Still Here Hollywood

Joanna Cassidy has never fit neatly into one lane, and that is exactly why she is unforgettable. In this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Joanna takes us from Syracuse University as an art student to a cross-country leap that landed her in Los Angeles and changed everything. She talks about her first film set experience with Walter Matthau and Bruce Dern, the shock of realizing she could actually act, and how her creative life has always lived in two worlds, performance and painting. We also dive into the legacy roles that keep getting rediscovered. Joanna shares what it was like stepping into Blade Runner as Zhora, working with Ridley Scott’s meticulous vision, and why that film’s impact only grew with time. She opens up about Six Feet Under and her love of dark humor, the craft difference between comedy and drama, the realities of aging in Hollywood, and what she believes keeps a creative person alive. Plus: animals, modernism, bungee fitness in Burbank, and the mindset that keeps her curious and working. Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko. New episodes weekly. Support the show and get early access and extras at patreon.com/stillherehollywood
00:00 Intro: The unforgettable Joanna Cassidy
00:56 From Syracuse to San Francisco to Los Angeles
02:35 First steps into acting and a surprising first role
03:35 The Laughing Policeman: Walter Matthau, Bruce Dern, and set nerves
05:19 Joanna the artist: painting, portraits, modernism
06:42 Almost quitting, and the many lives she has lived
07:51 Misconceptions: beauty, comedy, and being underestimated
10:29 Age, image, and America’s obsession with youth
12:29 Early work she is proud of, and Blade Runner’s slow-burn legacy
13:43 Acting vs art: the frustration of not being able to fine-tune
16:52 Roles she wanted but did not get
17:40 Blade Runner: first reaction to the script
18:32 Philip K. Dick, sci-fi love, and “the only actor with the snake”
19:18 Animals, cats, and the deep bond with them
21:22 Ridley Scott’s imprint and artistic vision
22:22 Six Feet Under and the joy of dark humor
23:36 Blade Runner stunts, revisiting Zhora, and the snake dance
25:10 New generations discovering Zhora
26:17 Cult status and Comic Con moments
28:54 Comedy vs drama: timing, speed, and stillness
30:57 Who she watches now: Emma Stone, Jessica Lange
32:07 TV’s best lesson: be on time, know your lines, hit your marks
33:17 Actors who made an impact: Gene Hackman, Nick Nolte, Bob Hoskins
35:42 Taking risks and going all-in
37:40 Dabney Coleman memories
39:58 Staying creatively alive: health, grounding, flow
41:05 Mentors, independence, and asking for a hand
44:01 Confidence, her father, and being an observer of Hollywood
45:45 Film talk and character-study movies
47:13 What brings her joy now
49:43 Directing notes and the on-set process
50:42 Roles she wants now, plus recent and upcoming projects
52:40 Worries that shifted with time
53:27 Dating, privacy, and a new chapter
56:16 Bungee fitness in Burbank and loving the feeling of flight
57:28 Closing
 

Show Credits
Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko
All things technical: Justin Zangerle
Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein
Music by: Brian Sanyshyn
Transcription: Mushtaq Hussain

https://stillherehollywood.com
http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood
Suggest Guests at: [email protected]
Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: [email protected]
Publicist: Maggie Perlich: [email protected]


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Actor and director Paul McCrane joins Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko for a funny, honest, and surprisingly deep conversation about building a career by leaning into the roles people remember most.

Paul talks about intentionally pivoting into “bad guy” parts, his first reaction to reading RoboCop, and the night a massive explosion on set got a little too real. He also looks back on ER and what it was like joining the biggest show on television, plus how the stability of a long-running series can change your life outside the job.

The conversation goes beyond credits and into craft. Paul breaks down why self-tape auditions can feel like sending your work into a void, why in-person collaboration matters, and what directing taught him about managing pressure, people, and performance. He also shares one of the most valuable lessons of his career: how a brutal review early on forced him to learn how to truly do the work, and how Jason Robards showed him real generosity in the process.

If you love behind-the-scenes stories, acting talk that’s actually useful, and Hollywood history with some bite, this one’s for you.

Support the show and get early access and bonus content at Patreon: patreon.com/StillHereHollywood

