Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - 116. Matthew Broderick

Episode Date: August 15, 2016

Two time Tony-winning actor Matthew Broderick drops by the studio between theater performances to talk about his days as a struggling young actor, his friendship with "Max Dugan Returns" co-star Jason Robards, his love of Turner Classic Movies and his memories of working alongside legends like Sean Connery, Sidney Lumet, Neil Simon and Mel Brooks. Also, Matthew mimics Marlon Brando, lauds Jack Lemmon, defends "Godzilla" and runs afoul of the Secret Service. PLUS: "The 2000 Year Old Man"! Praising Christopher Walken! Peter Lorre blows the audition! Nathan Lane does Bert Lahr! And Bruno Kirby plots his revenge! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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merchandise, personalized roasts, and shoutouts, advanced access to episodes or personal messages from me, Gilbert Gottfried. And if we raise enough, maybe I can finally get a new co-host. I'm thinking of the Scarlett Johansson robot. Hi, I'm Gilbert Gottfried. This is Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast. I'm here with my co-host, Frank Santopadre. We're once again recording at Nutmeg with our engineer, Frank Verderosa. Our guest this week is one of the busiest, most versatile, and most admired actors of the past four decades.

You know his work from iconic movies like War Games, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and The Lion King, as well as dozens of other popular films, including Glory, Biloxi Blues, Torch Song Trilogy, The Freshman, The Cable Guy, Inspector Gadget, Tower Heist, B-Movie, and the film that the two hosts of this show are especially fond of, Election. Notable TV appearances include Frasier, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Modern Family, Louis and the Jim Gaffigan Show, as well as made-for-TV movies like The Music Man and A Life in the Theater. In a career spanning 35 years, he's worked with icons like Jack Lemmon, Marlon Brando, Neil Simon, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Mike Nichols, and Sean Connery, to name but a few. But there's more.

He's also a busy and celebrated stage performer who starred in hit shows such as Brighton Beach Memoirs, It's Only a Play, The Odd Couple, Nice Work If You Can Get It, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, for which he won a Tony Award as Best Actor, and of course the timid accountant, Leo Bloom in Mel Brooks the Producers. Leo Bloom in Mel Brooks, the producers. Please welcome to the show a fellow admirer of the great Sidney Lumet and a man far too famous and successful to be appearing on this podcast, Matthew Broderick.

Thank you. Thank you for that lengthy introduction. Yeah, that was a two-pager. Yeah, you can leave now. That was basically. So that's it? That was great. That's the intro that's two pages. Thank you. Thank you for that lengthy introduction. Yeah, that was a two-pager. Yeah, you can leave now. So that's it? That's the real intro that's two pages. And I got to tell you, as we're recording today, Matt, you have already done a matinee. Yes.

So you've done a matinee, and in the middle of it, you're doing this interview, and then you've got to rush back tonight to do another play. I know. So we appreciate that. Oh, my pleasure. What a trooper. But I have to preface this interview by saying what everyone has told me not to say. Uh-oh. I fucking hated Ferris Bueller's Day.

Well, way to welcome the guy. Who told you not to say that? I may have said don't lead with it. Oh, don't lead with it. Warm him up. Yeah. Why do you hate it? I don't.

I mean, like we had Peter Bogdanovich on this show. Yeah. His mother saw. Do you like Paper Moon? We do. Yeah. Yeah. His mother had seen Rebel on this show. Yeah. His mother saw. Do you like Paper Moon? We do. Yeah. Yeah. His mother had seen Rebel Without a Cause.

Yeah. And she hated it. And she said that it idolizes like, you know, just everything young people do is great. Yeah. And old people are idiots. Right. I hate that kind of movie too. I know what she means.

Yeah. Right. I hate that kind of movie, too. I know what she means. Yeah. Now, what is interesting is you now, as an adult and a married man with children, what do you think of both the movie and the character of Ferris Bueller? Well, unlike you, I like the movie. Fuck you, I don't like it. Fuck you, too. You could say fuck on this show. Yeah, so supplies the internet. That's. He's fucking too. You could say fuck on this show? Yes. It's the internet. Blowjob anything.

Really? Wow. It's loose. For the home viewer, I'm blushing. Yes, he is. I can attest to it. You know, I love that movie. I mean, I hate young people too.

I know what you mean. But I like that. You know, I think John Hughes hate young people too. I know what you mean. But I like that. You know, I think John Hughes did a beautiful job. I think it's like a wonderful little lark. And I'm amazed at how it's held up. Just celebrated an anniversary. 30 years, I think. Yeah.

Everybody keeps telling me their happy birthday. 30 years. A lot of people come up to you and do dial-up. Well, five. Five. Yeah. But it's interesting that after the success of that movie, a movie I fucking hated, by the way. Yeah, you said it.

But he loves election. I did. We're trying to mitigate this. Thanks. And it's like I'm sure after the success of that movie, people are coming to you with's like, I'm sure after the success of that movie, people are coming to you with scripts like, oh, this is a smart ass guy who is always wheeling and dealing ahead of everybody. Yeah. You know, I was a little bit doing that before because the Neil Simon plays, you know, Brighton Beach and was a kind of a wisecracking writer guy. Different.

Yeah. A little bit. But I was already in the habit of the kind of know-it-all or whatever. And after that, yeah, you know, like everybody, though, you try, particularly when you're starting out, you get scared. I'm going to just always have to, I i gotta make sure i show everybody i can do everything you know so i was very i was trying it might not look like it but i was always trying to find parts that were uh different from what i had just done you know because ferris bueller

is this character who did i mention you hate yeah and and when i see you in that and this is a compliment actually because when i see you in that, and this is a compliment, actually, because when I see you in that, I want to punch you out. Right. Thank you. That's how convincing it is. It's great. But then you also do films like Election and other parts where you're a total loser. Yeah.

