American Masters

Beau Bridges

HE'S A RENAISSANCE MAN. HE CAN DO MANY, MANY THINGS. HE'S A WONDERFUL ARTIST WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEDIUMS. YOU KNOW, HE'S A POTTER, HE CAN PAINT, DRAW, AND OF COURSE HIS MUSIC AND HIS ACTING.

Susan Bridges

HE'S NOT A STUDIED ACTOR. HE HASN'T HAD A LOT OF ACTING LESSONS, BUT HIS LIFE WAS HIS ACTING LESSON.

Jeff

MY M.O. IS FUNNY AS FAR AS PICKING PROJECTS. I REALLY DO MY DAMNDEST TO SWERVE. I REALLY TRY HARD TO SWERVE.

CHUCKLES

Jeff

BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT HARD WORK -- YOU KNOW, WHAT HARD WORK MAKING A MOVIE IS. FOR ONE THING, IT TAKES ME AWAY FROM MY SWEETHEART AND MY FAMILY, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE AND MY KIDS. YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU GO AWAY AND IT'S LIKE YOU BECOME A DIFFERENT PERSON, AND I DO HAVE A BIT OF THE DUDE IN ME AND I CONSIDER MYSELF KIND OF LAZY, ALTHOUGH WHEN I LOOK BACK IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, I SEE I'VE DONE A BUNCH OF STUFF, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT ALL WORKED OUT. I DON'T KNOW, BABY, WHERE WE STAND WHERE'S THE FUTURE THAT WE PLANNED SO LONG AGO? I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE MY FRIEND OR A LONG-LOST LOVER COMING BACK AGAIN WHERE DID YOU GO? BABY, I DON'T KNOW OH, YEAH

Man

THIS WAY, GUYS.

Terry Gilliam

HE'S ALWAYS STRUCK ME AS THIS GOLDEN BOY. I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT THE GODS GIVE US. THIS IS WHY THEY'RE CHOSEN -- THESE -- THE GODS MARK THEM FOR US TO ALL LOOK UP ON THAT BIG SCREEN AND SAY, "AH, IF ONLY," AND YET HE'S ALWAYS FOUGHT THAT. JEFF IS VERY RELUCTANT TO TAKE ON ANY PART. BRINGING HIM TO THE DANCE IS NOT EASY.

PANTING

Terry Gilliam

I CAN'T LIVE AS A COWARD.

Jeff

THIS RESISTANCE AND RETICENCE, YOU KNOW, TO, "UM, WELL, YEAH, OKAY, UM," IT'S A FUNNY KIND OF THING. IT'S A FUNNY DEAL.

YELLS

Jeff

I SOMETIMES THINK THAT THE MOVIES ARE SORT OF THE SNAKE SKIN, YOU KNOW, THAT THE REAL EXPERIENCE FOR ME PERSONALLY IS THE SNAKE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT DROPS THE SKIN AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL, "OH, LET'S MAKE A BELT OUT OF THIS, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL HAT BAND," OR -- BUT THE SNAKE, THE EXPERIENCE, THAT'S THE THING, WORKING WITH ALL THESE ARTISTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMMUNAL ART FORM, YOU KNOW? YOU GET TO -- TO BE CREATIVE WITH PEOPLE.

WIND BLOWING

Jeff

AND THE MOVIE IS JUST SORT OF A, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE SOUVENIR FROM THAT TIME, REALLY.

WIND BLOWING

Peter Bogdanovich

JEFF WAS 19 WHEN HE CAME IN TO SEE US, AND I THINK HE GOT THE PART BEFORE HE SAID HELLO, BUT HE WAS JUST SO RIGHT FOR THE PART IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. HEY, DUANE! BOY, I FROZE MY ASS LAST NIGHT.

Jeff

I THINK I WALKED IN AND PETER SAW THE GUY. YOU KNOW, HE SAID, "OH, THERE'S DUANE," YOU KNOW. WHAT WAS MOST INTERESTING WAS THAT IT WAS REALLY CASTING AGAINST TYPE, BECAUSE JEFF IS ONE OF THE NICEST PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER MEET. HE'S JUST A -- REALLY A MENSCH, AND THE CHARACTER OF DUANE IN "THE LAST PICTURE SHOW," ALMOST NOTHING HE DOES IS SWEET OR NICE OR REALLY LIKABLE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ASKING MY GIRL FOR A DATE? YOU TURN ME LOOSE! I'LL TURN YOU LOOSE ANY TIME YOU'RE READY TO FIGHT! COME ON, LET'S HAVE IT OUT. COME ON, MARLOW! HERE, KNOCK OFF THAT

BLEEP

Jeff

, BOYS. THIS IS THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. THAT MOVIE, "THE LAST PICTURE SHOW," JUST STANDS BY ITSELF. YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY LIKE IT. I REMEMBER WHEN WE DID IT, YOU KNOW, I SAID, "GOSH, SOMETHING SPECIAL'S HAPPENING HERE, ISN'T IT?" HE SAID, "YEAH," AND I SAID -- "I HAVEN'T DONE THAT MUCH STUFF, BUT SOMETHING -- SOMETHING MAGIC IS HAPPENING." WE JUST HAD THAT KIND OF FEELING. HI, DUANE! WHAT DID LESTER WANT? HMM? OH, LESTER, HE'S SUCH A BORE.

Bogdanovich

CYBILL AND JEFF HAD A VERY INTENSE RELATIONSHIP FOR A WHILE.

Shepherd

JEFF, YES, JEFF AND I, I THINK THAT'S THE -- PROBABLY THE ONE TIME I EVER BROKE THE RULE AND MESSED AROUND WITH SOMEONE I'M ON CAMERA WITH.

LAUGHS

Shepherd

OH, MY GOD, WE HAD A GREAT TIME, YOU KNOW, 1970, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE.

Bogdanovich

GOD, HE WAS GOOD. HE JUST HAS AN ABILITY TO IMMERSE HIMSELF INTO THE ROLE TO SUCH A DEGREE, AND YOU DON'T CATCH HIM ACTING, YOU KNOW?

Jacy

COME IN.

Shepherd

WE REHEARSED ALL THE LOVE SCENES. IT WAS A VERY HEADY, HOT ATMOSPHERE BECAUSE THERE WAS ALWAYS PETER THERE, AND HE WAS SO SEXY AND ATTRACTIVE, AND TIMOTHY BOTTOMS, OF COURSE, SEXY, WONDERFUL, ATTRACTIVE, AND OF COURSE JEFF, SEXY, WONDERFUL, AND ATTRACTIVE. IT WAS AS IF IT WAS REALLY HAPPENING, THOSE LOVE SCENES. BUT WE HAD LOVE SCENES THAT WERE VERY FUNNY, AND THERE WAS NUDITY INVOLVED, WHICH IS A RARE COMBINATION. DUANE, HURRY. AND THE BIRDS SING THEIR SONGS AND IN THAT SCENE, HE'S DOING THESE VERY SUBTLE THINGS THAT ARE HYSTERICAL, BUT THE THING IS, IT'S SO REAL. IT'S NOT PLAYED BROAD, IT'S PLAYING VERY SIMPLY. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME NOT TO LAUGH. WHAT'S WRONG, HONEY? UM, I DON'T KNOW. THAT TICKLES. YOU KNOW I CAN'T STAND TO BE TICKLED. A LOT OF ACTORS THINK THAT THEY'RE IN A BASEBALL GAME AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HIT A HOME RUN EVERY TIME. ACTING ISN'T -- ISN'T HITTING HOME RUNS OUT OF THE PARK. ACTING IS A TENNIS GAME. IF YOU HIT THAT BALL OUT OF THE COURT, YOU HAVE NO GAME. YOU JUST PRETEND IT WAS WONDERFUL! WELL, I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. OH! IF YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, I'LL BITE YOU! THE CULMINATING MOMENT IN THE MOVIE, WHEN HE -- WHEN HE ADMITS TO SONNY THAT HE'S STILL NOT OVER JACY, "I AIN'T OVER HER YET" -- YOU EVER -- YOU EVER HEAR FROM JACY? NO, NOT A THING. SHE DON'T GET HOME MUCH. AIN'T BEEN BACK TO TOWN SINCE AUGUST. I GUESS SHE JUST STAYS IN DALLAS ALL THE TIME. YEAH, PROBABLY DOES. WELL, I GUESS THERE'S A LOT TO DO DOWN IN DALLAS. I AIN'T OVER HER YET, YOU KNOW. I AIN'T OVER HER YET. IT'S THE DAMNDEST THING.

Bogdanovich

YOUR HEART GOES OUT TO HIM BECAUSE YOU REALIZE HE'S A KID AND HE MAKES MISTAKES, BUT HE'S A DECENT PERSON. BUT THAT ALL COMES FROM JEFF. IT'S NOT IN THE WRITING. BETTER GET ON BEFORE WE BOTH FREEZE. IT'S A SHOW BUSINESS FAMILY, AND LLOYD WAS THE PATRIARCH AND BEAU WAS THE OLDER BROTHER, AND BOTH OF THEM ARE TERRIFIC, SOLID ACTORS. MY MOTHER AND FATHER MET AT UCLA IN THE THEATER DEPARTMENT, AND MY MOM WAS PROBABLY THE BEST ACTOR OF THE WHOLE BUNCH.

Beau

YEAH, WELL, WE GREW UP IN MAR VISTA, L.A., WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS A BRAND-NEW NEIGHBORHOOD WITH VAST FIELDS OF CELERY, WHERE OUR STREET WAS KIND OF THE LAST ONE. WE USED TO HAVE CELERY BOMB FIGHTS IN THE FIELDS.

Jeff

MY MOM DID SOMETHING WITH ALL OF HER KIDS. SHE CALLED "TIME," AND WHAT "TIME" WAS, IT WAS, IF YOU WERE HER CHILD, SHE WOULD GIVE YOU AN HOUR EVERY DAY AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED TO DO, AND AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED, IT WAS, "OH, COME ON, MOM, "LET ME GO INTO YOUR MAKEUP AND LET'S MAKE EACH OTHER UP AS CLOWNS," YOU KNOW, OR, YOU KNOW, "YOU'RE A SPACE MONSTER AND I'M THE, YOU KNOW, THE ASTRONAUT, AND I'M UNDER THE TABLE HERE," YOU KNOW, SPACE THINGS, COWBOY THINGS. WHENEVER MY DAD WOULD COME HOME FROM MAKING -- A WESTERN WAS A BIG ONE, AND WHENEVER HE CAME HOME IN HIS WESTERN COSTUME, YOU KNOW, HE LET ME PUT IT ON. JEFF, EIGHT YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME, SO I SCHOOLED HIM PRETTY HARD IN A LOT OF THINGS. I TORTURED HIM A LOT WHEN HE WAS A KID. I COULD -- I HAD HIM GOING SO BAD, ALL I HAD TO DO WAS JUST POINT MY FINGER AT HIM AND WIGGLE IT LIKE THIS AND LOOK AT HIM AND IT WOULD JUST SEND HIM BONKERS, HE WOULD START TO CRY. AND THEN I COULD DO IT WITH THE REST OF THE FAMILY SITTING AT THE TABLE. I WOULD DO IT UNDER THE TABLE SO HE JUST KNEW THIS LOOK I HAD. I'D LOOK AT HIM AND HE KNEW THAT THE FINGER WAS GOING.

Lucinda Bridges

IT WAS A RELIEF FROM BEING TORTURED BY BEAU AND TORMENTED BY BEAU FOR SO MANY YEARS, AND NOW HE COULD KIND OF RELEASE HIS -- HIS THING WITH ME, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, RIDICULOUS LITTLE THINGS LIKE CALLING ME IN WHEN HIS FRIENDS WERE OVER, "COME HERE, I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS GREAT, WILD THING, "IT'S REALLY MAGICAL, IT'S REALLY A TRIP," AND OF COURSE I'M ALL EXCITED JUST TO EVEN BE INVITED INTO THE ROOM, RIGHT? THEN HE'D EITHER HOLD MY ARMS OUT AND SLOWLY SPIT ON ME

Laughing

Lucinda Bridges

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OH, AND THIS IS THE FAMOUS EMMETT KELLY. THIS WAS IN HAWAII. THIS IS AN INTERESTING PERIOD. WE CALLED IT JEFF'S WAYNE NEWTON PERIOD.