00:00 Intro, Paul McCrane from ER and RoboCop
00:42 What Paul would be doing if he wasn’t acting today
01:09 Songwriting, music, and creative curiosity
01:19 Becoming “the bad guy” on purpose
02:41 First reaction to the RoboCop script
03:18 The infamous RoboCop explosion story
06:11 Did he expect RoboCop to become iconic
06:28 How RoboCop reshaped his career
07:55 Why he became an actor, his father and backstage magic
08:27 Other careers he could have pursued
09:06 Turning the interview back on Steve
10:10 Fame, the movie, and early terror on set
11:44 Shooting Fame on the streets of New York
12:33 Did he ever consider quitting acting
14:03 Patreon break, then critics and insecurity
16:30 Retirement, insecurity, and why actors do this
18:38 Chevy Chase, SNL, and success myths
19:03 ER and staying close with the cast
20:43 Why Paul hates self-tape auditions
22:07 The danger of isolation in modern acting
28:33 How ER changed his life and stability
29:29 Fame, perspective, and avoiding distortion
31:20 Philadelphia roots and football fandom
31:37 “Paul McCrane dies at the end” reel
32:15 What the ER set was really like
34:33 Is he happy with his career
36:11 What fans recognize him for most
37:27 Directing vs acting, what he loves more
43:04 Overthinking, directing pressure, and communication
44:06 The role that taught him the most
46:38 The New York Times review that crushed him
50:00 Jason Robards’ advice and generosity
55:21 Learning to survive criticism
56:50 Memorizing ER medical dialogue
57:01 The origin of the famous RoboCop line
58:25 Final thoughts and wrap

Paul McCrane interview
Paul McCrane podcast
Paul McCrane Still Here Hollywood
Paul McCrane Steve Kmetko
Paul McCrane actor interview

Paul McCrane RoboCop
RoboCop behind the scenes Paul McCrane
RoboCop explosion scene story
Paul McCrane villain RoboCop
Paul Verhoeven RoboCop cast stories

Paul McCrane ER
Dr Robert Romano ER
Paul McCrane ER helicopter scene
ER behind the scenes Paul McCrane
ER cast reflections

Paul McCrane Fame movie
Fame 1980 behind the scenes
Paul McCrane Fame audition story
Fame movie cast interview

Paul McCrane acting advice
Paul McCrane directing career
Actors on self tape auditions
Why actors hate self tapes
Directing vs acting Paul McCrane

Career longevity themes

Character actor Hollywood career
Villain roles in Hollywood
How actors survive bad reviews
Jason Robards acting advice
Broadway failure lessons

Culture + philosophy hooks

Why actors feel insecure
Human connection vs technology acting
Why collaboration matters in film
Modern acting industry problems Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

Transcription:  Mushtaq Hussain

 

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: [email protected]

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: [email protected]

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: [email protected]

 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.

Book: My Four Hollywood Husbands
https://a.co/d/bTbuNAj
 
 

Show Credits
Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko
All things technical: Justin Zangerle
Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein
Music by: Brian Sanyshyn
Transcription: Mushtaq Hussain

https://stillherehollywood.com
http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood
Suggest Guests at: [email protected]
Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: [email protected]
Publicist: Maggie Perlich: [email protected]


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amy's Foundation in memory of her husband John Ritter is https://johnritterfoundation.org/
Another favorite charity of Amy's is https://angelfood.org/

Show Credits
Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko
All things technical: Justin Zangerle
Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein
Music by: Brian Sanyshyn
Transcription: Mushtaq Hussain

https://stillherehollywood.com
http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood
Suggest Guests at: [email protected]
Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: [email protected]
Publicist: Maggie Perlich: [email protected]


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this unforgettable episode of Still Here Hollywood, Ted Lange, forever known as Isaac from The Love Boat, joins Steve Kmetko for a deep, funny, and brutally honest conversation about classic television, Hollywood power dynamics, racial inequality in entertainment, and the long game of creative survival.

Ted takes us behind the scenes of one of the most iconic shows in television history, sharing stories about Gene Kelly, Diahann Carroll, Cloris Leachman, Howard Keel, and the revolving door of legendary guest stars that made The Love Boat a cultural phenomenon. He reveals what really went on when the cameras stopped rolling and how respect, chemistry, and mentorship made the cast a family.

But this episode goes far beyond nostalgia. Ted opens up about the realities of being a Black actor in Hollywood, the battles he fought for equal treatment, fair representation, and meaningful storylines, and how he learned to “pivot” rather than become bitter. His stories about pay disparity, industry politics, and subtle discrimination are powerful, eye-opening, and still painfully relevant today.

We also dive into Ted’s remarkable second act as a writer, director, and playwright. From directing television to writing over 27 plays, including historical dramas about forgotten figures like John Hanson and Mary Bowser, Ted explains how storytelling can reclaim lost history and give voice to those erased from textbooks. His passion for uncovering untold stories turns this episode into something far bigger than a Hollywood interview.

Plus, he shares hilarious and unexpected stories about working with Jenna Jameson on the “Ask Isaac” advice column, his Shakespeare adaptations, directing The Fall Guy, and the surprising friendships that shaped his career.

This is a masterclass in resilience, creativity, and navigating Hollywood with intelligence, humor, and integrity. Ted Lange proves he is far more than a TV icon. He is a historian, a playwright, a director, and a truth teller who is very much still here. Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

Transcription:  Mushtaq Hussain

 

https://stillherehollywood.com

http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood

Suggest Guests at: [email protected]

Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: [email protected]

Publicist: Maggie Perlich: [email protected]

 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.