Reporting and photo by Jamie Painter
Richard Herd (at right in photo) and Andrew Prine recently met for lunch at Farfalla in Los Angeles to discuss their respective careers. They first met as young men while performing in a stage production of "Mr. Roberts" in Wallingford, Conn. The veteran thespians later reunited on the set of the 1983 science fiction miniseries "V," in which they co-starred.
Following years of work in theatre, film, and TV in New York, Herd landed his break in "All the President's Men," followed by roles in "F.I.S.T.," "The China Syndrome," "The Onion Field," "Summer Rental," "Private Benjamin," and "Sgt. Bilko." These days, Herd is perhaps best recognized for his comedic stint as Jason Alexander's boss, Mr. Wilhelm, on "Seinfeld." He most recently appeared in the feature "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," and has a recurring role on USA Network's "Pacific Blue." Onstage, he's performed in "Cecil B. Demille Presents A One Man Show" at the Center for the Performing Arts in Denver, "Death of a Salesman" at the Ventura Court Theatre, "My Last Confession" at the Road Theatre, "On the Waterfront" at the Cleveland Playhouse, and Off-Broadway productions of "Electra," "e.e. cummings," and "The Coach With the Six Insides," for which he won an Obie.
Prine soared from obscurity to Broadway stardom when cast in the lead role of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Look Homeward, Angel." In 1962, he made his film debut in the Academy Award-winning "The Miracle Worker," followed by a series of screen roles in such Westerns and war pics as "Chisum," "Bandolero," "The Devil's Brigade," "Texas Across the River," "Advance to the Rear," and "Gettysburg." On television, Prine has performed in such series as "Room for Two," "Cybill," "Married With Children," "Melrose Place," and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." A member of the Actors Studio, Prine's stage credits also include "Long Day's Journey Into Night," "The Caine Mutiny," "Buried Child," and "A Distant Bell." Prine also plays a recurring role on the USA Cable Network series "Weird Science."Richard Herd: Remember when we had cold-water flats in New York? Mine was 19 bucks. The tubs were in the kitchen. There was no heat and there was no hot water, but there was a stove. The bathrooms were in the hall. But I don't think I ever really went hungry. My metabolism rate was down. I was kind of possessed by it all. Subway tokens were only 15 cents then and I would eat a can of tuna or go to actors' parties and fill up.
Andrew Prine: I went hungry. My first part was the lead role in the play Look Homeward, Angel, and I think one of the reasons I got it is because I was so thin. I was 20 and weighed 138 pounds at six foot two, so I looked exactly right for this character, who was supposed to be this gangly 17-year-old. I swear to God, I think my diet had something to do with it.
I was getting free classes at that point from a lady in the Actors Studio who liked me. But I was a very lazy actor. I was berated by Old Man Strasberg over the years and some other teachers who used to tell me, "You're not paying attention." But I did get training, in spite of myself.
Fortunately, I did Look Homeward for two years, and what I did while playing the lead and being paid was learn how to act. The stage manager came backstage every night with copious notes, and his job was to keep me on target. I learned how to act, really, on Broadway.
Richard: That's a good place to learn. I started in community theatre and did an apprenticeship at the Boston Summer Stock Theater. You had to apprentice for two years and then the second year you started getting some speaking parts. Also in the summer stock theatres at that time, you not only worked as an Equity member and did a show every week, but you also had classes.
One person who really helped me early on in my career was a guy by the name of Jack Manning. He really nurtured a lot of us. Not only was he a very good teacher when it came to the classics like Shakespeare, but he also headed an Equity touring company, the Helen Hayes Repertory Theatre Company, which I was invited to be a part of.
Andrew: Stage demands so much more of the actor, and the workout is absolutely necessary. We get into bad habits if we don't work out. I'm lucky I've been a member of the Actors Studio for 25 years, so I get to work out for free. I'm currently working on a section of The Lion and Winter because I need the challenge.
Richard: I used to do a lot of plays and then I came out to L.A. and did a lot of film and Movies of the Week. I reached a point where there were some offers to go back East and do plays, but I always found an excuse not to do it. Finally, this offer came along to come to the Berkshire Theatre Festival to do Clifford Odets' The Big Knife. It was a very good production, wonderful people, fabulous part, and I was going into my mode about the reasons I couldn't do it, when my wife, Patricia, said to me, "I think if you don't do this, you will never do another play." I had fears about returning to the stage, but I finally made up my mind that I had to face this.
Loud Babies
Andrew: What actors don't get about auditioning is that producers and the people that they're auditioning for are waiting for them to do something; they're waiting for a surprise. Actors get way too cautious in auditions and are too busy trying to second-guess the people across the table: "What do they want?" instead of "What do I want?" Acting is a selfish thing, and you have to be selfish and self-obsessed to do it well. If you're too democratic about it, you will bore them.
Richard: I always go into an audition with the feeling that I have invited them into my home; they haven't invited me. I just go in and--even though I've done my preparation--a lot of times something intuitive will happen and I'll go with it, wherever it takes me. But you're right, casting people are sitting there and they want to hire you. You solve their problem. So don't be bland and safe. If you're bland and safe, you're never going to get anywhere. You've got to be the loudest baby in the crib.
Andrew: Acting is passion, and people leave passion out of the reading a lot because they're so worried about being appropriate--which is so weird, since the very nature of our business means being inappropriate. If you're appropriate, you're in the wrong biz.
Over the door of my first acting class we had a sign that said, "Use it." Whatever happens, use it. Everything that happens. If you're an hour later than your appointment time, or it's the wrong date, or you can't turn anything in the room into your situation. The best thing that can happen is that you do not fall into the trap of being comfortable. Actors don't have to be comfortable. Actors have this bullshit that goes on in these silly classes where they're constantly trying to relax and be comfortable. Acting is not about comfort. Acting is about discomfort.
Richard: You have to remember that you're not in there to impress anybody. You're just there to kick ass, give a great audition, and get the job. If they remember you, they remember you. Ten years from now that casting person may be casting a major motion picture and can recommend you for something, especially younger people. There are so many gifted young people at the bottom of the profession that the young people today have to be fierce and brilliant. You can't fuss around. You've got to really go in there like a tiger. Like Huff used to say in The Big Knife, "You've gotta tear out a piece of the world for yourself." BSW