FOLKS, MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS AN EMMY AWARD-WINNING ACTOR YOU
KNOW FROM "GODLESS," "THE LOOMING TOWER," AND "DUMB AND
DUMBER."
HE NOW RETURNS TO BROADWAY AS ATTICUS FINCH IN "TO KILL A
MOCKINGBIRD."
PLEASE WELCOME, JEFF DANIELS!
( CHEERS )
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> NICE TO BE SEEN.
>> Stephen: NOW, WE'VE GOT TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE BECAUSE
YOU'VE GOT TO DO A SHOW TONIGHT, RIGHT?
>> YES, YES.
>> Stephen: WHAT THEATER IS THIS AT.
>> SHUBERT THEATRE.
ON BROADWAY.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE ON BROADWAY RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS ALSO BROADWAY.
>> IT IS.
>> I CAN'T GO BACK-- I JUST GO BEATLES, BEATLES, BEATLES.
THE BEATLES WERE HERE.
IT ALWAYS KILLS ME.
>> Stephen: YEAH, ME, TOO, ME, TOO.
AND ELVIS.
ELVIS.
>> AND THEN SCIELS AND HENDERSON AND SIMON AND SCHUSTER-- NOW
WE'RE INTO THE COMICS.
>> Stephen: YEAH, SURE.
IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT THEATER.
>> Stephen: IT REALLY IS, IT REALLY IS.
NOW, DID YOU TAKE IT'S TO GET HERE TONIGHT, DID YOU TAKE THE
PNEUMATIC TUBE THAT JOINS ALL BROADWAY THEATERS TOGETHER?
>> THERE IS?
>> Stephen: OH, YEAH.
>> I HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN IN THAT.
>> Stephen: WE PUT YOU IN THE CYLINDER, YOU POP UP ON STAGE.
AS I'VE SAID-- I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THIS BEFORE ON THE
SHOW, BUT YOU'RE THE ELDEST SON OF A PROSPEROUS MICHIGAN
LUMBERYARD OWNER.
WHAT WAS YOUR DAD'S ADVICE WHEN YOU WANTED TO GO OFF AND BE AN
ACTOR?
WAS HE THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN?
>> MY MOM AND DAD WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME WHEN I WAS DOG
TEVI ON "FIDDLER ON THE ROOF."
>> Stephen: NATURAL.
>> 18, BLOND, AND NOT A CLUE WHAT JEWISH WAS.
>> Stephen: HAPPY HANUKKAH, BY THE WAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WHATEVER THAT MEANS.
BUT THEY KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE.
AND SO HE LET ME-- THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE "GO."
AND THEN AFTER YEARS, IT WORKED OUT.
AND THEN ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO YOU KNOW WHEN I WAS STILL GOING, "I
DON'T KNOW, I'M TRYING TO GET THIS, I'M TRYING TO GET THAT."
HE SAID, "LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, ONE DAY YOU'RE GOING
TO GROW INTO YOUR FACE."
( LAUGHTER )
MEAN?
THAT'S-- "I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT ACTING, BUT WHEN THAT
HAPPENS, LOOK OUT."
( LAUGHTER )
DO YOU THINK?
DO YOU THINK IT HAPPENED?
>> I THINK IT JUST HAPPENED.
I THINK ATTICUS FINCH IS-- HOW DO I TOP THAT?
HOW-- YOU'RE PLAYING ATTICUS FINCH ON BROADWAY.
>> Stephen: AND HERE ARE YOU.
>> I'VE GROWN INTO THE THING.
>> Stephen:
>> Stephen: HERE IS THE FACE.
HERE IS THE FACE IN QUESTION RIGHT THERE.
FULLY GROWN.
LINEN SUIT AND ALL.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> YUP.
PRETTY LUCKY.
>> Stephen: NOW, THIS IS A NEW ADAPTATION THAT AARON SORKIN DID
FROM THE NOVEL.
>> FROM THE NOVEL.
>> Stephen: AND I UNDERSTAND THAT HE DID THE ADAPTATION AND
BROUGHT IT TO YOU AND SAID, "I WROTE THIS FOR YOU, WITH YOU IN
MIND."
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE?
FIRST HE'S LIKE, "I HAVE SOMETHING FUR."
AND THEN YOU FIND OUT IT'S ATTICUS FINCH.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST STUPID.
I JUST SAID, "SO I SHOULD PROBABLY READ THE BOOK, RIGHT?"
