May 17, 2025 • 19 mins
Sometime, we like turning you on to other podcasts we think you might like. The Celebrity Jobber Podcast is hosted by Jeff Zito and on this episode he talks with Anthony Michael Hall, the actor and comedian who was part of the"The Brat Pack" and was in movies like "The Breakfast Club", "Weird Science", "16 Candles" and many others. Anthony also spend some time on SNL. Celebrity Jobber finds out what musicians, actors and celebrities would have chosen as their profession if they hadn't been famous in their chosen career. We hope you like Celebrity Jobber with Jeff Zito.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'm Buzznight the host of the Taking a Walk podcast,
and once in a while we love to share some
other podcasts that we think that you'd like to check out.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Jeff Zito is a dear friend of mine.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
He has one of the most successful Apple podcasts called
Celebrity Jobber. Check out this new episode with an actor
comedian who has been in some of the quintessential movies
of our time, Anthony Michael Hall. He was known as
a member of Hollywood's brat Pack Remember Sixteen Candles, Weird Science,
(00:36):
The Breakfast Club also spend some time as a cast
member on Saturday Night Live. Here's Jeff Zito's Celebrity Jobber
with Anthony Michael Hall.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Hey, it's Jeff Zito and thanks for listening to another
episode of the Celebrity Jobber podcast. Dreaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
iHeart wherever you listen to podcasts, Please subscribe with love
a five star rating and leave a review. You could
check out past episodes online Celebrity Jobber dot com. Also
(01:11):
you can follow on Instagram Celebrity Underscore Jobb or Underscore
podcast or YouTube dot com slash the ad sign Celebrity
Jobber Who were these celebrities before they were famous? What
was their life like? What did they do? What about
a first job? Some of these celebrities worked in the
(01:33):
world of advertising and marketing or had their own upholstery business,
and then one day their big break came along and
that was it. You know Anthony Michael Hall from movies
like National Lampoons, Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club. But
who was he before all that? What was his first job?
(01:56):
What was his big break? We're gonna find out. Well,
Anthony Michael Hall is my guest this week on Celebrity
jobb Or.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
It's the Celebrity job Or podcast with Jeff Zito. If
you like what you hear, please subscribe, give a five
star rating and leave a review. Check out all our
past episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you pupped.
What if these celebrities weren't famous, what would they have become?
What was their first job? We're about to find out.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Now here's a good here's a great way to break
the ice. What if people call you? Do they call
you am h, Do they call you Anthony?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
They called you? What do your friends call you?
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But give it? First name? Is Mike or Michael. But yeah,
I hear you all three. I get amahs, Michael or Anthony.
It's all good.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
All yeah, nice to meet you too, man.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
I mean, obviously I'm a you know, a huge fan,
and I've known about you my whole life. I'm having
a midlife crisis because I just turned fifty.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
And you know, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I don't know if you've ever had that midlife crisis
at any point, But do you have any do you
have any suggestions any way to get.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Through that kind of I wouldn't treat it as a crisis,
first of all. Well also, I just got a joke too.
I'm in show business, so I think every year is
a new crisis because you never know where the work's.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Coming, right, right.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I'm a little bit older than you at fifty seven,
but I wouldn't. Yeah, I would just you know, look
at it as a speed bump, not a dead end,
you know what I mean. You got to keep rocking
and rolling. You're still a young man.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, I know people do say that, but I just don't.
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
I don't see it yet. But we'll get through it.
So let me let me ask you this. Michael, can
I call you Michael sure man, So let me let
me ask you. I do a podcast that's like about
celebrities before they were famous and like what their life
was before they were famous. This is going to be
a really interesting question for you because I feel like
(03:45):
you've been famous your whole life, right, I mean, what
when did you started like acting?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
When you were what eight years old?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yeah? I did. I did. It's so funny because when
I was in New York, I was celebrating the SNL
fiftieth and I was taking part in those festivities and
it took My wife was great, but I was on
the red carpet doing some interviews and it really started
to hit me right there. Actually when I was in
the interviews, and you know, I started nineteen seventy six.
