#268 From Stage to Screen with Park Overall

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Jeff Dwoskin 0:28

All right, Jean, thank you so much for that amazing introduction. You get the show going each and every week, and this week was no exception. Welcome, everybody. It's episode 268 of classic conversations. As always, I am your host Jeff Dwoskin. Great to have you back for what's sure to be one of the classic episodes of all time My guest today is none other than Park overall. That's right y'all love there is nurse Laverne Todd an empty nest in Biloxi Blues, Mississippi Burning talk radio. Oh, we're going deep. Lots of great stuff coming up in just a few seconds. And in these few seconds. Do not miss my conversation with comedian Joe matter. Ees streaming live now for your listening enjoyment, tons of great stories and insight into the world of comedy with Joe masteries. But right now we're diving in with Parker overall, we're talking all about her acting career why she left her acting career her current activism so much greatness coming at you right now. All right, everyone, I'm excited to introduce my next guest star Broadway, film, TV, environmental and women's rights activist. Three time Golden Globe nominee love during Biloxi Blues, the critics Reba and of course as Laverne Todd on empty nest. Welcome to the show. Park overall,

Park Overall 2:00

darling, nice to meet you.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:03

Nice to meet you. How are you?

Park Overall 2:05

So you're sitting up there in Detroit?

Jeff Dwoskin 2:08

I am in Detroit, Michigan, just outside of Detroit, Michigan. Yes.

Park Overall 2:12

I like that Michael Mower.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:15

I met Michael Moore once. I was at a Detroit Music Awards. And he was the host. It was in downtown Detroit. He was like skirting out early. And we just happened to be leaving early as well. And I met him on right outside and I got a photo with him. Yeah, cool. So this was, I think, a long time ago, they probably before bowling with Columbine or any of those.

Park Overall 2:42

But it's so important, I think to take your store them or whatever, and use it for something constructive, which is a master app. I really admire that.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:54

He's made some very interesting documentaries for sure.

Park Overall 2:58

Very, very. You sound like you're from Ohio, where the Midwest like Michigan, he

Jeff Dwoskin 3:06

like I am from Michigan.

Park Overall 3:08

Yeah. You've got that. That inflection of the Midwest? Yeah. Do interesting parts.

Jeff Dwoskin 3:15

Are you saying I have the accent? I think of the two of us. You're the one.

Park Overall 3:21

You're absolutely.

Jeff Dwoskin 3:24

Cool. I got a lot of questions for ya. Yeah, I do. I do. My main one is, and we will we can jump around a little bit. But what do you feel in your background prepared to you the most for the time that you are on the Johnny Carson Show with not just Robin Williams, but also Jonathan Winters at the same exact time?

Park Overall 3:47

You have done your homework. I'm very impressed with that question. I was at a nap D convention. And this boy came over to me 30s And just said his overall Ms. Overall, I just have to say to you, you don't know me, my wife and I would like to tell you that You are the bravest woman in the world. And I said, What are you talking about? And he said, that Johnny Carson Show? And I said you know what? You're right. I thought I was going to have a heart attack backstage. When I came in. They told me who was on. I really thought I was going to die. Backstage. I couldn't believe it. I really had no warning nothing. And I felt I was thrown to the wolves, you know, and it worked out fine. It was fine. But I I've never been that terrified of anything in my life ever.

Jeff Dwoskin 4:33

Was it a mix of being terrified but also like holy cow, I've got a front row seat.

Park Overall 4:40

There's still no words to explain that kind of fear and that kind of like what I'm out there throwing me out there with I still never get over it. And I suppose it's a great tribute to me that they thought I could handle it. And I guess I did. But I was terrorized and it turned out just fine. And I would have liked to have gotten to know Jonathan Winters a little better. But it was hard to tell what was going on there. I couldn't get a bead on that.

Jeff Dwoskin 5:10

Yeah, the two of them just sort of took over. I was watching it, like, amazed at how well you kind of went you. Well, you went toe to toe with them and handled being there and not knowing what was coming at you front row. And then part of me was also like, I mean, this was your time on the Johnny Carson Show with Johnny. They could have known maybe chill it when it wasn't their segment.

Park Overall 5:36

No, but I was a beginner and a girl. And those guys thought like that Carson era. I'm not saying anything negative. It's just a different way. The world is turning now with women and me too, and all that stuff. So it's a different kind of thing. And I always knew that standing there with Ed McMahon and Freddie, what was his lovely Freddie, he was so lovely. I just knew what that was about. Instinctively. You grow up in the South, I think they teach you that. And I let I was so happy that we're running with it to get the pressure off me that I was thrilled. And I thought plus, I thought Robin Williams was hysterical. I just thought he was hysterical power tools and all the other great, and I was just glad to have teed off me. Thank you for a wonderful question. Because that was a highlight of my life. That was huge. And I didn't see it coming. It blew me away. It turned out all right there by the fates. It went okay. I'm just grateful that it did.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:41

You were on The Tonight Show at least 10 times, right. I mean, you were on a lot.

