WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.080 Hi, this is done. 2 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:04.360 Most you remember me from Happy Days, I still get 3 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.000 on it and you're listening to the Cali D Show. 4 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:10.080 Don Most born in Brooklyn, New York, on the eighth 5 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:13.679 of August nineteen fifty three is an esteemed actor, singer, 6 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:18.559 and director, but more importantly husband to Morgan and father 7 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:22.719 to Madison and McKenzie. His new single, Oh Baby Baby 8 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:24.879 is due to be released on the twenty sixth of 9 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:28.879 March on the Plateau Record label. Hello Darn and thank 10 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:31.120 you so much for joining me today on the Collie 11 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:31.640 D Show. 12 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.000 Oh so nice to be with you, Coller, Thank you 13 00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:34.840 for inviting me. 14 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:36.240 Thank you so much. 15 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:39.920 Oh Baby Baby is a classic nineteen sixty five hit 16 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:43.759 single by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Written by Smokey 17 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:46.560 Robinson and Pete Moore, the song is one of the 18 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:50.159 miracles most covered tunes. The song is a little different 19 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:53.560 from your jazz music. Why is the song so special 20 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:53.920 to you? 21 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:57.799 It's a good question the process in which we picked 22 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:00.880 the song. That are we meaning myself and the producer 23 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.519 Tony Mantor. You're right, it's different. In the past, I've 24 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:07.920 been concentrating more on my music that I've always loved 25 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:11.519 There's been the Great Jazz Standards and Swing and Blues 26 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:15.640 and the Great American Songbook. When I started working with Tony, 27 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:18.280 he liked my last CD that I did, which was 28 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:21.040 had a big band format, and he said, I think 29 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:24.640 we should try something with a more contemporary jazz setting, 30 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:27.480 you know, not that big band sound, which is you know, 31 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:29.959 I mean it's not like it's only from the forties 32 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:30.840 and fifties. 33 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:32.400 I mean people still use it. 34 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:35.719 But he thought the contemporary jets sound might be a 35 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.680 nice change, and I liked the idea of trying it. 36 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:41.719 And then as we started talking, we also thought the 37 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:45.400 idea of introducing some songs from the sixties and seventies 38 00:01:45.480 --> 00:01:48.599 might be good too, because I was a teenager. 39 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:49.400 And young adult in. 40 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:52.040 The sixties and seventies and that's the music that I 41 00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:55.319 also loved. So we said, yeah, it might be nice 42 00:01:55.319 --> 00:01:58.400 to try to integrate some of those songs. And waiting 43 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:02.200 for somebody somewhere at I can't remember, over the music 44 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:06.120 system they had on, I heard Smokey's version of Oh Baby, Baby, 45 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:08.280 and I was like, oh man, what a great song. 46 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:08.759 I forget. 47 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:10.479 I hadn't heard it in a while, and it was 48 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:13.520 perfect timing, and I said, and this might be really 49 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:16.439 interesting to do. And I played it for Tony and 50 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:18.479 he always loved the song, and so we. 51 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:20.639 Decided to do it and came up with a really 52 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:23.080 nice you know, with one of his musicians that he 53 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:26.120 works with on the arrangements and approach to it that 54 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:27.039 was a little different. 55 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:29.639 And then as I got into the studio and started 56 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:32.240 working with the musicians, it took on a life of 57 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:34.639 its own and I'm really happy with the way it 58 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:35.080 came out. 59 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:36.039 It's really nice. 60 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:38.400 It's an absolutely beautiful song, and you just sing it 61 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:40.680 so well, and I think it's certainly a tuned to 62 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:42.960 your voice because of the jazz. 63 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:45.039 It has a little bit of the original R and 64 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:47.759 B field, but mixed in with a little bit of jazz. 65 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.599 So it's an interesting mix. So who knows, you know, 66 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:53.560 and maybe it'll lead to me doing more of that style. 67 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:55.479 I don't know, We'll see, yeah, of course. 