There are films that define a mood. There are films that create a fashion. And there are films that catapult its actors onto stardom. Some films are flash in a pan. But only one film was a Flash in a Dance. This is Still Here Hollywood. I’m Steve Kmetko. Join me, with today’s guest, from FlashDance, Michael Nouri.
This is Still Here Hollywood. I’m Steve Kmetko. Join me, with today’s guest, from FlashDance, Michael Nouri.
There are films that define a mood.
There are films that create a fashion.
And there are films that catapult its actors onto stardom.
Some films are flash in a pan. But only one film was a Flash in a Dance.
Steve Kmetko:
Yes, I'm Still Here Hollywood and coming up on today's episode. The movie that I went back to watch again, I remember watching it and loving it. The first time I saw it in the theater was Flashdance. I bet that's the movie most people talk to you about.
Michael Nouri:
Absolutely. Yeah. It was huge. I'm still recognized by what used to be young girls and now our grandmas and say.
Steve Kmetko:
Nothing wrong with that.
Michael Nouri:
I remember you in Flashdance. You were such a handsome young man, and you had dark hair. And I said, so did you. I was told that the chances were better off not going to Vietnam if you enlisted. So that's why I enlisted, and I was given all of the GI, the uniform, everything. I have large feet. I wear size 16 shoe. I know now it's all, I'll take a look, and they could not equip me with boots. And I eventually got an honorable discharge because they could not equip me with boots. So, I have been ever forever grateful for having big feet. The huge momentum that Flashdance created. You want to keep the momentum going. Hopefully when you have one big hit, you want to follow it up with something else, something equally good or better, just to keep you out there. And that did not happen.
Steve Kmetko:
You also worked with Anna Nicole Smith, didn't you? Were you surprised at all by her passing?
Michael Nouri:
Not really, no. She was troubled. So, no, I was not really surprised.
Steve Kmetko:
There are films that define a mood. There are films that create a fashion, and there are films that catapult its actors on the stardom. Some films are flash in the pan, but only one film was a flash in a dance. This is Still Here Hollywood. I'm Steve Kmetko:. Join me with today's guest from Flashdance, Michael Nouri. If you'd like to be more involved with us, it's Still Here Hollywood, you definitely can. Just visit patreon.com/StillHereHollywood. You can support us for as little as $3 a month. Then you can see who our upcoming guests will be and submit questions for them. You can even tell us what stars you want us to have on as guests. You'll also get exclusive behind the scenes info picks, video and more. Again, that's patreon.com/StillHereHollywood. Hello Michael.
Michael Nouri:
Hello.
Steve Kmetko:
Thanks for joining us.
Michael Nouri:
It's my pleasure. Thank you.
Steve Kmetko:
What was your first movie?
Michael Nouri:
Goodbye Columbus.
Steve Kmetko:
Your first movie was Goodbye Columbus.
Michael Nouri:
Goodbye Columbus. In 19, whenever that was 1969, Larry Pierce directed it Ali MacGraw first movie, Richard Benjamin was in it. And I was maybe 22, 23. And I had only acted in school. I had no training. And I had one line in the movie where I went up to Ali McGraw. And my line was, may I have this dance? And there was this Panavision camera and Larry was up there and he said, action. And what came out of my mouth was, may I have this dance just like that? And he said, Jesus, let's do it again. And I did it again, and I managed to squeak out the line. Many years later, I had a chance to work with Larry again. And he said, have you learned how to act yet?
Steve Kmetko:
How nice.
Michael Nouri:
So, we ultimately had a friendship, but that was my first movie.
Steve Kmetko:
Was that nerves or?
Michael Nouri:
It's nerves. Absolutely.
Steve Kmetko:
How about today? Do you still get nervous in front of a camera?
Michael Nouri:
Yes, I do.
Steve Kmetko:
You do?
Michael Nouri:
I had, yes, I do get nervous which turns into excitement and I try to go with the excitement I worked on. Last week I worked on a Ryan Murphy series, a new series called All's Fair that stars Glenn Close and Kim Kardashian. Do we have to wait for that? For the planes? No, those are just airplanes. Those are airplanes.
Steve Kmetko:
They're real.
