William H. Macy

And I just left a couple of those suitcases at home.

And I just left a couple of those suitcases at home.

Did it become easier to be you as a person? Yeah. Oh, you mean off screen? Yeah, like if you're an angry artist all the time, or at least at work, were you like that in your regular life?

Did it become easier to be you as a person? Yeah. Oh, you mean off screen? Yeah, like if you're an angry artist all the time, or at least at work, were you like that in your regular life?

That's a question for the family, but I'm pretty sure they would say, yeah, he calmed down a whole lot.

That's a question for the family, but I'm pretty sure they would say, yeah, he calmed down a whole lot.

So you took yourself very seriously? Very seriously, yeah.

So you took yourself very seriously? Very seriously, yeah.

and then it just doesn't help okay you want an anecdote um it's at a certain point uh when saturday night live hit television just descended on it and all the comedians got uh tv shows and it's still going on that we do we make the movie around a comedian and um i swear i when i see a film I can tell where the script ends and where they ad-lib. I can just tell you I'd put serious money on it.

and then it just doesn't help okay you want an anecdote um it's at a certain point uh when saturday night live hit television just descended on it and all the comedians got uh tv shows and it's still going on that we do we make the movie around a comedian and um i swear i when i see a film I can tell where the script ends and where they ad-lib. I can just tell you I'd put serious money on it.

because it's really funny and then their ad libs sometimes ruin the scene because they're putting a hat on a hat on a hat. And because it screws with the rhythm of the thing. You did that joke, move on. You don't have to do it three times. There are exceptions to everything, but this is another Dave-ism. It's not an actor's job to be funny. It's the writer's job to be funny.

because it's really funny and then their ad libs sometimes ruin the scene because they're putting a hat on a hat on a hat. And because it screws with the rhythm of the thing. You did that joke, move on. You don't have to do it three times. There are exceptions to everything, but this is another Dave-ism. It's not an actor's job to be funny. It's the writer's job to be funny.

I think an actor has to know what's funny and know something about comedy and timing. But I'm not sure you can teach that. Some people just get it and some people don't. And that's up to the gods. But Lord help us from funny acting.

I think an actor has to know what's funny and know something about comedy and timing. But I'm not sure you can teach that. Some people just get it and some people don't. And that's up to the gods. But Lord help us from funny acting.

I can't abide it. It's so funny. I've never heard an actor's point of view on that. Because everyone I know is a comedian.

I can't abide it. It's so funny. I've never heard an actor's point of view on that. Because everyone I know is a comedian.

so so and i'm and i also and and i've had friends i've made like i've i've had friends ad lib entire performances that ended up being great and i i'm with you i'm more like let's write it well and then maybe there's a little improv here and there but i'm with i i agree with you in that like i'll watch certain movies and be like this is just this is bullshit

so so and i'm and i also and and i've had friends i've made like i've i've had friends ad lib entire performances that ended up being great and i i'm with you i'm more like let's write it well and then maybe there's a little improv here and there but i'm with i i agree with you in that like i'll watch certain movies and be like this is just this is bullshit

I used to write a lot of movies of the week with my friend who also studied with David, Stephen Schachter. And we got in a groove. We did over a dozen of them. And it was lovely. But we'd write them together. He'd direct them. And as my star rose, I would start playing the lead role. This in the late 70s, early 80s?

I used to write a lot of movies of the week with my friend who also studied with David, Stephen Schachter. And we got in a groove. We did over a dozen of them. And it was lovely. But we'd write them together. He'd direct them. And as my star rose, I would start playing the lead role. This in the late 70s, early 80s?