Park Overall 6:45

At least nine. Yeah. I was told he liked me. But you know, can I tell you my favorite Johnny Carson story? Isn't that about Johnny? I really liked him very much. I liked more. But it was dark. And dark always had this dog with him. And it was just this english bulldog. And you know how funny they look. And her name was Lucy. And I would always speak to Lucy. And I thought a lot of Lucy. And that seemed to mean a lot to da. And the last time I was there, I said, That's not Lucy. And it wasn't it. It was a lookalike. But it wasn't Lucy. And he was like God loves you. God loves it, which was really quite sweet. I remember people buy their animal. I have a little Maltese. Oh, you've got a multi shoe multi svelte way all I've got the Wawa type things myself. Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin 7:45

Amazing. So all right, so awesome. So Park, how do you end up from Tennessee to New York? Like what's in between that in school that were you in theater? When did you know you wanted to be an actress and follow that path?

Park Overall 8:00

I don't know. I just really enjoyed it. It's nice to be able to do what you enjoy. And I kind of thought that I might be good at it. I wasn't sure. But I thought it might be my father would always come to the place and say, come backstage and say that was all I was professional. And so I was I wanted to be professional. So it turned out not to be what I thought it was. And it turned out not to be a life choice for me. But I wouldn't have traded it. And I enjoyed it very much. And I got very, very lucky or a little girl from Tennessee very lucky and did all that. I did. And Johnny Carson like me, which made it very nice. You know, I turned down Letterman several times. How come? Because one night I was watching long before I was pseudo famous. He had an old man on who remembered every single person they'd ever met in his life. And he had a little book and which he had written down many people that he had met in his life. And David Letterman opened it up and said, Oh, in March 1958, you met Jesus Christ. And everybody laughed. And he said, That's right. And then he took him backstage to meet people, everybody on the crew and everything. He was making fun of that old man and I just didn't care for that. That it was mean and abusive. And that's why I hope you don't mind me being very forthcoming, dear.

Jeff Dwoskin 9:27

Oh, no. I appreciate it. I appreciate it very much. Who else do you want to dish on?

Park Overall 9:35

I just thought he was me. And I didn't. I didn't want to deal with that. I also said no to Howard Stern, but we used to ride horses a lot out there in Malibu. I had a farm out there, I guess you call it ranch and I would ride with Karen's on telly and some other friends. And I really we were riding around like Malibu and that's like MALB Oh you and stead of bu this is like where they say you have to you need a board of directors to protect you from the board of directors of the Housing Association and we were writing in the road it's a very narrow room out there and here comes a car with the top down and it was Howard Stern and his then lovely wife very beautiful woman I thought the top down and boy that man I was really surprised that a Jewish boy like that knew how to drive around horses and I will always respect him for that said no to

Jeff Dwoskin 10:39

Jewish boys know a thing or two.

Park Overall 10:43

Around the horse No,

Jeff Dwoskin 10:44

not that but I'm sorry. I'm sure that would impress you in my Jewishness.

Park Overall 10:49

Yes, I love Jewish boys. You know, you all are always question that that is not something that we are taught and it's it's a problem for us. Clearly. I think it is very important to question why for everything I think and makes life a lot easier to understand if you're always questioning. That's just my opinion.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:10

Yeah, that's good one. You have great opinions Park.

Park Overall 11:13

Well, I have a lot of them.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:19

Alright, so you're in the plays. And then you move to you make your move to New York right late 20s You're in New York. And off off Broadway, Broadway. You know, how are you making your way in New York? Was it a big shift coming from Tennessee to the big city of New York to the Big Apple.

Park Overall 11:38

It's very strange, you know, because really, the rich and the powerful really live in New York. That's where the center the hub of the world is New York City. And I just didn't care for that place at all. Now in California you can grab to the Walmart's you can do just what I do with Tennessee. You can do it in California. Anyway, a lot more traffic, a lot more headache, but you can do it. In New York, I kept being afraid that are we allowed because on here. I was always afraid a air conditioner would fall out of the window in my head. So as always looking up, I was terrorized the air conditioners falling on me. And one day, this lovely man said to me, I'd say I've got to tell you a pigeon has pooped on you. And I had on a black duster, and I can hear that from me. And then he said but you know, and I don't know this guy from Newbridge says very good luck. I said isn't? He said yeah, it is. And he went on. And that was that. And I got part that day. I was on my way to an audition. I got that part.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:41

That's awesome. I googled real quick and just so you can feel better. Moving forward, zero confirmed cases of death by air conditioner. Is that wrong? Yeah. So I may have, I feel like I may have opened up you're not