LAUGHS

Lucinda Bridges

HE GOT A LITTLE CHUNKY. HE HAD HIS LITTLE CHUBBY CHEEKS.

Jeff

MY MOTHER WROTE EVERY DAY. AND THEN WHEN WE WERE EACH 21, SHE GAVE EACH ONE OF US OUR LIFE STORY FROM HER PERSPECTIVE, TAKEN OUT OF HER JOURNAL. "ACTING DEBUT OF JEFF BRIDGES IN A SPEAKING PART "WAS APRIL 14th OF THIS YEAR. "HE PLAYED A BOY WHO HAD LOST HIS BIKE WHEN IT WENT INTO THE PIER AND MIKE NELSON RESCUED IT."

DRAMATIC SOUNDTRACK PLAYS

Jeff

MY FATHER WAS SO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT ALL HIS KIDS GOING INTO SHOW BIZ. HE JUST LOVED IT, ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT. I CAN REMEMBER HIM SAYING, "HEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE PART FOR A KID IN 'SEA HUNT,' YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT TO DO IT?" AND I SAID, "OH..." HE SAID, "COME ON, YOU GET TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL, "YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME MONEY AND BUY SOME TOYS, "IT'LL BE FUN, COME ON. YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO SKINDIVE," YOU KNOW? I WAS ABOUT MAYBE 8 YEARS OLD, AND HE JUST, YOU KNOW, TAUGHT ME ALL OF THE BASICS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT FEEL LIKE IT'S HAPPENING FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM, YOU KNOW, "DON'T JUST -- DON'T WAIT FOR MY LIPS "TO STOP TALKING AND THEN YOU SAY YOUR LINES. "YOU'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING AND LET THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY." TELL ME, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

CRYING

Jeff

I LOST MY BIKE! I JUST GOT IT TODAY FOR MY BIRTHDAY AND I HARDLY HAD A CHANCE TO RIDE IT. AW, SEE, THAT'S A SHAME. "OUR BOY PROVED "HE WAS A TRUE BRIDGES TROUPER. HE DID EVERYTHING PERFECTLY AND ENJOYED IT TOO." NOT REALLY. I -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD -- I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS UP, MOM. THIS WAS MY FIRST MEMORY AS AN ACTOR, WAS FROM THIS THING SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, AND WHAT I REMEMBER WAS NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME AT ALL. I REMEMBER BEING THROWN OFF THE MALIBU PIER

Gasping

Jeff

AND HAVING TO DELIVER MY LINES FREEZING LIKE THIS. THAT'S MY FIRST MEMORY. ANYWAY, SHE SAYS I HAD A GOOD TIME. HOW ARE YOU DAVY BOY? I SWALLOWED A LOT OF WATER! YEAH, I KNOW, SWEETHEART. NOW, LISTEN, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT TO DO? YES. ALL RIGHT, WHAT? HOLD MY NOSE, CLOSE MY EYES, AND HOLD ON TO YOU. THAT'S RIGHT, HERE. I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW IF I WANTED TO MAKE ACTING MY PROFESSION, BECAUSE, LIKE MOST KIDS, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT YOUR PARENTS WANT YOU TO DO, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, GO INTO MY FATHER'S BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THIS WHOLE NEPOTISM THING, YOU KNOW -- I GOT THE JOB JUST BECAUSE WHO MY DAD WAS -- AND I WAS ALREADY, IN GRAMMAR SCHOOL, YOU ALREADY GOT THAT THING, YOU KNOW, KIDS CAN BE QUITE CRUEL, AND, YOU KNOW, "OH, YOU THINK YOU'RE SO GREAT BECAUSE YOUR DAD IS MIKE NELSON" AND, YOU KNOW, SO FORTH. I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW IF I REALLY WANT TO DO THAT THING "AND I LIKE MUSIC AND I LIKE TO PAINT. MAYBE I'LL GO INTO THOSE THINGS." THESE DAYS THE WORLD DON'T SEEM TO AMOUNT TO MUCH BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE HERE THAN WHAT WE'LL SEE AND TOUCH AND THE MUSIC THING WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WONDERFUL. IT'S JUST THE REALM OF THE SENSES IS ALL WE KNOW EVERYTHING I'VE LEARNED

Beau

WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 14, I HAD AN OLD DANELECTRO GUITAR, WHICH NOW WOULD BE WORTH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. MY BROTHER GAVE IT AWAY TO ONE OF HIS FRIENDS, UNFORTUNATELY. THANKS, JEFF. ANYWAY, HE HAD THAT THING AND I WAS OFF, YOU KNOW, PLAYING SPORTS IN SCHOOL OR SOMETHING AND HE'D PICK THIS UP, THIS GUITAR, AND HE GOT QUITE GOOD ON THE GUITAR EARLY. LOST IN SPACE I'M INVISIBLE AND I WAS DOING A BUNCH OF MOVIES WITH QUINCY JONES. QUINCY WAS SCORING AT THAT TIME. I SAID, "QUINCY, JEFF'S BEEN WRITING SOME STUFF. YOU WANT TO JUST HEAR HIM FOR FUN?"

Jeff

BEAU, AS ALWAYS, WAS MY AGENT, YOU KNOW? HE WAS TRYING TO FURTHER HIS YOUNG BROTHER'S CAREER. SO QUINCY WAS DOING A MOVIE WITH DUSTIN HOFFMAN AND MIA FARROW CALLED, "JOHN AND MARY," AND I WENT IN THERE AND PLAYED HIM SOME TUNES, AND HE LIKED IT AND RECORDED IT AND USED IT IN THE MOVIE. LOST IN SPACE AND I SERIOUSLY THOUGHT MAYBE THAT'S WHERE I WAS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO DO, GET INTO THE MUSIC. THE MERRIMENT GOES ON AND IT'S AS BAD OR GOOD AS IT CAN GET HAVE YOU EVER SEEN... I REALLY RESISTED MAKING MOVIES AND FOLLOWING THAT PATH, BUT THEN IT BECAME KIND OF THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE BECAUSE I STARTED TO, YOU KNOW, GET WORK.

Beau

YEARS AGO I WENT IN FOR A BOXING MOVIE THAT JOHN HUSTON WAS DOING, AND JOHN REALLY LIKED ME, BUT HE SAID, "JEEZ," YOU KNOW, "YOU'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO OLD. "YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING THAT THIS CHARACTER NEEDS, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO OLD," AND I SAID, "WELL, I THINK I'VE GOT A GUY IN MIND FOR YOU," YOU KNOW, SO JEFF CAME IN, GOT THE PART. I THINK THE FIRST GREAT PERFORMANCE I SAW OF JEFF BRIDGES WAS IN "FAT CITY." WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH, IT'S JUST THE RIGHT IMAGE FOR YOU. WHEN YOU COME OUT IN THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK LIKE A CHAMP. THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

CROWD SHOUTING

Hackford

JOHN HUSTON, WHO IS A MASTER, TOOK THAT BOOK BY LEONARD GARDNER, WHICH IS A -- YOU KNOW, TO ME, THE BEST BOXING BOOK OF ITS GENERATION.

CROWD YELLING

Hackford

AND JEFF BRIDGES PLAYS THIS KID, YOU KNOW, FROM STOCKTON WHO IS THE GOLDEN BOY, HE THINKS, AND HE GOES INTO THIS THING, AND STACY KEACH IS THE HAS-BEEN.

Keach

"FAT CITY" WAS, AT THE TIME, IT WAS A REVOLUTIONARY FILM IN THIS RESPECT -- IT WAS NOT A CINDERELLA STORY. IT WAS ABOUT BOXERS WHO STARTED AT POINT "A" AND ENDED UP AT POINT "A." THEY DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE.

Jeff

I WAS, YOU KNOW, QUITE YOUNG, AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS ENAMORED OF THE MASTER, YOU KNOW, JOHN HUSTON, YOU KNOW, MY GOD, AND I WAS ANXIOUS TO DO WHATEVER HE HAD TO SAY. I WAS A LITTLE UPSET BECAUSE JOHN SHOWED SO MUCH AFFECTION TOWARD STACY. THEY WOULD PLAY BACKGAMMON, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY CREATED A WONDERFUL ATMOSPHERE FOR STACY.

Keach

WE USED TO PLAY BACKGAMMON ON THE SET, AND RAY STARK, WHO WAS PRODUCING THE FILM, USED TO COME UP TO US AND SAY, "JOHN, GIVE ME -- YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE ME THE BACKGAMMON BOARD BECAUSE WE'RE BEHIND SCHEDULE, YOU KNOW?" AND JOHN WOULD SAY, "NO, NO, NO, "I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BOARD. RAY, THIS IS HOW I RELAX BETWEEN SHOTS." AND FOR MY CHARACTER -- OR FOR ME, NOT MY CHARACTER, BUT JUST FOR ME -- HE KIND OF, HE WOULD TEASE ME. YOU KNOW, HE WOULD SAY, "OH, YES, WE'VE SCHEDULED A FIGHT FOR YOU." YOU KNOW, "YOU'RE GOING UP AGAINST THE CHAMPION OF STOCK--" YOU KNOW, HE WOULD, LIKE, TEASE ME, KEEP ME OFF BALANCE.

Announcer

ROUND ONE... LET'S GET HIM TO HIS CORNER. COME ON, ERNIE, COME ON, BABY, HERE WE GO.

Jeff

THAT MADE ME THINK THAT THAT WAS SOME DIRECTION HE WAS DOING. YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T THAT HE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, LIKE ME AS A PERSON. WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WHERE ARE YOU? I GET KNOCKED OUT? WHAT'S YOUR NAME? TELL ME YOUR NAME, CAN YOU DO THAT? ERNIE MUNGER. WHAT ROUND IS IT? HOW MANY FINGERS DO YOU SEE? CAN YOU SEE MY HAND? HOW MANY FINGERS? FIVE. HE'S OKAY. NORMALLY, AFTER A MOVIE, I HAVE THIS FEELING WHERE I -- I SAY, "I DON'T WANT TO "PRETEND ANYMORE, I JUST WANT TO BE ME AND DO MY OWN STUFF," AND I HAD FINISHED A MOVIE CALLED "THE LAST AMERICAN HERO" WITH LAMONT JOHNSON. I HAD A GREAT TIME WITH LAMONT,

