WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:09.759 Oh gee is folks, it's showtime. People say, good money 2 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:10.599 to see this movie. 3 00:00:10.919 --> 00:00:13.560 When they go out to a theater, they want clod sodas, 4 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:17.199 hot popcorn, and no monsters in the projection booth. 5 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:19.199 Everyone for tend podcasting isn't boring? 6 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:20.879 Got it off? 7 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:43.240 Hey, folks, welcome to a special bonus interview. This is 8 00:00:43.320 --> 00:00:45.880 the rest of the interview that we had with actor 9 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:48.719 James A. Watson Junior. You can hear a little bit 10 00:00:48.759 --> 00:00:51.679 of that on our airplane to the sequel episode, but 11 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:54.320 here it is in full. Had a wonderful time talking 12 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:56.200 with mister Watson. I hope you have a great time 13 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:58.520 listening to it. Thanks so much and enjoy the show. 14 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:01.200 I would love to know a lot more about you, 15 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:03.520 especially how did you even decide to get into acting. 16 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:07.400 Whenever I would give the speeches or speak in front 17 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:10.040 of a large organization or something, I'd always blame my 18 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:13.959 mother because when I was little, she was a young 19 00:01:14.359 --> 00:01:17.719 mother with three kids that I was the oldest. But 20 00:01:17.799 --> 00:01:20.079 eventually there were five siblings, but at that time it 21 00:01:20.120 --> 00:01:22.920 was just three who lived in Washington, d c. And 22 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:25.439 my father was in a hard working physician and doctor. 23 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:28.200 He was gone all the time, so at night we 24 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:31.319 would she would sneak in a babysitter and to watch 25 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:33.280 my two sisters, and my mother and I would go 26 00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:36.680 out to the movie. And that was a very endearing 27 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:40.959 experience for me. And the Spielberg's story, it's similar to 28 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:44.319 what happened to him. I went to see several films, 29 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:47.799 and I was bitten. At that point, starts following them 30 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:50.280 and got more involved watching television. That's the right thing, 31 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:53.280 I think. The first thing. I promised myself one day 32 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:56.920 I'm gonna have that film and had that film or collected, 33 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:59.959 not knowing that video would be what it is stream 34 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:02.920 and so on. But that started. My mother put me 35 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:05.200 in a couple of workshops during the summer to get 36 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:09.400 me out of her hair, and again I was fun. 37 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.639 In high school, I continued it. I went out for 38 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:15.879 the football team and was working really hard. I started 39 00:02:15.879 --> 00:02:19.680 on the team, the C team, and then in the 40 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:22.599 spring and I worked finally got to the B team. 41 00:02:23.080 --> 00:02:23.280 Fall. 42 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:26.039 We came back for practice and I was coming through 43 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:30.080 the auditorium and they were having auditions for Oklahoma, and 44 00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:32.520 I looked at what was happening, and I said, I 45 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:34.919 can get the girls that way rather than getting myself 46 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:37.360 killed on the football field, So that was the end 47 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.400 of my football careod and I started doing theater in 48 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:44.120 high school, and I continued in college. I went to 49 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:47.439 the University of Redlands. I worked in their drama department 50 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:51.520 and after the second year, but the second year or so, 51 00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:54.560 I wanted to do certain things, so I started producing 52 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:59.039 my own theater there and we did our version of 53 00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:02.759 Golden Boy. It had been on stage when Sammy Davis 54 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:06.120 Julie at the musical, so we did we modified it 55 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:09.639 for our setting it and it was very successful. And 56 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:11.800 there's a friend of mine who had been to Vietnam 57 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:14.919 and he had written a play based on Cousin Zaki's 58 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:19.879 book The Last Temptation of Christ, and ironically Cousin Zachis 59 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:22.039 was going to come to our school and speak, but 60 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:24.919 Mike came to me and said, I'd like to do 61 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.960 this into the play. So we staged it and did it, 62 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:30.840 and that too, was very successful, just before he arrived 63 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:34.360 on campus. Finally, by the end of my senior year. 64 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:37.800 Towards the end of the year, I got two important 65 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:44.479 pieces of meal. One You're drafted Greetings Vietnam, and the 66 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:47.719 second one was you have an opportunity to audition for 67 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:53.360 the Royal Academy from London, so I within the same months. 68 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:56.520 I used to drive my motorcycles from Redlands to Los 69 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:01.719 Angeles and go to CBS Studios and my dorm moother. 