I got my first job. I was hired by Steve Allen,
the late great Steve Allen. So yeah, I mean my
(04:12):
career goes back to that, and that's the beginning of
it for me. So that was a real blessing, you know,
starting that young. I think a lot of it attribute
to my mother. I had a very strong, willed mother
who was a single parent at the time. She wound
up remarrying when I was about twelve, and I had
my sister and my stepfather who raised us. But my
mother was also an artist. She was a singer and
you know, raised me, you know, singing for my supper
(04:34):
literally because she was a jazz and blues singer. So,
you know, coming from a creative family when you asked
me that question. In my life before that was just
growing up in New York City, you know, but I
was really exposed because of my mother's life and career
to a lot as a result of that. So, I mean,
I studied the arts. You know. I did everything from
taking karate to studying drawing at the Art Students League,
to taking you know, music lessons and playing drums. I mean,
(04:58):
all kinds of things that I did as a kid
that were really helpful and helped me build a foundation
for a life of the arts.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
You're very first paying gig was being a young Steve
Allen in a movie that was like, yeah, because a
lot of people's first jobs are you know, the newspaper
delivery boy or a babysitter.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yours was in the business as an actor.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, I mean, and that was very fortunate
for that reason. You know, so absolutely. You know, I
was doing the play with Summer Stock with Steve Allen.
I was such a little kid, you know, and then
from there I did commercials and it led to you know,
the film and TV work that I got as a
young teenager. But at that point had already been in
the business for seven or eight years. So yeah, I've
been a long career. So I thank God for that.
So when you cut to Roswelt Delirium, you know, it
(05:40):
was an amazing experience because some you know, here I
am forty something years later and I'm a producer on
the project. But it was great to see these kids.
They came to work so prepared, they were so refreshing
that they were so committed to do a good job
and they were really prepared. But also just to see
their joy at work, to see them having fun with
what they were doing, and to see the light in
their eyes, you know, at the beginning of their careers.
So I could certainly to that and it was wonderful
(06:01):
to see, you know, to see them do a great job.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
So when you're when you're talking about what you're doing
right now, which is Roswell Delirium, and do you have
other jobs within not just being an actor, but is
there other things that you do in this film, Like
did you mention directing it?
Speaker 1 (06:21):
No? No. I produced the film, and I produced it
with the filmmaker who's a writer director named Rick Bakewell.
So it's both of our companies that came together in
my company's Manhattan Films and Rix's Light Force Pictures. So
we joined forces and we made this project and we
shot in La a couple of years ago, and we
just got this great cast. So we have a lot
of really wonderful performances from some really great known actress
to like d Wallace Stone and Sam Jones, Lisa welschol
(06:44):
Original Bell Johnson. So a lot of really great people
came in and supporting roles to flesh out our cast.
But primarily it's a bunch of young child actors that
did a beautiful job, you know, and if anything, they
were reminding us all on set, you know, to kind
of be prepared and to have fun work. That was
great to see that from their perspective as they went
to work and did the film.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Celebrity Jobber the Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Ziito and.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Over time, do you just pick up.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Like you're in the biz, You're in all these films,
you're in these commercials, but like overtime in your career
has progressed to where it is now you're doing Roswell Delirium,
which by the way, is on Amazon Prime right now.
Do you figure out these these other skills of being
a producer, Like I don't know what all you know,
(07:31):
you see the you know at the very end of
a film, it's like key grip, best boy. I have
no idea what all these little things are. But like
do you pick up? Do you pick it up over time?
Speaker 1 (07:40):
But there's just things that you learn on the job.
So yeah, absolutely, I mean that's one of the things
you do learn is when you're working actor. You come
on set and you see everybody doing all these different jobs,
and so to have that sort of healthy respect for
all those technical abilities in those technicians is really important,
you know. So there's a lot so producing is something. Yeah,
I mean I've worked with a number of producers over decades,
(08:00):
so you know, I had a lot of training on
the job, which is the most beneficial I feel, you know,
and that served me well in this situation too, where
I was going to work and producing my company's second film.
You know, so what your experience, what.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Is your favorite outside of acting and being in front
of the camera. Is there another part of the business
that you really enjoy?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Well, oh, okay, you're going to say business. Yeah, I
was going to say my family, because I've become a
family man here later in life. So I'm happily married.
I have a beautiful wife, and we have a son.