Deeply

Jeff

HE'S A GOT A VERY DEEP VOICE, AND I GET A CALL FROM MY AGENT AND HE SAYS, "I'VE GOT GREAT NEWS -- YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED A PART "IN JOHN FRANKENHEIMER'S 'THE ICEMAN COMETH,' "THIS WONDERFUL EUGENE O'NEILL PLAY, "AND IT'S GOING TO BE WITH ROBERT RYAN "AND FREDRIC MARCH AND LEE MARVIN, THESE INCREDIBLE ACTORS." AND I JUST SAID, "OH, NO, I'M BUSHED. THANKS, I'LL TAKE A PASS AROUND THAT ONE." AND HE SAYS, "COME ON, YOU'RE KIDDING ME!" I SAID, "NO, I'M GOING TO PASS." SO I HANG UP ON HIM, AND ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER, LAMONT CALLS ME UP AND HE SAYS, "I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE TURNED DOWN A PART IN 'THE ICEMAN COMETH,'" AND I SAID, "YEAH, I'M BUSHED." YOU KNOW, HE SAYS, "YOU'RE BUSHED?" HE SAYS, "YOU'RE A STUPID ASS." AND HE HUNG UP ON ME. SO I DECIDED TO DO A LITTLE EXPERIMENT ON MYSELF, AND I SAID, "WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT PROFESSIONALS "HAVE TO WORK WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. "I CERTAINLY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT RIGHT NOW "AND I'M KIND OF WONDERING IF I'M GOING TO PURSUE ACTING FOR MY LIFE'S CAREER HERE." HELLO, LARRY. "SO MAYBE I'M GOING TO DO THIS THING "WHEN I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT, "AND THIS IS GOING TO PUT THE NAIL IN THE COFFIN, OR NOT." I COULDN'T MAKE IT, I THOUGHT I MIGHT SEE IF YOU WERE AROUND. SIT DOWN AND JOIN THE BUMS, THEN. THE REHEARSAL WAS EIGHT, TEN WEEKS SITTING AROUND A TABLE WITH THESE OLD PROS, THESE GUYS -- NOT MY FATHER. I MEAN, I ADMIRED MY FATHER AND I COULD APPRECIATE HIS -- HIS ACTING, BUT THESE WERE GUYS WHO, YOU KNOW, WHOSE WORK I HAD SEEN. MOST OF MY SCENES WERE WITH ROBERT RYAN. YOU STINKING, ROTTEN LIAR. WE WERE SITTING AND WAITING FOR THE SCENE TO START, HE WAS SITTING THERE WITH HIS HANDS ON THE TABLE, AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SAYS, "ALL RIGHT, WE'RE READY TO ROLL NOW, GET READY," AND BOB TOOK HIS HANDS AWAY, AND I NOTICED THAT WHEN BOB MOVED HIS HANDS OFF THE TABLE, THERE WERE TWO HUGE PUDDLES OF WATER, YOU KNOW, SWEAT, AND I SAID, "BOB, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, YOU'RE STILL NERVOUS, YOU STILL HAVE THE FEAR," YOU KNOW? NO, LARRY, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! AND HE SAID, "WELL, I'D REALLY BE AFRAID IF I WASN'T AFRAID." AND WHAT A RELIEF TO FIND THAT OUT, THAT BEING FRIGHTENED WAS NOT SOMETHING TO BE FRIGHTENED ABOUT. IT WAS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR BUDDY, YOU KNOW? IT'S KIND OF THAT -- THAT UNEXPECTED THING, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN HELP YOU, YOU KNOW? I HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, SOMETHING THAT I WASN'T COUNTING ON, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T THINK THE EXPERIMENT WOULD TURN OUT THAT WAY....ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME, AND I HATED MYSELF MORE AND MORE. BUT I WAS SO THRILLED ABOUT SEEING, WITH THESE OLD GUYS, AND HOW KIND OF LIKE CHILDLIKE AND WISE AND EVERYTHING THEY ALL SEEMED, I SAID, "OH, I WANT TO BE ONE OF THOSE GUYS." YOU KNOW -- DO YOU KNOW SOMETHING?

SIGHS

Jeff

I DON'T THINK OF US AS CRIMINALS, YOU KNOW? I FEEL WE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING, A GOOD JOB. I DID CIMINO'S FIRST FILM, "THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT," WITH CLINT EASTWOOD, AND THAT, YOU KNOW -- CIMINO IS KIND OF FAMOUS IN "HEAVEN'S GATE" FOR DOING, YOU KNOW, 60 TAKES AND EVERYTHING, AND THE FIRST MOVIE, "THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT," YOU KNOW, CLINT WOULD ONLY LET HIM DO TWO OR THREE. I WAS THE KID -- YOU KNOW, I WAS THE GUY WHO SAID, "OH, PLEASE" -- YOU KNOW, I'D GO UP TO MIKE AND SAY, "MIKE, I GOT AN IDEA -- CAN I JUST HAVE ONE MORE?" HE'D SAY, "WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO ASK THE BOSS," YOU KNOW? HE'D GO OVER AND CLINT WOULD SAY, "GIVE THE KID ANOTHER SHOT." YOU ALL RIGHT, KID? YOU DON'T LOOK TOO WELL.

BREATHING HEAVILY

Jeff

I BELIEVE YOU'RE RIGHT. LIGHTFOOT?

Bogdanovich

HE CHOOSES HIS PROJECTS VERY CAREFULLY, AND, I THINK, WITH AN EYE TOWARD NOT REPEATING HIMSELF IN TERMS OF THE KIND OF ROLES HE PLAYS. HE LIKES TO CHALLENGE HIMSELF.

Hackford

THEN THERE WAS A MOVIE CALLED "CUTTER'S WAY," BY IVAN PASSER. LET'S CALL IT A FILM NOIR, BUT A MODERN FILM NOIR. AND ALL THE PERFORMANCES EXTREMELY DARK, AND THAT'S WHAT IMPRESSED ME. THE THING THAT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I SAW "CUTTER'S WAY" WAS THAT I SAW A DARK QUOTIENT TO JEFF BRIDGES. I SAW AN INTELLIGENCE, I SAW A CUTTING EDGE. I DIDN'T SEE THAT YOUNG, HAPPY SURFER KID, YOU KNOW? SIT DOWN. LOOK. I DIDN'T SEE THE FACE, RIGHT? I ONLY SAW THE BODY -- WHAT I SAW OF THE BODY WAS A DARK SHAPE WITH SUNGLASSES ON IT. I CAN'T IDENTIFY A FACE FOR YOU! I COULD SEE HE HAD A CYNICAL SIDE. HE HAD DONE "KING KONG," HE'D DONE THIS BIG THING WHICH HAD NOT BEEN A BIG SUCCESS.

ROARS

Hackford

AND HOLLYWOOD IS SO FICKLE. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE THE YOUNG GOLDEN BOY, BOOM. BUT WHEN IN FACT YOU DON'T GO OVER THE TOP IN A BIG BLOCKBUSTER, THE TOWN CAN TURN AS COLD AS ICE TO YOU. AND I WAS GOING TO THE STUDIO, AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE SAYING, "JEFF BRIDGES? NO, FORGET IT, AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN FOR HIM." I PURSUED HIM FOR "AGAINST ALL ODDS" BECAUSE THE IDEA WAS TO GO AFTER SOMEBODY WHO HAD BEEN THE GOLDEN BOY BUT STILL NOW HAD SOME EXPERIENCE AND HAD SOME MILEAGE ON HIM AND HURT. I HAVE A BROKEN SHOULDER, BOTH MY KNEES ARE SHOT, THERE ARE GUYS CRIPPLING THEMSELVES RIGHT NOW SO YOU CAN ACT LIKE A 13-YEAR-OLD RUNAWAY FROM SOME MANSION IN BEL AIR. I COULD REALLY GIVE A

BLEEP

Hackford

WHAT YOU BELIEVE. JEFF CAME IN ABOUT 30 POUNDS OVERWEIGHT, AND I BASICALLY SAID TO HIM, YOU KNOW, "IF I FIGHT "FOR YOU ON THIS ROLE, WILL YOU IN FACT GO ON A PROGRAM "AND REALLY GET YOURSELF IN SHAPE? "BECAUSE YOU ARE PLAYING A WIDE RECEIVER WHO HAS TO BE INCREDIBLY FAST AND TOUGH." YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS, BROGAN. THE

BLEEP

Hackford

'S NOT BEATING ME. AND DOWN AGAIN, LOOK AT ME! HIT IT!

GRUNTS

Jeff

WELL, ONCE I ENGAGE, I'M -- I'M UP FOR IT, YOU KNOW? I'M IN 1,000%. TRYING TO PROVE YOU'RE A VETERAN, DAMN IT! WHAT A DUMB

BLEEP

Jeff

THING TO HAVE ME DO! BUT IT'S GETTING THERE, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO THAT SPOT. GETTING TO THE MAKE-OUT COUCH, YOU KNOW?

LAUGHS

Jeff

MAKE-OUT CAVE, IN THIS SENSE. IT WAS SOME MAYAN -- MAYAN RUIN, OR I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE HELL IT WAS.

Hackford

"AGAINST ALL ODDS" BROUGHT HIM BACK. IT BROUGHT HIM BACK INTO THE LIMELIGHT. IT WASN'T A HUGE BLOCKBUSTER, BUT IT -- HE LOOKED GREAT, HE WAS FANTASTIC, HE GOT GREAT REVIEWS. NOW, THE NEXT FILM, "STARMAN," HE GETS NOMINATED, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYBODY GOES, YOU KNOW -- AND IT'S NEVER STOPPED SINCE THEN.

Jordan Bridges

"STARMAN" REALLY STANDS OUT FOR ME. I WAS VERY IMPRESSIONABLE. I THINK I WAS ABOUT 8 OR 9 YEARS OLD WHEN THAT MOVIE CAME OUT. AND NOW WATCHING WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO AND GET AWAY WITH. THE FACT THAT JEFF COMMITTED SO MUCH TO BEING A FOOL AND WAS NOT AFRAID. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ACTORS, MOVIE ACTORS, UH, ARE CONSTANTLY DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, AND HOW DO YOU -- WHAT DO YOU DO? HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF? DO YOU HAVE TO HOLD BACK? AND, YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER IS NO, YOU CAN'T. YOU'VE GOT TO BE WILLING TO BE THE FOOL.

Karen Allen

THE WOMAN'S HUSBAND DYING AND THEN THIS BEING FROM ANOTHER WORLD COMES AND SORT OF REANIMATES IN A WAY, KIND OF REINCARNATES HER -- HER HUSBAND IN BODY FORM, BUT HE'S REALLY AN ALIEN. SCOTT? I THOUGHT, "HMM," YOU KNOW, THIS SOUNDED VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, AND I THOUGHT THE ROLE, YOU KNOW, THAT JEFF TOOK ON WAS EVEN MORE CHALLENGING. HE ACTUALLY WATCHED BABIES AND BIRDS, HE TOLD ME. SO HE WATCHED THE WAY A BIRD SORT OF MOVES ITS HEAD AND OBSERVES. YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF LITTLE MOVEMENT, BUT HE -- I THINK HE TOOK THAT AND HE THEN COMBINED IT WITH THIS IDEA OF THIS -- OF THIS BABY, OF THIS WIDE-OPEN -- BECAUSE BIRDS DON'T HAVE A WIDE-OPEN FEELING TO THEM, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHICH -- SO IT'S WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING IS IT'S THE COMBINATION OF THE BIRD AND THE BABY TOGETHER AND THEN WHO HE IS, YOU KNOW, ALL PUT TOGETHER. IT'S REALLY -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE WATCHING SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THAT'S MY DRIVER'S LICENSE. IT'S ME, MY NAME, JENNY HAYDEN. JENNY HAYDEN.

Robin Williams

HE SAID IN "STARMAN" THAT HE TREATED IT LIKE THE CREATURE WAS OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY AND HE'D LOST THE MANUAL. AND SO HE, "YOU'RE JENNY HAYDEN." EVEN THAT THING WITH THE -- JUST SLIGHTLY OFF. HE SAID, "JENNY HAYDEN." YOU KNOW, HE HAD THIS WHOLE WAY OF DOING IT THAT REALLY MAKES IT A VERY MEMORABLE LITTLE MOMENT OF A CHARACTER'S NAME. IT REALLY DOES -- YOU KNOW, IT IS A BIG KIND OF CREATION OF THAT CHARACTER THROUGH -- THROUGH HIS MIND OR THROUGH HIS -- HIS -- HIS INNOCENCE. HE'S JUST TRYING TO TAKE IT ALL IN. BELIEVE ME, GENERAL, I KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG. WORKING ON "STARMAN," WE WERE ON THE ROAD AND STAYING IN A LOT OF OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK TYPES OF PLACES, SO WE WERE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND THINGS TO DO, TO ENGAGE US, TO KEEP US BUSY. IT WAS THE FIRST FILM THAT HE STARTED TAKING PICTURES WITH HIS WIDELUX. IT HAS SUCH DEPTH OF FIELD AND IT SHOOTS 180, SO IT'S IDEAL FOR SHOOTING A LARGE CANVAS LIKE A -- THE MAKING OF A FILM. WE WERE HAVING SO MUCH FUN TAKING THESE PICTURES. TOGETHER WE DECIDED TO MAKE A BOOK, AND THAT SORT OF KEPT US BOTH VERY ENGAGED WITH THE CREW AND ENGAGED WITH EACH OTHER.