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: YOU HAD NEVER-- YOU HAD NEVER READ--
>> NO.
>> Stephen: "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD"?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU AMERICAN?
>> I KNOW,IN, I KNOW!
>> Stephen: ARE YOU A CITIZEN.
>> WE READ "LORD OF THE FLIES" AND "FAREWELL TO ARMS."
IT WASN'T ON THE CURRICULUM.
IT JUST WASN'T.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> I KNOW.
>> Stephen: WOW.
WHEN YOU READ IT-- WHEN YOU FINALLY BECAME A FULL-FLEDGED
AMERICAN AND READ IT-- >> I SAID, THIS IS A BIG PART!
THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
"WOW!" "THIS IS, LIKE, A LEADING ROLE!"
>> Stephen: WOW, YEAH.
YOU COULD DO BOO RADIALLY, TOO.
>> IT WAS JUST-- FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS SORKIN, AND HAVING DONE
"NEWSROOM" FOR THREE YEARS--
-- THANK YOU.
WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT RAPPORT.
HE JUST WRITES IT, AND I JUST DO IT.
IT'S ALMOST WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT.
SO FOR HIM TO TAILOR ATTICUS FOR ME BASED ON THE BOOK, IT'S THE
ROLE OF A LIFETIME.
>> Stephen: THE LITTLE TOWN YOU GREW UP IN, IN MICHIGAN, DO
THEY REMIND YOU OF EACH OTHER?
>> THERE ARE TWO SMALL TOWNS, CHELSEA, MICHIGAN, TWO STOP
LIGHTS, BASICALLY.
AND I'M SURE MONROE HAS TWO, MAYBE ONE.
BUT NAWHOLE SMALL-TOWN DYNAMIC, THAT "PEYTON WIFE PLACE" SOAP
OPERA.
>> Stephen: EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.
>> AND TO RESEARCH IT IT AND GO BACK TO 1934 ALABAMA, AS BAD AS
THE RACISM IS NOW AND THE DIVIDE IS NOW, TO SEE THAT KIND OF--
THE PRESENCE OF THE K.K.K. BACK THERE.
AND ALL THE RESEARCH DID TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES ATTICUS
SEE WHEN HE'S STANDING ON HIS PORCH?
AND IT'S SCARY, IT'S SCARY HOW SERIOUS IT WAS THEN.
STILL IS NOW.
BUT THAT-- IT WASN'T NECESSARILY REMIND ME OF MY HOME TOWN.
I REMEMBER MY DAD, HE BROUGHT IN A-- I REMEMBER, I WAS EIGHT OR
NINE YEARS OLD IN MY TOWN IN MICHIGAN, AND I WALKED IN, AND
THERE WAS A GUY, AFRICAN AMERICAN GUY, NAMED HERBIE
PEARSON.
AND HE SAID, "JEFFREY, A FRIEND OF MINE, HERBIE PEARSON.
AND HE'S GOING TO BE A FRIEND OF YOURS AND SO IS EVERY AFRICAN
AMERICAN YOU'RE EVER GOG SEE."
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY A WORD.
HERBIE PASSED AWAY IN SEPTEMBER, AND I HAVE HIS PICTURE UP ON MY
DRESSING ROOM MIRROR.
IT'S THAT KIND-- IT'S THAT KIND OF AWARENESS.
YOU KNOW.
( APPLAUSE )
DIDN'T HAVE TO GO VERY FAR-- MY DAD PASSED AWAY, BUT I DIDN'T
HAVE TO GO VERY FAR TO FIND AN ATTICUS.
MY DAD WAS A LOT LIKE ATTICUS.
SO WAS A GUY NAMED FRANK JOHNSON, WHO WAS A FEDERAL JUDGE
IN ALABAMA, WHO I STUDIED, THE ACCENT AND THE WHOLE DEAL.
HE COULD HAVE BEEN ATTICUS GROWING UP AS A FEDERAL JUDGE.
I FOCUSED ON THOSE TWO GUYS AND THEN THE BOOK AND THEN YOU KIND
OF GO OUT THERE WITH SORKIN'S WORDS.
AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING THERE WITH THE BOOK, YOU
KNOW-- >> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT--
>> "GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD."
WE'RE GOING, "PUT THE BOOK DOWN.
HANG ON."
>> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT THE SPECTER OF GREGORY PECK?
>> ALL DUE RESPECT.