And you're just like dumped on. And I believe that when you do it. You do? Yeah. That's a brave part, Jim McAllister. Jim McAllister. I love that part. I love that book.

I read it and I just laughed when I read it. Tom Parada. Yeah, Tom Parada and the screenplay too. Alexander Payne. screenplay too um alexander pain and um it was uh yeah i hadn't played a part that dumpy i don't think at that point then i got stuck in those for a while though ah you know anytime you have any anything goes well they go this is what yeah and you do too and then you think oh god i've been playing these kind of schmucky put upon guysupon guys for, oh, five years past. And you say, what's happened?

Maybe a credit to you, though, because that role is so, you're just so perfect in it. Well, thank you. Yeah, no, it's a great role. But even that, I started feeling like I got to make sure that it doesn't seem like I always have to play the schlub. I got to make sure that it doesn't seem like I always have to play the schlub. You know what's funny? Because we just presented at the Film Forum. And we just introduced the king of comedy.

Yeah. And election. Jim Taylor wrote the screenplay. For some reason, my brain is my good friend. He's like one of my closest friends. At the honor of interviewing him. My brain went out. Jim Taylor. I find a correlation between the two because I said like Gene Siss. No, Roger Ebert.

Wait, which movie are you? Did you just say? Election. No, no. Oh, King of Comedy. Yeah, Comedy. Okay. Roger Ebert said of King of Comedy that it's frustrating to watch and uncomfortable to remember, but it's effective.

Yeah. And I get that feeling with election. Yeah. It's not exactly an entertainment in some way. No, no. Yeah. It's sort of painful. High squirm factor.

Very much. Yeah. That's true. That's a good point. And I definitely feel that with King of Comedy too. Yeah. Like nothing happens the way you want it to in that movie that's what gilbert said about the king of comedy it takes you there and it doesn't give

you the payoff just even being jerry lewis's character and it just looks so unpleasant just oh yeah being chased through the streets and his cars that he's in and his glasses look uncomfortable that moment in election where you're sipping i guess guess it's a shake or it's an ice cream soda or something at the end. Oh, at the end. And you do the buildup where you gradually go from forgiveness to who the fuck does she think? And you throw the, you run after it. That was a reshoot too. Really?

That's not the original ending. That was shot months later. It's so effective. the original ending that was shot months later it's so effective because that shows in the film like like a movie that you'd feel happy with yeah you'd go i i don't i'm not angry at her and i've gotten over it i've grown yeah i've learned something throughout this film yeah he learns nothing yeah we did an episode about it we We did a mini episode just about election. Yeah. And on this show, we talk about how few actual black comedies you see anymore. Yeah. There's the Jeffersons.

I'll cut that out. Good times. We talk about movies. This is very controversial. You're a movie buff. And movies like Where's Papa. Yeah. You know, that they don't do what you saw in the 70s, those kind of really dark comedies.

Yes. Aren't done so well or so often today. And election is one that really nails it. No. saw in the 70s those kind of really dark comedies aren't done so well or so often today an election is one that really nails it no he loves the 70s and uh even cut in 70s footage toward the end of that movie there's working in new york they show just people from the 70s for no reason at all except that he likes that you know that i don't know if this is amusing but i the scene right through the soda yeah or the the slurpee or whatever at the car we did one take and the alexander payne said when you run you know because i throw it and then i

chicken out and run because the car stops it's great so it stops as a close-up and i turn around and i run and the white house is behind me actually i don't know if you can see in the film across that little park right because she goes to work for yeah so he said just run into that park you know just run and just keep running because it might even be the end of the movie you know the credits could start as you're just disappearing this little person running off into washington so i just ran straight into that park and every like what i thought was a homeless man in the park across the street from the White House are all Secret Service. There's a team in the Secret Service. Who just saw me running as fast as I could toward the White House.

And all came at me. I swear to God, there were like 20 guys around me immediately. Wow. Dressed like bums and everything. You know, the newspaper guy, the hot dog man, everybody was on me. So don't just run like a crazy person across the street from the warehouse. Gilbert, take the heed that advice. I want to give a shout out, too, to some of his other films.

I mean, their films. I mean, Citizen Ruth is great. Yeah, I love Citizen Ruth. And about Schmidt. Yeah. No, he's great. I'll see anything he makes. Me, too.

Let's talk about, you're a New Yorker like us. Let's just talk a little bit about growing up here in the city. And I know you're, I was telling Gilbert, you're a TCM watcher. You're an old movie buff. I am. And you grew up, your dad was also an actor, James Broderick. Yeah. And we were, Gil and I were talking about him.

And we were talking about a Twilight Zone episode. Yeah. That he's in with James Whitmore. That's true. Yeah. And Gil and I were talking about him, and we were talking about a Twilight Zone episode that he's in with James Whitmore. That's true. Yeah. Yeah, and it's an odd length, so you don't see it very often. It's one of the hour-long ones? So that was one of those hour- Yeah, like, yeah, or 45 minutes or something.

There's a few of those. Yeah, and they don't put them on the regular Channel 11 at 11.30 when I was a kid or whatever it was. It's like one of my favorite Twilight Zones. It has to be Marathon then you'll see it. Yeah, one of my favorite Twilight Zones is the Gig Young one. I don't know if I know that one. That's like a mile from home where

he goes back to his home. Is that where he meets his own himself as a child? Yes, he meets himself. And that's one of those hour long. On Thursday we leave for home with James Whitmore and your dad. Is that what it's called? Yeah. I have a still from it.