Michael Nouri:
No, we have them in real time, real life. And I was playing, my character was driving the scene. I was playing a lawyer, and I had worked with Naomi Watts before another Ryan Murphy show called The Watcher. And she's an absolute joy and delight to work with. I had worked with Glenn Close quite a while ago on, we played husband and wife on Damages. And that was a wonderful experience. We filmed that at the Silvercup Studios and in Manhattan. And that was a joy working with her. And then, of course, the entire cast of damages was wonderful. We had everybody, William Hurt, Ted Danon, Martin Short, a host of people. But this last week I was nervous and I'm always nervous when I'm about to go on set until I get into it, and I try to remember to let my partners do the acting and I just listen.
Steve Kmetko:
I recall as a reporter, the first time I had to go live without the benefit of a teleprompter. You get like, at least I did. Trying to remember everything you're supposed to remember. And not get anything wrong. Anyway, the movie that I went back to watch again, I remember watching it and loving it. The first time I saw it in the theater was Flashdance. I bet that's the movie most people talk to you about.
Michael Nouri:
Absolutely. Yeah. It was huge. It had negative reviews when it came out. Lukewarm at best had not, didn't get any positive reviews, but for some inexplicable reason, people went back over and over again to see it. When I saw it, when it opened in Westwood, it's the only time before or since that I have seen an audience give a movie, a standing ovation and cheering for the movie. It was a great experience. And yes, it was the biggest, most popular film that I have ever been in, and it took me around the world. Paramount Studios sent us everywhere to promote it. So, I'm still recognized by what used to be young girls and now our grandmas and say.
Steve Kmetko:
Nothing wrong with that.
Michael Nouri:
I remember you in Flashdance. You were such a handsome young man, and you had dark hair. And I said, so did you.
Steve Kmetko:
Good for you. Do you ever have any contact or run into Jennifer Beales from time to time?
Michael Nouri:
No, I haven't had contact with her in a long time. No.
Steve Kmetko:
Because she made quite an impression in that movie as well.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, huge.
Steve Kmetko:
And her off the shoulder t-shirts.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, yeah. And leg warmers.
Steve Kmetko:
And Leg warmers. Yeah.
Michael Nouri:
Kyle Hafner and I are still good friends. We're in touch.
Steve Kmetko:
And the dog was great.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. Grunt.
Steve Kmetko:
Grunt, right. He was a--well--what most people refer to as a pit bull.
Michael Nouri:
He was a pit bull. Yeah.
Steve Kmetko:
But great dog.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. And working with Adrien Lyon, the director was a delight.
Steve Kmetko:
Adrien Lyon went on to do some great things. Apart from Flashdance, the movie I most remember him from director is Fatal Attraction.
Michael Nouri:
Fatal Attraction.
Steve Kmetko:
He made a big splash with that one. How did you get into acting?
Michael Nouri:
I'd say in high school, I went to a boarding school in Connecticut, and I was in the Glee Club. I loved singing. I've always loved singing. And we did a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury. And I played the judge, and I got a lot of laughs, a lot of applause, a lot of acknowledgements. And I think that's when the bug really bit me, the first time. I was 15 years old at the time. I had no ambition or aspiration to be an actor at that time. It did not occur to me because the responsible avenue to take would've been to I didn't know what I was going to do. I had no idea. It was to get into college and somehow avoid the draft, which was fast approaching in 1966 and 67. So I went to a college in Florida, Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. And got involved with the theater there. The regular curriculum was anathema to me. I was in sports. I was rowing in the crew. I had a motorcycle. I had a girlfriend, and that was my life and the theater.
And so, I was really, I felt most at home in the theater. And then I went to Emerson College in Boston. Henry Winkler was there at the time I was there. I don't know whatever happened to him but I wish him well. And I did some productions there. Wellesley College was not far away, and I did some theater there. And Hillary Clinton was there at the time that I was doing theater there. I don't know what has become for her, happened of her either. I wish her well. And then I enlisted in the Army, and I served in the Army Reserve for a period of time. And then when that was over, I went home to New York and I got a job waiting tables at a bar and was auditioning for things. And my dad used to come into the bar occasionally, and leave me a huge tip. He would order a hamburger and leave a big, big tip. Like I remember he gave me, let me a $50 bill one time. And I auditioned for a play called 40 Carats, CARATS.
Steve Kmetko:
Was that Neil Simon?
Michael Nouri:
No, no. Abe Burrows.
Steve Kmetko:
Abe Burrows.