Jeff

THE FIRST ONE I DID WAS ON "STARMAN," AND IT WAS KAREN ALLEN'S IDEA. THE THING THAT I LIKE ABOUT THESE IS ALL THESE -- YEAH, ALL THE LITTLE STORIES. ISN'T IT WILD? IT'S SO WILD. I DIDN'T SEE THIS UNTIL JUST NOW. I KNOW, THAT'S THE WHOLE THING ABOUT KAREN. LOOK, YOU CAN SEE ME IN THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE -- OH, YEAH, COOL.

LAUGHS

Mary Ellen Mark

THIS IS HIS CAMERA, THE WIDELUX, AND HE'S THE GUY THAT IS BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE WITH THIS CAMERA. IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT CAMERA TO WORK WITH BECAUSE THE LENS MOVES. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, AND HE'S LEARNED ALL THE POSSIBLE WAYS TO MAKE FRAMES WITH -- WITH THIS MOVING LENS. WHEN YOU'D SHOOT, IT GOES LIKE THIS -- BZZZKCH -- AND IT CAPTURES THE PHOTO.

Jeff

IT'S THE ONLY CAMERA I USE, REALLY, BECAUSE IN A WAY IT'S LIKE A STILL MOTION PICTURE CAMERA IN THE WAY IT'S CAPTURING MOTION, AND, YOU KNOW.

Jordan

YEAH, LITTLE MOMENTS IN TIME RATHER THAN JUST ONE SNAPSHOT. AND THE FORMAT, I'M KIND OF PARTIAL TO THIS FORMAT, WHICH IS SORT OF LIKE A 70-MILLIMETER MOVIE.

Williams

HE TOOK THESE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT HE GIVES YOU AS A GIFT IN A BOOK THAT ARE AMAZING -- THEY'RE GREAT ART, AND IT CAPTURES THE FEELING WITH THIS 180 -- YOU KNOW, AND I THINK, IN A WEIRD WAY, THAT KIND OF ALSO IS HOW HE'S GOT THIS WIDE VIEW AND SPECIFIC, BOTH. HE'S CAPABLE OF DOING BOTH.

Lucinda

IT'S "TRAGEDY/COMMEDIA." WHEN HE CAME UP WITH THAT, IT WAS JUST SO JEFF, YOU KNOW? THAT'S THE EPITOME OF PRETTY MUCH WHO HE IS. I THINK HE WRITES THAT ON THERE. "TRAGEDY/COMMEDIA" -- BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ARE. WE'RE THIS AND WE'RE THIS.

CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS

Lucinda

GET TO WORK HERE. WE HAVE ALL THOSE WORKS...

Rose Shoshana

THIS PROCESS WAS, YOU KNOW, IN A WAY, TO TAKE HIM OUT OF THE ACTING, YOU KNOW, THE MOVIE-MAKING PROCESS, AND GIVE HIM A BIT OF TIME TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, AND THE FACT THAT HE HAD SUCH GREAT ACCESS TO EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT NOBODY ELSE COULD HAVE MADE. YEAH! NO, IT'S ALL PART OF THE SHOW. SEE YOU ALL LATER.

Jeff

"AMERICAN HEART" WAS THE FIRST MOVIE I PRODUCED. WE WANTED TO MAKE A FILM TO ADDRESS THE WORKING POOR IN OUR COUNTRY. IT WAS A VERY TOUGH ASSIGNMENT WHEN YOU GO OUT AND SAY, "I WANT TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT'S LIKE." WELL, YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT TOO PREACHY, YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT... YOU KNOW, YOU WANT IT TO BE VERY REAL FEELING. "AMERICAN HEART" WAS A MOVIE THAT STARTED OUT AS A PHOTO ESSAY THAT MARY ELLEN MARK DID ON KIDS LIVING IN THE STREET OF SEATTLE -- HEROIN ADDICTS, HOMELESS KIDS. AND THEN HER HUSBAND, MARTIN BELL, MADE A WONDERFUL DOCUMENTARY CALLED "STREETWISE." "STREETWISE" WAS DONE AS A RESULT OF MY PHOTOS OF THE CHILDREN IN SEATTLE, BUT "STREETWISE" IS AN ENTITY OF ITS OWN. IT BECAME ITS OWN STORY, AND, YOU KNOW, ITS OWN REALITY THAT DEVELOPED FROM THOSE CHARACTERS. THERE WAS A SCENE IN THERE THAT REALLY MOVED ME WHERE THIS YOUNG KID, HE MUST HAVE BEEN 14 YEARS OLD, VISITED HIS FATHER IN PRISON. TOUGH GUY ON THE STREET, MAN! BIG-TIME TOUGH LITTLE PUNK. THAT'S ALL YOU ARE. CAN'T EVEN QUIT BITING YOUR FINGERNAILS. YOU'RE TOO

BLEEP

Jeff

LITTLE TO BE TOUGH, KID. AND YOU COULD TELL THE FATHER LOVED HIS KID, BUT THE ONLY WAY HE COULD EXPRESS IT WAS TO GIVE HIS, YOU KNOW -- KIND OF BE A BULLY TO HIS KIDS AND SAY, "HOW MANY CIGARETTES YOU SMOKE," YOU KNOW? THE KID SAYS, "WELL, JUST A PACK," YOU KNOW, AND THE FATHER SAYS, "WELL, THAT'S GOOD. "LET ME SEE YOUR ARMS, COME ON. "YOU SHOOTING UP ANY DRUGS OR ANYTHING? "DON'T HANG OUT, YOU DON'T WANT TO END UP LIKE ME," THIS KIND OF THING. AND I THOUGHT, GOD, WHAT A -- WHAT A RELATIONSHIP THEY HAD AND WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN LIKE IF THAT GUY GOT OUT OF PRISON?

Boy

I WAS LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU. BEAR SAID YOU'RE GETTING OUT TODAY.

Martin Bell

I THINK THAT JEFF SAW THE TRAGEDY OF SOME OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS IN "STREETWISE" AND HE WANTED TO TRY AND CAPTURE THAT AND PUT IT INTO A NARRATIVE FORM. YOU LOOK GOOD, OTHER THAN YOUR HAIR.

CHUCKLES

Martin Bell

OF COURSE, MINE SHOULD TALK, HUH? THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR THE STORY. TELL YOU WHAT, THERE'S A CAFE ACROSS THE STREET. WHY DON'T YOU GO OVER THERE AND -- AND HE WANTED TO TRY AND FIND A WAY TO SHOW THE SWEETNESS OF HIS OWN PERSONALITY... GO ON, I'LL MEET YOU OVER THERE. AND THE HORROR OF WHAT THIS FATHER REALLY WAS, BECAUSE HE HAD NO CHANCE IN LIFE HIMSELF. SO I LIED. AIN'T THE FIRST TIME. ALL YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO ME IS LYING TO ME SINCE THE DAY YOU LEFT ME BACK THERE IN THE BUS STATION. PUT YOUR MOUTH IN PARK TILL YOU CAN GET IN YOUR ROOM.

LAUGHS

Martin Bell

I DON'T HAVE A ROOM. WELL, THEN, GET OUT! YOU'RE CRAMPING MY STYLE.

Mark

JEFF IS HEARTBREAKING IN THAT FILM, AND THAT CHARACTER HAD TO BE HEARTBREAKING. SO SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BUT SO TOUCHING AT THE SAME TIME. MY MOTHER WOULD OFTEN CHECK ON US IF WE WERE DOING OUR HOMEWORK, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DID IN THOSE DAYS WITH YOUR KIDS A LOT, AND HE WOULD BE DOING ART OR PLAYING THE GUITAR. EVERYBODY'S GOT THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION ABOUT THE VALUE OF WHAT THEY DO HE GOT INTO THE WILD CROWD, THE WILD BUNCH, AND PLAYING MUSIC A LOT AND PROBABLY SMOKING POT AND JUST PARTYING.

Jeff

"1969. WE HAD A BIG CONFAB WITH JEFF CONCERNING HIS LIFESTYLE "THAT WASN'T MAKING HIM OR US HAPPY. "HE NEEDED SOME ROUTINE SET UP "SO HE WOULDN'T WASTE MOST OF HIS TIME, "INSTEAD OF THE UNDISCIPLINED, UNPRODUCTIVE LIFE HE WAS NOW LIVING, ONLY DABBLING AT HIS ART AND MUSIC."

Lucinda

HE SEPARATED FOR A WHILE, LIKE WE ALL DO FROM OUR PARENTS, AND HE MOVED OUT AT ABOUT 17, I THINK, AS SOON AS HE WAS ABLE TO BE FREE. THE QUOTE THAT MY MOTHER REMEMBERS AND HE REMEMBERS, WE ALL REMEMBER, IS HE BASICALLY TOLD MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER, "I DON'T DIG YOU GUYS ANYMORE. I JUST DON'T DIG YOUR COMPANY." AND THAT WAS HIS TRUTH. HE JUST WANTED TO BE A REBEL AND GO TRY AND DO ALL THESE THINGS AND BE HONEST ABOUT IT. "HE INDICATED HE WAS OKAY. "HE NEEDED TO BE ON HIS OWN SO HE'D HAVE A SENSE OF SELF-WORTH AND ACCOMPLISHMENT." JEFF DOESN'T DO ANYTHING HALF-ASSEDLY, AND SO WHEN HE CAME BACK, HE CAME BACK WITH ALL OF HIMSELF.

Jeff

THIS IS MY -- MY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. THIS IS MY MOTHER. THIS IS MY SISTER.

Susan

JEFF AND I MET AT CHICO HOT SPRINGS, MONTANA, IN 1974. I WAS WORKING THERE IN BETWEEN COLLEGE YEARS AND HAVING A GREAT 1974 TIME, AND THE MOVIES CAME, AND THERE WAS THIS GUY, LLOYD BRIDGES' SON, WHO KIND OF FOLLOWED ME AROUND. I WAS 21 YEARS OLD. IT WAS AN ADVENTURE. FORTUNATELY, HIS FAMILY WAS VERY KIND AND SUPPORTIVE OF ME.

Beau

ON THE HOME FRONT, HE'S VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS FAMILY. I THINK THAT'S TRULY THE CENTER OF HIS WORLD. HIS DAUGHTERS AND SUE, HIS WIFE. I KNOW THAT THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO HIM.

Susan

I THINK I HAVE PROVIDED A STABILITY FOR HIM FROM WHICH HE CAN GET AS FAR OUT AS HE NEEDS TO BE, BUT HE KNOWS HE HAS A PLACE TO COME HOME TO, AND I THINK THAT GIVES HIM A LOT OF FREEDOM TO -- TO CREATE, ESPECIALLY FILM ROLES.

Jeff

YEAH, "THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS." WELL, THAT WAS A SPECTACULAR EXPERIENCE FOR ME. WORKING WITH MY BROTHER WAS THE BIG THING ON THAT ONE, BUT ALSO MUSIC. PLAYING THAT CHARACTER, I GOT TO GET IN TO JAZZ. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A GREAT INVITATION TO STUDY BILL EVANS' MUSIC. MORE THAN YOU KNOW MORE THAN YOU KNOW MAN OF MY HEART I LOVE YOU SO

Beau

ONE OF THE FAVORITE QUESTIONS THAT I GET IS, "IS THERE ANY JEALOUSY OR COMPETITION BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR BROTHER?" AND MY STOCK ANSWER TO THAT IS, "NO, BECAUSE I TAUGHT HIM EVERYTHING THAT HE KNOWS."

LAUGHS

Beau

YOU NEED ME SO MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW EVEN THOUGH WE'VE ONLY WORKED A COUPLE OF TIMES TOGETHER AS ACTORS, WE'VE AFFECTED EACH OTHER'S CAREERS. WHEN HE WAS DOING "THE BAKER BOYS," THE STUDIO WANTED TO CAST SOMEBODY ELSE. JEFF SAID, "NO, I WANT TO DO THIS WITH MY BROTHER." HOW DO YOU ACT THAT? HOW DO YOU ACT AS IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY'S BROTHER? NOW, WITH BEAU, THAT WAS NOT EVEN AN ISSUE. WE DIDN'T PUT ANY TIME AT ALL TRYING TO CREATE THAT ILLUSION. THE FIRST SCENE WE SHOT WAS ME IN THE BATHROOM WITH HIM AS HE'S SPRAYING HIS HAIR, AND I TALKED BEAU INTO DOING THIS BALD THING, AND HE SAID, "OH, DO I HAVE TO DO THE BALD" -- I SAID, "BEAU, COME ON, IT'S A GREAT CHANCE TO DO IT." THIS IS PAINT, FRANK. IT'S NOT PAINT, IT'S A MAGICAL SHEATH WHICH SIMULATES A DAZZLING HEAD OF HAIR. FRANK, THIS IS PAINT. JUST HELP ME PUT IT ON, OKAY? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SPRAY IN A CIRCULAR MOTION.