I have a two year old. Believe me or not,
at this age right on loving that aspect of it,
I do. Yeah, our son is almost will be two
next month. So to see my life from you know,
from a new perspective and through my son's eyes is
(08:43):
so beautiful, as all parents will, I'm sure it can
attest to you know, you just get fresh eyes and
it gives you a fresh perspective on life and not
what to appreciate it what matters, you know. But in
terms of what I like to do, yeah, I mean,
you know, producing is great, and I also want to
get behind the camera start directing. So I have a
bunch of projects that developing in Manhattan Films, and I
have partners and we're raising funds and you know, full
(09:05):
steam ahead. In terms of building out the company. So
that's the goal, you know, so because I want to
be able to produce stuff and co produce things, and
and also direct some films and projects and hopefully give
other people opportunities down the line. So that's a you know,
a good aspiration and worth working towards.
Speaker 5 (09:22):
Celebrity Jobber The Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Ziito.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
What do you think it was that really helped you?
Speaker 4 (09:29):
I mean, you you've worked in the business for a
long time and being persistent, but and I could guess,
but I want you to tell me. Was there a
particular role, There was a situation, a big break, if
you will, that really put you. I mean, you were
the youngest cast member on Saturday Night Live. You didn't
just get that by by accident.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
What do you think it was?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, it's a good question. I think working with John Hughes,
you know, when I did Vacation, it was interesting because
John Hughes wrote the national input in Vacation, but I
did not meet him on that film. It was directed
by Harold Ramis. Who was you know, I often think
of that. I guess it's Isaac Newton and said that
we're all standing on the shoulders of giants at some point,
you know, my life was it was those giants were
Steve Allen, they were Harold Ramis, John Hughes, Mattie Simmons,
(10:09):
the founder of National improm people that saw something in
me as a kid that gave me an opportunity to
be myself, you know, and as a kid, I was
kind of a funny kid, and they saw something in me,
which I'm so grateful for and that's spawned a career.
So the idea of returning that favor or paying it
back and helping others is primary to me. It's important,
(10:30):
so not only my own creative aspirations, but the idea
of building a company to help others is really important
to me.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
And you just mentioned that, you know, you're a pretty
funny kid, and I'm glad you said that because with
being the youngest cast member on Saturday Night Live at
seventeen years old, and then you know, Rusty Griswold, I
believe you are thirteen years old and you delivered the line.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Though.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
The thing that's so great about you when you were
that age is you're like, You're not expecting a little
kid to be like funny like this, So where did
you get your sense of humor?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And was that role like you, Well, this is.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Funny because this goes into my own biography. Like I'll
tell you the truth. When I was a kid, it's
like that old ADYE. Murphy movie in the eighties, Raw
when they had that opening sequel and you see at
the child actor playing him and he was doing shows
for the family. I mean that was me. Even though
I didn't ultimately become a comic as a kid, I
was one of those kids doing shows for the family,
you know. So I would get up and imitate my
aunts and uncles and whoever the hell else it was.
(11:29):
And it was if I was at a funeral or
if it might have been a wedding or at somebody's house.
It was always a relevant's house. You know, it's not
my grandparents' house. So that is really how it started
for me, you know, kind of being a hammy little
kid that wanted to make people laugh. And I think
that that's what John hughesaw on me, and also Maddie
Simmons and Harold Ramis and those guys. I think I
had a sense of kind of fearlessness, maybe because I
(11:49):
loved to make people laugh and it was fun for
me and very natural, you know. And as I get
into high school back in the eighties, I started really
honing in on comics that I loved. So heroes of
mine were like George Carlin, your prior you know. Later
I learned about Lenny Bruce on records, you know. So
I've always loved comedians and comedy and comedic film, so
I think that was also a big inspiration.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Do you think there was ever a point in time
where you were like, because you're so involved with the
arts and your mother was is a great singer, would
you ever consider being in music? Did that ever tickle
your fancy at any point? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah, I did, and have to produce music at different
times in my life, and I do. I love that
and people will ask me that question a lot over
the years. I think something creative absolutely, you know, whether
it be a musician or maybe something with camera. You know,
I've grown up around cameras now and I know some
things about that, you know. I think just having a
creative life is is both challenging and scared of people,
(12:44):
but at the same time, it's it's very liberating too.
