John Davidson is funny, warm, personal and talented. This was an interview that I truly enjoyed, having been a fan of Disney’s “The Happiest Millionaire” and “The One and Only Original Family Band,” both with Leslie Ann Warren. If you ask people who John Davidson is the answer will be varied, for John Davidson is multi-talented. Well known as the all American game show host in the 80’s, he hosted a series of game shows including; That’s Incredible, Hollywood Squares and The 100,000 Pyramid, but the fresh faced actor started off as an underwear model in 1959. He made his Broadway debut in the 1964 production of Foxy, which starred Burt Lahr and in 1996 he returned to the stage in State Fair with Andrea McArdle. In the 70’s his face was plastered all over hit shows. The Sonny and Cher Show, Love Boat, Love American Style, Fantasy Island and Spenser: For Hire and the aptly titled John Davidson are just a few.
Cult fans will know John from Edward Scissorhands. Davidson has also recorded thirteen albums and performed in a variety of musicals. Oklahoma, A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to the Forum, The Music Man, Kismet, State Fair, Man of La Mancha, Shenandoah, Chicago, and’ Will Rogers’ Follies, to name a few. He is the author of the educational book The Art Of The Singing Entertainer and his autobiographical play The Boy Who Loved His Father.
Currently he has take on the role of Henry in the current Off Broadway Revival of The Fantasticks until June 19th. Fifty years earlier Davidson appeared as The Boy in the 1964 television presentation of The Fantasticks.
T2C: What do you like better musicals or straight Drama?
John Davidson: Music has always been my first passion. In addition to recording 13 solo albums, I play the guitar and banjo.
T2C: Are you touring?
JD: Yes, I’ve never really toured because but I never had that one big hit. Most people know me from television and movies. I would love to do Feinstein’s.
T2C: Tell us about the Hallmark Hall of Fame The Fantasticks?
JD: October 18, 1964. It was Susan Watson, Ricardo Montalban, Bert Lahr, Stanley Holloway and me. From there I went on to the Disney films.
T2C: What’s next for you?
JD: I’m playing Don Quixote in a new theatre in New Jersey, Ocean Professional Theatre, then concerts in Palm Desert, Ca and St. Lucie, Florida.
T2C: Do you want to come back to Broadway?
JD: Yes, I did a play called Bully about Theodore Roosevelt, but I have just commissioned a play about Ted Kennedy, after all I have the hair.
And with that it was time for his performance.
Posted by Suzanna Bowling
on June 11, 2012. Filed under ENTERTAIMENT,HOME,Theatre.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
You must be logged in to post a comment Login