think we agree. Yeah, I've been Upstay, there's enough 643 00:43:00,920 --> 00:43:05,080 Speaker 1: leading ladies and men. Talk to you later. Goodbye, goodbye, 644 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:10,960 Speaker 1: my darling, Bye bye. This is Alec Baldwin and you're 645 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:12,560 Speaker 1: listening to here's the thing.