So the idea that you know, if you can do
something that you love, the old adage, you know, you
never work a day in your life, and it's and
it's true, it's it's not as simplistic as that, but
it certainly is the grounds for something. Then if you
if you pursue something with passion that you love, you
know it won't feel like work. And so I just
feel grateful and thankful to God that I've had such
(13:06):
a long career and it's endured over these decades.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
You know, was there ever a point in time where
you're like, oh man, it's because it's got to be
hard get you know, going on these calls and being
rejected and it's got to be a tough one and
a strange life.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Were you ever like, hey, what should I be doing
something different?
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Yeah, it's your question. You have to deal with a
lot of rejection. You have to be sort of built
for that and that the doubts that no one thinks
that they are. But you know, you learn it to
have a tough skin, and you learn to be persistent
and you learn a lot of great lessons that I
think apply whether you're in the corporate world or in
the world of sports. Or anything, you know, the idea
of being determined, making decisions, you know, creating good habit
(13:44):
through yourself and just persisting. And I think that that's
something no one can teach you. That's something that you
just have to enact within yourself and have that in you.
And if you don't, then it may not be what's
for you, you know, in life. But those are things
that taught me. Well, So I'm grateful again. I think
thought that this is the gift in himself, is to
have the long jevity and to be still doing it.
(14:04):
You know, I'm grateful to God.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
The Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Zido Celebrity Jobber.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
I would definitely see you being being a stand up
comedian and I can see you transitioning into that world.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Do you ever do you ever think about that?
Speaker 1 (14:19):
No, I mean not really, not really. I mean, that's
a hard life, that's challenging, you know, but I do
respect and I have a lot of love for people
that do that. You know, I've been It's funny because
you know you just mentioned that stand up. But when
I was at the SNL fiftieth I Bill Burke came
up to me. We were chatting, and it's led to
you know, we struck a bit of a friendship. So
we've been been in talks and he has a film
(14:39):
he wants me to do later this year with him.
So I'll probably make that film with Bill. But you know, look,
that's a real that's a real lifestyle, a commitment to
You got to greatly respect comics because again, there's no
leg to stand down there. You're going up there with
your wits and your brain and again that sense of
determination to kind of put yourself out there, you know,
and it takes a lot not up. But everybody is not.
Everybody's built for that.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
You know, talk politics with Bill Burr. I don't think
you guys will get along.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Yeah, let's just not talk politics perience.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Look, man, it was a pleasure, and I urge everybody
to go to Amazon Prime and check out the latest
which is it's called Roswell Delirium and Anthony Michael Hall
amh Michael, good talk, Russ.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Good talk with me. Man. I appreciate the time, and
thank you for supporting the picture. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
MA, take care of yourself.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Thanks man Born Michael, Anthony Thomas, Charles Hall. That's a
lot of names. He kind of flipped the Anthony and
the Michael around because I guess there was already a
Michael Hall in show business. He's from Boston, the only
child of a blues jazz singer. Her name was Mercedes Hall,
and she got divorced from Michael's father, Larry, who owned
(15:53):
an autobody shop, like when he was six months old.
So when he was a very young man, they relocated
to the West Coast where his mom found work as
a singer, and I think it was a year and
a half later they eventually moved back to the East
Coast and New York City.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
That's where he grew up.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
But he was in show business from the time he
was a kid, and his mom actually managed him. He
was acting at the age of eight years old, when
a lot of kids their first job was, you know,
maybe working in a restaurant or delivering newspapers or babysitting
something like that.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
His very first gig.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Was as the young Steve Allen in a semi autobiographical
play called The Wake, and he also did some commercials
around that time. He was the Honeycomb serial Kid. He
was in some commercials for toys and Bounty paper towels.
So his very first jobs were in acting, and that's
(16:51):
what he's done his entire career. I mean, his job
when he was seventeen years old was as a cast
member of Saturday Night Live, and to date, I believe
the youngest cast member ever on SNL. Of course I
knew the answer, but I needed him to tell us.
You know, his big break Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation.
