Hector Elizondo

Actor


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Hector Elizondo talks about his early years as a child singer and making his first television appearance, on the children's series The Adventures of Oky Doky. He describes his first feature film, The Fat Black Pussycat, as well as his first adult television role, on The Jackie Gleason Show. He recounts his guest-starring role on the memorable All in the Family episode, "The Elevator Story," as well as roles on Kojak, Columbo, and The Rockford Files. He recalls working for Norman Lear, co-starring on A.k.a. Pablo, and working for Diane English on Foley Square. He discusses at length his role as "Dr. Phillip Watters" on the David E. Kelley drama Chicago Hope. Elizondo talks of the show's rivalry with ER, the fame that resulted from the show, and his eventually winning an Emmy for the episode "Bridge Over Troubled Watters." He speaks of co-starring (along with executive producer Jimmy Smits) in Cane, a Latino drama that was cut short due to the Writers Guild strike of 2007. He concludes by detailing his long association with Garry Marshall, including his roles in Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries, and sums up with advice to aspiring actors. Adrienne Faillace conducted the interview on April 17, 2015 in Burbank, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I love it when it's right and you hit the ball in the sweet spot. It's transformative. Especially when you're telling a story and you're feeling the audience. The collective aspect of it, the audience aspect of it. The immediacy."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Hector Elizondo on co-starring on the series Cane as "Pancho Duque"
04:21
Hector Elizondo on his Chicago Hope  character "Dr. Phillip Watters"
03:18
Hector Elizondo on appearing on All in the Family
05:13
Hector Elizondo on co-starring in Garry Marshall's feature film "Pretty Woman"
05:08
Hector Elizondo on his proudest career achievement - unintentionally being an inspiration for fellow Latinos
02:39
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on listening to the radio as a child; on the first time he saw television and early shows he watched
On his television debut as a child on The Adventures of Oky Doky; on attending The High School of Music and Art and his path to becoming an actor through the theater; on his first feature film "The Fat Black Pussycat"
On appearing on The Jackie Gleason Show; on appearing on All in the Family; on appearing on Kojak
On appearing on Columbo; on appearing on The Rockford Files; on starring in the series Popi
On co-starring on A.k.a Pablo; on co-starring on Foley Square  created by Diane English; on avoiding being typecast 

Chapter 2

On singing as a young boy; on directing A.k.a. Pablo; on partaking in Norman Corwin's 50th Anniversary of "War of the Worlds"; on being nominated for an Emmy for the American Playhouse  production of "Mrs. Cage" in which his co-star was Anne Bancroft
On playing "Dr. Phillip Watters" on Chicago Hope; on doing medical research for his role on Chicago Hope; on working with David E. Kelley on Chicago Hope
On his Chicago Hope  character "Dr. Phillip Watters"; on Chicago Hope competing with ER  and the popularity of the show; on James Garner guest-starring on Chicago Hope
On the fame that resulted from his co-starring on Chicago Hope; on the cast changes of Chicago Hope and the show going up against Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?; on the end and legacy of Chicago Hope
On guest-starring on Grey's Anatomy; on guest-starring on Monk; on co-starring on the series Cane as "Pancho Duque"
On co-starring on Last Man Standing; on his voiceover work

Chapter 3

On appearing the feature film "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three"; on his long association with Garry Marshall; on appearing in "Pretty Woman" and "The Princess Diaries"
On appearing in the feature film "Tortilla Soup"; on his proudest career achievement; on how the industry has changed since he started
On advice to an aspiring actor; on career regrets; on how he'd like to be remembered
Shows

A.k.a. Pablo

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on co-starring on A.k.a Pablo
04:54
Hector Elizondo on directing A.k.a. Pablo
02:58

All in the Family

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on All in the Family
05:13

American Playhouse

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on being nominated for an Emmy for the American Playhouse production of "Mrs. Cage" in which his co-star was Anne Bancroft
04:14

Cane

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on co-starring as "Pancho Duque" on the series Cane (starring and executive produced by Jimmy Smits)
04:21
Hector Elizondo on working with Rita Moreno on > Cane
00:52
Hector Elizondo on > Cane  representing a Latino family>
01:08

Chicago Hope

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on co-starring as "Dr. Phillip Watters" on Chicago Hope
02:26
Hector Elizondo on doing medical research for his role on Chicago Hope
01:38
Hector Elizondo on working with David E. Kelley on Chicago Hope
01:06
Hector Elizondo on his Chicago Hope character "Dr. Phillip Watters"
03:18
Hector Elizondo on working with writer/producer John Tinker on Chicago Hope
00:34
Hector Elizondo on Chicago Hope competing with ER and the popularity of the show
03:39
Hector Elizondo on James Garner guest-starring on Chicago Hope and working through pain on The Rockford Files
01:37
Hector Elizondo on the fame that resulted from his co-starring on Chicago Hope 
02:53
Hector Elizondo on the cast changes of Chicago Hope and the show going up against Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
02:42
Hector Elizondo on the Chicago Hope episode "Bridge Over Troubled Watters" for which he won an Emmy
02:56
Hector Elizondo on the end and legacy of Chicago Hope
02:15