CAN SHAKING

Jordan

MY DAD AND MY UNCLE, WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG, STRAPPING MEN, THEY USED TO TAKE A FLATBED TRUCK AND THEY WOULD PARK OUTSIDE OF A GROCERY STORE AND PICK A FIGHT, AND THAT WOULD KIND OF GET PEOPLE AROUND INTERESTED IN WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THEN I GUESS THEY WOULD BREAK INTO SHAKESPEARE. AND WE WOULD STAGE A FAKE FIGHT, YOU KNOW -- ANOTHER FIGHT, GET PEOPLE AROUND, SAY, "OH, STOP THAT," AND THEN WE WOULD SAY, "NO, IT'S JUST A SHOW," AND WE'D JUMP UP ON THE BACK OF THE FLATBED TRUCK AND DO OUR SCENES, AND THEN WE WOULD WAIT FOR THE COPS TO COME, BECAUSE THEY WOULD INEVITABLY -- SOMEBODY WOULD CALL THE COPS, THEY WOULD COME, AND WE'D ALWAYS TRY TO INCLUDE THE COPS AS IF THEY WERE IN ON THE SHOW. THEY DIDN'T APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW? AND JUST WHEN -- JUST WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO ARREST US, WE'D HOP IN, SAY, "OKAY, WE'RE OUT OF HERE," AND WE'D GO TO THE NEXT SUPERMARKET, PLAY THE SUPERMARKET CIRCUIT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE FIGHTING IN THE MOVIES, LIKE IN "THE BAKER BOYS," WE HAD A FIGHT IN THERE. WE WERE BOTH, YOU KNOW, EXCITED ABOUT GAFFING THAT FIGHT OURSELVES BECAUSE OUR FATHER TAUGHT US MOVIE FIGHTING AND STAGE FIGHTING.

Frank

WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU SHOW UP FOR A COUPLE HOURS A NIGHT AND SMOKE CIGARETTES! FRANK, IF SOMEBODY REQUESTED "CHOPSTICKS," YOU'D ASK FOR THE SHEET MUSIC. IF IT WASN'T FOR ME, LITTLE BROTHER, YOU'D BE PLAYING FOR DIMES OUT OF THE BACK OF A TRUCK.

BEAU

JEFF AND I HAD THIS IDEA -- WE WANTED TO FIGHT UP AGAINST A CHAIN LINK FENCE BECAUSE WE FIGURED IT WOULD SOUND KIND OF HORRIFIC BUT IT WOULD HAVE ENOUGH GIVE SO THAT WHEN WE CRASHED UP AGAINST IT, IT WOULDN'T WHACK US. AND WE WANTED THE FIGHT TO BE REAL AWKWARD. THESE WEREN'T BOXERS, THEY WERE BROTHERS THAT WERE GOING CRAZY ON EACH OTHER.

YELLS

BEAU

THE FIGHT HAD TO END WITH MY BROTHER ON TOP OF ME, GRABBING MY FINGERS, THREATENING TO BREAK THEM. THE MOST THREATENING THING YOU COULD DO TO A PIANO PLAYER IS BREAK HIS HAND, AND SO I'M BREAKING HIS HAND. I TOLD HIM, "LOOK, I KNOW YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE "IN WHAT YOU DO, YOU GET INTO THE -- "YOUR CREATIVE MODE. "DO NOT HURT ME, MAN. DO NOT TWIST MY FINGERS UP," YOU KNOW? AND I SAID, "I'M GOING TO HAVE A WORD "THAT WILL WORK WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE SCENE, AND IF I SAY IT" -- I THINK IT WAS "OW, OW!" TWICE IN A ROW -- "IF I SAY THAT, YOU KNOW YOU'RE REALLY HURTING ME, AND BACK OFF." WE FORGOT TO HAVE A SAFE WORD OR SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WORD THAT WOULD SAY, "YOU'RE HURTING ME." SO HERE COMES THE TIME, AND... HE GOES BANANAS AND HE'S ON TOP OF ME AND HE GRABS MY FINGER, AND, "OH..." AND I GO, "OW, OW!" AND JEFF IS, YOU KNOW, HE'S OUT THERE, HE'S NOT EVEN HEARING ME, SO I FINALLY SAY, "YOU ARE BREAKING MY EFFING FINGER." YOUR LITTLE BROTHER BEAT THE

BLEEP

BEAU

OUT OF YOU, HUH? JACK, JACK, JACK, MY HAND! MY HAND, JACK!

Jeff

SO WHEN BEAU SAID, "YOU'RE HURTING ME, YOU'RE BREAKING MY HAND!" I SAID "GOOD, ACT YOUR ASS OFF, YOU SON OF A BITCH." AND I REALLY DAMAGED HIS HAND AND WE HAD TO GO RIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL.

Gilliam

WE WERE CASTING "FISHER KING," AND I WAS ON A PLANE FLYING ACROSS THE STATES AND "BAKER BOYS" WAS ON, AND I COULDN'T WAIT TO GET OFF THE PLANE. I SAID, "IT'S HIM, IT'S GOT TO BE JEFF."

Jack

IT'S SUNRISE CONFESSION TIME, ED. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR US?

Jeff

I HAVE A THEORY THAT CYNICS ARE KIND OF CRUSHED ROMANTICS, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE -- THAT THEY'RE PROTECTING SOMETHING VERY TENDER, AND THAT -- I THINK THAT WAS THE CASE OF THAT FELLA.

Ed

I MET THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.

Jack

OH, COME ON, NOW, ED, IF YOU START TELLING ME YOU'RE FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO REMIND YOU OF THAT TIME WE MADE YOU PROPOSE TO THAT CHECK-OUT GIRL AT THRIFTY'S THAT YOU LIKED SO MUCH. DO YOU REMEMBER HER REACTION?

WOMAN SCREAMS

Man

YECCH!

Ed

SHE WAS JUST A GIRL. UH-HUH. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. YEAH, AND "PINOCCHIO" IS A TRUE STORY. ED, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THIS TART TO YOUR DESSERT PLATE. NO, THIS IS DIFFERENT. EDWIN. SHE LIKES -- EDWIN, HEY!

WHISTLES

Ed

EDWIN!

Gilliam

HE'S FEARLESS -- HE'S ABSOLUTELY FEARLESS, NUMBER ONE, BUT THERE'S A DARKNESS THERE THAT BROODS, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST THING WHEN I FIRST MET HIM. COULDN'T HAVE BEEN SWEETER, COULDN'T HAVE BEEN NICER, COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE, JUST, GENUINE GUY, AND THEN HE SAYS, "YOU EVER SEEN THIS?" AND HE SHOWED ME A BOOK OF PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOEL-PETER WITKIN, AND YOU OPEN THE BOOK AND YOU FALL INTO THE ABYSS, BECAUSE IT IS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MISSING LIMBS, HEADS THAT HAVE BEEN CHOPPED OPEN, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, DISTURBING, HORRIFYING, MAGICAL PHOTOGRAPHS I'D EVER SEEN. AND IT WAS TERRIFYING. AND SO HERE'S THIS SWEET, ALL-AMERICAN LAD, SUDDENLY IN THIS -- IN THE DEPTHS OF THE MOST DISTURBING, FRIGHTENING, PAINFUL, BEAUTIFUL -- AND I THOUGHT, "WOW, YOU IMPRESS ME." I REMEMBER HIM COMING OVER AND TALKING TO ME ABOUT THIS ROLE, AND I SAID, "GEE, YOU KNOW, "WHY DO YOU WANT ME TO -- "I MEAN, I'M NOT FROM NEW YORK, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LIKE A HOWARD STERN KIND OF GUY." HE SPENT HIS WHOLE TIME TRYING TO TALK ME OUT OF CASTING HIM. I MEAN, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT EITHER. AND I SAID, "REALLY, TERRY," I SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK OF THESE GUYS." I HAD A LONG LIST OF GUYS, FRIENDS OF MINE THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR THE PART. HE GOES, "NO, JEFF, COME ON!" YOU KNOW? I REMEMBER WHEN HE WALKED ON THE SET THE DAY THAT HE WAS TRANSFORMED INTO JACK LUCAS AT THE BEGINNING. AND, GOD, HE WAS BEAUTIFUL. HE WAS JUST TERRIFYING. IT WAS A TERRIFYING KIND OF BEAUTY. FORGIVE ME!

Williams

THE WOMEN ON THE SET WERE LIKE, "OH,

BLEEP

Williams

."

GASPS

Williams

YOU OKAY?

GASPS

Williams

IT WAS JUST LIKE, "WOW." THERE'S A CHARACTER CALLED THE METATRON, WHO IS THE VOICE OF GOD IN CERTAIN COSMOLOGIES, AND HE'S THIS GOLDEN FIGURE THAT JUST STANDS THERE, AND IT WAS LIKE, "JEFF, GOD!" I SAID, "I WISH I WAS GAY, BECAUSE THIS GUY IS THE GUY!" THERE WAS THESE MOMENTS THAT ARE JUST -- AND IT'S SCARY BECAUSE HE'S DOING NOTHING THAT YOU CAN SEE, BUT IT'S ALL -- IT'S JUST COMING OUT FROM A VERY DEEP SOURCE. DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THE NEW TITLE OF MY BIOGRAPHY, MY LITTLE ITALIAN FRIEND? "IT WAS NO

BLEEP

PICNIC

THE JACK LUCAS STORY."

Gilliam

IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT HE BECAME AN ANCHOR IN THAT WHOLE MOVIE, PARTICULARLY FOR ROBIN AND MYSELF, BECAUSE ROBIN AND I FLOAT OFF INTO THE STRATOSPHERE. JUST FULL OF HOT AIR, BOTH OF US ARE. WE'RE GONE, AND JEFF IS THE THING THAT GROUNDED IT. LIKE JAZZ, LIKE HE IS THE BASS, HE HOLDS THE MIDDLE. EVEN AS CRAZY AS HIS CHARACTER IS, WITH ALL OF THE OTHER -- ALL OF US KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ROTATING AROUND HIM, IT'S INCREDIBLE, BECAUSE HE HOLDS IT STRAIGHT. EVEN PLAYING, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH AN OUT-THERE DRUNK, HE'S STILL THE VOICE OF SANITY, ESPECIALLY WITH ME BEING THE VOICE OF INSANITY. OH, YOU FABULOUS GUY! OH! DON'T HUG ME IN PUBLIC AGAIN, OKAY? "MEN WITH MEN," OH, JACK! I LOVE THIS GUY! YOU HEAR ME? I LOVE THIS GUY! OH, YOU HEAR ME, JADED CITY? WILL YOU SHUT UP? I LOVE JACK!

Williams

HE'S GOT THIS COMBINATION OF GREAT DISCIPLINE BUT THE OTHER THING, IT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE GREAT FREEDOM. WILL YOU SHUT UP? I THINK IT'S -- I COULD SAY SELF-TAUGHT, BUT I THINK IT'S A WEIRD COMBINATION OF TECHNIQUE AND THIS OTHER KIND OF THING THAT'S, "OH, WELCOME TO NEW YORK." THE SOUND GUY'S GOING, "WE GOT THAT, IT'S A TRUCK, BOBBY. "BACK IT UP, WE'RE SHOOTING THE JEFF BRIDGES THING. HE'D LIKE THIS, IT'D BE ALL REAL." THE IDEA THAT HE -- I THINK IT'S -- YEAH, THAT IT ISN'T METHOD, BUT THERE IS SUCH KIND OF DISCIPLINE BEHIND IT. YOU DID A GREAT THING FOR SOMEBODY TONIGHT. I WAS VERY PROUD TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT. YOU WERE GREAT. THANK YOU.

