Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - Brenda Vaccaro Part 2

Episode Date: May 2, 2022

In this conclusion of a far-ranging 2-part episode, Oscar-nominated actress Brenda Vaccaro joins Gilbert and Frank to talk about the fun of filming comedies, the diva antics of Lauren Bacall (and Faye Dunaway), making a pilot for Lucille Ball, the comedic genius of Peter Cook, the generosity of Quentin Tarantino and sharing the stage and screen with Michael Caine, Gene Hackman, Al Lewis, Vincent Price and Frank Sinatra (among others). Also, Andrea Martin spoofs a Playtex ad, Ron Leibman plays the "bongos," Warren Beatty spots the "funny" in Jack Warden and Brenda tries to wrap her mind around the Cesar Romero rumor. PLUS: "Cactus Flower"! Shooting "Supergirl"! Remembering Laura Nyro! In search of George Hamilton! The talents of Frank Welker! And Brenda weighs in on the dramatic chops of Gilbert Gottfried! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I got a couple of questions from listeners for you. Oh, really? Okay. I was just going to say, one of our favorite guests was Ron Leap. Isn't he? There you go. He had stories like he would tell them with bongo drums. Did he ever do any bongo drums? No, he didn't bring the bongos. No, not bongo.

He would do it. Oh, give me the drum roll. Yeah, because my Rottweiler went after his arm at the dining room table when he was doing the bongos. My Rottweiler did this, and he went, get your dog off my arm. And Philo was hanging from his arm. We loved him. And he said, get your dog off my arm. Philo, he dropped him.

You'd gone way back with Jessica, as we said before, because you were in Neighborhood Playhouse. Weren't they wonderful together? We had them together. In fact, I'll send you the episode. Oh, please do. We had them together, and they were just—it's my favorite show that we've done out of 400. They were so in love. Yeah.

It was just—it was magical. And she was my best friend. You know, I lost her recently. I know. We loved her, and we were sad by that. Oh, and Vincent Price. Oh, he was so dear. I'm off camera with him.

You would have loved this guy. And he's got his hands here on me. Or was it all the way around? He was like this. That's it. And I said, Vincent. I turned and looked at him and said, we're not

going on camera now. He said, oh, I know, darling. I just love what I do so much. Oh. Isn't that sweet? That was a TV movie called What's a Nice Girl Like You from 1971. I just love what I do so much. You know, to be in the movies, I just love what we do so much. This is Trevor Douglas was going to ask that question, Gil.

You jumped. Oh, what was he going to ask? Working with Roddy McDowell, Jack Warden, and Vincent Price in the TV movie, What's a Nice Girl Like You? Well, all of them were like... You like Jack Warden? I loved him. He was hysterical. Guess who knew how funny he was? Warren Beatty. He was funny.

When he put him in that movie about the hair. Oh, Shampoo First. Yeah, then Heaven Can Wait. You know what? It was Warren Beatty that made a star out of Jack Warden because he knew. Well, Jack Warden was great in the Sidney Lumet movie, 12 Angry Men. Yes. Jack was great at that.

Always great. Great in the verdict. But that he was funny because Jack had you laughing like crazy when you were around him. It was Warren Beatty that realized that he was a comedian. I love that. And most importantly, he was in all three Problem Child movies. With Gilbert. Was he?

With Gilbert. And was he great? Yes. Gilbert worked with him. He was terrific. Yeah. Unfortunately, we didn't have scenes together, but he was a funny guy.

Funny. Yeah. See, nobody knew how funny he was. And it was Warren that spotted it, for whatever reasons, and gave him that part of that guy in the movie who was the lover for Julie Christie. The movie that Lee won the Oscar for that beat you out. The Landlord?

What's that? The Landlord? No, for Shampoo. When you were up against Lee. Yeah, she came up to me, you know, and she said, well, I'm older. It's interesting, too, because she beats you for that Oscar. You were up for Once is Not Enough. She won for Shampoo.

But she ends up directing you to your Emmy. Oh, yeah, that's right. In the shape of things. In the shape of things, yeah. And if I'm at her house and I'm having dinner, and we're just all telling stories like we do here, this is great. I'm so glad you invited me. Thank you, you darling men.

This is just great. But we're telling stories. And she will take me downstairs. And you know her age. And she will put me into a cab. And she will say, she will kiss me goodbye and she will say, you were brilliant tonight.

Brilliant. Love it. And so, you know, that coming from her means a lot to this day. I had dinner with Lee and she never told me I was brilliant. Now I'm heartbroken. We told a lot of stories that night.

She's the best. Marion Paul, I would love to ask Brenda what she remembers about the great George Hamilton. Gilbert brought up Ron Leibman in Zorro the Gayblade. Did he? What did he say? Did he love him? Huh? No, I said Gilbert just brought up the same movie. Ron and George

Hamilton. Oh, weren't they funny together? Yeah. I mean, Ron had me laughing every day. Oh my god, he was funny. Yeah. Is it a happier set when you're making a comedy? Yes. Like that? Yes.

Yes. Everybody kind of is a little bit looser, and you hear a lot of laughing, and it's a looser set. It's more fun. Interesting. Because everybody's having fun. It can get tense.

You know, there are things that happen that can be, you know, kind of nightmarish. But overall, it's great fun. We were thrilled to have Ron, and we'd love to get George, but he's been Hamilton. What's he been? He's been elusive. We haven't been able to get him on this show. I don't know.

We keep working on it. We won't give up. I think he's heard the show. Oh, no. We're going to send him this one't give up. I think he's heard the show. Oh, no. We're going to send him this one, Brenda. He would love to be on this show. George would love it. And talk about somebody charming and fun.

And a storyteller. I love him. His stories are brilliant. Yes. Brilliant. Terry Beatty has a question for Brenda. Do we dare ask Brenda about Andrea Martin's impression of her on SCTV? I adore it. Spoofing her play text

tampon. Is her name Terry? Terry Batey is a guy. Oh, Terry, I adore it. I laugh every time and when we were doing Christmas Carol with Colin, remember last year in the theater, they did the Christmas Carol. Christmas and George C. Scott. Oh, Campbell Scott the Christmas Carol. Christmas and George C. Scott.