Columbo

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on Columbo
01:27

ER

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on Chicago Hope competing with ER and the popularity of the show
03:39

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on the Chicago Hope episode "Bridge Over Troubled Watters" for which he won an Emmy
02:56

Foley Square

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on co-starring on Foley Square created by Diane English
02:27

Grey's Anatomy

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on guest-starring on Grey's Anatomy
02:31

Jackie Gleason Show, The

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on The Jackie Gleason Show
02:59

Kojak

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on Kojak
03:52

Rockford Files, The

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on The Rockford Files starring James Garner 
02:31
Hector Elizondo on James Garner guest-starring on Chicago Hope and working through pain on The Rockford Files
01:37

Who Wants to be A Millionaire

View Show Page
Hector Elizondo on the cast changes of Chicago Hope and the show going up against Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
02:42
Topics

Advice

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on advice to an aspiring actor
01:45

Characters & Catchphrases

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on his Chicago Hope  character "Dr. Phillip Watters"
03:18

Emmy Awards

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on the Chicago Hope episode "Bridge Over Troubled Watters" for which he won an Emmy
02:56

Fame and Celebrity

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on the fame that resulted from his co-starring on Chicago Hope
02:53

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on Cane  representing a Latino family
00:57

Pop Culture

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on his Chicago Hope  character "Dr. Phillip Watters"
03:18

Representation on Television

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on Cane  representing a Latino family
00:57

Television Industry

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on the fame that resulted from his co-starring on Chicago Hope
02:53
Hector Elizondo on how the industry has changed since he started
01:24
Hector Elizondo on advice to an aspiring actor
01:45

Underrepresented Voices

View Topic
Hector Elizondo on Cane  representing a Latino family
00:57
Professions

Actor

View Profession
Hector Elizondo on avoiding being typecast 
02:35
Hector Elizondo on what he likes about acting
03:31
Hector Elizondo on advice to an aspiring actor
35:05

Performers

View Profession
Hector Elizondo on avoiding being typecast 
02:35
Hector Elizondo on what he likes about acting
03:31
Hector Elizondo on advice to an aspiring actor
01:45
Genres

Classic Anthology Series

View Genre
Hector Elizondo on being nominated for an Emmy for the American Playhouse  production of "Mrs. Cage" in which his co-star was Anne Bancroft
04:14

Comedy Series

View Genre
Hector Elizondo on appearing on The Jackie Gleason Show
02:59
Hector Elizondo on appearing on All in the Family
05:13
Hector Elizondo on starring in the series Popi
04:51
Hector Elizondo on co-starring on A.k.a Pablo
04:54
Hector Elizondo on directing A.k.a. Pablo
02:58
Hector Elizondo on co-starring with Tim Allen on Last Man Standing
05:12

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

View Genre
Hector Elizondo on appearing on Kojak
03:52
Hector Elizondo on appearing on Columbo
01:27
Hector Elizondo on appearing on The Rockford Files with James Garner
02:31
Hector Elizondo on guest-starring on Monk
01:59

Drama Series

View Genre
Hector Elizondo on co-starring on the series Cane as "Pancho Duque"
06:10

Medical Dramas

View Genre
Hector Elizondo on co-starring as "Dr. Phillip Watters" on Chicago Hope
25:03
Hector Elizondo on guest-starring on Grey's Anatomy
02:31

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

View Genre
Hector Elizondo on starring in the 1992 made-for-television movie Burden of Proof
03:01
People

Tim Allen

View Person Page
Hector Elizondo on co-starring with Tim Allen on Last Man Standing
05:12

Julie Andrews

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on working with Julie Andrews on the feature film "The Princess Diaries"
01:09

Anne Bancroft

View Person Page
Hector Elizondo on being nominated for an Emmy for the American Playhouse  production of "Mrs. Cage" in which his co-star was Anne Bancroft
04:14

Norman Corwin

View Person Page
Hector Elizondo on partaking in Norman Corwin's 50th Anniversary of "War of the Worlds"
03:23

Diane English

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on co-starring on Foley Square  created by Diane English
02:27

Peter Falk

View Person Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on Columbo  starring Peter Falk

James Garner

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on The Rockford Files  starring James Garner
02:31
Hector Elizondo on James Garner guest-starring on Chicago Hope  and working through pain on The Rockford Files
01:37

Jackie Gleason

View Person Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on The Jackie Gleason Show
02:59

David E. Kelley

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on working with David E. Kelley on Chicago Hope
01:06

Norman Lear

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on All in the Family created by Norman Lear
05:13

Garry Marshall

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on his long association with Garry Marshall
08:47
Hector Elizondo on co-starring in Garry Marshall's feature film "Pretty Woman"
05:08

Rita Moreno

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on working with Rita Moreno on Cane
00:52

Carroll O'Connor

View Interview Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on All in the Family  starring Carroll O'Connor
05:13

Telly Savalas

View Person Page
Hector Elizondo on appearing on Kojak  starring Telly Savalas
03:52

Jimmy Smits

View Person Page
Hector Elizondo on co-starring as "Pancho Duque" on the series Cane (starring and executive produced by Jimmy Smits) 
04:21

All Interviews

S