Park Overall 12:53

used to how southern boys Jimmy rig. I kept being afraid you Yankees with Jimmy Rhea get just the same as we do here. I was worried paranoid. And I didn't really care for New York, although in retrospect, it's a pretty great city. Pretty good.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:11

So you're you're making your way in place, right? I mean, you're having to say yes. And that's what

Park Overall 13:15

he said. That's really where it's at the theater that sort of made up right there. I really love my stage work above all else. And that's my best work, I think,

Jeff Dwoskin 13:25

is there a different rush? Do you enjoy that rush more than like film? Oh, it's absolutely,

Park Overall 13:30

it's a whole different thing. Because the audience is your energy, what the audience gives you back is what you feed off. So on a hot night, there's nothing like that in the world. When your audience is open and giving and want to see the play. There's nothing like that energy in a room anywhere else in the world. Maybe it happens with musicians, I would think maybe it's very intimate. It's an intimate gift giving thing, very intimate, and it feels transcendental, really. Whereas you're not going to get that with TV and you're not going to get it with film, obviously. Because you don't have an audience with TV you do and you can get close, but nothing like the stage, the stage, nothing can go wrong. You're there. It's live you. That's it make with what you got. If you go up, you're up and you better figure out what to do all that stuff. A prop doesn't work, anything can happen. And so in the moment, it's really live. And it's really about that giving between audiences, which is why it's so interesting in New York because New York loves their theater. Love it. Love it. Whereas I'm not sure you get that feeling anywhere else. Just don't shoot.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:46

It is a rush. I do stand up comedy, so I kind of understand Oh, so you understand

Park Overall 14:50

that? Sure you do. Yeah. Stand up does a whole nother that I went to one of those in Los Angeles. What a meat market Honey, what do you go get laid all the time or what? I mean, really? What is that?

Jeff Dwoskin 15:05

I think that's for people with guitars. I never. I was also married when I was doing comedy so I never interview a lady magnet for me at least. I could also just be me. Sorry to interrupt have to take a quick break while I go examine my life and why comedy didn't get me laid more. I'm kidding. That's I'm joking to my wife. That's a joke. But it let me know if you think it was me or the comedy. Also, who's got the accent here? Tweet me, let me know. Anyway, thanks for your support to the sponsors. When you support sponsors, you're supporting us here at Classic conversations. And that's how we keep the lights on. And now back to my conversation with Park overall, we're gonna go a little deeper into her comedy club experiences. And we're back.

Park Overall 15:53

I've never seen anything like it. It was that one there in Los Angeles on Sunset Plaza. That one is where I went also went to one in New York called who's on first. It was there when I was young. I don't know if it's still there really was quite a funny evening. Stand up is really scary. Scary to me. How do you do that you wing it, or do you memorize?

Jeff Dwoskin 16:17

It is not winged at all. I think that's more like.

Park Overall 16:23

So it's real work.

Jeff Dwoskin 16:25

Yeah. I mean, if somebody says something and you react, that's off the cuff, but ya know, when you go up, you have material that you're doing? Absolutely.

Park Overall 16:34

Uh huh. Okay. I've always wondered, because I thought I would try my hand at it. But then I began to think, Wait a minute, is this a monologue that I've got to stick to? Or do I am I freer than that? I really didn't know how one did it.

Jeff Dwoskin 16:50

I took a class, a writing class and like so they would comedian, and they taught us how to work for the stage and get that first seven minutes going. That's how I did it.

Park Overall 17:00

And so you memorize every word. Oh, yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:03

And the timing and everything. Yeah.

Park Overall 17:05

I've always wondered. Wow, okay. Do they all do that? Or do some of them wing it?

Jeff Dwoskin 17:11

I mean, I think most stand up comics know what they're gonna say. And you can tell because you can go the next show. And it's pretty much the same. I mean, there's some Oh, I see. Some folks might be better at kind of going with it than others. But for the most part, stand up shows are you have your material and then you.

Park Overall 17:30

You roll with that. Yeah. And you stay on it. Well, I'll tell you who I liked. Is that Dale? Whew, good. I like Tino. He makes me laugh very much.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:40

He's very funny. Do you curse like that? No, I don't know. No. But I just don't I, it's funny, I don't cost that much on stage. And then sometimes I'll be off stage and I'll be dropping like F bombs. And I'll just like butt onstage. I don't, I don't really it's rare. It'd be rare not to die of opinion of it. It just used to be part

Park Overall 18:00

and parcel for the ones of a certain era there. When I was in acting and all that there seemed to be a lot of that going on. There still is with DL and, and several others. But now on HBO and these things that have these people Honey, I'm just not less than, or you.