70 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:05.280 At school. Knew a director, guy named Doc Livingston, who 71 00:04:05.319 --> 00:04:07.240 directed me but Young and the Restlers or Days of 72 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:10.240 our Lives something like that, and at the end of 73 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:12.840 every Friday, at the end of his work day, he 74 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:16.000 would work with me on my audition Saint. We did 75 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:19.040 that for six weeks and then I flew to San 76 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:23.600 Francisco at ACT did the audition. There were thousands of 77 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:25.959 people all across the country and they were going to 78 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:28.800 take twelve so I could. But within the same week 79 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:33.519 I had gone to my physical and because I have asthma, 80 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:37.319 I failed it and I didn't have to go. They 81 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:39.920 didn't accept the fact that I was a cog subjective 82 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:42.040 because of my faith and religiously I didn't want to 83 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:44.439 kill me, but I didn't believe in the war. So 84 00:04:45.399 --> 00:04:47.879 this curse that I thought I had on my life 85 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:51.639 of being attacked by asthma, which was modified because my 86 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:53.680 father was a doctor, so he could care for me 87 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:57.120 and carefully but I failed the physical and then I 88 00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:01.240 was accepted at the academy and I'm with there and 89 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:04.560 with twelve thirteen other kids. They had gotten a contract 90 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:08.160 in a relationship to stage what they call Royal Academy 91 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:11.600 East or something, and it was in Michigan at a 92 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:13.519 college called Oakland University. 93 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:16.560 That's literally right down the street from me. 94 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:18.399 Are you kidding? Yeah? 95 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:21.199 Now that's where my wife went to. Yeah. 96 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:24.439 Wow, that's a small world. How about that. John Fernold, 97 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.560 who's been the head of Brava in London, had a 98 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:30.120 contract with them and was using their theater. They had 99 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:32.199 a great theater. I don't know what's going on now. 100 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:35.600 They had a beautiful stage and he talked classes with 101 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:38.480 these young kids who had just come in. And then 102 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:41.079 he had a stock company that did you know, shows, 103 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:42.879 and every now and then we were spear carriers in 104 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:46.560 those shows. So I did that for about a year. 105 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:50.519 It was a two year contract or relationship. But after 106 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:54.319 a year I came back to California for some family 107 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:58.800 matters and auditioned that just one Saturday, while I was home, 108 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:02.160 I went across the Bay back to act and audition. 109 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:04.720 They open auditions every week and I auditioned for them, 110 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:08.759 and they did a don't call us, we'll call you 111 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:11.079 kind of thing, but it was nice seeing you, and 112 00:06:11.160 --> 00:06:14.079 a month later they did call me and I joined ACT. 113 00:06:14.839 --> 00:06:18.480 So I was at ACT and working with some great 114 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:22.560 people there, and Michael Lerner and other John Bloom and 115 00:06:22.680 --> 00:06:25.600 all kinds of people that also have a film career 116 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:29.920 later the while was there. The year I was there, 117 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.439 the Great White Hope was winning all the awards on 118 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:37.439 Broadway and the director I was a guest director at the Act, 119 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:40.639 so he was a very foreign old guy and they'd 120 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:44.040 been to the Marine sergeant or something. But I walked 121 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:46.000 up to him and said, excuse me, I'd like to 122 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:49.879 introduce myself and they maybe do an audition for you 123 00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:52.120 just in the future, maybe you might want to use 124 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:55.600 me for something. So he said all right, He said, 125 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:59.519 prepare two speeches, which I went back to my audition 126 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:02.800 reachers and did them. He said, okay, I want you 127 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:05.399 to come back next week and do it again. Came 128 00:07:05.399 --> 00:07:07.720 back the following week and did And there was another 129 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:11.240 guy in the room who happened to meet Lynn Sallmaster, 130 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:15.040 who was the biggest casting director in Hollywood in those days, 131 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:18.040 and he cast me. He said, can you come to 132 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:21.519 Los Angeles and meet the producers because the Miers brothers 133 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:24.839 who did The West Side Story and The Apartment and 134 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:27.800 you name it, In the Heat of the Night, those 135 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:31.600 films which I was totally enamored with, especially West Side 136 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:34.279 Story in the Heat of the Night, And he said, 137 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:37.720 can you come. I came to Los Angeles met and 138 00:07:38.839 --> 00:07:43.560 the met a charming guy named Herbhershman was the line producer. 