(17:14):
He might have noticed, if you know the film. I
got him right there at the end where I said,
good talk Russ, famous line delivered by Chevy Chase in
the movie.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Think I might have caught him off guard with that
one there. That was his big break.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
I didn't know that John Hughes was the film screenwriter,
And of course you know, John Hughes went to direct
some like unbelievable movies in the eighties. Sixteen Candles another
huge one for Anthony Michael Hall The Breakfast Club. He
was a member of Hollywood's brat pack, and I guess
to avoid being type cast, Hall turned down roles for
(17:51):
him by John Hughes. In Ferris Mueller's Day Off, he
was offered the role of Cameron Fry and also in
Pretty in Pink, where he was offered the role of Ducky.
You know, this guy was never going to be a carpenter,
a real estate agent, or an accountant. This guy was artistic.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
It came from his mom. She was a singer.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
He could have been into music, because he did say
he worked a little bit in producing music. And I
definitely think he could have gone into stand up comedy
when he was talking about entertaining his parents and his
family at a young age, performing for them, making them laugh,
and of course being the youngest cast member on Saturday
Night Live. All those people, generally speaking are stand up comedians.
(18:35):
So yeah, that was probably what could have been the
future of Anthony Michael Hall.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Pretty cool guy.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Enjoyed talking to him, and thank you for checking out
another episode of the Celebrity Jobber podcast streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart,
wherever you listen to podcasts. Please subscribe, would love a
five star rating and leave a review. All past episodes
online at Celebrity Jobber dot com and you can also
(19:03):
follow on Instagram Celebrity Underscore job or Underscore podcast, or
YouTube dot com. Slash the at sign Celebrity Jobber. Who
were these celebrities before they were celebrities. Sometimes they were
different people all together. In the case of Anthony Michael Hall,
he was an actor, just not as well known as
(19:24):
he is now. So thank you once again for listening
and until next week, we'll see you then.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
I'm Jeff Zito.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
And if you happen to like the Celebrity Jobber podcast,
you might like one from my friend Buzznight, which is
called Taking a Walk Music History on Foot, which you
can listen to next
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'm Buzznight the host of the Taking a Walk podcast,
and once in a while we love to share some
other podcasts that we think that you'd like to check out.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Jeff Zito is a dear friend of mine.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
He has one of the most successful Apple podcasts called
Celebrity Jobber. Check out this new episode with an actor
comedian who has been in some of the quintessential movies
of our time, Anthony Michael Hall. He was known as
a member of Hollywood's brat Pack Remember Sixteen Candles, Weird Science,
(00:36):
The Breakfast Club also spend some time as a cast
member on Saturday Night Live. Here's Jeff Zito's Celebrity Jobber
with Anthony Michael Hall.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Hey, it's Jeff Zito and thanks for listening to another
episode of the Celebrity Jobber podcast. Dreaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
iHeart wherever you listen to podcasts, Please subscribe with love
a five star rating and leave a review. You could
check out past episodes online Celebrity Jobber dot com. Also
(01:11):
you can follow on Instagram Celebrity Underscore Jobb or Underscore
podcast or YouTube dot com slash the ad sign Celebrity
Jobber Who were these celebrities before they were famous? What
was their life like? What did they do? What about
a first job? Some of these celebrities worked in the
(01:33):
world of advertising and marketing or had their own upholstery business,
and then one day their big break came along and
that was it. You know Anthony Michael Hall from movies
like National Lampoons, Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club. But
who was he before all that? What was his first job?
(01:56):
What was his big break? We're gonna find out. Well,
Anthony Michael Hall is my guest this week on Celebrity
jobb Or.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
It's the Celebrity job Or podcast with Jeff Zito. If
you like what you hear, please subscribe, give a five
star rating and leave a review. Check out all our
past episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you pupped.
What if these celebrities weren't famous, what would they have become?
What was their first job? We're about to find out.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Now here's a good here's a great way to break
the ice. What if people call you? Do they call
you am h, Do they call you Anthony?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
They called you? What do your friends call you?
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But give it? First name? Is Mike or Michael. But yeah,
I hear you all three. I get amahs, Michael or Anthony.
It's all good.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
All yeah, nice to meet you too, man.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
I mean, obviously I'm a you know, a huge fan,
and I've known about you my whole life. I'm having
a midlife crisis because I just turned fifty.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
And you know, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
I don't know if you've ever had that midlife crisis
at any point, But do you have any do you
have any suggestions any way to get.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Through that kind of I wouldn't treat it as a crisis,
first of all. Well also, I just got a joke too.