Jeff Dwoskin 18:21

I enjoyed live comedy, more than the kind of the tapes, comedy. I think there's something because what you mentioned earlier about the energy you get when you're on stage, or when you're on stage doing nice. To me, it works in reverse, as well. So probably for a play as well. But also, but specifically for stand up comedy. You know, when you're in the audience, you're feeding off the fact that the person you're watching is live and it's happening at that moment, and that the audience is experiencing it with you at the same exact time. And there's that that whole energy of a combination of it together that I think makes live stand up comedy much. Yeah, and much more enjoyable than watching it on Netflix and stuff.

Park Overall 19:04

Yeah. Cool. I would be very afraid to do stand up comedy. I just that would be difficult. And you feel very, very exposed. I would think and if you have a bad night I bet that tell Oh, you can

Jeff Dwoskin 19:19

have bad nights. Absolutely. And then that's what sort of drives you to make sure you have less bad nights you can always have an off night when you're doing something live and reacting and the people are hearing it and but it's it's I love it. I love it so hard. All right. You're in New York and you're doing like skin of our teeth. A seagull, Betty Lou, Biloxi Blues. You're making your way through all the plays the Neil Simon play, which then you did the movie too.

Park Overall 19:51

Yes, time goes by, you know, and it was called the Chelsea theatre group or something. I forget the name of it, but it was this testing ground for some Paying for plays and I ended up by accident there and Jean sax was in the room and that's how I got put in Biloxi Blues. And I did a reading for some other play. It's funny, it's really just about being present. It really is about being present. And being there just being going to every audition can taking every reading that you can get your self into and being there. It just happened to that's how that happened.

Jeff Dwoskin 20:30

So was ending up in the movie Biloxi Blues sort of just the way you kind of just transition from theater to movies.

Park Overall 20:38

Yeah, that was my first big movie. It sure was. That was so interesting to see Mike Nichols and Matthew and Matthew Broderick. Yeah, it was just interesting to see how clever those guys were. I mean, they're just clever. They were clever and fun. race start over particularly toward the producer and wanted to marry and so I could be Park star for a minute. I just adored him. And he was gosh, probably 7080 At the time, and they were putting on my makeup and I was in that underwear. And he walked by me and stop looked at us and said Oh, come on. Nobody's going to be looking at your face can't move. Just hilarious. Yes, I adored him. I adore adored them all. Really, but that was my first movie. Yes. And I got rave reviews for that, which that was helpful.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:37

And Christopher Walken was in that movie, too. Yes. So I went to speak

Park Overall 21:41

to him and I opened my mouth and nothing came out.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:46

It was my first movie stone. It's hilarious.

Park Overall 21:49

He smiled at me very claimed.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:53

He seems like it'd be a nice guy. This was like the beginning of like the year of park overall 1988 was a huge year for you. Yep. For movies come out that year. And

Park Overall 22:02

I'll tell you something else. I got audited by the state of New York. I got out today. I have four mics set up. I got an altitude and those bastards out make $25

Jeff Dwoskin 22:14

the state in New York Oh would you $25

Park Overall 22:17

That is correct. And they sent me a check.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:20

Did you catch it or just frame it?

Park Overall 22:22

I should have framed it actually again be so mad some little actors. Tennessee gets a few things under a belt night auditor what is that? What kind of welcome is that made me furious. Anyway?

Jeff Dwoskin 22:34

Targeted park that feels targeted. It

Park Overall 22:37

was really wrong. And imagine how many young actresses they do it to think about that.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:43

I'm gonna try not to think about it part because it'll make me sad and angry and I don't. But okay, so Biloxi Blues vibes, Mississippi Burning and talk radio. So you're working with Oliver Stone Jean has

Park Overall 23:01

all of your stone. I just love him. I just love him. I adore him. And he's an SOB from way back. And you know, hillbilly girls don't put up with that. We just don't. So he and I get on just excellent. I just think he's a great director a great man. I mean, could you imagine that intellect. You know, I'm really into big fun Lopes I'll tell you, that's my thing, this big frontal lobes and all of our heads. And I just think he's great.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:30

I remember talk radio. That's the one about the talk show hosts kind of like Howard Stern type character in a way, right. That's shock jock

Park Overall 23:38

way, I suppose. I think he was more political than he was sexual was any?

Jeff Dwoskin 23:43

Yeah, Eric. Well, guys, Bill Gates Bogazici. And Eric Bogosian. Yeah, yeah, it was it was good. I remember that. I like all those Oliver Stone movies in that era.

Park Overall 23:53

Yeah, he's, he's pretty. He's a pretty great thinker. That's why I thought a lot of all it reads a thinker. Right, right.