Yeah. There's a little clip on YouTube. And if you go to Hulu and you pay the two bucks, you can watch it. A guy who was in it said, I have this picture of your dad. Wow. Yeah. He came to a play just not that long ago. And he brought me this.

He said, you'd probably like to have this. Watched your dad in Dog Day Afternoon. Yeah. I watched him shoot some of that. You did? Tell us. I went on the train with him and spent the evening watching them all pretend to be hot in very cold weather. Agent Sheldon. Agent Sheldon.

FBI Agent Sheldon. I just watched it again last night. I met Al Pacino while they were shooting. And I was, for the first time that I remember, starstruck. Unable to, I was like, I'm going to, I'm going to, I was like that when I met him. Do you remember anything about Al Pacino, how he was working there? No, I didn't. I was just a kid. I just remember, I couldn't believe it was Al Pacino.

Yeah. Because I guess, I don't know why I would, I guess because of Godfather already. Oh, yeah. You must have been 12 or something. Something like that. Yeah. Yeah. We will return

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and also The Group. Yep. With Candace Bergen. Yep. And a bunch of, I believe, live television things in the 50s. Oh, cool. You know, like. I know that.

Yeah. You know, theater, whatever those are called. Playhouse 90 and that kind of stuff. Craft Playhouse. Oh, and he did the Iceman Cometh that Sidney directed with Jason Robards for live television. Oh, I forgot one. Which you can buy. Iceman Cometh.

Now, that was a story I found interesting, is that after your father passed away, you were doing The Return of Max Dugan with Jason Robards, who was a friend of your father. That's right. And he helped you deal with your father's death. That's true. Yeah, it was my very first job.

I knew my father was sick, more than sick. I knew he was not going to live, honestly. And it was my first job, and I didn't know anybody in California. And I didn't even tell anybody at work. They didn't know. But I told Jason had known my father. So I did tell him. And he said he was just so miserable to hear it.

But from then on, basically, always made sure I was in the group that went to the commissary. Just took me to his house, his son, everything. He just took care of me, basically. So he treated you like his son? Yeah, he kind of did. I mean, he was a hilarious person, too. It wasn't all like, you know, he was just a great guy. And I remember I smoked

at the time, and he had quit smoking, and I was walking by his camper, and I said, no, I won't come in. I have a cigarette. And he said, no, come in. I like to breathe in. So he a cigarette. And he said, no, come in. I like to breathe it in. So he'd make me come into his camper with my cigarette. It's a nice story that he did that for you. Except cancer later. Except for that. No, but your dad's work, I mean, I want to tell our listeners, too, to check out Alice's Restaurant. Yeah, that, too.

Fun in that one. Yeah. No, Jason was amazing to me. And I think he had that. There were a couple of there were he was one of those guys who was always good to young actors. You know, he was he was an inviting, welcoming guy. It was kind of like he was great. I loved him. We talk a lot about movies of the 70s and New York movies, and I didn't find us doing a lot of research on you and I didn't find that specifically but I know you like old movies and I know you've been a lifelong New Yorker yeah so I'm only going to assume that you have a fondness for those kind of those those little pictures that we talk about where you see like taking a Pelham 123 which your dad's in the Pawnbroker not a Lumet movie but Pawnbroker is a Sidney Lumet movie you should

see with Rod Steiger oh I should know that and. Oh, I should know that, and I don't. But you got to be a – because you grew up in it. Oh, yeah. Yeah, no, I love Sidney Lumet. I love – you know, yeah. I also like even older movies, you know, the really peculiar – when New York is just clearly a movie behind. Oh, yes, yes.

I even like that. I've heard you say you're very comfortable living in the 1930s. Yeah. I got to get out of that. It's bad. My daughter said to me, why do you only watch gray movies? How old is she? She's seven now.

And I said that because they don't threaten me. Yeah. I don't feel threatened. Yeah, I heard you say that. Things that are too modern are a little bit unsettling to you. Too modern. There might be an actor that's doing better than me or something. There's all that issue.

But if I see, if everybody's dead, I'm pretty comfortable watching the movie. And you worked with Brando. I worked with Brando. I worked with Brando, yep. How did that happen? Yeah. No, tell me. I was working on the Joy Behar show.

It's at HLN. I don't know if you'll even remember doing it. And she made you do your Brando impression. Yeah. It's quite good. Yeah, it's lost a little something, I think, you know, as the years have passed passed i do the kind of soft one the uh i don't even know how to do it i'll maybe it'll come later it's pretty good isn't yeah did he crawl into the room was he late for the first

meeting with you and bergman and he was late yes we were all rehearsed we had been rehearsing in the director's hotel suite or no it, it was an apartment, actually. A furnished apartment. And he was a little late. And the whole time rehearsing, even flying to Toronto, I was like, one thing I know is Marlon Brando is never going to be in this movie. I never thought for a second. And they were like, do you want to be in this movie with Marlon Brando?

I said, right. And then Jerry Orbach comes and whatever. I understand. And they were like, no, no, Marlon Brand movie with Marlon Brando? I said, right. And then Jerry Orbach comes and whatever. I understand. And they were like, no, no, Marlon Brando's coming. That's it. He said yes. And I never thought it was true. But we were rehearsing.

He was late, an hour maybe or something like that. And sure enough, the doorbell. And we opened it. And he was on his hands and knees because he was sorry. Or maybe he was in a prayer. I don't remember. But he felt very bad. and knees because he was sorry. Or maybe he was in a prayer. I don't remember. But he felt very bad about being late. In the velour sweatsuit?