139 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:46.839 And we met and he said that, okay, you see 140 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:49.720 like a possibility. And our director and his wife were 141 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:52.480 vacationing it back in San Francisco before they come to 142 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:56.079 start work at the film back to Hollywood. So I'm 143 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.680 going to contact them. They're at the hotel. You go 144 00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:04.360 there and meet them, so he said. As I was 145 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:05.920 about to walk out, he wrote me and says, study 146 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:08.439 what's your name again? I'll make a note And I said, 147 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:11.600 James Watson. That's the name of the character in the script. 148 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:15.160 And I said I was cocky then am I said, well, 149 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:17.279 you see it's meant to be. I was twenty two 150 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:21.240 years old, but I looked younger, and he said, could 151 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:24.560 you play basketball? Because of my asthma and all that? 152 00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:27.800 I had danced, and so I could do that, but 153 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:30.639 I hadn't. I couldn't run a lot. So that was 154 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:32.960 one of the reasons I didn't. I gave up football 155 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:37.320 and didn't do me. I didn't do anything extensive in basketball, 156 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:39.840 but I wasn't going to lose the opportunity. So I 157 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:42.559 quickly said, you ever met a black guy wouldn't play basketball? 158 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:46.000 His well, I don't know where these things came from, young, stupid, 159 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:49.679 and ever do And he was okay. So I flew 160 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:54.000 back to after Oakland, San Francisco, and Paul Bogard, who 161 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:56.480 was the director who went on to direct all in 162 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:59.399 the family for many years. I went to his hotel 163 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:03.600 room and his wife opened the door. She was at 164 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:07.360 a bath robe. But I just at the right place, yes, 165 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:09.720 coming in. Paul came in and he was in his 166 00:09:09.879 --> 00:09:12.399 bath row too, and I sat down and it was 167 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:15.799 a little nervous for a second, and we talked in 168 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:17.399 I don't remember if I read it or not, but 169 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:20.200 we had a nice chat. I left and I was 170 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:22.519 doing a play. Now at that time I was part 171 00:09:22.519 --> 00:09:25.159 of the company of act I went back in about 172 00:09:25.159 --> 00:09:27.919 a month later. They called and said, you've got this 173 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:30.799 film and I came to Los Angeles. I was in 174 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:35.360 sixty nine and my first film, Jeff Bridges and Rob 175 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:41.120 Reiner among the cast, and ed Asthma and for the 176 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:44.080 Mirage Company, I had a great experience for them by 177 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:47.480 that and I had a very good lead role in 178 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:51.279 the film, which opened the doors for me in television 179 00:09:51.320 --> 00:09:54.279 and other things. And they weren't many blacks working at 180 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:57.519 that time. Lou Gotchett was around, and LOUI used to 181 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:01.039 tell me every year, I have to get reinvent myself 182 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:04.000 because they don't know what to do with us. And 183 00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:07.799 Sydney was the biggest star black, not only a black 184 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:10.159 but period for about four or five years, even the 185 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:14.039 box office champion. And I did the first film with 186 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:16.799 Jeff for there, and it was called Paul's of Anger 187 00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:22.559 and was based on a story that had occurred in 188 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:25.720 the Boston newspaper when they were integrating schools and so on, 189 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:29.279 and that's what the film is about, integration, and Jeff 190 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:31.360 and I were on opposite sides, of course, but that 191 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:35.159 led to a year later an opportunity to do a 192 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:39.679 film with Sydney Cordier, and once again I had to 193 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:42.759 be unconventional because I had worked for the producers, the 194 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:47.240 same producer, the Miers brothers. When my mother had taught 195 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:49.919 meetings to always be professional and polite and all that 196 00:10:49.960 --> 00:10:53.159 which I was, and beyond time and pincher trade. He said, 197 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:56.360 hit the mark and just say the words. And I 198 00:10:56.440 --> 00:10:59.720 didn't get casts initially in the film it was saying 199 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.799 I saw my actually was casting it as well. So 200 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:06.399 I called up Walter Marriage. I would never do that, 201 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:09.120 BEEAs spake, but I called up Walter Marriage. And I 202 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:13.159 had gotten along very well with him, and said his secretary, 203 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:16.519 