Michael Nouri:
And a stage manager named Jimmy or James Burrows. I don't know whatever happened to him. We wish him well. And I got the role of the understudying the lead opposite Julie Harris, Nancy Marchand, Murray Hamilton, Franklin Cover wonderful people, wonderful actors. And then I inherited the role, the lead role, and played that opposite Julie Harris for several months. And that was a very special time working with her. And talk about nerves on opening night. The front row was Katherine Hepburn. I think that maybe Stella Adler was there, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward. And I was--
Steve Kmetko:
Bunch of no names.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. I don't know what happened. And I was so stricken with nerves. I could not, and I had the first line, and I couldn't remember. I was completely blocked. I couldn't remember my first line. And I went from, and it was a very dangerous thing to do. The curtain, the music was playing. The curtain was about to go up. And I crossed the stage and went to Julie, and I said, I can't remember my first line. And she told me what the first line was, and I said, I'm so nervous. And she said, Michael, I just finished throwing up in my dressing room. And that gave me some comfort. And I got through it somehow. Well, I'll tell you how, she carried me through it. She is so, she such an amazing actor, an amazing presence that all I had to do was listen to her and follow her lead. And that's how I got through it.
Steve Kmetko:
I saw her and interviewed her when she was here in Hollywood for a production of Driving Miss Daisy.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, wow.
Steve Kmetko:
With Brock Peters. The two of them together on stage. In a very small theater. It was the Henry Fonda Theater. I don't know what they call it now, if it's the same thing. But she was as cool as a cucumber. Backstage. I want to go back to one thing. You said, you were worried about being drafted, but yet you enlisted. How did that work?
Michael Nouri:
The reason for that was I was told that the chances were better off not going to Vietnam if you enlisted. So that's why I enlisted. And I was given all of the GI, the uniform, everything. And I had to go to meetings and go out into the woods outside of Boston and pitch a tent and shoot rifles and placeholder. I have large feet. I wear size 16 shoe. I know now it's all--well--I'll take a look. And they could not equip me with boots. So, I was wearing high top sneakers, and I eventually got an honorable discharge because they could not equip me with boots. So, I have been ever forever grateful for having big feet.
Steve Kmetko:
I thought mine were big at 12, but, well, that's size 16.
Michael Nouri:
Still kind of normal.
Steve Kmetko:
12?
Michael Nouri:
12. Yeah. 16 is--
Steve Kmetko:
yeah. But you're 6 foot three, right?
Michael Nouri:
6,2.
Steve Kmetko:
6,2. Those feet have to carry a lot of height.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. 6,2 is like NBA size basketball.
Steve Kmetko:
I thought they were all a lot taller. I know, the older I get, the taller everybody else is. It's that spine thing. And we'll be right back. You also worked with Anna Nicole Smith, didn't you? Were you surprised at all by her passing?
Michael Nouri:
Not really. No. She was troubled. So, no, I was not really surprised.
Steve Kmetko:
How long have you been doing this now, if 68 or 69 was Goodbye Columbus. My math isn't so good.
Michael Nouri:
Mine isn't neither. So, we're going to have to just rely on the audience to fill in the blank.
Steve Kmetko:
Okay.
Michael Nouri:
My favorite memory, I have two South Pacific doing the National tour of South Pacific. We did that at the time of 9/11. And on the morning of 9/11, we were in rehearsal down on Union Square. So, we were right there when the planes hit the towers, and there was deliberation about whether to take it on the road and continue the tour or not. It was decided to take it on the road. And it was particularly poignant because this was the first time that since Pearl Harbor, that America was attacked by a foreign country. So, we boarded planes out of Newark, which were practically empty, or nobody was flying.
And we traveled around the eastern coast and southern states. And I have to tell you that it was a very emotional, emotionally rewarding time. The country needed healing, needed time to absorb what had just happened. So, at the end, I asked the producers if we might sing God Bless America at the curtain. He consented, and after every performance, the audience would stand and lock arms or put their arms around each other, and we would sing with the orchestra. God bless America. A lot of tears were shed. And then we did a collection for the areas that were affected by 9/11. So, we had a very strong sense of purpose. It was not just to entertain, but it was to be able to make a difference to the people who were affected by this. So, there was that, and there was South Pacific, and then there was Victor Victoria with Julie Andrews, Blake Edwards directing, a wonderful cast of people who have remained friends. And to this day, Julie Andrews never misses a birthday.
Steve Kmetko:
Really?
Michael Nouri:
She always sends me a handwritten card. God bless her. And of course, she went through a very traumatic time when she lost her voice. And she has soldiered on, she's writing books with her daughter and she's just heroic.