Oh, Campbell Scott did Christmas Carol. Yeah, right. Okay, she was in that. She was Christmas later, Christmas first. Yeah, she's the best. She came up to me early before the show started because the show opens and they're all walking down the aisles handing you oranges or apples, you know, to sort of set the whole kind of Christmas spirit.

And she came and she leaned down and she said, Brenda, did you ever see the commercial that I imitated when I imitated you? And I went, yes, I have seen it. And I thought you were just absolutely brilliant. And you had it right down. She started to laugh. You know, oh, that was it. You know, you were absolutely brilliant.

You had it down perfectly what I did. She was like, she laughed. She loved it. Tell us what Lucy said to you. Because, again, before we turn on the mics, we were getting such good stuff, too, here with Brenda. Brenda did a pilot, I think, I want to say it was 66, on the Desilu lot. Right. With two of our podcast guests, Richard Benjamin and Joel Gray.

And it was called Lucky Penny. You were Penny. By the way, you were wacky and ditzy. I don't think Penny was so lucky that she never got on the air. But what did Lucy say to you? Oh, she was very sweet at one point. She said, she turned off the recorder and she said, Brenda, are you in love? And I said, yes, I think so, yes.

Marty Freed was in my life at the time. And she said, well, listen to me, I'm going to give you some advice. She said, you're going to get married and you're going to have your kids right away. I said, what? She said, yeah, that's what you're going to do if you listen to me, because you got to have your kids when you're young. Otherwise, she said, I had mine too late because it was career, career, career. Listen to me, have your kids, get married, Have your kids. It's important to have a family before it's too late. I'm not going to be there as long as I should be. How about that? Isn't that something? How about that, Gil? I thought it was really

touching. Yeah. Of course, I didn't do it. You know, the flow of your career. Yeah, sure. Of course. It's like you try to fight it. Didn't she say something like, I heard you got a mouth on you? Oh, yeah. The minute I walked in to do her show, she said, I hear you got a mouth on you. Because, I mean, she did too. She would have loved you, Gilbert. Why not? Anybody that was free to say what they wanted to say, you know, that's who she was.

She said what she thought. Jonathan Sloman, who is our friend who's from across the pond. I need to ask Brenda about the great Peter Cook, who you made Supergirl with. He was a genius. He was. We were doing bits. I think he probably knows. You know he's Derek and Clive.

Get the horn. Yeah, Derek and Clive. We were doing Derek and Clive bits here. I know we were doing bits. What was it? Do it, honey. The one-legged Tarzan? Oh, yes.

He says, no, your right leg is wonderful. We love your right leg. We have nothing against your right leg, but the problem is neither do you. And it's the part of Tarzan, you see. He has two legs. If our listeners don't know that sketch, please find it. They also did it on Saturday Night Live. But, I mean, he was a genius, a comedic genius.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, what was the first show they did? What was the name of the very first show that all of them did? They did a show on Broadway, not only but also? No. What the hell was that thing called? Oh, God, the first show that all of them did. They did a show on Broadway, not only but also? No. What the hell was that thing called? Oh, God, the first show that all of them did. My British show. Oh, you mean Beyond the Fringe. Yes, right. Wasn't that brilliant? All geniuses. I mean, that took my breath away. I mean, he did too. He was a great friend, a great friend. He came and stayed with me about two months. I've never had more fun in my life.

I don't think there was anybody funnier. Nobody. Even with the exception of Gilbert. Yes. But didn't you think he was hysterical? Oh, yes. He never missed the ticket. Do you know what I mean?

He never missed the center of the joke. He never missed the laugh. Did you get along with Faye Dunaway on supergirl because she had a certain reputation i did i saw an interview with the director and he said when brenda vaccaro showed up everything was fine is that what he said yes yes so you must you must have had some kind of uh effect positive effect on that set i you know i she was known for diva behavior i made fun of a lot of things i made fun of a lot of things like there was this wooden thing that you could stand on in england when you're doing a classic picture you know about long gowns and you know marie antoinette hair

and you could go out to lunch uh and pass by. And she was on one of those wooden things just sitting there in this costume that was made for her. And I would just pass by her and say, Jesus Christ, it's just a film. It's just a film thing. You know, I'd get this look. You know, it was like she thought I was just, you know, also. You're the comic relief for that movie. I didn't put up with her shit. You know, one time, this is the most amazing moment I've ever had, as a matter of fact.

I'm off camera, left. She's in a car. It's her close-up, right? She's getting ready to have it shot. And you know what she said? I don't want your face in it I don't need you Turn your back

I said I went like this You talking to me? And she said Yes, I am Turn your back I don't want to see your face I looked at Janelle, the director

I said, Janelle And he said, Faye Darling, we're just going to shoot this one line. It's on you. It's over very quickly. Brenda's here to deliver the line to you. I don't want her face. I just turned around and walked off the set. Wow.

If she started that shit, I just like, you know. Or she would do things like, I told you a quarter of an inch, not an inch. And I'd watch her treat this wonderful woman who was doing the costumes. I can't remember her name now. I'm so sorry because she was just such an angel. She would terrify people, terrify people. And she was walking off the set one day and the crew was laughing at me because I was walking funny at my heels. And she said, what are you doing? What's she doing?

You know, and the camera operator who was Freddie, who had worked with every famous person in the world, right? The operator said, we'll never tell you. And so I said, nothing, Faye, just keep going. Oh, all right. You're getting laughs. You know, she was, I don't know, she was competitive. She was, she was, she had difficult, difficult time. But you made it, but you made it work. Well, I did for me. Yeah. I'm not sure for her. Yeah. But I mean, you know, I think I'm sad to say she was a brilliant actress. I'm sad to say that, you know, personally, she struggles, you know. You can see the struggle. But my God, look at her work when she was young.