And he was wearing, as my memory is, a tan velour sweatsuit, maybe a cowboy hat and sunglasses. Maybe not a cowboy hat. I'm not sure about that part. Yeah. So he showed up. He did show up and he rehearsed and he was very, very charming. Yeah. Now, Brando in those last years.

Yeah. Like the last few decades. It's like I think everybody was afraid he's Brando. Yeah. You don't tell him anything. No. And so he would come up with like the dumbest, most crazy shit in the movies. And they'd be like, yeah, let him do it.

Some of those things are, yeah, like there's a little frog in the formula. Yes. I heard he came. That was all him. Yeah. And they were just like, yeah, get a frog. Get a frog. And then in Missouri Breaks, I think it was his idea to be in drag.

Right. I like that one. Did he direct that movie? Arthur Penn. Arthur Penn. Yeah. I like a lot of his late career choices, though. He's also good in Don Juan DeMarco.

That one I haven't seen. With Johnny Depp. Again, people are alive in that movie. I haven't seen it. Right. We'll try to go back. We'll try to bring up some old ones. Yeah.

Ileana Douglas told us some great Brando stuff, too. We had her on the show she wanted to fuck marlon brando and he was like 600 pounds she couldn't get over the fact did you try or what she wanted to it she wouldn't be alive today tell the story she really wanted to she was so smitten with a lot of people did you know you said you were gobsmacked by him yeah i don't know what that means and but I felt it. Yeah. Oh, I couldn't believe it.

I could not believe it when I saw him. Never mind what he was doing. But it was Marlon Brando. I did a scene with him, and I'd be like, I'm doing a scene with Marlon Brando. I never thought that would happen. Was he using the earpiece by this point? He wasn't putting index cards on your head.

No. Right. He had the earpiece. But you couldn't tell, you know, except occasionally. And when he'd have technical problems once in a while. I'm getting

an RF frequency. If I put my head here, I don't get it. Did he give you a tip during the ice skating scene? Did he give you a... You're leading me to something which I don't get it. Did he give you a tip during the ice skating scene? Did he give you a tip? You're leading me to something which I don't remember. Okay.

Well, maybe tell us about Bruno Kirby then. Oh, Bruno Kirby. Oh, he did give me a tip that I remember. Bruno Kirby was in that movie too. That's where I met him. Did any of you know Bruno Kirby? I met him at a party once, but I didn't have the pleasure of knowing him. Oh, he was the greatest guy.

Adored him. Marlon gave me, if this is what you mean, a tip that was actually very useful that I think is a good tip for actors. I said, we were doing a scene, and I said, I think I'm not going to sit next to you. I'm just going to stay standing this time. I would like to not sit. Or maybe I wanted to sit. I don't remember. And I thought I had to check with him. And he was like, yeah, I don't care what you do. He didn't

care at all. And I said, so I'll go tell the director that I'm going to do that. And he said, don't tell the director. Tell the cameraman so he knows. But don't tell the director that. You're just asking for trouble. He'll tell you if he doesn't like it which is a minor point but it's true they don't really want to be told can i do this they'd rather you just do it and that was a kind of a good lesson for me did he give you any tips or advice about acting no no i mean i don't remember uh yes he told me once when we were shooting outside in a convertible, and it was blasting sun on me, and I was acting with him.

For the viewers at home, I'm squinting right now. And he said, you're squinting in the sun. Stop doing that. And I said, I really can't see if I don't. And he said, stop squinting. It's too monochromatic. I love that. Not sure what that means.

I know, but that was my tip. I try not to squint. Tell us a little bit. The great Andrew Berkman, by the way, another terrific writer. Since we're mentioning Alexander Payne, another terrific writer, director. Great person. Hilarious person. And laws.

And he wrote Blazing Saddles with Mel Brooks. Yeah. Yeah, he's amazing. He should be here. And laws. And he wrote Blazing Saddles with Mel Brooks. Yeah. Yeah, he's amazing. He should be here. We're going to get him. He's speaking at the Writers Guild this month. I'm going to get him in July 19th. No, you're so sorry.

The guy who you hate in Ferris Bueller. Tell us a little something about Bruno. Bruno Kirby was one of these. He was a New Yorker, although he lived in L.A., but he grew up in Hell's Kitchen on 54th or something and 10th. And he was really of that era. He lived on a walk-in, the ground level of one of those old tenement townhouse things. And he had stories about being bullied

and then getting his uncle's hunting rifle and sitting in the window. He would say the Yankee game was on and I knew they were coming, but I didn't want to miss the Yankee. I put the radio where I could hear the Yankee game and I put the rifle in my lap and I just waited by the door.

He had an incredible life he had. And he was the young Clemenza. He was young Clemenza. People forget. People forget. Yeah. My father too. And he had to speak Italian, which he did not speak.

Yeah. So it was all by just. Convincing. Yeah. And that movie you did with Dustin Hoffman and Sean Connery. Right. Sidney Lumet directed. Yeah.

Now, that was a very odd one because Sean Connery is supposed to be Irish, I guess. It was a little confusing. He was the grandpa of me. And Dustin was, it was me. My father is Dustin and my grandfather is Sean. So it was hard. It was a tricky, it was a tough, tough one to believe. And it was supposed to be that he's Irish, but his son, Dustin Hoffman, is Italian.

And his son, you, are Jewish. Yeah. And how did this happen? I don't know. Dustin Hoffman's character, Vito, marries a Jewish woman. That's right, but they did not cast it. Just to make it a little more confusing, I can't remember her name, but they did not cast it. Just to make it a little more confusing, I can't remember her name, but they did not cast it. I kept saying, she's not at all remotely Jewish.