Jeff Dwoskin 24:00

He's got a low that frontal lobe. Yeah,

Park Overall 24:02

that big lobe. Yeah, just awesome. I enjoy his sense of humor. And he has basically he terrorizes people, I was never terrorized by him at all. There's a certain kind of man I think in Hollywood that I think men feel differently about Southern one. I'll just tell you, I think they do. I think they're a little more cautious with a southern woman, Southern women are what are we We're sugar and spice and everything nice until and then when you cross that line, it's not really and I think all of us in the South had been raised that way to a certain degree if we've been lucky with good parents and and that kind of southern outlook. And I really enjoyed almost every director I ever really a lot. I enjoyed them a lot, and they were all pure Hudson had small roles and big things. That was exciting just to be around that kind of energy.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:00

That's awesome. And then Mississippi Burning Alan Parker directed with Gene Hackman, William Defoe and Francis mcdorman,

Park Overall 25:08

whom I adore. That is the loveliest woman in America. That is a lovely, lovely woman. I just I adore Francis, she's lovely. And that was an interesting film in that I learned about British filmmaking those guys get on down the road with it. Time is money. Light is time. Money is light. And time is just womb. That was really so to see that when go, they had a very hot French cameraman, he won the Academy Award that is same but he shared there.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:42

And then Alan Parker, he's made a lot. He's really made a lot of great movies. I look commitments. I loved Vita, I love the Vita. Like,

Park Overall 25:50

I haven't seen it. But I love that the commitments I've probably seen it three or four times. I really love the commitments and everybody in every actor.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:59

Yeah, the commitment. Great soundtrack to oh my god,

Park Overall 26:02

birdie. I've worked with some great ones. I'll tell you

Jeff Dwoskin 26:06

what was parked overall, like a 1988. I mean, because this is a lot. You're coming off Broadway and all of a sudden, you're in for movies. Same year is a big year. That's a big deal. What do you start? Do you start planning? Do you like I'm going to be a movie star? Did you want to go to TV? Doing movies like what was going through your head is like all of a sudden it's like

Park Overall 26:26

the next audition and my there for auditions are one day you go to a mall, you're trying to get every one of them you can't. And I've got to tell you and I mean this from my heart back then rules were better than they are now. I'm sorry. There was just more to them. I get scripts now and I added 10 scripts they'll be one good one off topic. You know, I I watched a series on MGM plus, I guess I'm very confused about my roku. But at any rate, it was on crime. And it was called a spy among friends, bad guy peers, and Damian Lewis, who I didn't know who was till now. But anyway, my point is the women in it, the spice, and it's about Kim Philby, and all that. That stuff that happened in it was so good. And the women in it. There was something there. It wasn't your standard wife. It wasn't just standard poker or temptress it was real women in real big jobs doing real big work. I just I highly recommend it. It was just wonderful.

Jeff Dwoskin 27:39

Well, let me return the favor the diplomat on Netflix with Russia.

Park Overall 27:45

I've meant to them I mean, I am a I am the most hoity toity viewer in America. I am a total snob. I'm a snob. I only watch foreign stuff foreign foreign for him all the time.

Jeff Dwoskin 27:58

Well, I loved it. I hoped I hoped. I hope this doesn't tear us apart. Park

Park Overall 28:05

for you. I will try it again. But no, I that's not my cup.

Jeff Dwoskin 28:09

I thought very Russell was great in it. But all right. Well. We can agree to disagree. I'll still check out a spy among us. We'll still do that. All right. Let's get back to park anyway. We got to get back.

Park Overall 28:21

All right. All right. Well, let's get back to you. Tell me more about

Jeff Dwoskin 28:25

you. Nobody wants to know about me. Everyone wants to know about you and working with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kindergarten Cop

Park Overall 28:31

Arnold, Arnold, Arne Ts and Penelope Penelope was was a friend of mine for a time there that was up in where were we Portland or something? Or was that was a pretty place and they put us in pretty houses I remember that. Thank God got that right. They all sort of run together darling and it was a long time go Oh, yes. It's the stage work in this stage friends that are most member really? And union one wasn't at Union one. All those guys were drawn man. They're just grown.

Jeff Dwoskin 29:08

Let's talk about something that was a long time ago. But I'm sure you remember. Empty Nest.

Park Overall 29:13

Yes, yes. The no one will let me forget. Well, the I love the Richard Mulligan with all my heart. He was one of the No one could have had as much luck as me is to be on a show with a man, that professional. I've never seen that kind of professionalism. Before percents. He was always 15 minutes early. I learned a lot from him about acting. For instance, you take a script and there's your goes to this sits down it took a black pen and mark all through that. And I said you you don't do the stage directions and he said I'll read them one time. I don't have to do but it's I can do it. How I feel it more organically or have that acting part. If he taught me that he was most professional, wonderful man, if ever, ever, ever or not,

Jeff Dwoskin 30:06

did you guys just laugh a lot on set?