68 00:02:55.800 --> 00:02:57.520 And let's go back to the early days. 69 00:02:57.639 --> 00:02:59.879 At a very young age, you wanted to be an 70 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:03.439 enter taina and you saw the Jolson story. What was 71 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:05.599 it about the film that captured your imagination. 72 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:08.639 That's a good question. I wish I knew the answer 73 00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:11.800 to that. I was nine years old when I saw the. 74 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:14.840 Movie The Jolson Story, which was a you know, biopic 75 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:18.919 of great Al Jolson, who was considered the greatest entertainer 76 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:21.240 in the world at the time when he was famous 77 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:22.840 in the twenties and thirties. 78 00:03:23.080 --> 00:03:27.280 He actually did the Original Jazz Singer, the first talking picture. 79 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:28.439 He starred in that. 80 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:31.240 But when I saw the movie about his life, Like 81 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:33.759 I said, it was nine and I just loved it, 82 00:03:33.800 --> 00:03:35.879 and it had a much bigger impact. 83 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:37.280 Than almost anything I had seen. 84 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.120 And it was something about, you know, the music and 85 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:43.840 Jolson's talent, and even though it was played by Larry Parks, 86 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:47.280 it was Jolson's singing, yes, and Parks did a great 87 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:50.439 job of bringing Jolson to life. I was just really 88 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:54.680 captured by the story, but mainly his talent and that music, 89 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:57.840 and it led me to start researching and finding out 90 00:03:57.919 --> 00:03:59.919 more of that kind of music, even. 91 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.719 Though I was pretty young. 92 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:03.840 I started listening to a radio station in New York 93 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:06.199 where I grew up. Every night it was a guy 94 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.000 called William B. Williams, and he would. 95 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.319 Play all of the great standards and all those great 96 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:16.360 classic singers and Sinatra and Nat King, Cole and Ella 97 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:20.319 Fitzgerald and doing all the great jazz standards and balads whatever. 98 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:23.000 I got an education listening. 99 00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:25.800 To him on that radio show, and I developed a 100 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:27.439 huge love for that music. 101 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:28.240 Oh wonderful. 102 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.360 And did it influence her to become a singer and 103 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:31.959 an actor at that time? 104 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:35.800 Yeah, It's funny because it influenced me in the beginning, 105 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:37.639 mainly to pursue singing. 106 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:40.199 Yes, and that's what I would call my first love. 107 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:42.680 I enjoyed acting, you know when I did it and 108 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:45.199 plays at school or here and there, but it was 109 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:47.480 singing at that age, at the age of thirteen. 110 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:52.639 My school in Manhattan take the subway from Brooklyn into Manhattan. 111 00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:54.160 And it was a school where they taught It was 112 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.800 mainly for young teenagers and kids singing and acting and dancing. 113 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:02.079 Yes, isn't really interested in dancing, but they made me. 114 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:02.480 You know. 115 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:05.800 It was this thing that I really wanted to pursue. 116 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:06.600 And then as a. 117 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:09.319 Matter of fact, I got picked from that school to 118 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:12.600 be part of a troop a nightclub review comprised of 119 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:16.480 seven teenagers ages fourteen to sixteen, to be in this 120 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:20.519 nightclub act, and I performed in it during the summer 121 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.399 that I was turning fifteen years old up in the 122 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:27.079 hotels that were in the cats Still Mountains, famous resort 123 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:29.680 area of State New York. So I spent that summer 124 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:33.120 singing in the nightclubs and I loved it, you know. 125 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:35.079 So I was so excited. 126 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:39.560 But then the funny thing is, after that summer, after discussions, 127 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:42.519 but I don't know, let I decided after talking to 128 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:43.040 my father. 129 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:44.800 You know, he wasn't pushing me at all. 130 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.079 I was the one who really wanted to do it, 131 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:49.560 but he was supportive. It was his suggestion that I 132 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.920 maybe take a serious acting class, yes, and I thought, 133 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:56.160 oh okay. I was starting to really get into film 134 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:59.519 cinema at that point and watching some great movies, and 135 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:02.160 so I liked the idea. And I got into this 136 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:05.600 really good acting workshop and I loved it. And that's 137 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:08.319 when I put the music aside and I just shifted 138 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:09.959 my focus towards acting. 