That's strange. You're trying to make this even harder to follow? Yeah. We like that movie. It's a very original, different movie. Someday you'll explain to me what happened. The screening was done, and I was like, what did we steal? Does anybody know what just happened? And the guy who's planning the robbery is Chinese.

Yeah, B.D. Wong. Just to add. Now, what do you remember about Dustin Hoffman and Sean Connery? Well, they were great. You know, to be cast with them and Sidney Lumet, I was so extremely happy. And I loved shooting that movie, and I'm sorry to make fun of it.

But I don't understand the plot. You were stealing some kind of formula. Yeah, what did it do? I sort of understand. They re-edited it. It was after that. They were like, see, we fixed it do I sort of understand they re-edited it it was after that they were like see we fixed it

I was like no because I don't understand good writer too by the way Vincent Patrick who wrote the Pope of Greenwich Village who I became good friends with at the time

they were very different Dustin and Sean Connery very different style you know Sean Connery is all business and Dustin likes to explore, I guess. But they got along, but we were just all very different, very different people. And I got to know Dustin pretty well back then. I hung out at his house and stuff.

I used to say to my friend that I wanted to write a book called They Called Me Pal because I always had like these kind of celebs who would take me in for a little while, but I never wrote the book. You got time. They Called Me Pal. That's fun. You got plenty of time. You might be in it now.

Even after the Ferris Bueller thing? Yeah, no, actually, you're out. Yeah. You're out. He came to you first, I understand, Sidney Lumet. He cast you first before he went to Hoffman and Connery. That's usually how it would go, isn't it? Yeah, well.

No, I don't remember. Originally, it was supposed to be De Niro, Sean Penn, and Brando, as I recall. How about that? Wow, wow. And that turned into Sean, Dustin, and me. And in real life, you're an Irish Jew. I am. So in a sense, I thought I was kind of made sense because I had this Irish, this Scottish grandfather.

Right. And a Jewish mom, like it could have been. And Leo Garcia was an Irish Jew. Did you know that, Matthew? Leo Garcia? From the Bowery Boys. From the Bowery Boys. Oh, really? And so is Kenny Lonergan, my friend.

That's right. Kenny Lonergan? No, Kenny Lonergan. He's an Irish Jew. Jack Warden, Irish Jew. He's an Irish Jew. Oh, Harrison Ford, Irish Jew. Is that true?

Yeah. I didn't know Harrison Ford was Jewish. Yeah. He's so strong and handsome. That's amazing. He knows. Ben Stiller, Irish Jew. Yeah.

Yeah, I guess that's right. That's right. Yeah, that's right. I went to a psychiatrist once who said, I don't know which part of you is more guilty. I just don't know what to do. Oh, Harry Potter. Is that right? Daniel Radcliffe?

So it's a thing. Yeah, he's an Irish Jew. It's actually a thing. You know, my wife is half, well, she's an English, half English, half Jew-ish. Yeah, and your wife, for anyone who doesn't know Sarah Jessica Parker. Yes. He knows every person that's Jewish in show business, and it's come up on this show. Rod Carew, they always...

Rod Carew. Yeah, he knows who Rod Carew is, but if he did... Now, is it true that when you're having sex with Sarah Jessica Parker, that you dress up... Ask anything. You dress up as Leo Gorcey, and she dresses up as Hunts Hall. That is true. That is true.

I'm just glad he knows who Leo Gorcey and Hunts Hall are. Tell us. I don't know where to go. You've done so much. You've worked with everybody. I can go back to the Bowery Boys. You can be boring even if you've done all that. Tell us about Jack Lemmon.

That's one of our favorites. Jack Lemmon I worked with. Yeah. He was great. I did a Sidney, no, not Sidney Lumet, David Mamet play for TV, A Life in the Theater, in L.A. And I got to know Jack. Jack Lemmon kind of kept himself. Very, very nice.

Very nice. Down the line to everybody, you know. Very classy. But I never really got to know him. He was not like, come to my house Sunday. We're having a little thing. He was not one of those guys. He got in his car and his car that said Jay Lem on it.

I like that. The license plate. We've talked about Jack Lemmon on the show. You like Save the Tiger. Yeah. Oh, yes. And Jack, well, Jack Lemmon was also a drinker. Maybe.

I don't know if he still was. Yeah. That I don't know. But he said every take, this is a known thing i think before every take uh he would be he was a loose you know he would talk you could be talking about the uh dodger game or whatever right up until action like he wasn't one of those i'm preparing yeah but he would say um magic time you just very quietly say that just before his first line oh i love that yeah it's like scheider and all that jazz when he keeps saying showtime well he said mad every time it was

like a tick like he couldn't help it he'd be like yeah i don't know if they're gonna trade if panella comes over uh action or magic time and then he'd start wow so it was like a talisman or like a luck thing yeah you ever favorite ever favorite Jack Lemmon performance? Cause we have a lot of them. Oh, there's so many. He has them a, such an admirable career.

I think, you know, the, the range of things that he was able to do is amazing. The great directors, one after another worked with him, you know, Billy Wilder.

I guess probably the, um, the apartment would probably be my favorite it's great yeah it's great but I could name

there's so many I even like him in broad stuff I mean we've talked about Blake Edwards the great race which if you've never seen I have seen he chews the scenery

yeah he can be very very broad yeah but he's fun to watch usually always fun to watch I can criticize him a teeny bit. Yeah, sure.

No, I don't think I should. Sure, go ahead. No, no. Yeah. No, he's not broad. Yeah, no, he can do whatever. That man could, he's the versatile actor if there ever was one. Yeah, I mean, drama and comedy were equal.

