← Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
"The Master Class :F Murray Abraham on Six Decades from Broadway to Star Trek"
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- [00:01]
F. Murray Abraham
Taking a Walk. It's. It's a hard business, but I never lost faith. Well, a couple of times I doubt it. It's hard after about 10 months of no work. But you persevere or you get out.
- [00:13]
Buzz Knight
I'm Buzz Knight and welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast. And I'm honored to have a man who's appeared in more than 80 films including Amadeus, Inside Llewyn Davis, the Grand Budapest Hotel and Scarface. Now he's on Broadway in the Queen of Versailles. What an amazing talent he is. I can't wait to talk to him. Next, it's F. Murray Abraham on Taking a Walk.
- [00:40]
F. Murray Abraham
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:44]
Chase Sapphire Reserve Announcer
This episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to the world's most captivating destinations. When I use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, I get eight times points on all the purchases I make through Chase Travel and even access to one of a kind experiences like music festivals and sports events. And that's not even mentioning how the card gets me into the Sapphire Lounge by the club at select airports nationwide. No, no matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover more@chase.com Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan, Chase Bank, NA Member, FDIC, subject to credit approval terms apply.
- [01:39]
F. Murray Abraham
I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything.
- [01:46]
Ryan Seacrest
It's the rage bait.
- [01:49]
F. Murray Abraham
It feels like it's trying to divide people. We got clear facts. Maybe we can calm down a little.
- [01:58]
Podcast Host/Outro Announcer
NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America, Limu Cable.
- [02:11]
F. Murray Abraham
And Doug Here we have the Limu.
- [02:13]
Liberty Mutual Insurance Announcer
Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug Limu.
- [02:27]
F. Murray Abraham
Is that guy with the binoculars watching us?
- [02:29]
Liberty Mutual Insurance Announcer
Cut the camera. They see us.
- [02:30]
Ryan Seacrest
Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty.
- [02:33]
F. Murray Abraham
Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings.
- [02:36]
Ryan Seacrest
Very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.
- [02:42]
F. Murray Abraham
Taking a walk.
- [02:43]
Buzz Knight
I came up with taking a walk because I was literally walking in Chicago. I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. I had read a book that was a reverse engineering book and I was walking. I literally was walking 30,000 steps in Chicago just having a great day. But I was trying to figure it out because I come out of the radio business and that had sort of moved on for me, and I started thinking, well, wait a minute. Comedians in Cars. Getting coffee is such a great concept that Jerry Seinfeld came up. Yeah, I'm no Jerry Seinfeld, but why can't I come up with my take on storytelling and interviewing? Because I always loved interviewing. So it was hatched there.
- [03:30]
F. Murray Abraham
Good idea. Yeah.
- [03:32]
Buzz Knight
And here I am, I'm so lucky, talking to F. Murray Abraham. My God.
- [03:38]
F. Murray Abraham
But you mentioned Chicago. That's one of my absolute favorite cities.
- [03:42]
Buzz Knight
Oh, me too.
- [03:44]
F. Murray Abraham
I was there both in summer and winter. I mean. I mean, of course, it's famous for its winters, but it's fine. It was fine. But that was a surprise, too. That closes up early, too.
- [03:55]
Buzz Knight
I'll bet Pittsburgh closes up early these days.
- [03:58]
F. Murray Abraham
There you go. My purview. My. My take on it is when I get out of a show, there's no place to have dinner, you know, or get together, but if you know where to go, you know. So it's not just Boston or Podunk. It's. It's generally. I'm not. That's too bad. That used to be part of the action of going to the theater was getting together after then hashing it out. Right? That's right.
- [04:24]
Buzz Knight
That's exactly right. Oh, man. Well, okay. If you could take a walk with someone, living or dead, who would you take a walk with? And where would you take that walk with them?
- [04:36]
F. Murray Abraham
Ah, there's a bunch. Brando comes to mind right away. But I just read that Edna St. Vincent Millay's house, Little House, the smallest house in New York City, is up for sale, and she was a big sponsor of the theater. She was one of the people responsible for the Cherry Lane Theater being established. So she's on my mind. I'd like to walk around with her. I think that it would have been nice to hear what she had to say about some of the amazing people she hung out with. But, I mean, I'd like to walk around with Charles Dickens. Wouldn't that be a treat? It would. It would.
