Join us as Hank talks about the classic TV series "Car 54 Where are you?", going postal in "Three Days of the Condor", and the time OJ Simpson split his skull open.  

How did you end up being on the classic TV show Car 54 Where Are You?

My friend was a comedian and his wife worked for Nat Hiken who created Sgt. Bilko and Car 54. I read for him and the next day I was at the studio filming car 54.

He went on to become Herman Munster. The guy who was my partner on Car 54, Al Lewis ended up being Grandpa Munster. I call Al every once in awhile to see how he’s doing. He's is in his 90’s.

Yes, I guess that’s what keeps him going.

We were supposed to do another show called The Schnausers because that was his character’s last name on Car 54.

We were coming back for another season of Car 54. NBC told Nat Heiken they wanted 50% of the show. He said, "No way. We’re going to another network." There wasn’t any airtime left on the other networks so he yanked the show and that was the end of that.

It was a wonderful comedy. I looked forward to going to work everyday.

It was red and white because the show was shot in black and white. It was the only way it would read.

We were sponsored by Proctor and Gamble. They gave us cases of Lava Soap. I don’t know if you know what Lava Soap is?

It felt like it. It was gritty. They kept sending us cases of Lava soap and Tide.

No, it was New York. We were at the old Gold Metal Biograph Studios in the Bronx. In fact when we opened the studio we found traces of the old silent movies. There were costumes from the old movie series, "The Perils of Pauline". There was a heroine and she was absolutely adored.

Nat Heiken was a big sports fan. We had a lot of fighters on the show that were champions. We had Rocky Marciano, Jake LaMotta, and Sugar Ray Robinson.

I never had a problem with Joe. Sometimes he didn’t study his lines.

Every Friday at about 3 o’clock Nat Heiken would say it’s a wrap and we went bowling. We had a bowling team which included the cast and the crew.

I was called and asked to be in it. I took a look at the script and I decided to pass. It was awful. I watched a couple of minutes of it and I said, "Thank God I didn’t do this movie!"

I play Muscles Malone.

I’ve had the great fortune to work with the greatest actors and directors of all time. In Condor I worked with Director Sidney Lumet. I was in Three Days of the Condor with Director Sydney Pollack.

Robert was a wonderful guy. I had a great fight scene with him in Faye Dunaway’s apartment. Max von Sydow played my boss. I won a New York Film Critics’ award for that role.

I hung out with Redford. Faye Dunaway was very private.

When it first came out there was a lady from the William Morris agency who said, "Will you do me a favor? Take my shoulder bag and go to this other agent’s room when she saw Condor you scared the hell out of her." Stupidly I took the shoulder bag and stood in the doorway. She looked at me and screamed at the top of her lungs.

I was Andrew McCabe. It was a cameo.

Yes. It was great.

I just had the scene with James. He was a very fun guy. He’s done a number of films.

Yes, he’s Mr. Barbra Streisand.

I’ve seen it and I’ve watched remakes of a couple other films. I don’t know why they destroy something that's a classic.

I actually just did a few days on that. It was a weird, scary film.

They approached me about doing Exorcist II and they paid me a lot of money. I told them send me the script. They did and I didn’t have a line. I was in New York and they had this beautiful costume made for me. They take a shot of me on the train station and then they flew me to California for interior shots. They put me up in a first class hotel and I didn’t even have a word to say.

It bombed.

In the movie I’m a bad guy who kidnaps Sophia Loren and I’m standing outside the car. OJ’s supposed to come up behind me and bang my head against the side of the car to rescue her. I’ve done stunts before. I told OJ when you run up behind me put your hand on the back of my head and I’ll do the hit by myself. He ran so fast he smashed my head up against the car. He laid my scalp open.

He said, "Oh, I’m so sorry I was running so fast I just couldn’t stop." Now here’s a guy who was one of the best broken field runners when he was playing football. Suddenly he couldn’t control his speed.

Then I found out about a year later. A producer who owned a restaurant told me that OJ said you were a wimp and he was able to take you out.

Yeah. I said, "So he did it on purpose." And he said, "Yes, he did."

When I came too I was laying in Sophia Loren’s arms. She’s absolutely stunning.

We were shooting on this boat with director Michael Winner. They were bringing our food to us. Sophia got in line with the actors and the crew to get some food. Michael said to her, "Sophia, no no no! We have our table here. You don’t eat that swill." She replied, "I do." She stayed with us. The food was sensational. The director had special gold rim plates with special food brought to him.