and he came on the phone and I went into 204 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:19.080 it was supposed to be a young urban kid. And 205 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:21.639 they didn't cast me because they thought I was too sophisticated, 206 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:25.559 too polished, and not rough enough around the edges quote unquote, 207 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:29.080 not ghetto. On a I put on an act and 208 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:32.240 I said, I went in the character over the phone 209 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:35.519 and used a couple of executives and said a couple 210 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:37.759 of bass I don't swear, I don't do it. And 211 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:40.120 I said, what's the matter with you? You think you know? 212 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:42.080 And I said, you know a couple of things and 213 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:44.679 challenged him, and there was a silence on the other man, 214 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:50.840 and he said, oh, Okay, I'll tell our director to 215 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:53.679 take a look at you. And I said, okay, I 216 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:56.559 say you better. I hung up buddy, and I was, 217 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:59.840 oh my god, I'll never work again. And I went 218 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:03.440 to and they called me to go see the director. Director. 219 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:07.440 It was Gon Medford and they were doing Sidney each 220 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:11.200 was doing the second film in the trilogy of the 221 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:14.480 Order from the Heat of the Night, where he played 222 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:20.480 Virgil TIBs, and it's about drugs infiltraining the community and 223 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:24.559 a group of young vigilanti people in the neighborhood had 224 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:27.600 all been affected by it were challenging the police for 225 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:31.000 not doing enough, and we dragged Sydney in to help us. 226 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:34.519 If you've seen the film, But I went into the 227 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:38.480 room to meet the director because I had learned my 228 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:40.679 lessons at this point is that when you're meeting new 229 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:43.200 people for the first time for certain arts or whatever, 230 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:45.679 you got to walk in the room and be that guy. 231 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:47.960 I can't walk in the room be ple items hawk 232 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:51.039 and then for a transition to go into character. I'm 233 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:54.200 still learning the tricks of the trade that and I 234 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:56.519 walked in. I had my leather pants on and a 235 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:01.000 tank topech my arms out all built up and I 236 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:04.159 had a hat on, I had sunglasses on. I sleeped 237 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:06.279 into the room and in the direct and I stood 238 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:08.919 and looked at the director and then he said, I've 239 00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:11.919 heard very good things about you. Is there any thing 240 00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:14.279 I could look at that would give me some idea 241 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:17.240 if you'd be right for this? I said no, because 242 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:19.679 I ain't gone yet. He said, put me in this film, 243 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:23.720 you see. And he looked at me, went oh, yeah, okay, 244 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:26.080 but you take the glasses off so I could see. 245 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:28.159 So I pulled him down. I looked over him and 246 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:30.200 I looked at him and I said, oh, you one 247 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:33.240 of them. Huh. You're gonna look deep into my soul. 248 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:38.399 That's it. I'm sweating bullets's but I'm acting. And he went, okay, 249 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:42.000 nice meeting you, and I left. Two weeks later, I 250 00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:44.440 get the call, I got the film and said, can 251 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:47.279 you get to the airport slide to San Francisco. I 252 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:49.840 go to San Francisco. They were on the wharf up 253 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:53.039 there shooting the first opening sequence to the film, and 254 00:13:53.080 --> 00:13:55.440 I walked in the first Dad took me over to 255 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:59.120 meet Don, said he's here Don. He was James, And 256 00:13:59.159 --> 00:14:01.399 I walked up and I was this young kid again. 257 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:02.519 I was like, Hi, how you doing. 258 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:02.679 Oh? 259 00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:03.279 This is great? 260 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:04.240 What do we do it? 261 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:07.519 And he looked at me with horror and said, where's 262 00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:09.799 the guy I hired? And I said, oh, I'm mean 263 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:12.240 it's me. He said, you know where. I said, just 264 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:15.639 say action and he said what I said, just say action? 265 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:19.399 He said action and I went into character again and 266 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:23.000 he laughed. He laughed, and we were best friends after that. 267 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:26.919 He said, you got me Okay, cool, cool, go, let's 268 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:29.639 go to work. We had a great time, and he 269 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:32.000 just bought a new corvette and in certain days when 270 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:33.960 I wasn't working, he would throw me the keys and say, 271 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:36.600 just drive the car and hang out. So I'd drive 272 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.279 all over San Francisco and this brand new corvette. So 273 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:42.679 that's how it all started. But from there came back. 274 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:46.440 By that time, I was established, I broken through the casting. 