Park Overall 30:09

I did. I was quite unwell at the time I had something golf fatigue syndrome, so I was quite unwell. And I didn't know what was wrong. So I I wasn't all that much fun to be sure. But God would a gentleman and what a great man and David of course isn't. Who, with David Dyer still in touch? You know, Richard died. David and I are still in touch. And he's just as much of a hoot. I think he's on his fifth wife. Now I may have that wrong. And he's got a great sense of humor. That was a long seven years is what that was, it was long. The Golden Girls were across the lot got to see them every day. And that was kind of trippy. They always had their dogs with their big animal.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:52

I did not know well, the emptiness was a spin off of of Golden Girls.

Park Overall 30:57

Yes, it was something like that down the street or something. Yes. And I love to my producer, Paul Witt. I loved him very, very much. He was a great man. He found me. He was good to me. He was an interesting man who put up with a lot of temperament out of me and knew how to handle back in the day. He was a great man. He died recently, which was quite upsetting for me, because he was really good to me and a artists to produce her way. He knew how to talk to me, and nobody else seemed to, and I didn't know if it was the southern thing, or I was just weird, or they were weird. Or Yankees or what I didn't know. But Paul got me. And I appreciate it a lot.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:47

That's nice that you had that on the site.

Park Overall 31:49

Yeah, he was. I mean, he was a great deal of fun. I mean, he told me just the most memorable stories like he had dated a girl at the University of Virginia. And she lived in a great, you know, manor house and they went in and she said, you don't have any rugs? And she said, No, we didn't inherit them and stuff like that. Really fun stuff. He was a lovely, lovely man. And I miss him. I miss Richard very much.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:21

Well, it's amazing that you have so many memories, so many great memories. Yeah.

Park Overall 32:26

People ask me who's your favorite person? Bianca Jagger, here it over now in the Bianca Jagger, what she has to do with anything. I don't know that the most fascinating person I ever met in my life bar would give anything in the world to see her again. I just adored her. When you're an actor, you understand certain things about people. Actors are very self absorbed people. They have to be their business is themselves. That's their industry. So it's particularly tiresome in men. With women, you can sort of deal with it. But in men, it's very tiresome for me. It was tiresome for me you just didn't want to fool with because they're bigger than you. And that's sort of how it just was maybe still is I don't know I'm out of that game now. But I found it very tiring. And I found most act tiring. There's some very sharp ones. Jean smart, adored her very sharp, Dark Lady, and fun. Ooh, shooting this night seeing and a rain sing. And those are always awful, and it's dark and you know, the rain hose and all that gene is diabetic as well as am I Egina yells could she get a board for the phone booth before she steps in this puddle? And Peter Levin was the director and he came up and looked and said gene it's just a small and she said it's Atlantis

Jeff Dwoskin 34:03

Oh, that is so funny. I love gene smart She's amazing.

Park Overall 34:10

Yeah, I don't know as an old diabetic how gene has that kind of energy and more power to Big O strap and Nordic healthy Seattle bill as I recall. I just didn't get that was those kinds of genes gene was a career I really liked gene that line

Jeff Dwoskin 34:28

you guys did overkill they Eileen were no story about Yeah. Is it as about a prostitute serial killer right? Yeah. Sorry to interrupt had to take a quick break. And now back with Part overall we're gonna dive into some empty nest. Couple of questions on emptiness. Oh, you got to meet Garth Brooks that did they work that in for you?

Park Overall 34:50

Let me tell you about that. Because Garth Brooks was just something that I didn't get to meet Garth Brooks was a fat cowboy. And I mean the world was all about Garth Brooks and I just was not getting an all music didn't move me nothing about him move me. He was on our show everybody was excited. I was like, Okay, I'll be polite, you know, I don't care one way or the other. After the second show or before the second show you do a live show at seven you do another one at nine. You have dinner in between and take notes. Okay, Garth sang for the audience alone with his guitar. I have goosebumps just thinking about now I got I got I don't think there was a dry eye in the house and I was just carry on his voice to another world. He was tremendous. Beyond you see that overproduced country stuff doesn't do for me. But to hear his voice alone, that big room, and you could already pindrop men was brilliant. It was stunning. And suddenly I got it. I got it. And what a nice guy to know really nice guy.

Jeff Dwoskin 36:01

That's awesome. But I think that's plays into kind of what we were talking about earlier. Like sometimes you got to see it live and feel it

Park Overall 36:09

you have to feel that it's a magic that a charisma that a person has, like Elvis had it, whatever it was, he had it and it is the thing and Garth Brooks has a hit whatever it is, and he was plus he was fun and likeable and all of that stuff. So I really enjoy the old folks though. Any bracket. Danny Thomas Richard Mulligan was his name Alfred Hyde white. Does that sound right old old named Alfred Alex white. Yeah. And he was on this show when I'll just never forget him. I may forget his name, but I'll never forget. Well, first I'd white Wilfred, the hide white, an old man and a gentleman that I'll never forget. I liked the old people best bit. Leave it to Beaver his mother Barbara Billingsley. What a lovely woman. Oh, my goodness, what a lovely woman. And she said back when they did Leave It to Beaver they see when you do TV like that you do three weeks on one week off. The idea being that when you go to the doctor to the dentist, get your hair done, whatever. She said back in her day, they didn't do that. No one was ever sick. No one had all these appointments. It just went like that back in the day. So it shows you how the industry is changing. And I don't know what it all means, but it means something. And that was one of the lovely and she brought her family and it just very memorable old people that were there that were stars, big stars. And they've meant a lot to me. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Louise Lester was there. I enjoyed that very much. She's a trip and I enjoyed her Susan and spa.