I'm in show business, so I think every year is
a new crisis because you never know where the work's.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Coming, right, right.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I'm a little bit older than you at fifty seven,
but I wouldn't. Yeah, I would just you know, look
at it as a speed bump, not a dead end,
you know what I mean. You got to keep rocking
and rolling. You're still a young man.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, I know people do say that, but I just don't.
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
I don't see it yet. But we'll get through it.
So let me let me ask you this. Michael, can
I call you Michael sure man, So let me let
me ask you. I do a podcast that's like about
celebrities before they were famous and like what their life
was before they were famous. This is going to be
a really interesting question for you because I feel like
(03:45):
you've been famous your whole life, right, I mean, what
when did you started like acting?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
When you were what eight years old?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yeah? I did. I did. It's so funny because when
I was in New York, I was celebrating the SNL
fiftieth and I was taking part in those festivities and
it took My wife was great, but I was on
the red carpet doing some interviews and it really started
to hit me right there. Actually when I was in
the interviews, and you know, I started nineteen seventy six.
I got my first job. I was hired by Steve Allen,
the late great Steve Allen. So yeah, I mean my
(04:12):
career goes back to that, and that's the beginning of
it for me. So that was a real blessing, you know,
starting that young. I think a lot of it attribute
to my mother. I had a very strong, willed mother
who was a single parent at the time. She wound
up remarrying when I was about twelve, and I had
my sister and my stepfather who raised us. But my
mother was also an artist. She was a singer and
you know, raised me, you know, singing for my supper
(04:34):
literally because she was a jazz and blues singer. So,
you know, coming from a creative family when you asked
me that question. In my life before that was just
growing up in New York City, you know, but I
was really exposed because of my mother's life and career
to a lot as a result of that. So, I mean,
I studied the arts. You know. I did everything from
taking karate to studying drawing at the Art Students League,
to taking you know, music lessons and playing drums. I mean,
(04:58):
all kinds of things that I did as a kid
that were really helpful and helped me build a foundation
for a life of the arts.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
You're very first paying gig was being a young Steve
Allen in a movie that was like, yeah, because a
lot of people's first jobs are you know, the newspaper
delivery boy or a babysitter.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yours was in the business as an actor.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, I mean, and that was very fortunate
for that reason. You know, so absolutely. You know, I
was doing the play with Summer Stock with Steve Allen.
I was such a little kid, you know, and then
from there I did commercials and it led to you know,
the film and TV work that I got as a
young teenager. But at that point had already been in
the business for seven or eight years. So yeah, I've
been a long career. So I thank God for that.
So when you cut to Roswelt Delirium, you know, it
(05:40):
was an amazing experience because some you know, here I
am forty something years later and I'm a producer on
the project. But it was great to see these kids.
They came to work so prepared, they were so refreshing
that they were so committed to do a good job
and they were really prepared. But also just to see
their joy at work, to see them having fun with
what they were doing, and to see the light in
their eyes, you know, at the beginning of their careers.
So I could certainly to that and it was wonderful
(06:01):
to see, you know, to see them do a great job.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
So when you're when you're talking about what you're doing
right now, which is Roswell Delirium, and do you have
other jobs within not just being an actor, but is
there other things that you do in this film, Like
did you mention directing it?
Speaker 1 (06:21):
No? No. I produced the film, and I produced it
with the filmmaker who's a writer director named Rick Bakewell.
So it's both of our companies that came together in
my company's Manhattan Films and Rix's Light Force Pictures. So
we joined forces and we made this project and we
shot in La a couple of years ago, and we
just got this great cast. So we have a lot
of really wonderful performances from some really great known actress
to like d Wallace Stone and Sam Jones, Lisa welschol
(06:44):
Original Bell Johnson. So a lot of really great people
came in and supporting roles to flesh out our cast.
But primarily it's a bunch of young child actors that
did a beautiful job, you know, and if anything, they
were reminding us all on set, you know, to kind
of be prepared and to have fun work. That was
great to see that from their perspective as they went
to work and did the film.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Celebrity Jobber the Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Ziito and.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Over time, do you just pick up.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Like you're in the biz, You're in all these films,
you're in these commercials, but like overtime in your career
has progressed to where it is now you're doing Roswell Delirium,
which by the way, is on Amazon Prime right now.