Steve Kmetko:
She's such a classy lady too.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, she's amazing. And I had to kiss her several times, 8 times a week. And I was thinking the first time I did it, and I said, oh my God, these are the, I'm kissing the lips that have kissed Richard Burton and Robert Goulet. And what a delight. And then to be, and I'll tell you a fun story about I that came about I was doing South Pacific in Long Beach with Sandy Duncan. And this is before Victor/Victoria and I stopped off at a restaurant in Westwood to pick up some lunch. It was a matinee day on a Wednesday. And I was approached by a guy who introduced himself. He said, my name is Tony Adams. He said, and I said, nice to meet you. He said, have you ever met Blake Edwards? And I said, no, I haven't, but I'm a big, big fan, especially of the Pink Panthers. He said, may I introduce you? And I said, absolutely. So, we crossed the room. Blake was sitting at a table and nice to meet you. And I said--well--that's a joy to meet you. He said, do you sing? And I said, does your dog bite?
And he loved it. And it really kind of took off from there. He said, we're going to take Victor/Victoria. Have you seen it? And I said, yes. I've seen Victor/Victoria, but I have to tell you, it's the Pink Panthers that have made me such a huge fan of yours. He said, would you be willing to audition for us? And I said, and in a heartbeat. Yeah. And he said--well--we will get back to you and set that up. So, then I had the thought, I said, why go into a room with an upright piano and sing something, anything, when I'm doing this full-blown per production just maybe 45 minutes away. So, I offered to have them driven, provide a car for them, for him. It didn't occur to me that his wife would come. And they indeed came to the performance, and I told Sandy and the cast that Blake Edwards might be there at the performance.
And then I told them when I found out that Julie Andrews might be coming too. So, everybody was really excited. The whole cast were just beside themselves. Curtain came down. Blake and Julie came backstage, and of course, everybody was like. Blake came over to me, put his hand out, and he said, let's go to Broadway. And that's how Victor/Victoria happened.
Steve Kmetko:
That was a good day.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, man. I was on Cloud 9 for days. And then the music came and I looked at the music. Henry Mancini was doing the music. Leslie Bricusse was doing the lyrics, and I got a call. I answered the phone, Michael, this is Henry Mancini. Welcome aboard Leslie Bricusse and I have written a number for you. It's called King's Dilemma. And it is about 8-minute number. I want you to take a look at it. And he said are you a tenor? What? I said, I don't know. He said--well--what is your range? Do you read music? And I said, no, I don't. And he said, did you get this job? And I said, Blake saw me in what's the play I was doing.
Steve Kmetko:
I don't know.
Michael Nouri:
This was at least 60 seconds ago that I told you.
Steve Kmetko:
Please.
Michael Nouri:
South Pacific.
Steve Kmetko:
South Pacific. Okay. Sorry. I was listening really, I was.
Michael Nouri:
I know. And but I wasn't. So, he said, I'm going to write this. We're going to write this song for you. And then I got it. And it was a lot, it was a lot of words. So, I learned it, performed it, and it was a showstopper.
Steve Kmetko:
I asked this a lot of--well--not a lot, but I have asked in the past of women of a certain age. What it was like for them aging in Hollywood and how they handled it. How has it been for you? Because I remember--you know--in like, in Flashdance, you were still 6 foot 2, maybe at that time you were 6 foot 3.
Michael Nouri:
I was 6, 3.
Steve Kmetko:
And you had dark hair and a square jaw, and you were, my god, you had the epitome of a leading man. And you know, as I understand, we get a little grayer. A little shorter.
Michael Nouri:
A little rounder.
Steve Kmetko:
A little rounder. How has it been for you? Does it affect you?
Michael Nouri:
Sure, sure. It affects me. After Flashdance, that was the time to strike while the iron was out. Billy Friedkin got in touch with me and told me he wanted me to be in his new movie with Barbara Hershey. It was called Sea Trial. It was going to be done at 20th Century Fox. And Fox went into turnaround, and that movie was shelved. So, the momentum from Flashdance was dissipated. But while I was in Tokyo promoting Flashdance, I got a call from my agent who said that Steven Bochco was interested in having me be in a series of his called Bay City Blues.