275 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:49.279 People in Hollywood knew me more or less. I had 276 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:52.960 a very good agent. I was able to upgrade from 277 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.000 basically had he just a commercial agent when I got 278 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:00.000 my first film to being at that time a version 279 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:04.679 of CIA, and I was working with some of the 280 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:08.279 top guys who worked all the stars, and I had 281 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:13.399 access there for other roles and started doing that commercials 282 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:17.000 and so on, and that was the role. That's forty 283 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:18.080 something fifty years ago. 284 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.159 It feels like once you started working, you didn't stop 285 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:22.480 for a long time time. 286 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:27.039 No, No, and I still haven't. No. I was blessed. 287 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:29.639 I really was. I again the fact that I could 288 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:32.720 be a little more cosmopolitan. I wasn't the angry young 289 00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:35.159 black man all that they saw. I was very professional. 290 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:37.840 So directors would use me over again and I would. 291 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:41.200 They would put me in different roles, and so back 292 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:43.559 then I was doing Cannon and I did the first 293 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.440 show of the TV show was The Virginian and with 294 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:50.159 Doug McClure and James Durry and Doug and I became 295 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:53.759 great trains until he passed away, and it just met 296 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:57.200 Aaron Spelling and he took to me and so he 297 00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.960 put me in all these shows. I did the Odd 298 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:02.240 Squad several times, Beloved Vote and all those kinds of things, 299 00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:05.559 and it just I was very fortunate that it built 300 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:09.159 and I was in sake that and I was competent 301 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:11.720 enough that they liked the products. One thing I noticed 302 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:14.840 something in your little email you wrote yesterday related to 303 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:18.720 the comedy. And after doing halls of Anger, which is 304 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:22.360 a very serious, brooding kindel film. And then the second 305 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:26.639 film was The Organization with Sydney, again another different kind 306 00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:29.639 of brooding kid. The canting directors wouldn't even though I 307 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:33.240 had good agents, they wouldn't see me for the comedy 308 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:37.720 shows or the situations, any of that stuff. And that 309 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:40.240 went on for almost two and a half years. I 310 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:43.639 couldn't do anything because they said, we know him, we'd 311 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:48.039 see him, but he does rheumatic stuff. He's a theater guy. 312 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:51.840 And I said, oh look, so I said, my agent's 313 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:57.080 got me open audition for Love American Style. I don't 314 00:16:57.080 --> 00:16:59.840 know if you remember that show, oh yeah. And if 315 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:04.319 In the show, the premise was you'd have two twenty 316 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:07.559 minute fifteen to twenty minute little short stook comedy stories 317 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:11.359 with top nine stars who you know, people that were 318 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:14.240 very established, who would come in and do these little roles, 319 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.240 and then Booken being around them, and in between the 320 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:20.480 two acts they had what they called blackouts, and they 321 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:23.599 were the ensemble of the six of us who would 322 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:27.440 just come on and do stupid bug billion things, just 323 00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:32.000 boom stupid jokes, one liners and whatever, and wearing dog 324 00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:36.400 suits and all kinds of nonsense but we really talked 325 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:39.480 about nothing subtle about it at all, and we were 326 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:42.759 also if you got that part, you were also given 327 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:45.920 one of the episodes to be it. I came back. 328 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.079 I actually had been in New York visiting some friends, 329 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:51.920 and I came back, went to the audition to Paramount 330 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:55.359 and closed my eyes again and went into the room. 331 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:57.720 And I because I had two sisters, I used to 332 00:17:57.839 --> 00:18:00.240 keep the company at babysit and so I would act 333 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:03.880 stupid and they'd laugh. So I went in and as 334 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:06.519 that guy and went in the room and just lit 335 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:09.200 it up that way, and I got it. And once 336 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.880 