It was brilliant. Network, she was incredible. Wonderful. Bonnie and Clyde. Wonderful work in a lot of films. Great actress. Great actress. I really admire her for that. Speaking of difficult actresses, as a young actress,

you found yourself sharing a stage with the great Lauren Bacall. In the play Cactus Flower. You're picking all the bitches. I'm picking the bitches. Oh no, have you got a piece of candy i need candy for this yeah just to calm myself um we don't have to talk about it if it's too unpleasant actually i never met anybody stronger i never met anybody who had such conflicted feminine kinds of personality. Like, for instance, telling me that she was going to marry Frank Sinatra and she put it in the paper

that they were engaged and he never talked to her again. She was at a club and late at night after the show and she got drunk and she told me this and i could see that her heart was broken you know um and at the same time just be so impossible you know be so impossible the crew had sandbags all over here i said to one of the guys, what is all that? He said, we're going to drop him on her. Wow. Crew hated her. Barry Nelson and her had an affair. They were madly mad for each other, which is great.

She was in the Ingrid Bergman part. Yes. To use the Cactus Flower, the movie as an analogy. You were the ingenue. You were the Goldie Hawn part. Yeah, Goldie Hawn. Yeah. Right. And it was likeie Hawn part. Yeah, Goldie Hawn, yeah. Right, right.

And it was like a great experience to work with her. She almost didn't – I'll tell you here. This is the best story about her. We're all in a bar scene where we're sitting in a round sort of table and booth. sort of table and booth. And she's supposed to go, Robert Moore, she's supposed to go like this to Robert Moore and he's supposed to go like that because she wants to shut him up.

And it's Barry Nelson, me, Robert and her. Well, he didn't come up. He was still like this and i thought what's going on but i had lines i had things to do all you would do is like you'd look and he didn't come up yet and so afterwards he came to tell me what she said when he went off stage she went went, Jesus, Bob, my arm, my elbow. She could care less about what happened to him. He lost his breath. She went, Jesus Christ, Bob, my elbow.

She heard her elbow knocking the breath out of him. Can you believe? Can you believe? So need I say more? It was just sort of like. These are two of the most famous divas in show business history. Yeah, right, right. Lauren Bacall and Faye Dunaway. And your paths crossed with both of them. Lucky you show business history. Yeah, right, right. Lauren Bacall and Faye Dunaway. And your paths crossed with both of them.

Lucky you. I know, right, right, right. No, but I learned a lot, let me tell you. I'll bet. I'll bet. Speaking of Sinatra, you did a movie with Sinatra, The First Deadly Sin. Yeah. He was nice to you.

He was adorable to me. Thank God. What a blessing. And he met my mother and he talked Italian to her. I almost died. Because I never knew he talked Italian. He was talking Italian to her. And then when my mother walked back to the thing, he said, well, now I know where you get your beauty from.

It was just so sweet. How nice. He was great. He was great with me. The funny thing about it was we had a scene, our very first scene together. My name was Mrs. Gilbert. His was Detective Edmund, say. She remembers her character's name.

Mrs. Gilbert. Well, this moment was history. History. You know how he was the one take Charlie? Sure. Ed wouldn't rehearse. Okay. Yeah.

So he said, Mrs. Edmund, in the first take. And I went, he went, what? I said, I'm Mrs. Gilbert, your detective Edmund. He went, all right. Okay. And I'm like, Frank, he went, we'll do it again went we'll do it again we'll do it again brian let's do it again brian hunt was the director and so he does it again and he called me again mrs edmund and he went oh shit like that and i said are you nervous what's wrong with you you little funny guy what's going on that's a sinatra yeah and he was laughing he started to laugh he thought you were sicilian or what he said your name ends in a no so you must be yeah oh he's that's the first thing he said to me yeah you can have anything you want and i said what does that mean you know me in my mouth i should have said thank you very much here's what i want a nice a nice big car. You know, but he said, yeah, you can have anything you want. I said, why? And he said, Brenda, your name, and said, oh. I said, what does that mean? And then he hit

my arm. He said, you're Sicilian. And I went, oh, oh, okay. I get it. Because I didn't really realize what he was saying. And then when I was in London, I called up to try to get tickets. You know, he was at that famous Albert Hall and Jilly got on the phone. Yeah, you in town? I said, yeah, I just want to come and hear him tonight. I'd love to hear him. And he said, okay, tell you what, meet me at the stage door. I said, okay, but I have John Schlesinger and a friend of his, Michael Childers. Would it be possible? He says, who's that? I said, this is the director of Midnight Cowboy. I don't know. He said, tell him to go to the, I'll leave tickets at the box office, but you backstage.

So I go backstage right after John and Michael are standing on line to get their tickets. And I go backstage and I don't see anybody. Jilly walks. And then all of a sudden Jilly walks away. And I know fifth dimension is out there singing and he's going to go on after Fifth Dimension. So I'm saying, I got to do, I got to get my seat. And all of a sudden the door opens and there's a shaft of light that comes out and he walks out in the shaft of light. He says, hey doll, what are you doing in London town? And I said, isn't that great? I walked over and I said, Oh, I'm just here seeing John Schlesinger. He looked at me. He says, great. I said, how come you see people before the show? Don't you see them after the show? Aren't you nervous before? And he said, I'm as cool as a

cucumber. I'll never remember. I'll never forget about that. Where did you hear that ever? Look at Brenda calling in favors from Jilly Rizzo. I know. I did. I did. And so then he just, all of a sudden, Fifth Dimension came running past us. And he walked to the entrance to the stage. You want to know something? I've never heard a noise like that again in my life.

That noise was huge fame from that audience it knocked me off and i mean this sincerely it almost knocked me up against the wall how about that it was like so large so loud so big and it was like he gave me one of the moments of my life It was like he gave me one of the moments of my life. To hear that noise. I love that. What are you doing in London town, doll? The sound still stays with you all these years later. Yeah, oh my God, it was so whoosh.