139 00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:14.000 Yeah, one day the music would come back in some way. 140 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:16.800 I don't know why we did this long better late 141 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:17.079 than that. 142 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:20.399 Yeah, because I was researching the Busch Bels in the 143 00:06:20.439 --> 00:06:23.399 New York Catskills Mountains between the fifties and the seventies, 144 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:27.800 and it was an amazing vacation destination. The resort closed 145 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:31.560 in nineteen eighty six, but the comedians who came out 146 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:34.560 of Bousch Belt was amazing. I've just been watching it 147 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.639 a little bit earlier. Absolutely fantastic, brilliant place. 148 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:40.879 You were able to find this a line or something, 149 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.000 you found some info on it, found. 150 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:44.279 All about the Bousch Belts. 151 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:48.120 The Concord Resort hotel closed in nineteen ninety eight, and 152 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:51.240 it tells you all about Joan Rivers was there, Jerry 153 00:06:51.319 --> 00:06:52.040 Lewis was there. 154 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:55.279 The stars were performing up there in the fifth Jerry 155 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:59.240 Lewis's mention, Yeah, probably being Martin and a lot of 156 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:00.360 the big comic You're. 157 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:02.920 Right, a lot of almost all of those, the. 158 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:05.959 Ones that became famous that we know of in the sixties, 159 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:09.480 seventies and eighties, they performed in the borschh Bell Yeah, 160 00:07:09.720 --> 00:07:11.480 and some singers too, probably. 161 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:14.759 Yeah. It has quite a legacy and history. That was 162 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:17.319 the one hotel I didn't get to perform at the Court. 163 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:20.240 It was the big one. There were probably thirty other ones, 164 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:20.519 you know. 165 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:23.680 Yeah, I was able to perform at all of them, 166 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:26.040 but I never got to play the Concord That was 167 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:28.480 That was a little bit of a disappointing thing, but 168 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:31.000 you know, now I'm doing it in all kinds of 169 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:32.000 other places, so. 170 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:32.519 That's all right. 171 00:07:32.600 --> 00:07:36.120 Yeah, your first TV screen credit came in the TV 172 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:37.199 show Emergency. 173 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:40.839 Was actually Room to twenty two was right before Emergency. 174 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:44.199 Yeah they were close together, but yes, Emergency was the 175 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:46.800 second one. When I came out to LA when I 176 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:48.720 was twenty years old, i'd been doing a lot of 177 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:52.199 commercials in New York. I did about forty commercials, and 178 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:54.759 a lot of them were big national commercials. But my 179 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:58.399 first real TV job first too was Room to twenty 180 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:02.680 two and an Emergency, and I was more interested in drama, yes, 181 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:05.680 and not comedy. An Emergency I played a guy who 182 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:08.399 became paralyzed in a car accident, and I did a 183 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:11.319 police story was the name of the show, where I 184 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:14.399 played a psychopath, a mad bomber. 185 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:18.720 So I was really into doing drama. Yeah, that just 186 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:20.040 so happened, you know. Then when I. 187 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:23.920 Landed Happy Days in comedy, and that's when I became 188 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:26.800 known for that. I was a big Jack Nicholson fan, 189 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:30.759 and so I wanted to do films like he was doing. 190 00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:35.360 Yeah, something similar. Because the character Ralph was not initially 191 00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:39.919 there because of your charisma and natural comedic timing. They 192 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:44.559 reworked the part and transformed Ralph Mouth into the beloved 193 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:48.519 class comedian. So you actually went for the role of Potsy. 194 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:51.440 But I think what you did in the role of 195 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:54.399 Ralph was fantastic and your comedy time and as they say, 196 00:08:54.519 --> 00:08:55.039 was amazing. 