For years, “Inside the Actors Studio” was a show that virtually guaranteed quality.
It was dignified, sophisticated, and with James Lipton’s massive stack of blue index cards, you knew the host had done his homework.
And even though I can’t stand hearing actors talk about their “craft,” I loved tuning in to hear actors talk about their craft.
But in recent years, “Actors Studio” has occasionally crossed the line from serious discussion to another stop on the movie publicity tour.
We saw it with Jennifer Lopez’s and Mark Wahlberg’s visits a couple of years ago, and with comedian Martin Lawrence’s appearance last year – although few memories are more precious than hearing Lipton utter “Big Momma’s House” in his serious baritone.
But Sunday brings a real treat as “Actors Studio” marks its 200th guest with a true icon of cinema, Dustin Hoffman.
The two-hour special episode airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on Bravo.
At 68, Hoffman says he’s still working on his craft and continues to struggle with his feelings toward his “angry and bitter” father.
The guy’s an emotional wreck, basically. He makes chronically teary-eyed football coach Dick Vermeil look stoic.
The first topic to start the waterworks is, not surprisingly, his father and how he was the inspiration for Hoffman’s performance in “Death of a Salesman.”
“Usually it doesn’t happen until later,” Lipton says of Hoffman’s emotional response. “This is the first time it’s happened on card number eight.”
Hoffman comes off as a likeable guy who understands his good fortune.
“Anybody who’s become successful and doesn’t believe there’s any luck involved is a liar,” Hoffman says, introducing his story of his terrible audition for “The Graduate.”
After a series of follies, Hoffman says, “I took my hand out of my pocket to shake hands with the prop guy, and all my (subway) tokens fell out. And he picked them up and said, ‘Here kid, you’re gonna need these.’”
But Hoffman’s role as Benjamin Braddock, “The Graduate,” became the first of what would be seven Oscar nominations for best actor. He won the award in 1980 for “Kramer vs. Kramer” and in 1989 for “Rain Man.”
Hoffman’s best stories are about his early years in acting school, rooming with Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall in New York, and of trying to sell Hackman’s kid at a department store.
He also gives insight into some of his more memorable roles, including the taxi scene in “Midnight Cowboy.” It was captured with a hidden camera and the cab that nearly hit him was real, prompting Hoffman to slam his palm on the car’s hood and famously shout at the driver, “I’m walkin’ here!”
It was just another bit of luck in a truly distinguished career.
Victor Balta’s column runs Mondays and Thursdays on the A&E page. Reach him at: 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.
For more TV and pop culture scoop, check out Victor’s blog at heraldnet.com/blogpopculture.
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