HAL LINDEN’S “PROJECT”

> THAT UNMISTAKABLE BASS AT THE OPENING OF 'BARNEY MILLER.'

HAL LINDEN BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN 1975 WHEN HE DEBUTED ON THAT HIT TV SITCOM, A COMEDY CLASSIC THAT LASTED FOR EIGHT SEASONS, UNTIL 1982.

BEFORE 'BARNEY MILLER,' HAL TOOK NUMEROUS BROADWAY RULES, INCLUDING BEST ACTOR IN 1971 FOR PLAYING ROTHCHILD.

NOW AT 87, HE PLAYS A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR WHO REVEALS HIS ESCAPE FROM THE NAZIS, WHO DECIDES TO ILLUSTRATE THE STORY.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY MANY

MAKE A LIVING DOING THAT.

DEPENDS ON HOW GOOD YOU ARE.

I'M STARTING TO REMEMBER IT.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE BACK THEN?

DIFFERENT.

DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE WAR AND WHAT HAPPENED?

LAURA, OUR OLDEST GRAND DAUGHTER.

IF NOT FOR YOUR FATHER, YOU WOULD NOT BE IN THIS WORLD TODAY.

BE TOLD.

I CAN TELL YOUR STORY.

AND WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE JOINING US THE ACCLAIMED ACTOR HAL LINDEN.

SO NICE TO MEET YOU.

I'VE BEEN A FAN FOR A LOT OF YEARS.

THAT BASS LINE WAS AD LIBBED.

WHEN THEY RECORDED THE THEME SONG, IT STARTED AFTER THE BASELINE.

AND THE PRODUCER SAID, HOW ABOUT THE BASS.

AND THE NEXT ONE WAS SO ICONIC, AND YOU THINK OF THE SHOW.

LET'S START WITH THE FILM, 'THE SAMUEL PROJECT.'

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THAT?

OBLIQUELY, I WAS ANNOUNCED TO DO A PLAY AT THE OLD, OLD THEATER IN SAN DIEGO.

THE PRODUCTION CAME OF THIS 'THE SAMUEL PROJECT' WAS GOING TO SHOOT IT IN SAN DIEGO.

AND THEY SAID, HE'S GOING TO BE HERE.

SO THEY SENT ME A SCRIPT, VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE WE SHOT.

BUT WITH THIS FASCINATING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A GRANDFATHER AND A GRANDSON, ACTUALLY, THE FATHER IS IN THERE, TOO.

THREE GENERATIONS, WHICH NOT UNLIKE MOST OF US, DON'T REALLY COMMUNICATION ACROSS GENERATIONS.

AND THAT'S THE NORMAL THING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT HISTORIES, DIFFERENT CHOICES, DIFFERENT CULTURES.

AND THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR BRINGING THE GENERATIONS TOGETHER.

I WANT PEOPLE -- BASICALLY THE STORY THAT A BOY GETS ABASSIGNMENT TO DO A PROJECT ABOUT A HISTORICAL EVENT.

AND WITH NO HELP FROM ANYBODY.

HE BESIDES TO TELL HIS GRAND FATHER A STORY.

AND THE GRAND FATHER, A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, LIKE MOST SURVIVORS DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT HEALTH.

SO HE GETS THE STORY OUT OF THE FATHER, AND WHAT BRINGS THE THREE GENERATIONS BACK TOGETHER IS THE ART, NOT THE WORDS.

IT'S A FASCINATING, MARVELOUS FILM.

SO YOU HAVE -- AGAIN, THAT MARVELOUS CAREER UMBRELLA.

I LOVE HOW 'BARNEY MILLER' GOT STARTED AND HOW YOU DECIDED TO DO IT.

THE ORIGINAL PILOT FAILED.

IT WAS ON IN THE SUMMER ON ABC.

THE ORIGINAL WAS HALF HOME LIFE AND HALF PRECINCT.

AND THEY DECIDED MAYBE IF WE JUST KEPT IT IN THE PRECINCT.

I WAS NOT UNDER CONTRACT ANYMORE, AND I HAD AN OFFER TO DO ANOTHER BROADWAY SHOW.

I JUST WON A TONY FOR THE ROUGH JOB, AND I HAD A BROADWAY SHOW COMING UP.

SO DO I TURN DOWN THE BROADWAY SHOW TO DO TWO EPISODES?

THAT COULD BE BEEN IN.

AND I WAS VERY CAVALIER.

I REMEMBER MY AGENT'S OFFICE.

AND WITH THAT, AN ICONIC COMEDY SERIES.

LITTLE CONVERSATIONS, LITTLE DECISIONS, HOW THEY CHANGE OUR LIVES.

I HAVE TO MENTION, YOU'RE OUT DOING YOUR CABARET ACT, A MUSICAL.

I DID THE MUSE KAG THIS SUMMER, TO GET BACK ON THE MUSICAL STAGE, SINGING AND DANCING.

IT'S A GOOD FOR ALL OF US.

AGAIN, THE FILM IS CALLED 'THE SAMUEL PROJECT.'

IT'S A WONDERFUL AND COMPELLING FILM, AND SO NICE TO MEET YOU.

A PLEASURE.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND WE'LL GET YOU IN HERE ON YOUR NEXT PROJECT.

> A REMINDER, THE FILM 'THE SAMUEL PROJECT' OPENS IN NEW YORK SEPTEMBER 28th AND NATIONWIDE OCTOBER 5th.

SO VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT METROFOCUS.ORG.