It was so, I mean, it was human voices screaming at the top of their lungs. Gil, Jilly Rizzo did not see Midnight Cowboy, for the record. Yeah. Why? He didn't know who John Schlesinger was. Jilly never did anything except follow Frank around. I mean, you know. He didn't know who John Schlesinger was. He never did anything except follow Frank around. I mean, you know,

he didn't... We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's amazing, colossal podcast after this. Your teen requested a ride, but this time, not from you.

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Dine-in only until 11 a.m. at A&W's in Ontario. What happens when 20 extremely athletic Canadians who thrive on competition and won't settle for less than number one find themselves on a team? Taking on jaw-dropping obstacles all across canada is one thing working together on a team with some pretty big personalities is another it's a new season of canada's ultimate challenge and sparks are gonna fly new episode sundays watch free on cbc jam here's one of one of Gilbert's favorite actors. Who's that?

Robert Shaw. Oh. He's a friend of yours. Oh, yes. Very, very good friend. I loved him. He was a very sharp guy. Yeah.

He gave me advice about Michael. And, you know, he was just like a father. He said, go home. Don't you dare drive out to Malibu and see that other man. You go home. It's the holidays. Behave yourself behave yourself you know in my trailer i was doing sarah and he was doing that movie um jaws that movie yeah jaws anyway i think i've heard of it yeah right yeah um so anyway he just gave he was wonderful always he said if you if you behave

and uh you listen to what i say i'll stop smoking and drinking how about that how much he lied how much of your parent of your success did your parents because your father was skeptical skeptical at the beginning you told your father you didn't want to go to college yeah broke his heart you and you knew where you wanted to go as you like to say i know where i'm going wendy hiller you knew you were destined for broadway wendy hiller i love that movie that's a great movie i know uh they were skeptical at least your dad was skeptical why did she have to pick this when why did my daughter pick the one thing that'll probably constantly disappoint her? And his whole thing about a college, he said, do you realize that four years is going to be the

last time you're that free again? He said, you have freedom like you'll never feel again. And you have all that knowledge under your belt that no one can take away from you. Why would you throw that away? Because I know where I'm going. Where are you going? I'm going to New York to be on the stage, Dad. He went, oh, God. He couldn't believe it. I think it just broke his heart. I mean, he was somebody that got off the boat. Sure. And got himself a scholarship at NYU. My name is Brenda Buell Vaccaro. Dean Munn Buell put him through college with a scholarship. And he named you after him. So he named me after him.

That's nice. And he became a corporate lawyer. So, I mean, you know, for this guy, she said no ass power. He knew what he was talking about. But my father had ass power. But here you are now on the stage with Lauren Bacall and Milton Berle, and you're in the year's best picture in 1969. These are not small things.

He didn't live to see them. No. I'm sorry. He saw me in one play, which Clifford Odets has played, The Flowering Peach. I played the whore. He came backstage. It was in Dallas, Texas.

Barack Lumet directed it. That was Sidney's father. I didn't even know that. I just wanted the dress, you know what I mean? Barack Lumet directed it. That was Sidney's father. I didn't even know that. I just wanted the dress. You know what I mean? Sidney Lumet's father directed you. Barack Lumet, yeah. How about that?

And my father came backstage and he said, well, I said, what'd you think? He said, you have a voice to work on one. And he said, but I would prefer that you listen to Catherine Cornell. Do you know who she is? I said, no, dad, I don't. He said, find a recording of her because I want you to hear her voice. You have to take care of your voice if you're going to do this and you can't smoke. I said, but I do smoke. He said, I said, you can't smoke. But he was, that was his advice. I'm sorry he didn't get to see more. I

know. How about your mom? He was 53 when he died. Oh, that's too young. Much too young. Coronary thrombosis, same as poor old... I love her so much. The writer. Her husband died that way at a dinner table. The writer. Brilliant. God, do you remember they wrote an article about her?

If you give me more information, I could come up with a name. She's Joan Didion. Oh, Joan Didion. Yeah. Yeah. Gregory. This guy was interviewing her. You would love this story. And he said, listen, I just want to know, you wrote a story about a woman in the Haight-Ashbury days who was walking about her apartment. You were in the apartment. And he said, and the little girl who was her daughter, who was four or five years old, was on LSD, and so was the woman. The woman had put her daughter on LSD.

And I mean, I know you're a writer, but what came over you that you wouldn't try to stop it or try to save that little girl? And she sort of looked to the side. She looked straight ahead, looked up at him and said, it was gold. Is that a great line?

That's a great line. Because she wouldn't disturb it because she was a writer. And this was, I mean, it's ruthless. But at the same time, it's so honest. It's so, it was gold. Let me ask you a question about... Isn't that a great i love

the guy was our was in new york magazine and i was like i love is it the new yorker the new yorker i like that one i don't like but your mom and mart and aunt margie got to see a lot of your success yeah they did aunt marge made a dress every every opening night she made a dress let me ask you a question about gilbert that we've asked a lot of actors on this show. Okay. Well, Gilbert, what am I going to say? He knows where I'm going. You know Gilbert's a comedian, a very accomplished comedian. Yes, I do. In your opinion, could Gilbert pull off a dramatic role?

Yeah. She didn't hesitate, Gil. Boy. That's the speed record. Yeah. You sound like me. That's all I do is ask things. Boy. gil boy that's the speed record yeah you sound like me boy he said boy boy because people who know comedy really well know tragedy just as well and they have a sense of sadness that goes beyond a regular person you know about that kill boy don't you think it's true though i yeah i think

that's the best answer we've ever gotten on. We've asked a lot of people that question. And what did they say? Everyone to a person didn't hesitate. We asked Treat Williams. What did he say? Yes. You said they all said yes.