A lot of guys got hurt. There was a scene where James Coburn dumps fuel overboard while being chased and he fires a flare gun. The boat that’s chasing then explodes and the stuntmen are in the water. The stunt coordinator said to Michael Winter, "You can’t do the stunt here. It’s too windy. When the stunt men come up from underwater they can’t poke a hole in the fire because it closes right back up." Michael said, "I want it here." He insisted and a number of stuntmen were burned.

It didn’t get great reviews, but it had fair distribution. James Coburn was an incredible guy to be with.

I was co-starring. We had a TV show called Paris. That’s what brought me to California from New York. It only lasted one season. We had incredible reviews when we first came out.

The network said you’re so strong we have another show that’s not doing so well. We want you to switch time slots with them. We were on Tuesday night where we won our night. They put us in another time slot opposite "Hart to Hart" on Saturday night and we died.

James played the captain of police and I was his boss. I was a deputy chief inspector. His character also taught Criminology in a college. James is a fantastic human being and we had a great time together.

It’s interesting because they would not offer me serious roles because I was a standup comic and I was in a comedy series. Then I was in a serious role in Three Days of the Condor and now they don’t consider me for comedy roles.

It’s the nature of the business.

I played the desk sergeant.

Oh yea. It was a terrible film.

It was a terrific film. It just didn’t get the attention it deserved.

They were great fun to be with. In fact I ran into Charlie recently and he said, "Oh my God. How have you been?" He was very warm & friendly. I ran into Max at a celebrity autograph show which I do all around the country.

I was just at a big martial arts convention at the Sheraton at Universal. I was selling celebrity autograph pictures there. Fifty percent of whatever I take in goes to disabled American Veterans. It’s the least I can do.

That’s what prompted me to do that when I saw what these kids look like when they’re coming home.

I had met him years ago. I had worked clubs that Jackie Gleason had worked because he was a stand up comic before he got into television. We were talking about some of the clubs in Stanton Island that he & I had worked at different times. He asked, "Is that place still there?" The owner was named Pete Clunk. It was fun.

You toured as a comedian with Tony Bennett?

I was Tony Bennett’s opening act for 4 years.  I worked the Copacabana, and the Sands in Las Vegas. The last couple of years I was opening for Jerry Vale.

At one point the boss came up to me and said, "The Arab oil sheiks have their own gambling floor and they’d like you to do a show." I said, "Sure". You don’t say no.

They paid absolutely no attention. They kept gambling. A guy came up to me and said, "You were wonderful. You best comedian." as I was leaving and handed me a handful of chips. It was 4,000 dollars!

The stories were amazing how much they would lose and it meant absolutely nothing. They could drop a couple of million dollars. While they were gambling they'd make several million more.

The women were off in their rooms or off shopping. They were never with their men.

My whole life has been one of strangeness.

I was just inducted into the Karate Hall of Fame. That happened in the latter part of June. I was presented with a ring. I started in Martial Arts in 1952. I got my black belt in New York at the Chinatown Dojo. I trained six days a week.

If I hit a board I’m sure the board would hit back and I’d be laid up.

It was a great place to work. They sometimes booked you for years. You’d travel around the country working different clubs. Membership was rather inexpensive. You could go to the Playboy Club and have lunch for a couple of bucks. They were great fun.

I’m sure you looked at the magazine and thought, "Wow, look at the club."

My son and I lift weights. I’ve competed as a bodybuilder and power lifter. I work out with my son who is 21 and in incredible shape.

I was married the first time to a very beautiful lady in New York for 18 years. My last marriage was 22 years.

She became a healer and her whole life change. She wanted out.

Yes, very much so.

I am the voice of Dial Tone in GI Joe. I have a sketch by the original artist of me and the character back to back.

Yes

They tell you this is the character and this is the script. We record the script.

They used computers and it was terrific. It was short lived series and very popular in England.

The director and producer were wonderful. They asked if you guys mind working overtime and you’ll have the rest of the week off. It was a 14 – 16 hour day. They paid us for the full week.

I played Peter Falk’s boss on Columbo. He’s wonderful. I worked with him in a show called, "The Trials of O’ Brian". I did a guest star with him on that.

He lost his eye as a child.

Not that I’m aware of.

He’s a real guy!

Working with John Ritter that was the best time I’ve ever had on any TV show.

Not just me. He welcomed everybody. We knew each other because he had an improvisational comedy background as I do. He was incredible and sensational to work with.

I’ll take whatever comes along.

There’s so many ladies that I stood there with my mouth open. I mean Sophia Loren is a gorgeous, gorgeous lady. I kept saying to myself, "My God I’m working with Sophia Loren."
 

To find out more about Hank Garrett go to his official website at: http://www.hankgarrett.com/