- [05:17]
Buzz Knight
I'd love to be a fly in the wall for any of them.
- [05:20]
F. Murray Abraham
Yeah. Yeah, for sure.
- [05:23]
Buzz Knight
So you had that incredible piece of your career in. In Amadeus, and that. That monologue that. That you have about hearing Mozart for the first time as your. As your character, which was so unbelievably incredible. What was the first time F. Murray Abraham heard Mozart for the first time?
- [05:48]
F. Murray Abraham
Oh, I guess I was in high school. I was not a classical music fan, but I heard my first piece of music was Mendelssohn's Concerto D Minor. And I was captivated because I was rock and roll. I mean, I was rhythm and blues then, those days. But that opened my eyes to some other music. And I asked the teacher what she would suggest, and she came up with a Magic Flute. Some people made fun of the Magic Flute. They think it's trivial. I don't think so. But aside from the fact that it was my first Mozart, that's why I remember it so fondly. But there's this. It's. There's some wonderful stuff in it.
- [06:29]
Buzz Knight
We are going to touch on your work, currently the Queen of Versailles. But back to music for a second. There was that incredible period in Inside Llewyn Davis where you're in the the Gate of Horn. And it was the, I'd say, honest assessment that you gave of the musician that was on stage. How did you channel that? And had you personally gone through a similar experience yourself?
- [07:06]
F. Murray Abraham
You know, it's true. It's like that thing where they say, in other words, get out of here, you no talent bum. I mean, that's what it amounts to. But I saw that for the first time, that movie with a, you know, a bunch of. It was a preview showing, so it was all people in the business. And that line got this huge laugh because everybody really understood. And it was a good line, by the way, that whole scene. We shot that less than half a day. Those guys are great to work with, by the way. The Coen brothers. I mean, boom, boom. They know what they're doing and their scripts are finished. Scripts, you know, it's done, it's ready to do as is. That was true of Amadeus. You can't go wrong with a good piece of work like that. You shouldn't just say the words.
- [08:01]
Buzz Knight
For those that don't know the line I'm referring to. And if I do fall off my chair when you give the line, will you forgive me? First of all, what was that line again?
- [08:11]
F. Murray Abraham
I don't see any money here. Very straight, very honest. Oh, man. That guy I played, by the way, was. This was. I don't know if. You know. I bet you do that in this tough business called the show business. The toughest of the tough are in the music business. I'm not talking about the gangsters and all that crap. I'm talking about hard, hard people. And this guy I play but was the hardest. He was really tough. And so that was very straight ahead of him. But he didn't have a lawsuit problem with Dylan. Anyhow, it's easy to play hidden.
- [08:48]
Buzz Knight
But isn't that line true of like the restaurant business as an example, when people, you know, get all wild eyed and enthusiastic about the restaurant business as well?
- [08:59]
F. Murray Abraham
Yeah, of course, you're right. You know, you're right.
- [09:02]
Buzz Knight
So how does it feel now that you're. You're in New York City and the Queen of Versailles is happening? Tell me first of all how that all came together.
- [09:14]
F. Murray Abraham
It's one of those lucky things. That's all the people thought of me for this thing. I don't know, you know, I sang, but I'm not a singer like these people I'm on the stage with. I can, you know, I can carry my own. I've done this with Benny Opera. I started out doing children's theater musicals for 10 bucks a show. And one of the piano players was Stephen Schwartz. Isn't that interesting? But that's not why I got into the show. Someone suggested me for it and they all said, that's a great idea. Would he do it? That's what I heard later. But when you, you know, offered something like this with the people involved, of course you're going to take it. If they believe you can do it, then you can. And they've been faithful to me. But I'm on stage with some, I guess some of the best in New York. I think it's become one of the best experiences in my career. 60 years. It's remarkable. A show this size with this many people and everyone gets along so well. It reminds I'm carrying on and on. How I got involved in this is just one of those things that happens and I'm very grateful. There's no way to. Who came up with thinking of me? I don't know, but I'm grateful. That's all I can say.
- [10:30]
Buzz Knight
Did you know Kristin Chenoweth before?
- [10:33]
F. Murray Abraham
No, I didn't. But we fell in love with each other right away. But I think everyone does. She's what you see is what you get. She's the real McCoy. She's a heart and soul of this production.
- [10:45]
Buzz Knight
So I had Charl Brown from the Doo Wop Project on the podcast and I told him I couldn't contain my excitement that I was going to be speaking with you. And I asked him, I said, charles, as a Broadway artist, do you have a question for F. Murray Abraham? And he didn't even blink. He said, yes, I do have a question for him. He said, please ask him what is his ritual when he's performing on Broadway?
- [11:17]
F. Murray Abraham
While I stretch, I vocalize, I Don't eat much at all before the show, if anything at all. And I just stretch out and lay on the bed. It's very easy. The vocalizing is very important to me whether I'm singing or not. But I remember doing a show with Helen Mirren and I would vocalize every day before the show and she would come out and look at me and go. And then go back into dressing room. That was her warm up. So everybody has a different warm up. Mine is pretty mundane.
- [12:00]
Buzz Knight
And the first time that you walk on stage after rehearsals have happened and everything. Can you describe to someone what that feeling is on opening night?
- [12:12]
F. Murray Abraham
There's no way you can describe it to anyone who hasn't experienced it. I mentioned that I've been doing it for 60 years. That's not an exaggeration, that's the truth. And even as I say it, it's hard to believe. But I was trying to explain to someone that this opening night, which is within six days, I suppose on Sunday, it feels the same as it's always felt. And that surprised me. It hasn't become offhand or it's not. It's just as exciting and thrilling and by the way, anxiety producing as it ever was. And that's hard for people to believe because I'm 86 years old. You would think I would become jaded. That ain't me. And if you do, I think you better get out of the business.
- [13:03]
Buzz Knight
Could you have imagined as a rough and tumble character in El Paso, Texas, that your career path would have taken you to Broadway?
- [13:12]
F. Murray Abraham
There's a funny thing about your imagination. Everybody has the dream. I think whatever I shouldn't say that I should. I take that back. A lot of people have a dream and some of them come true. And I thought there was no limit. I was aware of what it would take. I had heard it was hard, but I had no idea it was as hard as it was. Because I don't think you're an actor unless you're acting. And that can be long periods where you don't act. You got to do something to keep your chops up and keep your. Your sense of yourself because you lose yourself. So you continue to take classes or you study on your own, or you, you do whatever it takes to keep this here and your physical, your body in good shape for when the opportunity presents itself. And too many actors don't do that. I think too many artists don't. It's a hard business, but I never lost faith. Well, a couple of times I doubt it. It's hard after about 10 months of no work. But you persevere or you get out. And the other thing I teach from time to time, I'm a good teacher, but whenever I can, I gather a class at the Atlantic Theater Company and I tell them, if you are dedicated to doing the work as you should, honest work, which means searching yourself for the character, your own traits, finding out the truth about yourself. If you can't make it in this business, you haven't lost any of that time. You've examined yourself and it's valuable. Leave the business for a while because you can always come back to it because it's always there. I'm carrying on because I think it's important to know that any endeavor in art, if it's an honest endeavor in search, nothing is lost.
- [15:12]
Buzz Knight
I love when you carry on, by the way. Absolutely. I love it. Now, is it true you play a little game that is sort of like a Where's Waldo sort of game with your Academy Award, the actual award? And if so, is that happening at the Queen of Versailles?
- [15:32]
F. Murray Abraham
Oh, yeah. Every show I've done since I've. Since I wanted. He's responsible a great deal for my success, a lot. Anyhow, I give it to stage management and they put it. Hide it on the stage from different places. They don't tell me. And then it ends up in the wardrobe department and they make little costumes. He has all these little costumes as a tutu. He has a surfer board outfit. I mean, it's fun. The idea of putting it someplace and shrining it is. Is silly to me because not many people get to have a chance to hold that trophy and play with it. And I do let them do it. And they. They're delightful. They're just like kids. Oh, can I hold it? I mean, yeah, well, of course you can hold it. And the old. And they all want to make a speech.