But you know why? Because actors know that anybody, or if you do comedy, you well understand tragedy. They're too close. They're way too close. Do you see him as Ratso in the Midnight Cowboy remake? I don't know. Could be. Could be. And Ratso could have that laugh, which would be joyous because it would be so incongruous as to the way he looked in his whole sense of life. I mean, a hustler with that laugh? It's perfect. It's perfect. Before we get

you out of here, Brendan, the stories have been wonderful. Oh, I'm not going anywhere. Okay, great. A couple of more names. Michael Caine, you did a film called Water. Well, you name English people I adore. Yes. Glenda Jackson, they're all my friends.

Julie Christie, I adore them, adore them, adore them. I wish these women were still on the screen. I'd love to see Glenda Jackson and Julie Christie and all of all of these people i know glenda's in a new movie what's that new movie that just is out is she still working it's about is it about the maid and josh joshua he played prince charles in the crown josh. Oh, I don't know. I haven't seen The Crown. Okay, Glenda's in a... So she's working.

Here and there, she does. Good to see. She does. Good to see. But this film, Water, which was a comedy, I think you shot it in St. Lucia. And it's interesting because you do the whole thing with a Guatemalan accent. I know. A boy like that, he killed my brother. That's how I got

the part in Sardis. It was Dick Clement and Ian LaFrennais and they were sitting there. They said, what do you think of the part? I said, oh, I don't know. I think a boy like that, he'd kill my brother. You know, and so Dick Clemens said, I think that's it. I think she's got it. So I had Mrs. Irma, who was working for me at the time, record all my lines. And they would say, I don't want these boots. Boots. And she said, for boots. You and Kane have nice chemistry in that movie.

And Dick Sean's in it. He picks you up and carries you off in one scene. Shawn? Dick Shawn. Oh, yes. Yes. He died. Yeah, he died young.

He died on stage. Do you know how he died? On stage. On stage. He just got up and he went to a corner and he laid down and died. Somehow it's just amazing, isn't it, how some people decide to go, how they leave. I have to ask you this question because Dino Preserpio, who runs our Instagram account, said, please ask Brenda, and we love you, Dino,

please ask Brenda about a movie she did with Don Stroud called House by the Lake. Oh, yeah. Well, I always say Don Stroud's the only man I ever really loved. Wow. Yeah, I really was crazy About him I mean crazy to the point where you're down On the rug and Aretha Franklin

Is playing and you're smoking A cigarette drinking whiskey And the phone rings and you get up and run to it and go Don yeah are you on your way Yeah okay Does that make sense Darryl do you feel that way about gilbert i couldn't help myself i was lost i was lost do you run to the phone when gilbert calls daryl do

you uh with with a with a snifter of brandy but can you understand that kind of love good actor and he's still with us and yeah he is he Yeah, he is. He calls every couple of- You talk to him? Every couple of- We're going to get him on this show. Oh, he's wonderful. We love Don Stroud. He is an angel. He is a great guy. Married to a lovely lady named Terry who takes care of him, and he lives in Hawaii.

He does his swimming. He's so healthy and well. He's a great friend. You have worked with everybody. Wasn't he in a Twilight Zone? He might have been. He worked all the time.'t he in a Twilight Zone? He might have been. He worked all the time. He's in a lot of stuff.

I think where he trades character traits with other people in it, like understanding or bravery. Yeah. He's wonderful. He would put on a wig. He would do kind of characters. And he drove around Universal the lot on a motorcycle with the thing around his head, you know, the whole Dennis Hopper thing. And he was like crazy

when he was young. But a very, very commanding, magnetic human being. Just amazing. Just to make you remember some of the character actors that you've worked with over the years. We mentioned Roddy McDowell. We mentioned Ben Gazzara. We mentioned Harry Gardino. I love these names. Bob Dishy and Tony LoBianco. Bob Dishy was brilliant. We had Tony on this show, believe it or not.

Yeah, I believe it. Yeah. These are great names. Sidney Pollack. Wow. I did. Was an actor. Honey, he was my teacher at the neighborhood playhouse.

I know. Another great name. He just got out of the military, was it? He just got out of the military and he came to the neighborhood playhouse. And I did Waiting for Lefty, which was, who wrote that? Somebody famous. Odette. Thank you.

Yeah. And I did that scene and he said, now this is the kind of acting we're looking for at the playhouse. And I remember thinking, I like this teacher. And Gilbert, she worked with Christopher Hewitt. Oh. That Englishman? Mr. Belvedere. He had the sitcom.

He was very saucy. Gilbert's got a story for you. Tell me. I remember I was on the set where that was being shot, Mr. Belvedere. Oh, yes. I was doing some other appearance on some show or whatever. So we were the first to hear this news story and that Mr. Belvedere was put in an ambulance and taken away because he accidentally sat on his balls.

Oh, my God. You know this story, Brenda? No. I never heard this story. He accidentally sat on his balls. No, I'm sorry to hear it, though. I mean, they must have been a pair of balls that were rather extraordinary in the world of balls. Did you ever work with Cesar Romero?

No. Okay. Well, maybe. Cesar Romero. Cesar Romero. I think a comedy show, maybe. Okay, Gilbert's got a story. He would always play like the leading man, you know, the romantic.

But in real life, he was gay. And what he was into was having a bunch of boy toys surrounding him. I had to get it in. And he would stand naked and bend over, and they would throw orange wedges at his ass. Are you serious? Yes. Have you heard this? Yes. Did it have to be orange wedges at his ass. Are you serious? Have you heard this? Yes.

Did it have to be orange wedges? Some people have told me they thought it was tangerine. That's the only argument. Grapefruits hurt. Or nectarine. I mean, I can't believe this story. Is this story amazing? I love the stories you have, honey.

You're free to tell that one. They are the best. You're free to tell that one, Brenda. That is great. Here's a couple of you have, honey. You're free to tell that one. They are the best. You're free to tell that one, Brenda. That is great. Here's a couple of more names, Gil. She was in a Naked City episode with Al Lewis and Sorrel Book. Oh. I don't know who that is.