Mercedes Ruehl

HE WAS EXTREMELY GENTLE TO ME AND VERY CAREFUL THAT IN THE LOVE SCENES THAT I FELT COMFORTABLE. I REMEMBER BEFORE THE FIRST ONE, GOING FOR A LITTLE WALK, AND HE HELD MY HAND AND HE SAID, "THEY'RE ALWAYS A LITTLE DIFFICULT, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE FINE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE FINE." AND HE WAS -- HE WAS PROTECTIVE. STEAMED DUMPLINGS!

LAUGHS

Mercedes Ruehl

MOO SHU PORK!

Ruehl

THERE'S A QUALITY ABOUT HIM OF A KIND OF... WELL, "MELANCHOLY" OR "TRISTESSE" IS TOO STRONG, BECAUSE THERE'S A JOYOUS, BUOYANT LAUGHTER INSIDE THAT MAN, BUT THERE IS ALSO THIS -- THIS LITTLE MOTIF THAT HE IS VERY REFLECTIVE. HE'S A SEEKER. HE WAS A SEEKER AFTER SOMETHING, AND THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT MATERIAL. THAT SOMETHING WAS SPIRITUAL.

Bernie Glassman

YOU KNOW, FROM MY STANDPOINT AS A ZEN TEACHER, ONE OF OUR METHODS OF TRAINING IN ZEN, IT'S CALLED ZEN KOANS. WE PRESENT THE STUDENT A SITUATION, AND THE ANSWER TO THAT SITUATION IS TO BECOME THE SITUATION. IT'S NOT TO COMMENT ON IT AND NOT TO SAY WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT BUT TO REALLY BECOME IT, AND THAT'S HIS LIFE, IT'S JEFF, SO, FOR ME, HE'S WHAT I CALL A TRUE ZEN MAN. LOOK AT THAT REFLECTION.

Susan

JEFF HAS ALWAYS LIKED TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES. I CALL THEM "FOOLOSOPHIES" BECAUSE OFTEN HE'S ON SOME TANGENT OR ANOTHER -- YOU KNOW, HE'S FOLLOWING BUDDHISM NOW, BUT BEFORE THAT -- HE'S ALWAYS BEEN ON THE PATH. I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN A DESTINATION, AND HE'S ALWAYS BEEN ON THE PATH. WE HAVE A LABYRINTH AT OUR HOUSE. WE GO OUT OCCASIONALLY AND WALK THE LABYRINTH AND IT GIVES US TIME TO CONTEMPLATE.

Jordan

HE TAUGHT ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LABYRINTH AND A MAZE. NOW, A MAZE, YOU GET LOST. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CORRECT CHOICE IN WHETHER YOU TURN RIGHT OR LEFT, AND I THINK THIS IS VERY -- GETS TO THE POINT OF WHO HE IS, BECAUSE HE DOES NOT LIKE TO MAKE DECISIONS.

Susan

IT'S KIND OF A FAMILY JOKE THAT -- THAT HE IS SO INDECISIVE, BUT I THINK THAT PERHAPS SOMETIMES THAT IS HIS DECISION -- IS TO BE INDECISIVE.

Beau

YOU KNOW, HE'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE ON THE SURFACE, HE SEEMS VERY LAID BACK AND VERY EASY-GOING. SOMETIMES SOME OF US CALL HIM "THE SLOTH" BECAUSE HE LIKES TO JUST HANG.

The Stranger

SOMETIMES THERE'S A MAN -- WELL, HE'S THE MAN FOR HIS TIME AND PLACE. HE FITS RIGHT IN THERE. AND THAT'S THE DUDE, IN LOS ANGELES. AND EVEN IF HE'S A LAZY MAN -- AND THE DUDE WAS MOST CERTAINLY THAT -- QUITE POSSIBLY THE LAZIEST IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, WHICH WOULD PLACE HIM HIGH IN THE RUNNING FOR LAZIEST WORLDWIDE -- BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S A MAN, SOMETIMES THERE'S A MAN.

Jeff

GOD, "THE BIG LEBOWSKI," I REMEMBER WHEN THE COEN BROTHERS -- YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE I BUMPED INTO THEM SOMEWHERE OR SOMETHING, AND I WAS A BIG FAN, YOU KNOW, "BLOOD SIMPLE" AND ALL THEIR EARLY STUFF. THEY SAY, "WE'RE WRITING SOMETHING FOR YOU." I SAID, "YOU'RE KIDDING ME, GREAT, I CAN'T WAIT TO, YOU KNOW, READ IT." THEY SAID, "YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IT." AND THEN I READ IT, AND I SAID, "WHAT IS THIS, MAN? THIS IS LIKE "NOTHING THAT I'VE EVER DONE BEFORE. "THIS IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, DID YOU CRASH ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL PARTIES?" WHOA! WHAT THE

BLEEP

Jeff

? GET IN THE LIMO, YOU SON OF A BITCH, NO ARGUMENTS. HEY, HEY, CAREFUL, MAN, THERE'S A BEVERAGE HERE! HEY!

Jordan

HE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAD CAMERAS SET UP IN HIS HOUSE OR THAT THEY WERE INTERVIEWING HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO FIND OUT THINGS ABOUT HIM. LOOK, MAN, COME ON. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE? THOSE GUYS ARE -- WE DROPPED OFF THE DAMN MONEY! WE? I. THE ROYAL "WE," YOU KNOW, THE EDITORIAL -- I DROPPED OFF THE MONEY EXACTLY AS PER -- LOOK -- WHAT IN GOD'S HOLY NAME ARE YOU BLATHERING ABOUT? THE BROTHERS WOULD TELL YOU, TOO, THAT I WAS EVEN RESISTANT TO THAT ONE. I CAN'T -- I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, BUT I HAD THAT RESISTANCE, YOU KNOW, "DRAG ME TO THE PARTY" KIND OF THING. BUT I'M SURE GLAD I WENT TO THAT PARTY, MAN. THAT WAS A FUN, FUN THING.

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL PLAYS LOOKING OUT MY BACK DOOR

Jordan

AND THEN WHAT'S HAPPENED TO IT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS NOW WITH THESE LEBOWSKI FESTS,

Laughing

Jordan

IT JUST TOTALLY WORKS. IT'S AMAZING. IMAGINATION SETS IN, PRETTY SOON I'M SINGING

Jeff

COOL SHOP, MAN.

Man

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, FEEL FREE TO LOOK AROUND, ENJOY. LOOK AT THAT! THERE'S A GIANT DOING CARTWHEELS STATUE WEARING HIGH HEELS DO YOU JUST HANG OUT HERE OR ARE YOU JUST VISITING? WHAT'S GOING ON? I'M ACTUALLY -- I'M THE ROBOT, ACTUALLY.

LAUGHS

Jeff

I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED BECAUSE I HAD, YOU KNOW, DAUGHTERS WHO WERE LIKE, JUST, YOU KNOW, YOUNG TEENS, AND I THOUGHT, "OH, THIS HAS BECOME A HIT MOVIE, THEN THEY GOT THEIR BIG, YOU KNOW, POT-HEAD FATHER," AND I REMEMBER ASKING MY DAUGHTERS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ME PLAYING THIS CHARACTER, AND AFTER A LONG BEAT, I THINK IT WAS MY MIDDLE DAUGHTER, JESSIE, SAID TO ME, "DAD, YOU'RE AN ACTOR. WE KNOW THAT WHAT YOU DO ISN'T REAL," YOU KNOW? WAIT, LET ME -- LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU. UM, I AM NOT MR. LEBOWSKI. YOU'RE MR. LEBOWSKI. I'M THE DUDE, SO THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL ME, YOU KNOW? UH, THAT OR, UH, HIS DUDENESS, OR, UH, DUDER, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, EL DUDERINO, IF YOU'RE NOT INTO THE WHOLE BREVITY THING, UH...

John Goodman

AH, THE MISHMASH OF STYLES THAT CAME TOGETHER IN THE FILM. THE DETECTIVE STUFF, "STAY OUT OF BAY CITY, STAY OUT OF MALIBU," WHATEVER IT WAS. I'M SORRY, I WASN'T LISTENING. OW!

BLEEP

John Goodman

FASCIST!

GRUNTS

John Goodman

STAY OUT OF MALIBU, LEBOWSKI! OW! STAY OUT OF MALIBU, DEADBEAT! HE'S ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE PORT HURON STATEMENT.

LAUGHS

The Dude

I, UM... I WAS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE PORT HURON STATEMENT. UH, THE ORIGINAL PORT HURON STATEMENT. AND HIS AVID BOWLING SKILLS. IT'S ALL OF OUR HOPES IN THE '60s, AND THEY WIND UP ON THE FLOOR OF A PLACE IN VENICE LISTENING TO THE BOWLING FINALS.

BOWLING PINS CLATTER

GOODMAN LAUGHS

The Dude

AND WHALE MUSIC IN THE BATHROOM.

WHALE SONG PLAYING

TELEPHONE RINGS

CLICK

The Dude

THE DUDE IS NOT IN. OH, MAN. AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MARMOT INTO THE BATHTUB. "HEY, MAN, NICE MARMOT." HE-- HEY, THIS IS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, MAN! OH, NICE MARMOT.

SCREAMS

The Dude

HE'S CREATED A CHARACTER FOR ALL TIME.

LAUGHS

The Dude

YOU -- YOU HUMAN PARAQUAT! YOU FIGURED, "OH, HERE'S A LOSER, YOU KNOW, A DEADBEAT! SOMEBODY THE SQUARE COMMUNITY WON'T GIVE A

BLEEP

The Dude

ABOUT." WELL, AREN'T YA? WELL, YEAH! WE DID SOME IMPROVISATION TO FIND THE -- THE... THE REALITY OF THE MOMENTS, BUT WE WOULD ALWAYS -- AT LEAST I CAN SAY THIS ABOUT MYSELF -- ALWAYS RETURNED BACK TO THE SCRIPT, BECAUSE EVERY ELLIPSES, EVERY "MAN," EVERY "

BLEEP

The Dude

," IT WAS RIGHT IN THE RIGHT SPOT, AND YOU WANTED TO -- YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, READING MUSIC ALMOST, YOU KNOW? YOU CAN DO IT MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT THIS IS THE WAY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, RIGHT IN THE SPOT. AND ALSO, LET'S NOT FORGET -- LET'S NOT FORGET, DUDE, THAT KEEPING WILDLIFE, UM, AN AMPHIBIOUS RODENT FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC -- WITHIN THE CITY -- THAT AIN'T LEGAL, EITHER. WHAT ARE YOU, A

BLEEP

The Dude

PARK RANGER NOW? NO, I'M JUST TRYING TO OFFER -- WHO GIVES A

BLEEP

The Dude

ABOUT THE

BLEEP

The Dude

MARMOT?

Williams

IF THEY EVER LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN CALIFORNIA, THERE'S GOING TO BE A MOMENT WHEN THEY'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO DO A SHOUT-OUT TO THE DUDE. IT'LL BE THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A VERY LARGE FOLLOWING OF, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DUDE WILL BE THERE AS, YOU KNOW, DEIFIED, OR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, WE COULD MAKE HIM A SAINT, BUT WHILE YOU'RE STILL ALIVE. THE DUDE ABIDES. I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH THE SUNDOWN SHINING IN

Jordan

THE DUDE ABIDES, YES, HE DOES. I FOUND MY MIND THE DUDE ABIDES WITH A CAPITAL "A." HE DOESN'T JUST ABIDE. YOU KNOW, HE ABIDES. YOU KNOW, AND THEN THAT KIND OF RESONATES AND ECHOES ON AND ON. I TORE MY MIND ON A JAGGED SKY WE'RE SITTING THERE AT THE SCREENING, AND MY GRANDMOTHER IS THERE AND MY AUNT CINDY AND MY DAD, AND THEY -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL LAUGHING HILARIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE MOMENT YOU SEE HIS JELLIES, WHICH WERE HIS SHOES. DOWNTOWN SOMEWHERE I JUST DROPPED IN AND WE JUST WERE ALL THRILLED AT THE END AND STOOD UP, AND MY GRANDMA IS SITTING THERE, LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW," AND SHE -- SHE HATED IT! SHE DID NOT LIKE TO SEE HER SON, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS LONG HAIR AND SLOUCHING, AND FOR HER...

