About
“If it's good writing and it's going to be made, it means that the people making it have good taste. And if the people making it have the good sense to hire me, I’m completely on board.”
In his four-and-a-half-hour interview, Daniel J. Travanti talks about his early years breaking into television as a guest star on shows including Route 66, The Defenders, and Gunsmoke. He speaks in detail about the role for which he is most well-known, "Captain Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues. He also discusses the production of this series and some of the key series storylines. Travanti then talks about his later work, including the television movies Adam and Murrow, and the police drama series Missing Persons. He concludes with a discussion of his difficulty finding good scripts. Karen Herman conducted the interview on October 13, 2004 in Chicago, IL.
Highlights
Daniel J. Travanti on his appearance on an episode of The Bob Newhart Show
Daniel J. Travanti on his character, "Captain Frank Furillo's," function on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on his reluctance to discuss Hill Street Blues, and on his acting career
Daniel J. Travanti on his reluctance to do a series, and then accepting the role of "Captain Frank Furillo" on Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on the final episode of Hill Street Blues, and on the end of the series
Daniel J. Travanti on the challenge of playing characters based on real people, like Edward R. Murrow
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his early interest in acting; on his early acting career
On his earliest experiences with television; on early theater roles
Chapter 2
On his distaste for doing interviews; on his television debut, guest-starring on the Route 66 episode "Child of the Night," and on his reluctance to do television; on being cast on Route 66 for being a James Dean type
On appearing on Flipper, and on his issues with early episodic television; on appearing on The Defenders with Robert Redford; on The Defenders director Stuart Rosenberg
Chapter 3
On working with Stuart Rosenberg on The Defenders; on appearing on East Side/West Side with Moses Gunn
On his guest appearance on an episode of Lost in Space; on his early struggles as an actor
On his guest appearances on Gunsmoke; on his appearance on an episode of The Bob Newhart Show; on playing himself on an episode of Newhart
Chapter 4
On working with Sada Thompson on various projects, including Family; on moving to Los Angeles for his acting career, and on appearing in commercials; on appearing on The Doctors and General Hospital
On his reluctance to do a series, and then accepting the role of "Captain Frank Furillo" on Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues; on Steven Bochco finding him to play "Captain Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues
Chapter 5
On the casting process of Hill Street Blues, and for the role of "Captain Frank Furillo"; on meeting Steven Bochco and Grant Tinker when he read for Hill Street Blues
On the experience of reading with Barbara Bosson for Hill Street Blues for Steven Bochco; on waiting to hear if he was cast after his audition for Hill Street Blues, and on being approved by Fred Silverman to be cast
Chapter 6
On finding out he was cast on Hill Street Blues; on the premise of Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues, and on the quality of the writing; on his opinion of the notion that Hill Street Blues was the most realistic show on television
On his character, "Captain Frank Furillo's," function on Hill Street Blues; on Hill Street Blues' Emmy wins; on the production of Hill Street Blues
On the ensemble cast of Hill Street Blues; on Veronica Hamel as "Joyce Davenport" on Hill Street Blues; on Michael Conrad as "Phil Esterhaus" on Hill Street Blues, and on the death of the actor
Chapter 7
On Michael Warren as "Officer Bobby Hill" and Bruce Weitz as "Sgt. Mick Belker" on Hill Street Blues; on the ensemble cast of Hill Street Blues; on his relationship with the writers of Hill Street Blues
On his Hill Street Blues character, "Captain Frank Furillo's," alcoholism; on the Hill Street Blues episode "Remembrance of Hits Past," where his character "Captain Frank Furillo" is shot; on the final episode of Hill Street Blues, and on the end of the series
On appearing in A Case of Libel, and on playing "John Walsh" in Adam; on starring as "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow
Chapter 8
On playing "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow; on the challenge of playing characters based on real people, like Edward R. Murrow; on starring in Howard Beach: Making a Case for Murder and various feature films
On appearing on American Playhouse in the episode "I Never Sang for My Father"; on starring in the series Missing Persons and Poltergeist: The Legacy; on the life of an actor
Chapter 9
On guest-starring on The Outer Limits; on moving to Chicago; on career highlights
On advice to aspiring actors, and on career highlights and regrets; on his reluctance to discuss Hill Street Blues, and on his acting career
Shows
Adam
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing in A Case of Libel, and on playing "John Walsh" in Adam
American Playhouse
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on American Playhouse in the episode "I Never Sang for My Father"
Bob Newhart Show, The (1972-78)
Daniel J. Travanti on his appearance on an episode of The Bob Newhart Show
Defenders, The
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on The Defenders with Robert Redford
Daniel J. Travanti on The Defenders director Stuart Rosenberg
Daniel J. Travanti on working with Stuart Rosenberg on The Defenders
Doctors, The
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on The Doctors and General Hospital
East Side/West Side
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on East Side/West Side with Moses Gunn
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Daniel J. Travanti on Hill Street Blues' Emmy wins
Family
Daniel J. Travanti on working with Sada Thompson on various projects, including Family
Flipper
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on Flipper, and on his issues with early episodic television
General Hospital
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on The Doctors and General Hospital
Gunsmoke
Daniel J. Travanti on his guest appearances on Gunsmoke
Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on his reluctance to do a series, and then accepting the role of "Captain Frank Furillo" on Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on Steven Bochco finding him to play "Captain Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on the casting process of Hill Street Blues, and for the role of "Captain Frank Furillo"
Daniel J. Travanti on meeting Steven Bochco and Grant Tinker when he read for Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on the experience of reading with Barbara Bosson for Hill Street Blues for Steven Bochco