Well, he was Grandpa on the Munsters. Okay. Al Lewis. I like you no more than me. David Jansen you worked with. Oh, I loved David Jansen. Murray Hamilton you worked with. Yeah.

Oh, he was interesting. Murray Hamilton was interesting. interesting yeah we like him stanley criticized my performance with him kim stanley did wow yes i worshipped her you worked with carol o'connor yes and sorrel book was uh boss uh i know the name i just can't place him he was in bye-bye braverman city lamette's movie and jessica most most famous uh dukes of hazard or talk kenneth mars you worked with oh my god wasn't he brilliant stubby k james coco these are great names i know stubby k yeah stubby k was in the show I did with Eileen Heckert. Yes.

And you work with a very young Gene Hackman. Yeah. In two plays that closed. One, I believe, closed in two nights, and one, I believe, closed after seven performances. Yeah. And Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman were going to the same acting school. Yeah, they were very fond of each other. They were roommates.

Yes. And they were picked by the acting school as the two least likely to make it. Oh, wow. Yeah. Isn't that something? Yeah. Wow.

Well, Gene had been a mover. You know, he was with a moving company. Yeah. He would move people's furniture into new places so it was so funny to think of him as a guy that handled furniture you know what i mean and now was this really highly artistic actor what an actor yeah what did you read the mike nichols book yes wasn't that great mark davis is a really good writer i think dustin did you write what about you have to see sharon gliss's book did you see it no it says apparently there were a few complaints

that's the name of the book which is just the greatest time mark harris will the author's name of the thank you for correcting me when dustin hoffman moved out of Gene Hackman's house, he moved in with Robert Duvall. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm not surprised.

All those guys knew each other and they were all linked. And guess what? Laura Nero, that fabulous singer. Lover. Who was a great friend of mine, was in love with Bobby De Niro. And they were together for a while. I did not know this. Yeah. She could have been Laura Nero De Niro and they were together for a while. I did not know this. She could have been Laura Nero De Niro.

That's true. Can you imagine? But she was crazy about him. Crazy about him. You loved Laura Nero. Sweet Blindness. All those great songs. I didn't know you were a friend of hers. You could do a whole interview about Laura Nero.

She said, come to the studio and watch me record a song and stay. I said, I will, because I want you to see the process. And then I want to come to your rehearsal for your play. And I want to see the process. Can I sit in the audience for as long as I want? I said, yes yes she came and sat for four hours and watched a rehearsal wow and i went to her studio and watched her sing what was it party downtown um oh god i can't think of the song now she wrote some wonderful songs oh she was just so brilliant she was brilliant and talk about leaving us too early yes right a brilliant talent i don't know who you haven't worked with. And the directors, you know, Stanley Kramer, Schlesinger, Barry, Susan Seidelman, Joseph Sargent, Tarantino. You've done everything.

Quentin was so great. Do you like working with Tarantino? Do you know Quentin cut me out of the movie because it was not me but that scene which was a flashback yeah and it was al pacino and me right like you were he was an agent and we were walking down this thing and saying hello to the guy who shows the movie every night the you know the guy that runs it the projectionist and we would walk and sit down on a couch and he'd say, can I get you a drink, darling? What would you like? And I said, oh, whatever you think.

And he would, the line was, I can't remember what he said. Oh, Jesus, I'm not going to. He was hysterical. He was so, mint tulip. He didn't say mint julep. Mint tulip. So I said, yeah, I'll have a tulip. Oh, God.

He tried to do it again as he walked away. And sure enough, he said, tulip again. So, you know, we went ahead and said, all right, let's forget that. Let's just go make a drink and whatever. We worked on the scene and we did it. And he didn't put it in the movie, not because of those mistakes, because it ended up being an okay scene. Yeah. It just wasn't time for it.

There were too many other things that his, as his directorial sense told him, this doesn't need to be in the movie right now, right? But he left the back of my head in and my name. Yep. In the cast. That's why we put it in the intro. So I would get residuals. Is that classy or what? That's really classy.

It's so great that he did that. You like doing cartoon voices, by the way, too? Yes. Because Gilbert does a ton of them. I love it. Isn't it fun? Yes. Yeah.

That's a lot of fun to do. I did Scruple opposite Paul Winchell.ul winchell oh my god you worked with paul winchell and you worked with frank welker yes who's a genius yeah he he can do a leaf shimmering on a tree he's a genius he's one of those uh there's a bunch of those voiceover guys who when they do a nature special they hire them to make the animal noise that's right do you know that frank welker did all the dinosaurs in the movie um jurassic park yeah he's a brilliant talent i know to get him on here you were the critic johnny bravo american dad the smurfs you've done a ton of this stuff you really like like it. It's fun to do, yeah. And I love the people you work with.

They're great. Gilbert's had a whole second career doing animation. I have, too. It's really wonderful. And I think the people are very different. Yes. But they're fun to work with. Yes.

I loved it. Are you going to be on the next season of the Sex and the City reboot? Nobody's asked me. Okay. It's early in the game still. I'm gracefully waiting to hear. But if not, I'd had a wonderful experience doing it. I loved everybody I worked with.

And I just hope, I'm glad it's coming back. I think his point about being able to start your life all over again at age 50 and still be in love and have romance and have a job and have a new career whatever it is i think it's so wise of michael patrick king he's to take the girls up at this age yep and so what there's a few missing let's calm down sure people change people die you know things happen but to see that family still go on plus you get the bonus of mario canton oh i know he's so heavenly so heavenly he is so heavenly we adore him i do you hear that mario we're calling you heavenly he is why don't you write why don't you write a memoir my dear

i don't know i got that from adriana trigiy day. Listen, she knows what she's talking about. I want you to think about it. And I said, I can't, I can't, I can't. I can't sit and do all this. I can't write it. And I can write a letter really well. We could do a transcript of this show. And you know what? My father used to say, because this is a great thing. You'll all love it.