197 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:56.080 Thank you so much. 198 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:00.639 Did originally auditioned for Potsy and but they wanted Anson 199 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:05.039 and Ron. Anson Williams had originally done Potzi and Ritchie 200 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:08.519 and it did well two years prior. It didn't make 201 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:12.360 it onto the air, but then fifties became popular with 202 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:17.240 American graffiti and Greece on Broadway, so then they decided, oh, 203 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:20.240 we should do this show. The network told Gary Marshall 204 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:22.799 that they were concerned Ron and Anson would be too 205 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:26.200 old now, and Gary said no, he had to screen 206 00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:28.799 test Ron and Anson even though they had already done 207 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:32.440 it along with about seven other popeful actors. I was 208 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.320 one of them auditioned from Potzi. So they called my 209 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:37.399 agent and said, no, they're going to go with Anson 210 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:41.440 Williams again. But they liked Don's donnies at the time 211 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:44.240 screen tests so much they wanted to create a role 212 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:46.600 for him. And there was a small part in the 213 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:49.879 pilot script and they said, well, we'll make that into 214 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:53.399 a regular role, and so that's how that happened. 215 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:55.960 Do you have any fond memories of your time in 216 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:56.759 Happy Days? 217 00:09:57.360 --> 00:09:59.879 Oh? Yeah, it was an incredible experience. 218 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:00.480 Yeah. 219 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:03.240 You know, the greatest thing about it was the people 220 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:07.480 that I got to work with, Yes, was fantastic. Yeah, 221 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:12.240 not only professionally but personally. We got along like family, 222 00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:15.559 and we really did. And then we had wonderful people 223 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:19.879 producer directors like Gary Marshall as the creator of the 224 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:23.600 show and the executive producer and a mentor to us, 225 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:28.440 and our director Jerry Parris, who was fantastic. So it 226 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:31.840 was a wonderful, wonderful experience, as I feel very grateful 227 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:34.000 that I got to have that at that age and 228 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:37.720 learn so much and grow with great people around me. 229 00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:41.440 The directors let Cass be very creative, so you put 230 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:45.679 your own individual stamp on each character, and that's when 231 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:49.240 all your catchphrases came in with the fons hey, and 232 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:51.639 then yours was I still got it, which is a 233 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:52.840 great catchphrase in itself. 234 00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:55.600 Yeah, that was in the script and I actually put 235 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:58.919 it in because our director Jerry Paris used to say 236 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:00.480 that he was much more. 237 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:02.639 Like Ralph than I was. I was really the guy 238 00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:03.080 that was. 239 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:04.840 Always trying to be funny, you know. I was a 240 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:07.399 good audience for the other people who liked to do that. 241 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:10.399 I was that kind of a guy. But Jerry was 242 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:10.840 like that. 243 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:14.240 He loved to crack everybody up, and when he. 244 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:17.840 Did a particularly good reaction, he would sit. I still 245 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:20.919 got it like that. So I decided one day I 246 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:23.759 didn't tell anybody we were shooting in front of an audience, 247 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:26.279 and I told Ryan, I said, be prepared, I'm going 248 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:29.440 to do something that's not in the script and right 249 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:30.039 about here. 250 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:32.399 So he said, okay, I'll be ready for it. 251 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.120 And then I did the line and everyone loved it, 252 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:37.919 and then they started writing it in more and more. 253 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:39.320 And something beautiful happened. 254 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:42.200 You met your lovely wife on the set of Happy Days, 255 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:45.519 and you married actress Morgan Hart in nineteen eighty two, 256 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:49.840 and you have two beautiful children from that lovely Yes, yes. 257 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:52.399 Thank god I met Morgan. It turned out to be 258 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:55.039 the last season that I did on Happy Days, because 259 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:58.360 I wound up doing seven of the eleven seasons. After 260 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.440 the seventh, my contract was up, and for different reasons, 261 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:03.200 I decided it was time to move on. 262 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:07.399 Luckily Morgan, I was cast as in a guest role 263 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:11.080 in that last season, so we hit it off right 264 00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:14.399 away and started dating and two years later got married 265 00:12:14.440 --> 00:12:16.639 and now we've been married thirty nine years. 266 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:17.600 Absolutely amazing. 