Evans

HOW'S YOUR AVERAGE? IT'S ALL ABOUT "THE CONTENDER." SHE WANTS TO SEE HER SON BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. OH! PBBBT! THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT I GET FOR MY LEFTIST TENDENCIES. SIR, SENATOR HANSON AND HER HUSBAND ARE HERE. SHALL I PUT THEM IN RECEPTION? BRING THEM IN. YES, SIR.

Bogdanovich

CONSIDERING THE RANGE THAT HE'S ACCOMPLISHED IN HIS CAREER, FROM PLAYING THE GUY IN "THE BIG LEBOWSKI" TO PLAYING THE PRESIDENT, WHAT'S INTERESTING IS HE HAS A KIND OF PERSONA AS AN ACTOR THAT HE CONSTANTLY REINVIGORATES AND CHALLENGES AND -- BUT, I MEAN, HE'S...HE NEVER GOES SO FAR AWAY FROM HIMSELF THAT HE SEEMS TO BE ACTING. THAT'S PART OF THE TRICK. SHELLY, YOU REALLY MADE A MESS OF THINGS FOR ME. YOU SURE DID CLOBBER ME. ISN'T IT POSSIBLE, SIR, THAT I WAS -- THAT I WAS ACTING IN THE -- THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES? NO, NO, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, AND... THAT'S WHAT PISSES ME OFF. IT'S ALL ABOUT RETRIBUTION FOR HARTFORD. THANK YOU, TREVOR, THAT'LL BE -- THAT'LL BE ALL. SO, HE'S LIKE A GREAT METHOD ACTOR, HE FINDS THE CHARACTER IN HIMSELF. OKAY, SHELLY. I'LL GIVE YOU GOVERNOR JACK HATHAWAY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE DAMN SURE YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE HIM A SMOOTH RIDE. YOU HAVE MY WORD. THERE'S A REASON THEY CALL ME "HONEST SHELL." IRONY, SHELLY.

Joan Allen

TO PLAY THE PRESIDENT IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING, TO PROJECT THE KIND OF AUTHORITY, REALNESS, THE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES. IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. I WANT TO SEE THE FACES OF THOSE OF YOU WHO WOULD ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF GREATNESS IN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP BECAUSE OF HALF-TRUTHS, LIES, AND INNUENDOS. I WILL NOT BE DETERRED BY PARTISANSHIP...

Allen

I DON'T KNOW IF HE THOUGHT SOME ABOUT BILL CLINTON. AND THERE'S THIS LBJ QUALITY, ALMOST, TO IT, OTHER PAST PRESIDENTS, BUT THERE WAS AN EASE, AN AUTHORITY, A HUMOR. WHAT ABOUT THIS WEBSTER, SIR? ONE SECOND -- ANYBODY HERE HUNGRY? OH, NO, THANKS. NO, SIR, I'M NOT, THANKS. OTTO? YES, MR. PRESIDENT? CAN YOU WHIP UP SOME KUNG PAO CHICKEN, BUT WITH WALNUTS?

CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING

Allen

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANOTHER MALE ACTOR QUITE LIKE JEFF IN THAT WAY. HE CHANGES HIMSELF SO MUCH FROM ROLE TO ROLE. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT JEFF PROJECTS THAT IS VERY AMERICAN. BUT, HECK! EVERYBODY LOSES A COUPLE.

CROWD MURMURING

Allen

AND YOU EITHER PACK UP AND YOU GO HOME, OR YOU KEEP FIGHTING!

Jeff

ACTING AND MAKING MOVIES, IT'S LIKE BEING A KID, YOU KNOW? YOU'RE PRETENDING, YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO -- BUT YOU'RE PRETENDING WITH ALL THE COOL KIDS, YOU GET THE COOL STUFF, THE GEAR. TRYING TO RID THE WORLD OF WEAPONS, YOU GAVE IT ITS BEST ONE EVER! PEPPER! AND NOW... I'M GOING TO KILL YOU WITH IT.

Hackford

GREAT MOVIE ACTORS ARE A PARTICULAR BREED. THE CAMERA IS A MAGNIFYING GLASS, AND THE CAMERA BORES IN LIKE A MAGNIFYING GLASS, AND IT DETECTS

BLEEP

Hackford

. YOU'RE DIVORCED, AREN'T YOU? YEAH. WERE YOU FAITHFUL TO HIM? REALLY? REALLY. WAS SHE FAITHFUL TO YOU? YEAH, AS FAR AS I KNOW. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS, AS FAR AS I KNOW. I DIDN'T KILL HER. I KNOW YOU DIDN'T. NO, YOU DON'T. DAD. I'M NOT YOUR FATHER, SAM. WATCHING JEFF BEHAVE ON AND OFF SET IS REALLY A MASTER CLASS IN JUST HOW TO BE A GOOD ARTIST. HIS PERSPECTIVE ON HIS ART IS VERY UNIQUE IN THAT HE ENJOYS IT IMMENSELY. HE TAKES IT VERY SERIOUSLY, BUT HE DOESN'T LET IT OPPRESS HIM. TO ME, THE FABULOUS THING ABOUT JEFF BRIDGES IS THAT WE GREW UP THINKING, "THE ACTORS STUDIO." WE GOT THE ACTORS STUDIO, YOU'VE GOT DE NIRO, PACINO, DUSTIN, BRANDO, YOU HAVE ALL THE METHOD PEOPLE IN NEW YORK, AND THEY REALLY HAVE THE TAP ON GREAT ACTING. HERE'S THIS GUY IN CALIFORNIA WHO IS A SURFER DUDE -- HE'S ABSOLUTELY AS GOOD AS ANY ONE OF THEM. HEY, WHAT'S GOIN' ON? I THINK WE HIT THAT MISSISSIPPI! WE DID? I THINK WE HIT THAT SUCKER.

Bogdanovich

JEFF GETS VERY INTO THE ROLE, AND I NOTICED THAT, IN THE 19 YEARS THAT HAD PASSED, HE GOT EVEN MORE INTO THE ROLE THAN HE HAD ON "PICTURE SHOW." I MADE A JOKE ONE TIME -- I CAME UP TO HIM, AND I SAID LOUDLY, "I WANT TO TALK TO JEFF." AND HE WENT, "HE HEARS YOU." CAN WE DEPART THIS AFTERNOON? "WE"? YOU'RE NOT GOING. THAT IS NO PART OF IT. WELL, YOU HAVE MISJUDGED ME IF YOU THINK I AM SILLY ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU $50 AND WATCH YOU SIMPLY RIDE OFF. I'M A BONDED U.S. MARSHAL. THAT WEIGHS BUT LITTLE WITH ME. I WILL SEE THE THING DONE.

BLEEP

Bogdanovich

DUCKS. CAN'T GO AFTER NED PEPPER AND HIS BAND OF HARD MEN, AND LOOK AFTER A BABY AT THE SAME TIME. I AM NOT A BABY. WON'T BE STOPPING AT BOARDING HOUSES, WHERE THERE'S WARM BEDS AND HOT GRUB ON THE TABLE.

Man

ROOSTER COGBURN IS PROBABLY THE DUDE'S GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER. PAPA TOOK ME AND LITTLE FRANK COON HUNTING LAST SUMMER ON THE PETIT JEAN. WE WERE IN THE WOODS ALL NIGHT. WE SAT AROUND A BIG FIRE, AND YARNELL TOLD GHOST STORIES. WE HAD A GOOD TIME. COON HUNTING? THIS AIN'T NO COON HUNT. ONE SMOKES A DOOBIE, AND THE OTHER ONE ROLLS HIS OWN CIGARETTE. BUT WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT THE DUDE'S ANCESTRY. DAMN IT, I DO NOT ACCEPT IT AS A GIVEN THAT I DID SHOOT LaBOEUF.

Catlett

IT WAS FASCINATING TO WATCH HIM GET INTO HIS CHARACTER. IT IS TRULY THE GENEALOGY OF THE BRIDGES' EVOLUTION IN CHARACTERS. I CAN HIT A GNAT'S EYE AT 90 YARDS.

GUNSHOT

Catlett

THAT CHINAMAN IS RUNNING THEM CHEAP SHELLS ON ME AGAIN.

Jeff

I REMEMBER ON THE MOVIE SET, ONCE, MY DAD, HE WAS PLAYING A WESTERN, AND I REMEMBER, THIS CAME UP TO ME WHEN I WAS DOING "TRUE GRIT," AND SEEING MY FATHER WITH TWO OTHER ACTORS ON LADDERS, BOTH, WITH REINS COMING UP OUT OF THERE, LIKE THIS. AND I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING. THEY HAD TO GET THE KID OFF THE SET BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP. YOU KNOW, SEEING MY DAD -- AND MY DAD IS, YOU KNOW, GIVING A LITTLE MOVEMENT AND PRETENDING HE'S ON A HORSE. JUST LIKE I WAS PLAYING WHEN I WAS A KID, YOU KNOW.

Lucinda

MY FATHER, WHILE HE DID, YOU KNOW, AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF FILM AND TV, HE FELT HE NEVER... HE NEVER CRACKED THE NUT. HE NEVER GOT THERE. PRESTON TUCKER. MR. TUCKER. A.H. KARATZ. K-A-R-A-T-Z, HUH? HUH? SIT DOWN, GENTLEMEN. SIT DOWN.

Tucker

LET'S GET RIGHT TO THE POINT. YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN WASHINGTON, I KNOW THAT. OH! I ALSO KNOW...

Bogdanovich

JEFF IS SO TALENTED THAT I DON'T THINK HE REALLY LET HIMSELF GO IN ALL THE DIRECTIONS THAT HE COULD GO UNTIL AFTER HIS DAD DIED. "THE BIG FREAK SHOULD BE INDICTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER," HUH?

CHUCKLES

Bogdanovich

FUNNY LINE. THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF SONS -- THE GOOD SON, WHO LOVES THE FATHER, AND THE OTHER SON, WHO LOVES THE FATHER BUT WANTS TO KILL HIM. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? JEFF IS THE KIND OF SON THAT WOULD NEVER KILL HIS FATHER. AND HE ALREADY BECAME A BIGGER STAR DURING LLOYD BRIDGES' LIFETIME THAN LLOYD BRIDGES HAD EVER BEEN. WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT. THIS IS JUST MY PUTTING IT TOGETHER. I THINK IT WAS UNCONSCIOUS ON HIS PART, BUT I THINK HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO SUPERSEDE HIS FATHER TO SUCH A DEGREE. BUT HE WENT WAY BEYOND WHAT LLOYD BRIDGES DID IN HIS LIFE, AND I THINK IT TROUBLES JEFF, IN A FUNNY WAY. HOW'D YOU LEARN MUSIC? MM, MY DADDY. HE HAD THIS OLD WASHBURN STEEL STRING HE COULDN'T PLAY A LICK ON. AND I PICKED IT UP, STARTED FOOLING WITH IT. GUESS THAT'S HOW. RIGHT, AND WHAT WERE YOU LISTENING TO? A BUNCH OF PEOPLE YOU PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF. LULU BELLE AND SCOTTY, EMMETT MILLER, GEORGIA WILDCATS, YOU EVER HEAR OF THEM? UH, NO, I NEVER HEARD OF THE GEORGIA WILDCATS. NO, I DIDN'T FIGURE YOU DID. THE PROBLEM WITH THE "CRAZY HEART" SCRIPT WHEN I FIRST GOT IT WAS THAT THERE WAS NO MUSIC ATTACHED. YOU KNOW, WITH "BAKER BOYS," WE HAD ALL THOSE WONDERFUL JAZZ AND POP STANDARDS TO WORK WITH. BUT WITH "CRAZY HEART," THERE WAS NO... NO MUSIC AT ALL ATTACHED, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT, IF THAT DIDN'T HAVE GOOD MUSIC, THAT MOVIE WOULDN'T BE WHAT IT WAS. AT THE FIRST LIGHT OF DAWN WE HEARD THAT HE WAS GONE OUR HEARTS WAS EMPTY AND OUR EYES WAS FILLED OPEN

Jeff

AND WHEN I FOUND OUT T-BONE WAS INVOLVED, I FIGURED, WELL, THE MUSIC IS NOW IN GOOD HANDS.