And Bay City Blues lasted for 13 episodes. It had an unknown, wonderful actors, including an unknown actor named Sharon Stone. Don't know whatever happened to her. We wish her luck. So, my point is that the momentum, the huge momentum that Flashdance created. You want to keep the momentum going. Hopefully when you have one big hit, you want to follow it up with something else, something equally good or better, just to keep you out there. And that did not happen. So, I went from Bay City Blues to a succession of TV shows independent movies and so on, but nothing of the magnitude of Flashdance. Now, to answer your question, if I can remember it, it is definitely a psychological and emotional adjustment. Because the offers don't come in as frequently. Fortunately, as a man, the opportunities are more frequent than they are for women of a certain age. And I'm very grateful for that. I'm now playing where I used to be leading man, I now went over a period of playing dads, now granddads, senators, statesmen, and so on, which I am very grateful for. The phone is still ringing. I have wonderful agents who are keeping me out there.
Steve Kmetko:
You've worked pretty much nonstop since the beginning of your career.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah, yeah. Very fortunate. I just did an audition for Bradley Cooper's new movie. People say, you have to audition. And the answer is yes. Yes, I do. And I'm willing to do that. I have to put my ego aside and just be grateful. For what comes my way.
Steve Kmetko:
And hopefully your nerves aside. I'd like to ask you about I have a list of people you've acted with and just like some quick responses, thumbnail responses, Dyan Cannon.
Michael Nouri:
Dyan and I did, yes. We did work together. We did a movie called Boynton Beach Club. She's a hoot. She was great.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah. Okay. Jaclyn Smith?
Michael Nouri:
Worked with Jaclyn. I don't remember who you can help me out with.
Steve Kmetko:
Were you one of the Charlie's Angels?
Michael Nouri:
Yes, I was all of them. Yeah. I don't remember the name of the show, but yes, we worked together and she was a delight to work with.
Steve Kmetko:
Jean Smart?
Michael Nouri:
Worked with Jean Smart. We played, I think husband and wife on a show. I don't remember the name of it. Angela Lansbury was in that show. And I think it was just a pilot. It didn't become a series.
Steve Kmetko:
And we'll be right back. It made over $200 million, I think, that movie, which in that day and time was a lot of money.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. I'm not surprised that they made that much money, because I only got $75,000.
Steve Kmetko:
That's not bad.
Michael Nouri:
And so did Jennifer, we got the same deal.
Steve Kmetko:
You also worked with Anna Nicole Smith, didn't you? Were you surprised at all by her passing?
Michael Nouri:
Not really, no. She was troubled. So, no, I was not really surprised.
Steve Kmetko:
You also worked with Anna Nicole Smith, didn't you?
Michael Nouri:
I did. I did. It was an independent movie. Yep.
Steve Kmetko:
Were you surprised at all by her passing?
Michael Nouri:
Yes. What was I surprised at her passing? Not really. No. Because she was troubled. So, no, I was not really surprised.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah. I remember I interviewed her once, and I remember she had a lot of handlers.
Michael Nouri:
That's right. Yeah.
Steve Kmetko:
Because I think they had to kind of reign her in from time to time. And I don't want to say anything that might be, as I saw in a movie recently a character said, ladies, I don't repeat gossip, so listen carefully.
Michael Nouri:
I like that. Yes.
Steve Kmetko:
Actually, that was in the Menendez Brothers.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, series. Another Ryan Murphy show.
Steve Kmetko:
Yes. Yes. He's doing well these days. The soundtrack from Flashdance with Irene Cara sang the main song. Were you tapping your feet when you first heard that? Yeah.
Michael Nouri:
Sure. I remember going out to Malibu to the Producer's home, the producer who was married to Barbara Streisand.
Steve Kmetko:
Jon Peters.
Michael Nouri:
Jon Peters, thank you. And they had a, it was on a Saturday afternoon, and they had a huge, they're having a huge celebration, and they kept playing, what a feeling over and over and over again. And yes, of course, that was a huge and that was another loss, Irene Cara.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah. Very unexpected. And just for clarification's sake, I don't think Jon Peter's ever married Barbara Streisand. But they were an item for a long time.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, I see. Okay.
Steve Kmetko:
It made over $200 million, I think, that movie, which in that day and time was a lot of money.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. I'm not surprised that they made that much money, because I only got $75,000.
Steve Kmetko:
That's not bad.
Michael Nouri:
And so did Jennifer. We got the same deal.
Steve Kmetko:
Oh, that's nice.
