Inside the Actors Studio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Inside the Actors Studio | |
|---|---|
 Inside the Actors Studio logo |
|
| Genre | Talk show |
| Starring | James Lipton |
| Opening theme | Angelo Badalamenti |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes; 120 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Bravo |
| Original run | August 14, 1994 – |
| Links | |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Inside the Actors Studio is the Emmy-nominated, longest-running original series on the Bravo cable television channel, hosted by James Lipton. It is produced and directed by Jeff Wurtz. The program, which premiered in 1994, is seen in 79 million American homes and in 125 countries around the world. It is taped at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University's New York City campus.
Contents |
[edit] About the program
The program began as a televised craft seminar for students of the Actors Studio Drama School, originally a joint venture of the Actors Studio and New School University. It was taped at the New School's Tishman Auditorium in New York City.
In May 2005, the contract between the Actors Studio and New School University was not renewed. Beginning with the twelfth season, in the fall of 2005, the program has been taped at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University's New York City campus. The show now has a new set with a gritty backstage feel, designed by Will Rothfuss for Blair Broadcast Designs[1], and The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University has re-opened in new facilities.
Since its premiere, Inside the Actors Studio has had over 200 guests. While most of the show is a one-on-one interview conducted by Lipton, this is followed by the host submitting a questionnaire to the guest. The questionnaire concept was originated by French television personality Bernard Pivot. The program usually concludes with a question-and-answer session with the students.
In France, the show is broadcast since 1999 on Paris Première.
[edit] Guests
Ensemble guests:
- Cast of Everybody Loves Raymond (Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Doris Roberts, and Peter Boyle)
- Casts of Law & Order (creator Dick Wolf, Chris Noth (Law & Order; Law & Order: Criminal Intent), S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order)); Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) had to leave before his interview during the taping because of an illness he had that day, he was edited out of the introduction since he was not able to be interviewed during the show.
- Cast of The Simpsons (Nancy Cartwright, Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer, and Yeardley Smith)
- Cast of Will & Grace (Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes, and Megan Mullally)
[edit] Trivia
- On January 23, 2005, Kiefer Sutherland became the first guest to be the child of a previous guest. His father, Donald Sutherland, appeared on the show in 1998.
- During Robin Williams' interview, a man in the audience had to be removed from the theatre by ambulance. He laughed so hard, he had a hernia.
- Parodied numerous times on Saturday Night Live with Will Ferrell portraying Lipton and the host portraying the "actor" to be interviewed.
- The ten questions by Bernard Pivot that host James Lipton asks every guest are:
- What is your favorite word?
- What is your least favorite word?
- What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?
- What turns you off?
- What is your favorite curse word?
- What sound or noise do you love?
- What sound or noise do you hate?
- What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
- What profession would you not like to do?
- If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
- The entire interview process takes about three hours to complete. However, the interview shown on television is cut to approximately 45 minutes excluding commercials.
- When Tom Hanks revisited in 2006, Lipton announced him as the first encore guest of the show. In truth, he actually wasn't. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane both appeared twice on the show: in solo appearances in 1995 and 1996 (respectively) and together in 2005.
- When Dave Chappelle was on the show, he flew in straight from Ohio for the interview. However, he did not make it on time for the interview and was 3 hours late. During the 3 hour wait, the students were entertained by watching season 1 of Chappelle's show. The whole interview lasted until 1am.
- The show has featured 73 Academy Award winners: 8 directors; 4 screenwriters; 61 actors and actresses; and 1 musician. A few guests also have multiple wins; for example, Francis Ford Coppola won for directing, producing, and co-writing The Godfather Part II, and Michael Douglas won for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and acting for Wall Street.