No problem. Yeah. No problem. Yeah, always. Oh, you like How to Murder Your Wife? Oh, yes. Which one? How to Murder Your Wife. Don't think I've seen it. Oh, you like How to Murder Your Wife? Oh, yes. Which one? How to Murder Your Wife.

Don't think I've seen it. Oh, you should branch up to that one. We see Terry Thomas and, of course, music by Neil Hefty. Neil Hefty, who composed the Odd Couple theme. Really? I bring it back to you. Now, how do you feel about The Out of Towners? Do you like that movie or not like it?

This is funny. I actually saw The Out of town no not the out of towners i mean the sandy dennis one yeah the first one very that was funny yeah that was that was very funny i remember then they tried to remake it with steve martin and right i hadn't seen that one right forget goldie hawn goldie Hawn. Which didn't work as well, but the Jack Lemmon one was very funny. Funny and very dark. Yes. Like for a comedy, remarkably unpleasant.

Like it's dark. People are constantly getting hurt. It's really kind of awful. But we like that. Yeah, who doesn't? People being hurt, having to sleep in the park, being mugged. You're like, where's the joke? Yeah.

And it's like, so it is. Oh, no, I need a root canal. Yeah. That's it. Wouldn't you put Prisoner of Second Avenue in that category as well? Yeah. Yeah, I love that movie. Us too.

And it's funny. Prisoner of Second, that was Jack Lemmon in the movie. And I saw it on Broadway with Peter Falk. Oh, did he do it on Broadway? Yeah. Yeah. That was a very funny movie. You saw it with Peterway with peter falk oh did he do it on broadway yeah yeah it was a very start with peter falk and lee grant yeah yeah who we're gonna have on the show next week we have lee grant and yeah and uh and bancroft the wonderful and bancroft who's so beautiful in that movie and great in that movie i i really like that movie i don't find it as dark as what we were just talking about it's that dark side of

Neil Simon yes it is yeah and they want to get a children's camp because he can't get a job and they're like want to put money in buy a camp it's really sad we're suckers for any New York movie of the 70s yeah basically and he steals

Sylvester Stallone's wallet that's right i got him back he's finally got him i yeah you left your wallet on the counter that's not your wallet right yeah and then he goes oh my god i mugged the kid yes stallone is on screen for like a second yeah just running from jack lemon in terror Isn't he a hoodlum in Bananas 2? Yes. Yeah, on the subway with the porno magazines. Right. Which

brings me back to Harrison Ford in some movie shows up as a bellboy. Really? And he walks in the hotel lobby and he goes, a letter for you, sir, and walks out. Wow.

I should know this. Yeah. Shame on me that I don't. There's so many people we can ask you about and so many things. I mean, since we're talking about

Neil Simon, I mean, what was your experience of, you work with arguably the two greatest comedic writers of the latter part of the 20th century, Neil Simon and Mel Brooks.

Yeah. Well, it was amazing. Neil Simon, I was just starting, and I auditioned for his play, Brighton Beach Memoirs. And I read for the casting director a couple of times. And then eventually I read on, I stood on a Broadway stage and I, and I knew that Neil Simon was out there,

you know, and I could see him. I don't, maybe shook his hand, but see his glasses out in the house, you know? And he was so famous at that time that I was, I remember thinking like,

I was surprised it was a man. I thought it was like a, a small factory in a town in New Jersey. I thought that's what Neil Simon was. It must be a team of people. Neil and Simon. Yeah. Like, it's a company that makes shows. Right.

Manufacture shows. That's interesting. Yeah. I was really surprised that it was just him. And then I, yeah, it was an amazing thing to happen. I got the part. I don't know how that happened. And then you worked for him in a lot of Neil Simon productions.

Then the same day as I read, when I finally read for him and the director in the morning, and they were like, hang around, and we want you to read with Zelko Ivanovic, who's going to be playing the brother, see if you have good chemistry and then while we're waiting for Jelko, will you take a look at this movie script? And I looked at it and they said, will you read some of it? And I said, I have to leave but I'll come back. I was lying because I wanted to cheat and I did. I went and got coffee and I read as much of the script as I could

so that I'd have a little. But I came back, and I sat with the director, Herb Ross, in the audience of this Broadway theater, and we read every scene of the screenplay together. Then I went back on stage and did the play scene again with Jalko Ivanovic. I'd been there by, at this point, you know, many hours. And when I was leaving, the casting director said, you had a good day.

And I was like, did I get that movie? And she said, yeah, both. Wow. Oh, my God. And I had had Torch Song. So that had made a difference. But I really walked out of that theater with my first movie and a lead in a Broadway play.

So what was it like walking down the street, real heist? Very surreal. I was floating. I was like a cartoon character. I don't know what I – I didn't really know what to think. I went to get some food with Jelko, who was going to be playing the brother, and I said, I guess we're going to do a minute, they said. So they can't take it back now, right?

And he said, no, I don't think so. And then we went to some diner. And I remember at the pay phone, I called my father and told him. And he was flipped out with excitement. And he was already sick, too. And until I heard him, when I heard him go, oh, my God, are you serious? Oh, my God. He was like that, you know.

I had not released any of that, but when I heard him do it, I was like, wow, this must be good news. Well, you know a veteran actor, right? He knows it's real. Yeah, he was very excited, but I was sort of too stunned or something. I didn't know what to make of it. Well, and you'd had the negative experience first, right? Yes. With No Small Affair.

Yes. I had one of the worst. Yeah, I was cast in a lead in a movie opposite Sally Field, Martin Ritt. They both won Oscars. Great Martin Ritt. I auditioned again a million times. They were like, I remember leaving and I overheard Sally Field say, he's perfect. He trips all over himself.