267 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:21.200 I have two wonderful daughters. Yeah, thank god. That was 268 00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:25.360 another reason I'm so thankful for halfy days, the biggest one. 269 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:26.320 Yeah, of course. 270 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:30.399 And in nineteen seventy six you chopped the Billboard charts with. 271 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:32.679 All Roads Lead Back to You and that's a really 272 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:34.679 nice track. I listened to that a little bit earlier. 273 00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:37.240 Oh well, yeah, that was much more of a pop 274 00:12:37.559 --> 00:12:39.480 It was, you know, pop kind of thing, which I 275 00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:41.720 was looking to do rock kind of stuff. 276 00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:44.480 But when I had the opportunity to be. 277 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:47.559 Signed to a label United Artists, they wouldn't let me 278 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:51.159 do the music that I loved because in the seventies 279 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:54.080 seventy six, you know, the Great American Songbook and those 280 00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:56.799 jazz standards were not considered commercial at all. 281 00:12:56.840 --> 00:13:00.600 Of course, it was as like my parents, so Grandpa music. 282 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:02.720 So I had to do something a little bit more 283 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:05.840 of in the pop vein, and I figured Okay, you know, 284 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:07.200 let's let's try it. 285 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:10.480 Give me an opportunity to get in the recording studio 286 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:11.840 and see what happens. 287 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:14.559 And yeah, some of this stuff came out pretty good. 288 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:16.799 Yeah it's not it's not my favorite. 289 00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:18.519 I'm much more, you know, I have much more of 290 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:21.919 an affinity if you listen to my not only Ubaby Baby, 291 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:25.039 but the CD before that was three years ago, d 292 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:28.919 most mostly swinging, and it's with a big band and 293 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:32.960 arrangements and all the wonderful songs from that year of 294 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:36.080 the twenties, thirties and forties, and it cooks, you know, 295 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:39.360 And so I love that's more my wheelhouse and what 296 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:42.039 I did with you know, ooh Baby Baby, because it's 297 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:45.039 kind of a nice blend of jazz and R and B. 298 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:50.039 So yeah, but seventy six it's another great experience that 299 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:52.240 I learned a lot being in that studio. 300 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:54.240 Wonderful musicians on those tracks. 301 00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:55.279 Yeah, of course. 302 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:57.360 And then you went into TV and you've got some 303 00:13:57.480 --> 00:14:01.559 incredible film credits, Crazy Mama, The Yankees, the Great Book 304 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:06.080 Howard starring John Malkovich, and you're in Glee Star Trek 305 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:08.159 and you played Korren. 306 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:10.360 Yah it was doctor Kayden was I was the villain 307 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:13.080 a two part star Trek Voyager. 308 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:14.360 Yeah, and Lee. 309 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:17.000 I had a nice recurring role as the father of 310 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:21.960 one of the Lee characters, Emma by Jay James, and Yeah, 311 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:24.120 and then a lot of Buck Howard that was fun 312 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.039 to do with to work with John Malkovich. 313 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:28.399 I worked with Ron Howard in one. 314 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:31.639 Of his movies at TV, so that was a great 315 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.240 joy to work with Ron again a big film. Recently, 316 00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:37.960 I've done some really interesting you know, it was a 317 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:42.000 little difficult after Happy Days breaking away from Ralph and 318 00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:45.080 that kind of comedy. So it took a while to 319 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:47.639 keep but I kept plugging away, and you know, opening 320 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:50.200 up the door a little bit further and further. And 321 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.559 I think because I'm older, it's getting easier because yeah, 322 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:56.279 obviously I can't play a teenager in high school or 323 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:57.320 college anymore. 324 00:14:57.559 --> 00:14:58.759 You know, I'm getting more. 325 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:02.440 Roles offered to me different kinds of genre and content. 326 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:05.559 So there's a film called Lost Heart that is out 327 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:08.919 on Amazon Prime now that just came a few months ago. 328 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:12.480 It's a really lovely film, that comedy drama. I play 329 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:16.279 a small town pastor in it. And another film called 330 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:20.159 Man's Best Friend, very powerful dramatic piece where I play 331 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:20.919 a defense. 