I started doing love American style, and that broke that 337 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:15.640 down so that I could do other comedy shows that 338 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:19.559 we led to, the Norman Lear shows, Jefferson's all the 339 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:22.000 other different shows that he had, I think most of 340 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:25.640 his shows, and it was anything it all today at 341 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:30.039 that point I would do multiple different things again really good. 342 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:32.799 So there was good thirty years of just saying more 343 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.640 films in the airplane, all that sort of thing. I 344 00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:38.480 was blessed. Really when I think about it now and 345 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:42.200 I look how competitive is now. There are more opportunities, 346 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:44.880 which is good. There are more stations, there are more 347 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:47.880 jobs and that sort of things in certain ways, but 348 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:52.039 the competition is keener, and it's still political, both socially 349 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:55.920 and business wise. Any but my daughter's a lovely young 350 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:58.880 actress and she's trying to break in do things. And 351 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.119 she always says to me, Dad, how it I'm so 352 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:04.720 easy for you? Like then, like I'm having a hard time. 353 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:07.279 I said, this is the work I was supposed to 354 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:11.799 do and was my opportunity to reach certain people and 355 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:15.400 try to be a good example to everybody. And I 356 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:18.119 loved it because you know, and then and up to now, 357 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:20.640 I always remained a fan as much as I was 358 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:25.000 a working actor. Norman Spelling was doing a movie of 359 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:28.680 the Week with Edward g Robinson starting at Me, and 360 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:32.799 I was cast opposite him in that movie of the Week, 361 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:36.400 and I couldn't believe it. I'd seen him when I 362 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:38.480 was a kid on TV and all the different shows, 363 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:41.079 and then of course every week every year on Ten 364 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:44.480 Commandments and all these other different things. And there I 365 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:47.920 was on the stage and I kicked his paramount again 366 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:51.759 doing this movie of the Week with him, and we're exchanging, 367 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:54.680 We're right there. It was just exciting. It was fine. 368 00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:58.519 Later on James Barner with Instro The Rockford Files. I 369 00:19:58.599 --> 00:20:03.640 went in there to do one episode and ended up 370 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:07.920 working on several more of his shows. James Garner was 371 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:11.240 probably the nicest speaker I ever met in the industry. 372 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.400 He was so polite and professional and warm, and he 373 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:19.079 made every actor working with him he embraced them, so 374 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:21.880 it was a great experience working with them. So I 375 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:25.440 was so pleased that when you meet people that you 376 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:28.599 idolize that mean from afar, they turned out to be 377 00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:31.440 nice people and get to work with their diet. Another 378 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:35.519 film with James Colburn and Leslie Caron was and a 379 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:39.319 number of other people and Robert Kulp, and I was. 380 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:41.880 Leslie was a few years older than me, but I 381 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:44.519 was still by a young man compared to her, but 382 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:47.400 I didn't let that stop. Yeah, I'd spent some time 383 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:50.200 with her and was charmed by her, and she was 384 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:53.160 just lovely. That's how it works, and has done has 385 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:56.400 working in and I write as well, and I started 386 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:00.119 writing almost the beginning of my career as well as acting. 387 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:04.759 One of the key people that I met had influenced 388 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:07.839 me in that regard was a woman named Renee Balente 389 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.440 who had worked with David Sethkind in New York, and 390 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.599 she had mentored a number of other stars, Burt Reynolds, 391 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:19.359 and that created his career. And when I came to 392 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:23.160 Los Angeles, she was the vice president of Columbia Studios 393 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:25.599 and the head of talent, and they had all kinds 394 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:27.920 of shows on over there, Police Story and all kinds 395 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:30.039 of other things. So I we'd go over there almost 396 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:33.799 every week auditioning for some show, and inevitably I met 397 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:38.119 her and she took a liking, and she took me 398 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:40.839 under her wing and we started spending time together. I 399 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:44.480 met her husband, who was an amazing set designer and 400 00:21:44.680 --> 00:21:47.079 paid and I have a several paintings in my home 401 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.759