Say it to your kids. Do you have kids? Do you have kids? Anyway. They do. My father said, never stop writing letters, Brenda. I said, why? He said, because as you get older, you get better at it.

And one day, my dear, it may serve you well. And every letter I've ever written, even trying to lower my mortgage in LA, I won. I won. The power of letter writing. Yes, the power. You must write a very persuasive letter. Because people have to sit still. They have to hold it. They have to read it, interpret it.

It's not talking. You can't get out of nothing. You can't get out of it. You got to finish it unless you go squish and throw it out because it says you're a prick or something. You know what I'm saying. So Gilbert and Dara have two children, so they should tell them to write letters. Oh, I think it's a great idea. Do the kids do cursive? Letters work. They don't, huh? Sometimes. But you know what? Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. And it's okay when they don't.

It doesn't matter. It's been done. Don't you think so, honey? Oh, yeah. I love letters. It's kind of like when... I hate when I'll get something on the computer that's just like some animated thing that they send out like a mask to each.

Because, yeah, there used to be, you would see, somebody actually had to write the words on a piece of paper. That's right. And, you know, every year, well, is it Christmas time? You have to give the people in the building a card and money in it. Those people that serve you well and are really nice. I handwrite them all. Ann Roth said a great thing to me.

Brenda, when you get older, just move in a very classy building with 30 men in service. You don't need a husband. Well, anyway, here's the key. I put the money in. Dara, do you hear this? I'm listening. Thank you, baby. Well, there's only one woman in here.

I wanted to hear her say something. You put the money in. And then I wrote a little thing on the side. Very nice. You know, rather than just the money. Sure. Like, thank you for this. And I'll never forget when you helped me carry the logs upstairs for the tree.

You know, so this guy's in the elevator. His name is Salvatore. And he said, Mr. Carl, can I say something? I said, yes, Sal. What? He said, well, I was very grateful for your Christmas gift. This was like three weeks, four weeks ago. Christmas has been over a long time.

And he said, I want to thank you for that money, but I really, he said, the card meant more to me than anything. How about that? And I thought, well, okay, that's it, Gad. You won. Do you know that Gilbert writes me a handwritten thank you note after every show? Do you, baby? He really does a lot of work. I have 410 of them.

Jesus Christ, honey. I papered the bathroom with them. So touching. We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's amazing, colossal podcast. But first, a word from our sponsor. Gifting Dad can sometimes hit the wrong note. Oh, instead gift the Glenlivet, the single malt whiskey that started it all for a balanced flavor and smooth

finish. Just sit back and listen to the music. This single malt scotch whiskey is guaranteed to impress Dad this Father's Day. The Glenn Libet. Live original. Please enjoy our products responsibly. Here's your parting gift. Do you want another John MacGyver impression from Gilbert, or would you like to hear his James Mason?

I'd like to hear your James Mason. Congratulations, my dear. I seem to have made it just in time i i had a speech all prepared in my head then seems to have gone out of it well there's no need to be so formal i i know most of you on a first name basis and i well i need a job yes Yes, that's it. That's my speech. I need a job. I can not just drama. I can do comedy as well.

Oh, my God. That is brilliant. What a mimic. That's just heaven. Listen, I want to tell you, I've had the best time. I love all of you. It was so wonderful to be here. Oh, you're sweet.

Thank you for being so informed, so gracious, making it so easy and fun to do if it wasn't for you and all that information and you, my darling, you're doing the right thing by being here. You are so charming. I'm glad to meet you and work with you. At least we had this. You know what I mean? Yes, yeah. Brenda, you're a legend, and we're thrilled that you did this. Oh, me too. And our fans will eat it up.

Oh, I hope so. And we'll send it to Sally. I forgot a lot of facts, but I don't know. My memory's getting not too good. Before you run out, you replaced Rita Moreno, Sally's bête noire. Yes. In The Odd Couple. What happened when you showed up she dropped to

her knees downstairs and said i knew there was a god and i felt so awkward because i knew who she was talking about we love sally but i love sally Wasn't she great? And yeah. And everything. Yeah, and everything. They love her in Maine. You are amazing. It was a pleasure to work with you. Thank you, my dear. I wish you were writing me lines.

You're great. Never say never. Yeah, right. Exactly. We'll write some letters to the doorman. My God. Yeah. Aren't they lucky to have you on that show?

Thank you, dear. Yeah. Very sweet. Yeah, true. Can I send you in when it's time for contract negotiations? Sure. You know, I got a mouth on me. You got to write a book. You think so? Or a one-woman show. Oh, my God. Have we ever had anybody on this show who's worked with so many icons? Oh, God, yeah. From Sinatra to Lucy to Pacino to Warren Beatty. I never think about it,

but I agree with you. I'm astounded. My God. I'm astounded. But you know, every single time, it was a pleasure and an honor. Every single time. I'm glad you have. Gratitude has been a great ride. Oh, my God, such gratitude. And such, you know, you do learn from people that have been there and are almost through with their journey. And I say the same thing I've learned. I've learned, you know, and I give now. I give with Nicolette Sheridan when she was crying on the set. I went over to her and said, take that Angora hat off your head. Get off this set your eyes come back on no crew wants to see you fucking crying don't you ever cry in front of a crew again wow and i knew i was right because they all turn their backs and start walking away like you're now you're paying what i mean they

don't want it they want to go to work they want to shoot this shit and go to lunch you're paying it back the way kirk douglas yes yes yes yes. You know, and she was my daughter in the piece. So I think it was, what was it? Paper Dolls. Paper Dolls. By the way, if you want to say... But I love Nicolette. I hope she hears this and knows how much I love her. If you want to say that appearing with Gilbert has been the highlight of your career, it's okay. It's the highlight of my entire year here, baby. It was wonderful. Bigger than Sinatra? Bigger than Pacino? Oh, absolutely. No, because it's now. Because it was instantaneously.

Because we had no choice. We were put together and we made it work. Thank you so much, darling. Thank you. Thank you, Brenda. So glad to be a part of your show. I really am.