Michael Nouri:
But at that time, in 82, 83, that was meaningful, especially coming from New York doing a playoff off Broadway. And I'll tell you I was doing this off-off Broadway, and I got a call from my agent saying that oh, gosh, what's his name? Sam Peckinpah wanted to meet me for a movie that he was doing called The Osterman Weekend. So, I had to fly myself out here to Los Angeles to meet him and a great guy. And he said, you don't have to do anything. He said, I can tell just by meeting you that I would love you to be in my movie.
I was so thrilled, because he was a hero of mine. That afternoon, I got a script called Flashdance. Please read this tonight, Michael. They would like to meet you tomorrow, Friday at Paramount Studios. I read it, and I liked it a more than the Osterman Weekend. And I thought damn. Well, of course, this was an enviable position to be offered. Oh, I went to audition on Friday afternoon for Adrien Lyon, and my agent, who was a very tough negotiator went to 20th Century Fox and went to Paramount and said, because they were waffling. When I went in to audition for Flash Jazz, there was Mickey Rourke and Kevin Costner they were up for the role also. And so, Arnold Rifkin, my agent, really pushed them and said, you know, mm. Or get off the pot because we've got this offer from Fox. And they hired me, and the rest is history. The Osterman Weekend, unfortunately, did not do anything.
Steve Kmetko:
Wow.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. And Flashdance became Flashdance.
Steve Kmetko:
And you since went to work with Kevin Costner on Yellowstone, correct?
Michael Nouri:
Yes. Taylor Sheridan. I don't know what's happened to him either. Everything on television is either Ryan Murphy or Taylor Sheridan. Yes. And I worked with Kevin, and he was a delight to work with. I didn't have, I didn't have one scene with him, but he was so welcoming. And my scenes were with Kelly Reilley. All of them were with Kelly, who plays Beth, his daughter. And I understand that tomorrow night, Sunday night, they're having a new episode of Yellowstone which I'm excited to see. And Kelly was a joy to work with. She was amazing.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah. I think I saw a story on her recently where she told them she could ride a horse. They were looking for a horse woman. And in reality, she said, she couldn't, but she learned real fast.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. And that was true of quite a few of the actors. They'd never ridden horses, but they lied to get into it.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah, well. Let me see. Do you have--I know, you know--I've been out here working since the early 8s, and there have been people over the years who I've met who made a real impression on me. One of them was Bette Davis.
Michael Nouri:
Wow.
Steve Kmetko:
Have there been people that you've met that really gave you a wow moment?
Michael Nouri:
Sure. Julie Andrews, Glenn Close, Julie Harris, Sean Connery.
Steve Kmetko:
Oh, man.
Michael Nouri:
F Murray Abraham in finding Forrester, funny story about. Do we have time?
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah.
Michael Nouri:
For a funny story.
Steve Kmetko:
We have editors too.
Michael Nouri:
Good. Sean was in, he was a producer for Finding Forrester. Gus Van Sant was directing, and Gus said to me, I understand you do an impersonation of Sean. Eh? He said, eh. He said, would you do it for the crew on the cast? I said, that was like putting a knife in, a monkey's hand. And so, I went to wardrobe. I got a kilt. I went to props. I got a golf bag. I filled the golf bag with bottles of Johnny Walker, took all the clubs out. You just saw bottles of Johnny Walker. I went to makeup. I had them powder my hair to make it look as much as they could like Sean Connery. And I walked onto the set, and Gus was directing a scene. F. Murray Abraham was there doing the scene. And they started laughing. They started laughing. And I said, what the ***, are you laughing at? I'm producing this movie, and you're all sitting there laughing. What the *** are you laughing at? And they couldn't stop laughing. They were really getting a kick out of it. And Murray was laughing too, and they wouldn't stop laughing. And all of a sudden behind me, I show Mr. Norty having fun at my expense our, we and I turned around and I said who the *** are you? I'm producing a movie here. Get off of my shut. And after that, I mean, that broke the ice because he was so intimidating to everybody. I mean, he is a giant, but that really broke the ice. And we had a few jovial moments together. And so yes, I was awed by him.
Steve Kmetko:
Did he like your impersonation?
Michael Nouri:
Yes. Of course.