T-Bone Burnett

AND THE REASON I DID IT WAS BECAUSE OF JEFF. THE MOVIE ITSELF, IT WASN'T A RADICAL MOVIE. THERE ARE A LOT OF... THE STORY WASN'T RADICAL. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, "WHERE ARE THEY NOW," ON, YOU KNOW, THE TELEVISION. IT'S ABOUT, THE STORY, YOU KNOW, A GUY HAD A HIT, AND THEN HE WASHED UP, AND USUALLY NOW HE'S GOT A GIRL, AND SHE'S MANAGING HIM, AND

Laughs

T-Bone Burnett

HE'S MAKING A COMEBACK. HE'S STRAIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW. OPEN THE GATES WELCOME HIM IN 'CAUSE THERE'S A BRAND-NEW ANGEL

Burnett

IT WAS A STORY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A TRAVELING MUSICIAN. AND THEN OUR FRIEND, THE TRAVELING MUSICIAN, STEPHEN BRUTON, WHO CAME IN AND REALLY WAS THE FOREMAN AND THE GUIDING HAND IN ALL OF THE MUSIC. AND, YOU KNOW, THEN HE DIED, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IN THE WARP AND WOOF OF THE THING, THIS-THIS-THIS LOSS. I DON'T KNOW, LA-DI-DA-DI-DA LIKE A LONG-GONE TRAIN THAT AIN'T COMIN' BACK WHERE DID IT GO?

Jeff

SO YOU STILL HANG ON THAT "G" EXTRA LONG. YEAH, NO, IT'S -- ALL IT IS IS AN ACCENT. YOU KNOW, HE WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE SOUL AND LOVED MUSIC. HE WAS SUCH A SCHOLAR OF MUSIC, YOU KNOW. GOD. I DON'T KNOW, BABY, WHAT YOU'VE PLANNED OUR FUTURE THAT WE PLANNED LONG AGO BABY, I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW, LA-DI-DA-DI-DA LIKE A LONG-GONE TRAIN THAT AIN'T COMIN' BACK

COUNTRY BAND PLAYING

Robert Duvall

COUNTRY MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN, KIND OF RESONATES WITH CERTAIN FILMMAKERS.

BLEEP

Robert Duvall

BOWLING ALLEY.

Duvall

WITH JEFF'S CHARACTER, HE WAS PRETTY MUCH ISOLATED AND ON HIS OWN AS A SOLO ACT, TRYING TO SURVIVE, YOU KNOW, IN SPITE OF AND WITH HIS DEMONS. MR. BLAKE, LET ME PERSONALLY OFFER YOU ALL THE FREE BOWLING YOU WANT. HOLD THAT, WOULD YOU, PLEASE? AND SOMETIMES IT'S WORKED AT TO BE ROUGH, THEY DON'T TRY TO GET OUT OF IT. SOMETIMES THEY, THEY WORK AT IT TO BE DIFFERENT AND STEEPED IN THAT.

Cooper

I WROTE THE PIECE FOR JEFF. I FIRMLY BELIEVE I HAVE AMERICA'S TWO FINEST ACTORS IN MY PICTURE, AND THEY BOTH, MR. DUVALL AND JEFF, AREN'T SAFE ACTORS. THEY PUT THEMSELVES OUT IN EVERY PERFORMANCE, AND THEY NEVER SEEM TO MINE THE SAME TERRITORY.

Williams

THE FACT THAT HE IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL STONER AS THE DUDE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE HIM AS BAD BLAKE, AND YOU SEE HIM AS THE QUINTESSENTIAL ALCOHOLIC. AND HAVING BEEN AN ALCOHOLIC AND STILL ONE, I GO, HE REALLY CAPTURED THAT IDEA OF THAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN... LIKE THIS PAINFUL SCENE OF HIM WITH THE KID, YOU KNOW, GOING, "WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO IN HERE "JUST FOR A MINUTE AND GET A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING, A LITTLE SOMETHING-SOMETHING." AND THEN THE PANIC WHEN HE LOSES THE KID. I LOST MY LITTLE BOY! HE'S GOT BROWN HAIR. FOUR YEARS OLD, HIS NAME IS BUDDY. BUDDY. WHAT WAS HE WEARING?

PANTING

Williams

I -- I DON'T REMEMBER. OKAY, WELL, SIR, WHERE DID YOU LAST SEE HIM? UH, A BAR. A BAR? WHICH, WHICH BAR, SIR? OH, HELL, I DON'T KNOW. IT WAS A LITTLE, DARK BAR. WHEN HE'S, YOU KNOW, ON THE SKIDS, WHEN HE'S PLAYING THE DRUNK, BURNED OUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DEEPLY DAMAGED GUY. AND HE CAN PLAY THAT VERY REALISTICALLY. AND PEOPLE JUST WENT, "WELL, HE, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST HIM." I'M GOING, "NO, HE'S, HE'S REALLY ACTING, BUT DOING IT SO FLAWLESSLY YOU DON'T SEE ANY OF THE WIRES." JEAN?

SIGHS

Williams

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? JUST LISTEN TO ME. I'M SORRY. WITH ALL MY HEART, I'M SORRY. I'M SOBER. DETOX, ANTABUSE, THE WHOLE BIT. IT WOKE ME UP. I LOVE BOTH OF YOU SO MUCH. IF THAT'S TRUE, YOU'LL LEAVE US ALONE, ALL RIGHT? OH, COME ON, JEAN, NOW, DON'T SAY THAT. JEAN? JEAN? JEAN! JEANIE?

Kate Winslet

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... JEFF BRIDGES FOR "CRAZY HEART."

CHEERS AND APPLAUSE

Announcer

THIS IS THE FIRST ACADEMY AWARD AND FIFTH NOMINATION FOR JEFF BRIDGES. HE COMES FROM A SHOW BUSINESS FAMILY, INCLUDING HIS FATHER, LLOYD; MOTHER, DOROTHY; AND BROTHER, BEAU. JEFF RECEIVED HIS FIRST NOMINATION IN 1971 FOR A SUPPORTING ROLE IN "THE LAST PICTURE SHOW." PEN THE GATES WELCOME HIM IN 'CAUSE THERE'S A BRAND-NEW ANGEL THERE'S A BRAND-NEW ANGEL MOM AND DAD! YEAH, LOOK! WHOO-HOO! WHOO! THANK YOU, MOM AND DAD, FOR TURNING ME ON TO SUCH A GROOVY PROFESSION. I FEEL AN EXTENSION OF THEM. THIS IS HONORING THEM AS MUCH AS IT IS ME.

Jeff

I REMEMBER, EARLY IN MY CAREER, FEELING VERY INSECURE ABOUT NOT FEELING LIKE THE GUY, YOU KNOW, AND SAYING, "WELL, WHY DID I GET THIS PART? I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU HIRED ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN ME, YOU KNOW?" IF YOU HAD THAT EMPTY SPACE, THEN YOU COULD FILL THAT WITH WHATEVER CONCEPT YOU WANT. IT'S FUN TO HAVE CONCEPTS OF YOURSELF AND MESS AROUND WITH THAT, BUT, AS MY MOM SAID, "REMEMBER, HAVE FUN, AND DON'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY." "CRAZY HEART" REALLY GOT ALL MY MUSIC JUICES GOING. AND I ASKED MY PUBLICIST, JEAN SIEVERS, WHO IS BRIAN WILSON'S MANAGER, I SAID, YOU KNOW, "ARE THERE ANY GIGS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW? "'CAUSE I'M KIND OF UP FOR IT, I'D LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BAND TOGETHER." AND I HAD HER GO OUT FISHING FOR SOME GIGS. I USED TO BE SOMEBODY AND NOW I AM SOMEBODY ELSE

Man

JEFF CALLED AND SAID, "I'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A COUPLE SHOWS," SO I SAID, "WELL, I'LL GET THE BEST GUYS IN TOWN." WE CALL OURSELVES THE ABIDERS, A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, HOMAGE TO "LEBOWSKI." AND OFF WE WENT TO NIAGARA FALLS.

ABIDERS PLAYING

Jeff

WHOO-HOO! I USED TO BE A PREACHER WITH WOMEN, FAME, AND WEALTH, UH-HUH I USED TO BE A PREACHER WITH WOMEN, FAME, AND WEALTH FROM A MIGHTY CONGREGATION TO TALKIN' TO MYSELF WHY? 1,500 PEOPLE THERE, IT'LL BE 1,500 PEOPLE TOMORROW. THERE WAS A LOT OF SMILES. ALL RIGHT! THANK YOU, MAN. YEAH, IT'S GREAT. IT WAS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY A BIG DEAL.

Laughs

Jeff

HOW SOON CAN WE COME BACK?

LAUGHTER

Jeff

I DIG THE FALLS,AN. I USED TO BE SOMEBODY BUT NOW I AM SOMEBODY ELSE I USED TO BE SOMEBODY AND NOW I AM SOMEBODY ELSE I WOULD LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS A PERSON WHO WAS MORE PROACTIVE, YOU KNOW, IN CREATING THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO CREATE. BUT THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT ACTING AS A PROFESSION IS THAT YOU USE ALL OF YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW, YOU USE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS, SO IT TURNED OUT THAT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

CHEERS AND APPLAUSE

Susan

I ALWAYS THINK OF US, JEFF AND I, AS THE YOUNGER US IN MANY WAYS, AND I THINK OF HIM AS AN ACTOR WHO... WHO CHANGES HIS LOOK AND CHANGES HIS CHARACTER AND TRAVELS THE REAL WORLD INCOGNITO.

Gilliam

HE HAS WORKED HARD NOT TO BE THE MOVIE STAR THEY WOULD HAVE LIKED HIM TO HAVE BEEN. HE'S HIS OWN MOVIE STAR. AND MAYBE THAT'S THE WHOLE KEY TO IT. IT MUST HAVE FRUSTRATED SO MANY PEOPLE HE WOULD CHOOSE TO GO OFF TO WHEREVER HE WENT OFF TO, THIS FILM OR THAT FILM. "HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THIS OTHER PATH." AND IT'S HIS OWN PATH. AND THAT'S WHY HE'S JEFF AND NOBODY ELSE.

Jeff

IT'S SO CRAZY, IT IS ALL THE MASKS AND ALL THE... IT'S REALLY INSANE. AND YOU HAVE THESE PERCEPTIONS, YOU KNOW, HOW -- YOU HAVE PERCEPTIONS ON HOW YOU'RE PERCEIVED, AND THEY'RE ALL, REALLY, PERCEPTIONS, THEY'RE ALL KIND OF MEANINGLESS, YOU KNOW. YOU DON'T, I MEAN, WHEN I REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHO I AM, EITHER. YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT I'M TRYING TO -- YOU KNOW, GIVE PEOPLE WHAT THEY THINK I AM AND WHAT I THINK I AM, BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM, I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM. THAT'S THE MOST COMFORTING, THAT FEELS, AS I EVEN SAY THAT, THAT FEELS VERY COMFORTING TO ME. I'LL PARK MY OLD BLUE C

Jeff Bridges

I'LL PARK MY OLD BLUE CAR GUESS, I MIGHT FALL DOWN THE MOUNTAIN BUT I WILL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN I'M DRIVING MY BLUE CAR, BABY DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAINS SO HIGH I'M DRIVING MY BLUE CAR, BABY DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAINS SO HIGH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JEFF BRIDGES, VISIT pbs.org. COMING DOWN, GONNA SAY GOODBYE NOW I'M GONNA SAY GOODBYE