332 00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:25.080 Attorney representing a wounded VET, and that's on Amazon Prime too, 333 00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:27.879 So I'm loving the fact that I'm starting to really 334 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:31.320 get a wider variety of roles that are coming my way. 335 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.120 Yeah, of course TV. 336 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:36.840 And then what pivotal moment after working in the front 337 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:38.879 of the camera you realize that you had a lifelong 338 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:41.159 ambition to direct because he did not first, did you? 339 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:43.360 I don't think you know what it happened for me 340 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:45.879 as a result of there was a period when I 341 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:49.320 was getting frustrated that I wasn't getting the opportunities. 342 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:51.000 It was even hard for me to get the. 343 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:54.039 Auditions for the movies that I wanted to be up 344 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:55.720 for and the kinds of roles. 345 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:57.639 So somewhere in the early. 346 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.759 Nineties, I think it was I had an opportunity to 347 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:03.159 wrecked a play at a small theater in Los Angeles, 348 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:04.960 and I said, you know, I knew i'd want to 349 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:05.600 direct at. 350 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:08.720 Some point, not this soon, but let's try it. So 351 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:11.279 I directed this play that a play that I was 352 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:14.159 familiar with, and it turned out great. You know, I 353 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:17.200 had a great response and reviews and all that. So 354 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:20.120 I did more. I did several more plays and one act. 355 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:23.159 Plays, and then I knew I'd like to now take 356 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:26.799 that to film because I always was into photography and 357 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:31.519 into the visual and the composition, so I thought doing 358 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:33.960 a film I wanted to try as well. And I 359 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:36.960 found a script that I really liked and it could 360 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:40.879 be done low budget without sacrificing because it was the 361 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:43.720 way the structure of the film, where it took place, 362 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:46.360 the locations, you could do it on a low budget. 363 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.919 I met a producer that had experience that was really 364 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:52.159 like the script too. We were lucky, we were able 365 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:55.840 to raise money from his friends, family, that kind of thing. 366 00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:59.360 And I got to make the Last Best Sundays in 367 00:16:59.399 --> 00:16:59.960 the name of It. 368 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:03.960 And I know that at premiered at the Seattle International 369 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:07.400 Film Festival, and you won the Best Feature at the 370 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:08.799 Tell You Ride IndieFest. 371 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:10.079 Congratulations. 372 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:12.759 Yeah, so that was great. 373 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:16.160 It was great, and people can see that it's on well, 374 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:18.160 I don't know, there's a platform called. 375 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:19.960 To B to UBI here. 376 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.319 I don't know if you have that there, but it's 377 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:24.759 showing there and it's going to be expanding to some 378 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:27.920 other places. And then the next film I directed is 379 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:30.680 on Amazon Crime right now called Mulah. 380 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:31.000 Yeah. 381 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:35.440 Yeah, really fun project, comedy that has some real heart 382 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:37.519 to it and a little bit of drama, but it's 383 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:40.799 more in a comedy. Great cast. Yeah, people could check 384 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:44.680 that out on Amazon Prime. You'll recognize most of the 385 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:45.359 actors in it. 386 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:46.880 Yes, they're pretty well. 387 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:50.559 Known because you won the Outstanding Achievement in Directing award 388 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:54.160 and premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival in two 389 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:54.960 thousand and seven. 390 00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:55.519 Yeah. 391 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:58.680 I was so proud of that, winning that award for 392 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:00.720 directing at that festival. 393 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:02.440 It meant a lot to me. 394 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.599 We had a great reaction when it played at one 395 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:08.319 of the screenings at the festival. 396 00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:11.680 It had a fabulous reaction. So that was a pretty 397 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:14.480 you know, it was a very meaningful weekend. 398 00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:17.400 I remember getting that ward and the reaction, and this 399 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:21.960 project I developed from scratch with the executive producer, from 400 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:25.599 real events that had happened. We developed the story together, 401 00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:28.000