Steve Kmetko:
I tried to get an interview with him once. I'll tell this story. I was in Vancouver and we were doing, I was working for CBS and we were doing a series of reports on how production was moving to Canada. And we were in Vancouver to shoot I forget which television show of Wise guys, one of the shows that shot up there and oh, MacGyver shot up there. So, we were up there doing this, and we were staying at a hotel. And one morning at breakfast, Sean Connery was sitting at another table and I thought--wow--if we could get him for this series, that'd be great. So, I went up and asked him. Mr. Connery--you know--we're up here doing for CBS News, doing a series, and I would love to be able to talk to you about doing production up here. Didn't look up for his breakfast. Didn't say a word. And I just kind of slinked away, slunk away, whatever. Yeah. He was intimidating.
Michael Nouri:
Yes.
Steve Kmetko:
I didn't want him to get angry, so I just, okay.
Michael Nouri:
I had an experience like that with Pavarotti. It's when he was performing at, it wasn't the Hollywood Bowl, but it was when the Three Tenors were doing a concert here in LA and I had a really good seat, and I had a VIP backstage pass. And after the concert, I saw him sitting by himself eating a bowl of pasta.
And I just stupidly, selfishly, because it was all about me getting to acknowledge the Maestro, that was a big lesson for me. I walked up to him and I said, Maestro, may I congratulate you and thank you. And he turned, and it was like slow motion as if to say, beat it kid. Well, without saying a word, and just went back to his pasta. And I thought lesson learned, Michael--you know--to respect somebody that you admire and respect. Right. Give them their, be respectful.
Steve Kmetko:
Well, as long as you don't--you know--linger, don't beat a dead horse. Speaking of which, is there a reason, just out of curiosity, why you don't speak to Jennifer Beals anymore? Or, I don't want to make it sound like you don't speak to each other as the occasion just not arisen.
Michael Nouri:
Occasion has not arisen. Oh, we've seen each other. Maybe we've maybe the 40th anniversary of Flashdance with Adrian Lyne, and we had occasion to see each other then, but nothing more than that.
Steve Kmetko:
It really was a landmark film for producers Simpson and Bruckheimer as well. What was it like working with them before they became so huge? Top Gun was one of the films they produced. A number of other noteworthy movies. What was it like working with them as a team?
Michael Nouri:
I didn't have anything to do with them. They would show up on set from time to time. I had heard stories that there was some issues about the way Adrian was shooting scenes. He used to have a lot of smoke and colors and so on, which were very effective for the mood of the show. But I had heard that the producers were did not like that they didn't like all of the smoke and what the style that had Adrian wanted to create. But aside from that, I really had very little to do with Jerry or Don.
Steve Kmetko:
As you mentioned on the phone when we were talking the other day maybe we should address the elephant in the room.
Michael Nouri:
Let's get it out of the room.
Steve Kmetko:
Yes. Were you depressed by the news?
Michael Nouri:
I still am in shock and dismayed and anxious about what the next 4 years hold for us. And what is most disturbing to me is how divided the country is. That's very troublesome to me. And what that indicates of how divided we are. But to answer your question, I am adjusting to it. I've got my fellow cohorts and we help each other to be, try to be philosophical about it. And one of the things it's forcing me to do is to practice gratitude and really focus on the blessings in my life. Yeah. So that's where I'm at. But I am adjusting and it's a challenging adjustment.
Steve Kmetko:
You know, I'm reluctant to say too much about the president-elect. Because it stirs up such nasty comments on our podcasts and stuff, although we try to avoid it. This is about Hollywood, not about politics.
Michael Nouri:
But it's not just about politics. That's what's problematic about it. It is about core beliefs and about decency. It's not about politics, really. Yes, there is the political aspect of it, but it really goes to humanity and what our core beliefs about what is meaningful about humanity. Do we just take all of the things that we were raised and grown up with about being kind, being compassionate.
Steve Kmetko:
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?
Michael Nouri:
The golden rule. Yeah. That's what's really troublesome to me. And yes, I understand that there's a lot of blowback from expressing our feelings about it. I won't say our feelings. So, I try to take a, because I've gotten a lot of blows back too, from posts that I've put on Instagram and Facebook and so on. So, I just try to stick with feeling concerned about the divide in the country. That's what's really troublesome to me.
Steve Kmetko:
You know, a few years ago in Chicago, I worked the polls. I was a volunteer. And they contacted me this year and said--you know--you want to come help us out again. And I thought, I don't want to, because I'm afraid of who could be waiting outside the door--you know--in Chicago we say, vote early and vote often. But it's not a joke anymore.