THE GUY WON AN OSCAR FOR IT, AND DESERVEDLY SO.
AND HE'S ICONIC TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
>> Stephen: WAS THAT DAUNTING AT ALL?
DID YOU SAY TO SORKIN, LIKE, "WAIT, THERE'S ALREADY A
PERFORMANCE OF--" NO.
>> NO.
>> Stephen: "BRING IT, PECK."
IS THAT WHAT IT WAS?
GOOD FOR YOU.
>> YOU HAVE TO.
YOU CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND GO, "GEE, I HOPE THEY KIND OF SEE
GREGORY."
NO, YOU'VE GOT TO-- HE EITHER GAVE THE DEFINITIVE PERFORMANCE,
WHICH IS YOU CAN'T IMAGINE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE THE ROLE.
OR HE'S THE ONLY GUY WHO GOT TO DO IT.
>> Stephen: OH.
>> I CHOOSE THE SECOND
>> Stephen: THAT'S NICE.
I HAVE TO.
>> I HAVE TO.
>> Stephen: OF COURSE.
HOW MANY BROADWAY SHOWS IS THIS FOR YOU NOW?
>> FIVE OR SIX.
>> Stephen: "OR SIX" WHO KNOWS, WHO CARES?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
>> WILL THERE EVER BE ANOTHER ONE?
I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT DO I DO AFTER THIS?
WHAT DO I DO?
YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
I'M TED WILLIAMS IN THE NINTH INNING.
>> AND HOPEFULLY HIT A HOME RUN.
I'M IN IT FOR A YEAR.
I'M IN THIS THING FOR A YEAR.
>> Stephen: A YEAR!
>> EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK.
HOW MANY SHOWS A WEEK DO YOU DO?
♪ ♪ ♪ HE DOES A LOT.
HE DOES-- HE DOES-- HE DOES A LOT OF SHOWS.
>> Stephen: I DO 202 SHOWS A YEAR.
>> THAT'S A LOT OF SHOWS.
>> Stephen: OKAY?
AND DO YOU WRITE A NEW PLAY EVERY NIGHT?
( LAUGHTER ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> I'M-- I'M GONNA TONIGHT.
I'M GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND AD LIB.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL.
HAVE YOU EVER BROKEN CHARACTER ON STAGE?
HAVE YOU EVER-- YOU FAILED AS A PROFESSIONAL?
( LAUGHTER )
YOU HAVE TO STAY IN CHARACTER.
THAT'S THE FIRST JOB.
>> YES, I DID A PLAY OFF BROADWAY, "THREE SISTERS OF
SISTERS, CHECKEF, WRITTEN IN 1900.
I PLAY ANDRE, THE SON, WHO IS, YOU KNOW, TROUBLED.
AND HE'S GOT AN ASSISTANT, AN OLD ASSISTANT, AND IT WAS AN
ACTOR THEY HIRED BY THE NAME OF JEROME-- I HAVE FORGOTTEN HIS
LAST NAME.
JEROME WAS 92 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME WE DID THE PLAY IN THE
EARLY 80s.
>> Stephen: YOU HIRED A 92-YEAR-OLD MAN?
WAS IT FIVE PERFORMANCES.
>> EIGHT SHOWS, EIGHTS SHOWS A WEEK FOR JEROME.
AND-- AND-- AND JEROME-- IT WAS EARLY 80s WE DID THE PLAY,
WRITTEN IN 1900.
HE WAS 92.
HE WAS OLDER THAN THE PLAY.
( LAUGHTER )
ME, AND OF COURSE THE THING IS ANDRE ENTERS SOBBING-- OH,
THAT'S EASY, YOU KNOW.
SO YOU'RE KILLING YOUR DOG.
YOU'RE DOING ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO TO TRY TO GET THERE,
YOU KNOW.
AND I'M SORT OF THERE.
AND THEN I HEAR WHAT IS THE SOUND OF A TRUCK BACKFIRING
BEHIND ME.
IT'S JEROME FARTING.
( LAUGHTER )
>> HE'S UNAWARE WHAT'S GOING ON.
I MEAN PFFFFF!
IT TOOK OUT THE WALL.
ENTER SOBBING.
( LAUGHTER )
>> Stephen: WELL, "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" OPENS ON BROADWAY
AT THE SHUBERT THEATRE DECEMBER 13.
JEFF DANIELS, EVERYBODY!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK...