I was on the verge of taking over a company myself, from my father, before I left Knoxville to become an actor. I was also a company commander in Korea, so I had some sense of how powerful authority can be. How dangerous it can be.
I could make thousands of dollars in Broadway musicals, but among the best experiences I had was doing 'Hamlet' in Milwaukee and a version of 'Cyrano' that my wife wrote for me on a bus-and-truck tour.
Advertising is a wonderful lubricant for business, if it's used properly.
There was a time I wouldn't fly to California if I had to spend the night. Can you believe it? I would not fly to California, the phrase was, 'if the sun has to set on me.' I just had prejudices against it.
I was married to a dancer who had a dance company in New York City, and she toured.
You scratch a preacher a little bit, and you'll get an actor.
My father was a businessman. We had discussions about honesty and dishonesty.
I sing the 'Star Spangled Banner,' so I can get into football, basketball and baseball games for free.
I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not because of singing. They needed someone to understudy Richard Burton. I was also going to musical auditions because the agent I had insisted I go to them.
I always wanted to act, but never thought of it as something serious to do.
After serving in the Korean War, I actually started working towards a master's degree in finance.
