Celebrity Interview: Rich Little

 

The son of a doctor in Ottawa, Canada, Rich Little started his career at the age of 12 when he answered his teachers in their own voices. A master mimic of over 200 voices, Little continues to impress the public with his impressions of many of the U.S. Presidents, from John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton. His favorite stars are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jack Nicholson and Clint Eastwood. Little says, "an impression is what you think a person sounds like." It took him 7 years to perfect Frank Sinatra and only several minutes to mimic Dr. Ruth.

Publisher Brigitte Lang, comedian Rich Little and HTM writer Liz Sterling take a break at the Boca Raton Hotel coffee shop during the interview. The interview was scheduled for December 1. I thought, " What a great way to celebrate my birthday. A few laughs, a nice meal at the Boca Raton Hotel, and I'll get a great story!" Everyone knows Rich Little. He's the guy who impersonates Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, and Humphrey Bogart... even Carol Channing is in his repertoire. I must have seen him on Johnny Carson a hundred times. So first the story, and then the interview. I received a call from his publicist. "Rich wants to meet you. Be backstage at FAU during intermission. He'll be preparing for his performance with the Boca Pops. You can stay for the show." Wait a second, I thought, am I interviewing him, or is he interviewing me? I didn't voice my questions. This was unusual, but of course I showed up. With press pass in hand, I announced myself to the guardian of the backstage area. "Rich Little is expecting me," I said. And without a moment's hesitation, I was ushered into his dressing area. Midst the hustle and bustle of the orchestra, the members of the press and the staff of the Boca Pops, there was enough energy to set a rocket off to the moon. I made way for the ominous door that had a star on it. Simultaneously, as I was about to knock, the door magically opened. There he was. He looked just like he did on television. He sat in a cushy couch and beckoned me to come in. "Hi," I said, I'm Liz Sterling and we're scheduled to have an interview tomorrow at 11:00." He just looked at me, held my press pass in hand, and asked me to stay for the performance. The show was fabulous. I laughed deep belly laughs. He did Tom Jones, Willy Nelson, Neil Diamond and good old Frank Sinatra. He not only did the impressions, he told stories. The performance was magnificent and Maestro Crafton Beck is nothing less than an orchestra's dream. His enthusiasm was electrifying. So that's the story.... now the interview. We met at the hotel as planned. He was already in the lobby. We sat outside on a rather cool morning. I was bundled up. He was in shorts. We stopped for muffins and coffee and he kibitzed with the woman behind the counter. The interview was entertaining. He did impressions of Alfred Hitchcock, Henry Fonda, Carol Channing, Yogi Bear, Kermit the Frog and Kirk Douglas. He shared stories about Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme, Frank Sinatra, and President Nixon. He told me he loves the entertainment business. "If I have a rough day, and I'm angry, I'll just go into Kirk Douglas and throw over a table, he joked. And when I need to lift my spirits, Kermit can always do the trick." The high point of his life was performing for Nixon at his inauguration. "Frank Sinatra taught me how to do him. It took me seven years to master him. He would tell me, tap your foot Rich and don't forget to grasp your sleeve." But Rich Little wanted me to know that he is a regular guy. "I tidy up, I iron, and I lose things. I lost my address book in Vegas. Yesterday, when I put on my pants, there it was. Well that's part of it. You see I'm always on the road. Packing.... schlepping... it's part of the business. "And what new business are you into?" I asked. " I'm working on a book and it's funny. The title is, People I've Known and Been. I am also working on a Broadway show and hope to take it on the road in August. My plan is to perform at the Kennedy Center for the living Presidents, and then of course, they'll love it, endorse it ... and I'll be off and schlepping even more." "When I asked him what makes him really tick" he said, "A good movie, close friends, sharing stories, and a little peace and quiet. On stage, I perform. I'm different off stage. I like to take the stress out of my life. I let things go easily." He was easy to laugh with, reminisce with and have a good time. I left the tape rolling beyond the formal interview and listened to it again last night. I laughed aloud and thought to myself, "He sure does know how to tell a good story." We all have stories. They are the bedrock of our lives. As we share our memories, we invite others into our hearts. And that's what makes for a great interview.