Oh, wow. So I didn't love hearing that, but okay. And I got to play it off. I didn't trip, but I got the part. And nobody seemed to be getting along all that well while we were shooting. And I could just sense a little tension. And then the tension sort of came at me a little bit.

They'd say, you know, no, do it again. Open the door. I was yelling. I'd never been yelled at by a director. I got yelled at a little bit. Then I got to the Central Park where my little camper was, and they were like, well, we have a little delay in shooting, you know, but hang out, and then more delay.

And then I was playing catch with some of the crew. There was a football or something. And then they were like, go home. And then the next day they were like, don't come in. You know, Marty's not feeling well. And a few days later, my agent called and said, are you sitting down? This was two weeks into shooting. And he said, it's over.

The whole movie's canceled. It's never happened. They're getting an insurance thing. So did you think at that point you should get a job in a pizza store or something? What I really thought was, well, obviously, since I got that, I'm going to be fine. I'll get another one. Oh, okay.

But I then started. Yeah, but I was wrong. I started out. I mean, I didn't really think that. I was like, I think my career just ended and I'm 19 is what I thought which was sort of true

because then I would go read for things and be like I'm the guy from No Small Affair and they'd be like yeah that doesn't matter

and I just was right back like nobody cared about me or liked me at all like I auditioned for a summer stock version of House of blue leaves this monologue this kid you know he's gonna blow up the pope this is long famous speech and i worked i was like even though it's just two weeks in the berkshires i want i'm gonna work hard on it and i did

and i got through a quarter of a paragraph and they said thank you you know get out and i was like god damn i can't even, I'm nothing. I was really, that was one of the lows. For some reason, that audition, I cried in the elevator because I was like, it's added up to nothing. I would read for like a director that knew my father and he'd be like, no. Like I could not get a part.

Things changed. Things changed because of torch song trilogy which was not something everybody was like thinking would do that it was a little play in a little theater and harvey firestein liked me and hired me and then that play became like a sensation so that's what once that happened then then, then you're reading for Neil Simon and you're the guy from that play that everybody's talking about. And then everything is a hundred times easier. That's what, that's what did it. It's kind of, it's inspirational because there you were at 19 thinking it's over and you had not even begun to turn the corner. Yeah, it's inspirational and lucky,

and you never know what the hell, that you lose a part you really want, and it made you free for something else. I mean, careers are just bizarre, aren't they? They are. They are. You wind up down a different road than the one you thought you were going down.

And one thing we have in common is we're both Disney characters. That's true. Oh, you guys are in a fraternity. Are you in Lion King? I'm in Aladdin. You're in Aladdin. I'm a Yago the parrot.

Uh-huh. And you're in Lion King. I'm Adult Simba. Yeah. I like saying that because I like that I'm Adult Simba. It's like an encounter group. Adult Simba. That's my name, Adult Simba.

I'm Adult Simba, It's like an encounter group. Adult Simba? That's my name, adult Simba. I am adult Simba, and I'm an alcoholic. Yeah. I didn't tell my mother that I was. That's funny. Yeah. I ate a zebra that I shouldn't have. I remember. I forget what it was for, because I remember I've run into you at voiceover sessions.

Yeah. Because I'd be doing something, you'd be doing something. And I once heard a story that they said to you, well, you're going to be playing the father of this character, and so you've got to work playing the father of this character, and so you've got to work on a voice for it. And you said, well, what about my own voice? And they said, oh.

I don't remember that. That's funny. I do remember auditioning for a commercial and doing it, and they were like, you don't sound like you. Yeah. I was in the booth and I was like, well, that can't be true. I know it's me. So this has to be sounding like me because I am me. So there's no way that I could tell.

It's so funny. They're like, well, I remember hearing a story that they got Peter Lorre to do a voiceover one time. And they say, we want you to say, hello, it's Peter Lorre. And he goes, hello, it's Peter Lorre. And they said, no, no, no. Hello, it's Peter Lorre. And he goes, hello, it's Peter Lorre. No, still not good enough.

He couldn't do a good Peter Lorre imitation. I guess that was my problem, yeah. Well, what do you want to talk about? We can talk about Christopher Walken. We're watching our time because Matthew has to go, and he's going to be on stage in a little bit. Just want to give you a couple of choices on the questions. A little bit maybe about Christopher Walken.

Oh, yeah, I wanted to ask about Christopher Walken, too. Yeah, and Biloxi Blues. And you guys watched it again last week. You guys are a great team. Yeah. Funny and scary. Yeah. Which both of us?

That movie. Oh. And the tension. Yeah, yeah, that's what it should be. He's one of my favorite actors, Chris Walken. I've worked with him twice. And I've seen him, and I always see him when he's on stage, you know, and I love him. He's one of my very favorite actors.

Now, Christopher Walken, I heard always, well, he's done a few, he's shown it a few times, like in Pennies from Heaven. But he really wanted to be a song and dance man. Yeah, and I believe he was one. I think he was a hoofer for a time. He was a uh like a trained i think he was like a chorus guy you know or an ensemble guy as they would say pennies from heaven he's oh that's the greatest scene yeah isn't he isn't he great in that he's unbelievable he's great in the anderson tapes which i think is his first movie i know that's another's another Sidney Lumet. Yeah. Yeah. And I just always love him. And I loved, loved working with him.

He's just the most, and he's so tuned in to you and generous, loves talking about a scene, and always made me feel good. Like, there's some actors who just make you feel like you're being, he just wants you to be good. Makes it so much easier. He's a wonderful actor. What do you got, Gil? Nothing.

I don't want to talk to you. Yeah, I don't blame you. I'm sick of you guys, if that helps. Speaking of your friend, Kenneth Lonergan. Yeah. Just another terrific movie. Yeah. You're not in it all that much, but you can Lonergan. Yeah. Just another terrific movie. Yeah. You're not in it all that much, but you can count on me.