Daniel J. Travanti on waiting to hear if he was cast after his audition for Hill Street Blues, and on being approved by Fred Silverman to be cast
Daniel J. Travanti on the premise of Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues, and on the quality of the writing
Daniel J. Travanti on Hill Street Blues' Emmy wins
Daniel J. Travanti on the production of Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on finding out he was cast on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on his opinion of the notion that Hill Street Blues was the most realistic show on television
Daniel J. Travanti on his character, "Captain Frank Furillo's," function on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on the ensemble cast of Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on Veronica Hamel as "Joyce Davenport" on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on Michael Conrad as "Phil Esterhaus" on Hill Street Blues, and on the death of the actor
Daniel J. Travanti on Michael Warren as "Officer Bobby Hill" and Bruce Weitz as "Sgt. Mick Belker" on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on the ensemble cast of Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on his relationship with the writers of Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on his Hill Street Blues character, "Captain Frank Furillo's," alcoholism
Daniel J. Travanti on the Hill Street Blues episode "Remembrance of Hits Past" where his character, "Captain Frank Furillo," is shot
Daniel J. Travanti on the final episode of Hill Street Blues, and on the end of the series
Daniel J. Travanti on his reluctance to discuss Hill Street Blues, and on his acting career
Howard Beach: Making a Case for Murder
Daniel J. Travanti on starring in Howard Beach: Making a Case for Murder and various feature films
Lost in Space
Daniel J. Travanti on his guest appearance on an episode of Lost in Space
Missing Persons
Daniel J. Travanti on starring in the series Missing Persons
Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on starring as "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on playing "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow
Newhart
Daniel J. Travanti on playing himself on an episode of Newhart
Outer Limits, The (1995-2002)
Daniel J. Travanti on guest-starring on The Outer Limits
Poltergeist: The Legacy
Daniel J. Travanti on starring in Poltergeist: The Legacy and his semi-retirement
Route 66
Daniel J. Travanti on his television debut, guest-starring on the Route 66 episode "Child of the Night," and on his reluctance to do television
Daniel J. Travanti on being cast on Route 66 for being a James Dean type
Topics
Advice
Daniel J. Travanti on advice to aspiring actors, and on career highlights and regrets
Characters & Catchphrases
Daniel J. Travanti on his character, "Captain Frank Furillo's," function on Hill Street Blues
Emmy Awards
Daniel J. Travanti on Hill Street Blues' Emmy wins
First Big Break
Daniel J. Travanti on finding out he was cast on Hill Street Blues
Pivotal Career Moments
Daniel J. Travanti on finding out he was cast on Hill Street Blues
Pop Culture
Daniel J. Travanti on his character, "Captain Frank Furillo's," function on Hill Street Blues
Television Industry
Daniel J. Travanti on advice to aspiring actors, and on career highlights and regrets
Professions
Actor
Daniel J. Travanti on the challenge of playing characters based on real people, like Edward R. Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on the life of an actor
Performers
Daniel J. Travanti on the challenge of playing characters based on real people, like Edward R. Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on the life of an actor
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on American Playhouse in the episode "I Never Sang for My Father"
Daniel J. Travanti on guest-starring on The Outer Limits
Comedy Series
Daniel J. Travanti on his appearance on an episode of The Bob Newhart Show
Daniel J. Travanti on playing himself on an episode of Newhart
Commercials
Daniel J. Travanti on moving to Los Angeles for his acting career, and on appearing in commercials
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Daniel J. Travanti on playing "Captain Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on the casting process of Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on starring on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on playing "Captain Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on starring in the series Missing Persons
Daytime/Primetime Serials
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on The Doctors and General Hospital
Drama Series
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on Route 66
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on East Side/West Side with Moses Gunn
Daniel J. Travanti on starring in Poltergeist: The Legacy and his semi-retirement
Legal Dramas
Daniel J. Travanti on working with Stuart Rosenberg on The Defenders
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing in A Case of Libel, and on playing "John Walsh" in Adam
Daniel J. Travanti on starring as "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on playing "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on starring in Howard Beach: Making a Case for Murder and various feature films
Western Series
Daniel J. Travanti on his guest appearances on Gunsmoke
People
Lucille Ball
Daniel J. Travanti on briefly meeing his idol Lucille Ball
Steven Bochco
Daniel J. Travanti on his reluctance to do a series, and then accepting the role of "Captain Frank Furillo" on Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on Steven Bochco finding him to play "Captain Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on meeting Steven Bochco and Grant Tinker when he read for Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti on the experience of reading with Barbara Bosson for Hill Street Blues for Steven Bochco
Edward R. Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on starring as "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow
Daniel J. Travanti on playing "Edward R. Murrow" in Murrow
Bob Newhart
Daniel J. Travanti on his appearance on an episode of The Bob Newhart Show
Stuart Rosenberg
Daniel J. Travanti on The Defenders director Stuart Rosenberg
Daniel J. Travanti on working with Stuart Rosenberg on The Defenders
Fred Silverman
Daniel J. Travanti on waiting to hear if he was cast after his audition for Hill Street Blues, and on being approved by Fred Silverman to be cast
Sada Thompson
Daniel J. Travanti on working with Sada Thompson on various projects, including Family
Grant Tinker
Daniel J. Travanti on meeting Steven Bochco and Grant Tinker when he read for Hill Street Blues
John Walsh
Daniel J. Travanti on appearing in A Case of Libel, and on playing "John Walsh" in Adam
Michael Warren
Daniel J. Travanti on Michael Warren as "Officer Bobby Hill" and Bruce Weitz as "Sgt. Mick Belker" on Hill Street Blues