Ted Danson
speaker
1,167 appearances
5 recordings
4 series
first heard Sep 2024
last heard 12 Feb
Ted Danson’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 1 in all, peaking in Feb 2026 with 1.
Appearances
I was really lucky when I got to L.A., which was – I mean, I did – I understudied an off-Broadway show for a year and a half. I did soap opera and I did – I did anything I could. I would be an extra in a commercial and be just as happy. I didn't care. As long as I was working, doing something, I was thrilled. And even just being in an acting class was as exciting as being paid.
It didn't matter to me in the beginning. And then when I came to L.A., I was lucky enough, because L.A., you're just there to make it. There's no other reason to be... in L.A. except to make it. Pilot season.
Right. And I was, a friend of mine had started something called The Mastery. It was the Actors Institute, and it was a one-weekend kind of transformational, it wasn't a how-to to act, but it was kind of more about this is how you're presenting yourself. Is that what you want to be doing? Because this is what happens when you walk in the room.
You've got a big fuck you on your shoulder or whatever it is. You don't really know what you're walking in with and then you put acting on top of that or something. And he actually... kind of a, not a flim-flam man, but he, well, he is in that he said, Ted, I want you to anchor this project that I'm doing, this Actors Institute here in LA, and we'll do it by you teaching acting.
And he convinced me that I had to do this. And I would throw up every night before teaching a class. It was the hardest, most painful thing. And it's not a happy ending, like all my students became famous or something. I hated it, but it took my mind off of auditioning. It was so much more fun to go audition than teach a class. And one of the things he taught me
was it's a good chance for you when you go into audition to check out whether or not you want to be working with those people. You're always trying to impress them to work, to hire you and to like you, but do you like them? And not in an arrogant way, but just heads up. Make sure you're looking at them. And the other thing is they want you to be good. They so want you to be good.
They desperately want to cast this part. Yeah, we were just talking about that. I was just talking about that. Yeah. You walk in, not literally and not with arrogance, but you walk in with a relax. I'm here. This is going to be really good. I get how hard this is for you.
And then you do your little scene, you know, and then at the end of it, without literally saying it, without being arrogant, you go, thanks, that was a lot of fun, but I have something else I have to go to. But anyway, good luck. See you later.
No, I always... Were you selling dope?
No, I don't have... That's Woody. Sorry.
Exactly. I am such milquetoast. Anyway, I always had enough... Back then, you could work a day on a commercial and make a nice whatever to pay your rent, but then the next day, you could go collect unemployment. So between working little teeny things, I never actually had to.
Classic.
Oh, no. I am the guy sitting in the back of the pickup looking... you know, behind where the pickup is going, going, wow, well, look at that. Golly, I never turned around and focused and said, I want this. I'm going to go for this. No aspirations. Until I met Mary, or shortly before I met Mary.
I don't even know.
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. No, you know, you, oh, come on. I am here talking to you because of Les and Glenn Charles and Jimmy. That is literally why I'm here. But then you pick hit, massive hit shows. Well, people think, well, the good writers tend to come your way because of Cheers. I mean, literally, I'm not playing humble pie. I'm here because of Cheers. And it was remarkable.
I was talking to somebody who was going, we need to win the jackpot, you know? And it was like... Yeah, to tell the truth, I did win the jackpot. Playing Sam Malone on Shears for 11 years is certainly a jackpot.
Yeah, but I mean, no, I won't do humble pie, but you all know that it's the writing. I mean, yeah, you can be really good.
Yes, that's true. Or you don't want to be around them. I do love going to work. I do love actors. I do love writers. I do love the whole process. I am as starry-eyed as I was. I love going to studio gates and crossing over Jimmy Stewart Avenue. Yeah, same. That's so good to hear.
And also, it's also wonderful to be part of this tribe of funny. I am not... You guys are really quick and really funny. You really, truly are. If I have funny material, I will indeed be funny. But I don't have that thing that you guys have. But I am part of the tribe of funny, and it makes me so happy. I got to shake hands and hug Mel Brooks. How fucking cool is that? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Showing 1101–1120 of 1,167 · page 56 of 59
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