- [16:23]
Buzz Knight
You have had this remarkable ability to reinvent yourself across decades. What is the secret to staying relevant and hungry as an actor?
- [16:35]
F. Murray Abraham
I don't know, man. It's a gift, I suppose. I don't know. I wish I could. I don't know if I could encapsulate it. I wish I could bottle it because it's a great gift and I have it and I'm again grateful. I don't know where these gifts come from, these things, but I do know that if you do have any kind of a gift, it's your responsibility to nurture it. That's easy to say, because I work. But when you are gifted and you can't work. It's killing. And it can embitter people, and it does. And that's too bad because, as I say, you can always come back to the business and you will be a better actor if you do. Anyhow, I'm carrying on because I know so many people who haven't made it, and I mourn for them, but. Keep punching, baby.
- [17:32]
Buzz Knight
Homeland, the White Lotus, Marvel projects. You keep showing up in these surprising places. How do you choose roles now versus 20, 30 years ago?
- [17:44]
F. Murray Abraham
Well, you make it sound as though I have all these offers that I can select from. And in fact, the ones that are offered are interesting. And so I do them. But there's a lot of crap out there, too. I don't know how I select them because they're interesting and because of the people involved sometimes. But those that you have mentioned were really a lot of fun. And that's important to have a good time. It's hard enough work. You may as well have a good time.
- [18:18]
Buzz Knight
Is there a performance that you haven't been part of that you sort of dream and think maybe this could happen?
- [18:26]
F. Murray Abraham
It's always the next part. By the way, I was very proud of my performance. There's not a lot that I think were great, but I think my Roy Cohn was. Was wonderful, and so does my Shylock. That was wonderful. I liked my Lear and my bottom in In Midsummer Night's Dream, but the Shylock and the Roy Comb were superior until recently. I did Crap in Crap's last tape. And that, I think, finally, is my best performance. That was very good. It took me a while to get it, to discover it, but I did it, I think. And to answer your question, it's the next one I'd like to do Oedipus. I think it's. I'm too long in the tooth, but I think it's an important play, a very important play. It talks. It speaks to the responsibility of political leaders. And I don't think political leaders understand the word responsibility now. They understand the word cop out, but they don't understand how take the heat.
- [19:32]
Buzz Knight
Well, in closing, though, I want to ask you. Community is so important more than ever these days, and certainly Broadway, when you attend, is this amazing community that you're part of. Why is it more important than ever?
- [19:50]
F. Murray Abraham
Because it is one of the last venues where a whole bunch of strangers gather in one place. And they all, especially with laughter. They all are collected, no matter what their religion, their color, their. Their politics. When they all laugh, what it does is promote and remind them of their common humanity. And that I think all this red state, blue state stuff people are forgetting is called the United States of America. Remember that? United. Yeah, Make America united again. But that's the value of it, because there's no electronic medium between you and anyone else. It's you and that living creature up there who is just like you. That's a reminder of our common humanity. And I think that's very important.
- [20:46]
Buzz Knight
I'm so grateful for everything you continue to do for us and everything in your career and for the opportunity to talk to you on Taking a Walk F. Murray Abraham Folks should check out the Queen of Versailles. It's a, it's a hot ticket. They're gonna. They're gonna have some challenges getting them, but they're available and I wish you only the best, sir.
- [21:08]
F. Murray Abraham
Thank you, Buzz. It was a pleasure, man. Really was.
- [21:13]
Podcast Host/Outro Announcer
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
- [21:32]
Chase Sapphire Reserve Announcer
This episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to the world's most captivating destinations. When I use my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, I get eight times points on all the purchases I make through Chase Travel and even access to one of a kind experiences like music festivals and sports events. And that's not even mentioning how the card gets me into the Sapphire Lounge by the Club at select airports nationwide. No matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover more@chase.com Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply.
- [22:26]
Ryan Seacrest
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- [22:58]
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- [23:57]
F. Murray Abraham
This is an iheart podcast.