Yeah. Which I've talked about on this show. And I just saw Margaret. Margaret, yeah. Which I know had a tortured path to the screen. I had a tortured path. And he's got one called Manchester by the Sea coming in the fall, which is. Oh, good.

I'm glad he's directing another feature. It was the darling of Sundance, which usually. I've got no one I'll ever see. Yeah, that's gone. But not this one. It's really, he got like the best reviews of his career. It's going to be, it's a wonderful movie, that one. I want to tell our listeners to check out Margaret.

Yeah. And You Can Count on Me. Yes. Which is just pitch perfect. Yeah. And I heard you were saying that a lot of times people stop you in the street and ask how your wife is doing. Yeah. Or they just say, I like your wife. Thank you. Thank you very much.

I've also had people just say simply, are you Sarah Jessica Parker? I've also had people just say simply, are you Sarah Jessica Parker? Those people don't usually, their English isn't their first language. Excuse me, are you Sarah Jessica Parker? That's hilarious. I never know what to say.

Yes, I am. Yes. Who are you if I may? Yeah. You want to talk about Mr. Brooks, who turned 90 yesterday? God. Melvin Kaminsky? Melvin Kaminsky. Well, he's just, you know, I wish I could.

Yeah, I got to know him pretty darn well, but I haven't seen him in a while. He lives in L.A. That man is a genius. And I grew up on, you know, the 2,000-year-old man. Maybe you did too. Oh, yeah, sure. I'm like a million of us who fell asleep with the headphones on. Oh, yes.

Were you a comedy album fan in general? Yeah. And that one I knew backward and forward. 2013 was the one I had first. And I had the record of Young Frankenstein. They would make records out of a movie sometimes. Oh, sure, we talked about that on the show. Yeah, I know that by heart.

So to me, when I was a kid, Mel Brooks was... Oh, my God. I went to see my father who was shooting Family at 20th Century Fox. I remember that show. It was a good show. And your father was picked, I think, the New York critics or something as the best. Oh, TV Guide. Oh, yeah. Picked him as one of the greatest fathers.

Oh, that's nice. That was a sweet show. Family. Yeah. He was a good real dad, too. Mostly. So I have a few criticisms. There was a parking space that said Mel Brooks.

You know, they would. Yeah. I don't know if they still do it. They would paint the name to have your own space at 20th Century Fox. You know, see Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise or whatever. It was amazing. Yeah. You know.

And now I got to bring up Godzilla. Yeah. Why? Okay. do you like that one no okay oh god all right what what was your opinion of godzilla well i thought it was pretty you know i i i thought it was pretty good i i got some good jokes. Well, you know, it's one of those movies where they destroy everything. I like those movies. I didn't see what the problem was. But, you know, and Roland Emmerich, the director of it, is a very good friend of mine. And everybody worked very hard on it.

And it made a lot of money, too. And it got beat up. And I don't know. Yeah. You know, I tried. Maybe I'm not the right, for your listeners at home, I'm now gesturing running. He's gesturing running. Over my shoulder in fear, which is why I'm not good at that.

A little trivia. The fisherman, Ralph Manza, the little old the he's in the trailer that throws the water and then the big thing comes out of the water he's also the guy who plays Hitler in the cafeteria scene the commissary scene

in Blazing Saddles is that right yeah oh wow little trivia okay and Matthew's gotta run because he's gotta get on stage

you have to get back can I tell you one thing before no sure go alright okay just because we said about Mel

Brooks, I met back then in the commissary when Jason Robards was eating with me and he took me out and we went through the fancy area of the commissary and Mel Brooks was there. He said, Jason, Jason Robards. He stood up at the table and he said,

I have a roll for you. I have a wonderful roll for you. It's a Kaiser role. That is great. And then he said, no, I'm kidding. We love you. We love you at the right price. You know, you remember those jokes because I'd never seen Mount Brooks in person. When I saw you guys in the producers and Nathan pulled out every, I mean,

am I wrong that he was doing a little bit of an homage to every, to Burt Lahr and Jackie Gleason and Luke Costello. Yeah. I know he's a showbiz historian.

Oh, he sure is. He pulled out Burt, I mean, Ed Wynn. Everybody was in that performance. And of course, Zero Myself. And Zero Myself,

of course. And various dramatic roles. He put anything, we both, we'd been in a long time. We started just doing whatever play we felt like doing. Keep yourself amused. Yeah. Right.

Yeah, that was great. We barely scratched the surface with this man. Well, because I'm so old and I've done a lot. 35 years. Thank you for your lovely comments about Ferris Bueller. I've never had that happen before. Like I said, I hate you and Ferris Bueller because I hate Ferris Bueller. Oh, I get you.

Yeah, that makes sense. But I believe you. So you did a good job being a hateful person. I believe you as this total smart-ass obnoxious kid. And I also believe you as these losers. Right. That's a good compliment. I'm being complimented. I know. I mean, it really is.

Both characters, I go, oh my God. Yeah. I'm feeling it both ways. So you are a fine actor. Thank you. Thank you. And now we have to go high. This has. And now we have to go. This has been Gilbert Gottfried. The man has to go.

He's still working. Yes, I'm wrapping up. This has been Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast with my co-host Frank Santopadre. And we have been talking to the Irish Jew, Matthew Broderick. I be shame and be shalom. Thanks, Matthew. Thanks for being a sport and putting up with his... It was a real pleasure.

It's a busy day for you, and I appreciate it. We both appreciate it. No problem. Thank you for having me. Thank you.