This was a ride. You want to do a sign-off? Okay. From this point on, you'll have no recollection of Joe Pendleton or Leo Farnsworth. It's your destiny, Joe. If he does that and we put it on a tape and send it to Warren, will Warren come?

I know he's interview shy. I would try. Okay. Yeah. You talk to him? Yeah. Well, I mean, I could, but if he answers. We'll be happy with Don Strzok.

I think he has a wonderful sense of humor. I think he would probably adore this show if he heard it. And, I mean, he's a splendid fellow. We have to try. I would try. Okay. With Warren, you've got to try. We'll give it a shot.

You know, even when I was doing his movie, I had to try to make him laugh. You know what I mean? I had to try to do it. Good movie, Love Affair. Yes, good movie. We could do five more shows with you, and one day we will. Oh, thank you, darling. Thanks, will. Oh, thank you, darling. Thanks, Brenda.

Well, thank you for having me, and thank you. Kiss, kiss. And this has been Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast with my co-host Frank Santopadre. And we've been talking to the one person who has never seen Milton Berle's dick. Brenda Picarro. Thank you to Dan Spaventa and Jim McClure here at Sirius. Thank you, Gino Salamone, too. Well, my friends,

it is with a heavy heart that I say that's a wrap, at least on the last episode featuring our dear departed Gilbert. You know, in one way, this was a fitting episode to go out on because after 60 or 70 recordings, pandemic recordings, done with me up in New York and Gilbert down in Florida, we actually got to do this one together in studio at Sirius. Just me, Gil, Dara, the guest, and a single engineer, more or less, as it began way back in 2014. And I'm so glad I got to record with him in person one final time. I want to take a moment here to express my thanks, starting with Gilbert and Dara. They gave me

a great gift, allowing me to sit in a room with Gilbert and Dara. They gave me a great gift, allowing me to sit in a room with icons and living legends and tell them how much they meant to me and to give them the tribute we felt they deserved. And I'll forever be indebted to them for that. And Dara and I are also indebted to the dozens of dedicated and indispensable people who help deliver and promote this show every week, from engineers to editors to publicists, bookers, talent managers, agents, the social media team, independable and invaluable and loyal, the people who launched and oversaw the fan pages. I can't possibly thank all these people by name at this moment, but we'll do so on social media in the coming weeks.

They deserve that and a lot more. We also have to thank the hundreds of guests who took this crazy ride with us, many of whom we've lost along the way. I'm terribly grateful to them for agreeing to do the show. And as for the people who we lost, none of them will ever be forgotten. And we hope that these interviews will contribute to their legacies. And finally, to all of you, to the listeners who showed up by the thousands and astounded and inspired us with your passion and your devotion and your support, including all the beautiful, lovely messages I've received in the last two weeks, which I appreciate. It's almost a decade later, and I still don't think I've fully

grasped how much our little labor of love has meant to people. Gilbert and I would talk about it on the phone, and we couldn't get over it. Words can't begin to convey our surprise and our gratitude. We started this show as a lark, as I've said many times. I don't think anyone, certainly not us, thought it would resonate so strongly and with so many people over the course of eight years and some 600 shows, let alone spawn this wonderful, passionate online community and extended family. It's funny, when we started way back with Dick Cavett, my wife left a little note in the office in our apartment that said, build it and they will

come. And you guys really did come. And boy, she was right. Speaking for myself, getting to meet and interact with so many of you on social media and on Patreon has been a privilege and a joy. It's enriched my life. This was a show born out of love and affection. And to see that love returned by so many of you was something I will always treasure and never forget. And I will add that as much fun and as much pleasure as you guys got from listening to this podcast, believe me when I tell you that we had even more fun making it. It was our pleasure to do it and to share it.

I can't say what the future holds, but in the coming weeks, we will try to assemble a final memorial episode with some of Gil's favorite people and some of his friends. So stay tuned for that. Dara and I will put that together. And until then, we're going to say goodbye for now with a clip. I searched through a dozen or so, and I settled on this one because I can't recall a moment when Gilbert was more exuberant or gleeful than he was on this particular night and on this particular moment back in Nutmeg. So as we say goodbye and sign off on the very last Gilbert episode,

allow me to quote my ingenious, hilarious, lovable, irreplaceable, amazing, colossal friend and partner when I say oh thank you are you familiar with I think so okay are we ready you want to sing it with me I'll give you the music

you're really going to sing this with me you and I karaoke time we're going to do a karaoke with my idol? Yes. Why? Let's do it. Come on.

You start it. Go ahead. Okay. I'm coming home. Wait, start again. Start again. It's the wrong fucking key. He's singing in the key of Z.

He doesn't have a key. I was going to tell you. Go ahead. Do it again, Frank. I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm. I'm coming home. I've done my time. Not yet. Start again. Rick, you'll put the headphones on. You've got music.

Let's do this right. Oh, I've got music? This is our big moment. Wait a minute. Let's start. And I'll give you the cue when to start. Like, yeah. Go. Take your time. Okay, baby. You're coming up any second now. Go for it. I'm coming home I've done my time

Now I've got to know What is and isn't mine If you receive my letter Telling you I should be free then you'll know just what to do if you still want me. Get to it! If you still want me. Oh, I'm so impressed. Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree.

It's been three long years. Do you still try me? Let me sing for a minute. If I don't see a ribbon round the old oak tree, I'll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me. Go ahead. If I don't see a ribbon round the old oak tree. Why am I sounding like you?

Okay, Gilbert, come on. Bus driver, please look for me. Cause I couldn't bear to see what I might see. I'm really still in prison. And they tell who to? A simple yellow ribbon's what I need to set me free. I wrote and told her, please. I wrote and told her, please.

Okay, but it's on you now. Courage, go ahead. I'm an old old tree. Tire ribbons around the old old tree. Tire ribbons around the old old tree. Go ahead. I know why she now you she sings like you too the old old tree yes sir this was a first show business