>>> HE'S THE DEEP VOICE HUNK WHO
APPEARED IN OVER 95 FILMS AND TELEVISION SHOWS.
WE ARE TAKING ABOUT THE ICONIC SAM ELLIOTT.
>> IN THE WESTERN "TOMBSTONE." WHO CAN FORGET HIM.
>> "THE BIG LEBOWSKI." >> HE'S ON "THE HERO", WESTERN
ACTOR WHO'S FORCED TO REFLECT BACK ON HIS CAREER AND HE'S HERE
WITH US TODAY. >> NOTHING BETTER THAN A HUG
FROM SAM ELLIOTT. >> AND THEN WHEN HE SAYS YOUR
NAME. >> I JUST LOVE IT.
HE KIND OF SAYS IT SOFTLY IN YOUR EAR.
SO WORTH IT. >> WHATEVER IT IS, YOU HAVE IT
IN SPADES, SIR. >> YOU DEFINITELY HAVE IT.
>> FEELING A LITTLE FUZZY AT THE MOMENT.
>> IS THAT RIGHT? SO THIS WAS WRITTEN FOR YOU?
>>> IT WAS, YEAH. >> HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?
>> IT CAME FROM ABOUT ANOTHER FILM THAT I DID WITH THE SAME
GUY THAT WROTE WITH HIS WRITING PARTNER MARK BASS.
I PLAYED A LITTLE BIT IN IT. >> THAT WAS THAT LOVELY LITTLE
ROMANCE. >> YEAH.
WE WENT ON THE ROAD AND DID PROMOTION AND GOT TO KNOW EACH
OTHER AND BRETT AND MARK WROTE THE SCRIPT FOR ME.
>> YOU READ THE SCRIPT. >> I HAD NEVER HAD ANYBODY WRITE
A SCREEN PLAY FOR ME BEFORE. I'VE HAD PARTS WRITTEN FOR ME
OVER THE YEARS, BUT NEVER AN ENTIRE SCRIPT I WAS ON EVERY
PAGE. >> THEN DO YOU FEEL COMPELLED
THAT YOU ALMOST HAVE TO SAY YES? >> THERE'S NO WAY NOT TO.
>> WHAT IF IT STUNK? >> YEAH, BUT IT DIDN'T.
THESE GUYS ARE GREAT WRITERS. >> TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER
IN THIS. >> HE'S MUCH LIKE ME IN MANY
RESPECTS. IN THAT HE'S AN ACTOR.
HE DOES VOICE OVERS. HE'S KNOWN FOR A WESTERN THAT HE
DID IN THE PAST. THAT SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF
ELEMENTS THAT ARE NOTHING LIKE ME.
>> ALSO WOULDN'T BE MUCH FUN TO PLAY.
>> TRUE. MY WIFE PLAYS MY EX-WIFE.
KATHERINE AND I HAD BEEN TOGETHER FOR 33 YEARS.
>> YOU WERE NOT EXES AT ALL. STILL VERY MUCH TOGETHER.
>> NO. AND HE GETS A CANCER DIAGNOSIS
EARLY ON, SO I DON'T HAVE CANCER.
HE SMOKES DOPE ALL DAY LONG. I DON'T SMOKE DOPE ALL DAY LONG.
>> JUST HALF THE DAY. >> ALL DAY LONG HE SAID.
>> AND HE'S ON THE OUTS WITH HIS DAUGHTER AS WELL AND I HAPPEN TO
LOVE MY DAUGHTER DEEPLY. >> SO LET'S NOT CONFUSE THIS
CHARACTER WITH THE REAL YOU. >> YEAH.
>> AND YOU CHANGE. WHEN YOU FIRST GET THE DIAGNOSIS
IN THIS MOVIE, YOU ALMOST DON'T CARE.
YOU'RE SMOKING. >> I THINK HE DOESN'T CARE
MAYBE, BUT I THINK THAT IT JUST TAKES HIM ON THIS WHOLE THING
ABOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT HE'S DONE WITH HIS LIFE.
AND TRYING TO REALLY MOP UP THE MESS HE'S MADE OF IT OVER THE
YEARS. AS HE REALLY DID MAKE PRETTY
MUCH OF A MESS OVER IT IN PURSUIT OF HIS CAREER, I GUESS.
>> DOESN'T HE HAVE GREAT HAIR? >> I'M WONDERING WHY HE KEEPS
SCRATCHING HIS RIGHT EAR. >> IT'S THESE GLASSES.
I HAVE THESE GLASSES WITH THESE WRAPAROUND --
>> WE'LL HELP YOU SCRATCH IT. >> WE'LL HELP YOU DO ANYTHING.
>> WHAT'S NEXT? >> GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
MAYBE IF I DO THE OTHER EAR. >> WE ARE SLAP HAPPY TIRED.
WE APOLOGIZE. >> WE ARE.
SAM, THANK YOU. THIS MOVIE IS CALLED "THE