Michael Nouri:
No. Nope.
Steve Kmetko:
So, what is your going forward, how are you going to face this?
Michael Nouri:
Relying on the support of like-minded and like-hearted people who I keep close to me. I was talking to a really good pal of mine last night at a dinner, and he told me that he spent the following day eating a pint of ice cream, and a pizza, and not being able to get out of bed. So, we all have my friends, all have a version of that. And moving forward, I think it's to really keep friends close and some in whatever way to weather through it. And I think it's about counting blessings for the blessings that we do have in our life and not focusing. And I'll tell you one of the things I'm not going to, I had a ritual of watching the news every night while I had dinner, and that is history. I'm not doing that anymore. Good, bad, both sides. No more news at night because it's too troublesome for me. It affects my sleep and my serenity.
Steve Kmetko:
I understand completely.
Michael Nouri:
So enough.
Steve Kmetko:
A friend of mine, Bruce Vilanch had posted—
Michael Nouri:
Wonderful guy.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah. He had posted that he turned off MSNBC and went to TCM, Turner Classic Movies. And I thought--wow--that's a good idea. And I know exactly where the 2 are. MSNBC is 3,17 on my cable. TCM is 3, 19.
Michael Nouri:
That's what I did exactly last night when I went out for dinner. I've been a Lawrence O'Donnell fan for many years, and last night when I went out to dinner, I put it on TCM, it was guys and Dolls and refreshing.
Steve Kmetko:
Who do you wish you'd had the chance to work with? That might not be around anymore.
Michael Nouri:
As an actor or producer or anybody?
Steve Kmetko:
As an actor?
Michael Nouri:
As an actor? Well, I just had, I'll tell you somebody that I admire greatly who I would like to work with is Malcolm McDowell, who is a friend. I did a stage reading in Santa Barbara last weekend of a show called The Boys Next Door. And Malcolm very graciously came because he lives nearby and he came but he's still very much alive and very much working a lot. God bless him. People who are gone. Nobody comes to mind. Who would I have loved to work with? Well, I worked with Bill Hurt, he was wonderful. I can't think of anybody.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah. Can you think of Charlie? Can we say hello to Charlie before we wrap this up?
Michael Nouri:
Charlie, my buddy. Yes. You know your name. This is Charlie. My little buddy, my Heart on 4 Legs. That's who Charlie is.
Steve Kmetko:
Oh, he's a great dog.
Michael Nouri:
Oh, he's so wonderful.
Steve Kmetko:
Very quiet and very peacefully sitting there.
Michael Nouri:
Yeah. He's a peaceful boy. We meditate together every day. I've been meditating for over 50 years. I don't like to leave the house without doing it, especially these days.
Steve Kmetko:
Yeah. Well, thank you very much for coming by. Well, that's a nice watch.
Michael Nouri:
Thank you. That was a birthday present to myself for my 60th birthday.
Steve Kmetko:
Oh, caught my eye. Thanks very much for coming by. It was good talking to you.
Michael Nouri:
It's my pleasure. I really enjoyed this. I enjoyed talking to you.
Steve Kmetko:
Thank you. Continued success.
Michael Nouri:
Great questions you had. Really, you're a wonderful interview.
Steve Kmetko:
Thanks. I just want to have a conversation with people.
Michael Nouri:
That's a wonderful conversation. Yeah.
Steve Kmetko:
I mean, you're not here to plug anything. You're not here. We don't have a big corporate backer like CBS. Like I used to work for CBS or E-Entertainment.
Michael Nouri:
I remember. I know.
Steve Kmetko:
And you always had to kind of--you know--think of those people when you're, and what they might say. So anyway, I like just sit being able to sit and talk with people and let the public eavesdrop.
Michael Nouri:
That's a very good, very good perspective to have. Yeah. And I've really enjoyed this. I've enjoyed our time together today.
Steve Kmetko:
Thank you.
Michael Nouri:
It's a nice way to spend a Saturday morning.
Steve Kmetko:
Thank you.
Michael Nouri:
You're welcome.
Steve Kmetko:
I think so too. And with that, we'll say goodbye.
Michael Nouri:
Until next time.
Steve Kmetko:
Until next time. Happy trails to you.
Michael Nouri:
Happy trails to you too.
Cameraman
Still Here Hollywood is a production of the Still Here Network. All things technical run by Justin Zanger. Theme music by Brian and executive producer is Jim Lichtenstein.