Jeff Dwoskin 38:02

So many great memories,

Park Overall 38:04

really good memories.

Jeff Dwoskin 38:05

You had the belting classic crew to With The Golden Girls right across the hall br

Park Overall 38:10

and you see those guys walking around to one of my great regrets is you'll come up with his name. And for people watching this names go first, believe me. I was at Cedars Sinai, getting my lunch. I forget what was wrong with me that time. And there he said, the great old sort of fat comedian dead. And he was sitting alone at a table and I thought part go over there. Go. I just I couldn't do it. I figured if nobody else in there went up to him, Neither could I. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum that those kinds of movies he was in the not Sid Caesar but the Federer gondola. Wait, there you go. There he was. And I didn't have the guts to go and I could kick myself. Even if he'd been rude. At least I would have had the courage to go up and say hi, I'm new. I'm going to try it. Tell me about your life. I would give anything if I would have that. I did it.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:15

And I'm sure he was sitting there going, oh my god, there's Park overall, not

Park Overall 39:18

not painting. So that's a funny story. I was pulling into one of the gates at one of the studios. And here's the guard and I look up and I said Oh, my God, that's clear. They stood and he said and you're Parco die. Oh, I got it. I got to talk about pulled up to date. And I said to the guy or I said they told me to come to this gate and tell you I've never been allowed in this gate. And he said and I'm going to tell you you still are.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:52

It's funny. About Kirsty McNichol,

Park Overall 39:58

Christy's lovely I hope she's still with her wife or however partner, whatever you say I'm praising about a partner, I forget her name. But if she walked in here, I would not work. And there's just been a long time. And I knew that Christy would always do well with her partner that they would be happy and everything would be okay. hope they're still together sure that they are. I just am sure. I have no idea but I betcha

Jeff Dwoskin 40:25

So Christy and Dinah man, you guys, you guys did a pilot together before empty nest? Yes, we

Park Overall 40:31

did the line. I learned all I needed to know about diner one day. And it's a great story. I think Diane and I did not get on. Well, one day her mother was on the show. So there was Lee Grant for the whole week. And at one of the at the end of the day, the producers come in and trailing all their little secretaries and whatnot. And, and they give no, you sit there and take notes. Here's les grant. And we all sit down in the living room for notes. And Lee Grant suddenly says, and I'm sitting beside Dinah, and Lake grant, it was lovely and beautiful. said, Oh, I have Karen screen. Who is Karen, who is Karen, who is carrying it she kept up the she walks across the living room and she in this this under five exchange scripts. And she comes back of making a big to do and sits down. And Dinah under breath. Your child over here says it's a wonder I live all right. That wonderful. I'm sorry about my dog. I have behavioral issues in my phone.

Jeff Dwoskin 41:44

No worries. So you got to be Laverne Todd on Mt. Nast, and the Golden Girls and nurses the spin off of empty nest.

Park Overall 41:52

That's right. I did did that. Yeah, yeah. Nurses. Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin 41:57

So park at the beginning. Here we are empty nest. This is huge, right? I mean, this is like you're on like one of the biggest sitcoms three, Multiple Award nominations for you and the show. And so it's huge. And then you mentioned earlier that at some point, this turned out not to be your life choice. When did you know that acting just wasn't the path.

Park Overall 42:17

I had read the novel that was so good. I turned to the back of the book. And there he was, and I called him. And if the child views attorney named Andrew backs, and he answered his phone, and it began a life change for me in dealing with that author, he in order to children can't afford an attorney. So he's so novel, so he could represent child abuse victims. And one day, he said to me, what you do isn't real. I now realize that was true. And I enjoy my environmental work much more. And it is real. And it's also challenging. And you can tell is an acting challenging? Yes. vary. But think about what you have to do. You take something that's already prepared. You didn't prepare it like you do. As a comedian. You didn't do that riders did, then you memorize. So you're spending your time memorizing the words of others, to deliver to bring laughter or drama, whatever to an audience that wants to consume that. That, in itself is a very strange job. That's why I think theater is so much more important because like I said, it's the wavelength. You feel it. It's there. It's in the room with TV and movies. It's not that at all. It's an entirely different thing.

Jeff Dwoskin 43:50

Talk a little bit about your environmental, you're huge in that you've taken down nuclear fuel services and paper companies and making Tennessee safe for all.

Park Overall 44:01

Well, if anybody realized how bad East Tennessee was, they would be horrified and all these Yankees wouldn't be moving in is the man y'all remember Kodak. Eastman Kodak. Now it's Eastman Chemical. Today's issue is remember the TVA coal ash spill? I don't. Oh, really? You don't. That was a big deal. A plant. electric plant. No coal ash. Well, that stuff's hot. As in radioactive. That's what I'm dealing with here. As you're not there's vanadium really. And barium and you say anything with an IU wind is hot. And these are earthen berms not they don't have concrete lining or even plastic. So that's today's new terror. This is how I busy myself and I love it. I just love it. I had rather an epiphany talking with this guy. He was such a Lovely, lovely man and had been there. 30 says been there 37 years that's a long time to work for a chemical company. Don't

Jeff Dwoskin 45:08

you think that is a long time to work anywhere? Yes, yes,

Park Overall 45:11

I thought so too. Anyway, it was a heartening sort of conversation and he took an hour with me to educate me. And to help me understand. The problem is, once I understand, then I become a little bit difficult, because problem with America is Citizens United. If you're going to have economic development, and money and corporations running things, then there is no chance for any of us to have quality lives, because the pollution is going to be so overwhelming, we're not going to make it and buy that in East Tennessee because the hill people would work. We've been long, long damage in a terrible, terrible way with nuclear, Tennessee, a nuclear with munitions, with bomb parts with low enriched uranium with high enriched uranium, I could go on and on. And then Eastman Chemical is chemical. So I'm just surrounded by really treacherous corporations that are not behaving well, at all. And EPA Region four, which is Atlanta, I mean, I'm actually told by x employees that they sit around all day and watch movies and make $100,000 a year on their computer. So it's tiring, very tiring, no one's at home, they're at home after a big accident. Oh, they'll roll in with the press and take care of things then. But in his paperwork, all is not right. And nobody is doing anything because they don't teach us civics and nobody's paying attention. Everybody just assumes everybody's honest. Well, guess what, they're not a part.

Jeff Dwoskin 47:00

I think it's extremely notable that you chose this path, and that you're helping people and I imagine your notoriety helps to get more attention than maybe just an average person might get.

Park Overall 47:13

That's how we did it on champion International was we got a primetime live spot on that, of course, that was done you seven or i 498, some 90s. So it's been a long time. And now you know, when you get older to memorize a script, now, if I were to do something else, let's say I was to the time to invest in that would take away from the time I'm investing in this, you gotta understand I'm not a scientist. So I have to start at square one, with the chemicals and the aspects of the chemicals and what happens with other Chem and all of that stuff. And nobody's doing that work except the corporations. It's very troubling. Think about it. And then what they've done is figure out ways to make it acceptable when it really isn't. You know, we've looked at the nuclear plant up here, fuel for nuclear stuff. And I always thought that was interesting, because what how many when we were traveling with the people that blow themselves up and stuff, how many submarines do you need in the desert? I just can't figure it. First one. So this rattletrap up here and we did a cancer study and indeed, there is 1/3 higher cancer rate here near this plant, 50 mile radius, nuclear fuel services or when Tennessee then there is in the rest of the state. And we traced uranium bomb grid to 35, six and nine to their doorstep and some plutonium and there was 238 on my property, my river property we drink this one

Jeff Dwoskin 48:52

I need to make a movie, an Erin Brockovich movie on Park overall all the good stuff that you're doing

Park Overall 48:59

there are wonderful stories my friend she died she lived a hard life but she she said he got Mark I know the guard up there we go a bear Alpha game she said you know you can just vote you slip in there, though. You have nice job there. I'll do. Course we never did. But I believe just tell me the truth.

Jeff Dwoskin 49:17

I believe your friend would have taken one for the team for sure. Park I love all the stories that you shared. I love your focus in life right now. Just making the world a better place. Thank you. And thank you for spending this time with me. It means a lot to me. Thank you.

Park Overall 49:34

I adored every minute and you're just a darling boy and just crazy about you. Now I'm crazy about my boy in Ohio too. Yes. Paulaner is awesome. Yes, yes. Yes. And I'm glad he brought us together.

Jeff Dwoskin 49:49

Yes, me too. Very happy that we have yet to have Thank you,

Park Overall 49:54

darlin. I hope to see you again.

Jeff Dwoskin 49:56

I hope to see you again. Thank you You all right? How amazing was Park overall, such a delightful person. I put a link to her tonight show appearance with Jonathan Winters and Robin Williams in the show notes that is totally worth checking out. Make time for that. Well, I can't believe at the interviews over another huge thank you to my special guests Park overall. And of course, a huge thank you to all of you for coming back week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

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