Do you figure out these these other skills of being
a producer, Like I don't know what all you know,
(07:31):
you see the you know at the very end of
a film, it's like key grip, best boy. I have
no idea what all these little things are. But like
do you pick up? Do you pick it up over time?
Speaker 1 (07:40):
But there's just things that you learn on the job.
So yeah, absolutely, I mean that's one of the things
you do learn is when you're working actor. You come
on set and you see everybody doing all these different jobs,
and so to have that sort of healthy respect for
all those technical abilities in those technicians is really important,
you know. So there's a lot so producing is something. Yeah,
I mean I've worked with a number of producers over decades,
(08:00):
so you know, I had a lot of training on
the job, which is the most beneficial I feel, you know,
and that served me well in this situation too, where
I was going to work and producing my company's second film.
You know, so what your experience, what.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Is your favorite outside of acting and being in front
of the camera. Is there another part of the business
that you really enjoy?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Well, oh, okay, you're going to say business. Yeah, I
was going to say my family, because I've become a
family man here later in life. So I'm happily married.
I have a beautiful wife, and we have a son.
I have a two year old. Believe me or not,
at this age right on loving that aspect of it,
I do. Yeah, our son is almost will be two
next month. So to see my life from you know,
from a new perspective and through my son's eyes is
(08:43):
so beautiful, as all parents will, I'm sure it can
attest to you know, you just get fresh eyes and
it gives you a fresh perspective on life and not
what to appreciate it what matters, you know. But in
terms of what I like to do, yeah, I mean,
you know, producing is great, and I also want to
get behind the camera start directing. So I have a
bunch of projects that developing in Manhattan Films, and I
have partners and we're raising funds and you know, full
(09:05):
steam ahead. In terms of building out the company. So
that's the goal, you know, so because I want to
be able to produce stuff and co produce things, and
and also direct some films and projects and hopefully give
other people opportunities down the line. So that's a you know,
a good aspiration and worth working towards.
Speaker 5 (09:22):
Celebrity Jobber The Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Ziito.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
What do you think it was that really helped you?
Speaker 4 (09:29):
I mean, you you've worked in the business for a
long time and being persistent, but and I could guess,
but I want you to tell me. Was there a
particular role, There was a situation, a big break, if
you will, that really put you. I mean, you were
the youngest cast member on Saturday Night Live. You didn't
just get that by by accident.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
What do you think it was?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, it's a good question. I think working with John Hughes,
you know, when I did Vacation, it was interesting because
John Hughes wrote the national input in Vacation, but I
did not meet him on that film. It was directed
by Harold Ramis. Who was you know, I often think
of that. I guess it's Isaac Newton and said that
we're all standing on the shoulders of giants at some point,
you know, my life was it was those giants were
Steve Allen, they were Harold Ramis, John Hughes, Mattie Simmons,
(10:09):
the founder of National improm people that saw something in
me as a kid that gave me an opportunity to
be myself, you know, and as a kid, I was
kind of a funny kid, and they saw something in me,
which I'm so grateful for and that's spawned a career.
So the idea of returning that favor or paying it
back and helping others is primary to me. It's important,
(10:30):
so not only my own creative aspirations, but the idea
of building a company to help others is really important
to me.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
And you just mentioned that, you know, you're a pretty
funny kid, and I'm glad you said that because with
being the youngest cast member on Saturday Night Live at
seventeen years old, and then you know, Rusty Griswold, I
believe you are thirteen years old and you delivered the line.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Though.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
The thing that's so great about you when you were
that age is you're like, You're not expecting a little
kid to be like funny like this, So where did
you get your sense of humor?
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And was that role like you, Well, this is.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Funny because this goes into my own biography. Like I'll
tell you the truth. When I was a kid, it's
like that old ADYE. Murphy movie in the eighties, Raw
when they had that opening sequel and you see at
the child actor playing him and he was doing shows
for the family. I mean that was me. Even though
I didn't ultimately become a comic as a kid, I
was one of those kids doing shows for the family,
you know. So I would get up and imitate my
aunts and uncles and whoever the hell else it was.
(11:29):
And it was if I was at a funeral or
if it might have been a wedding or at somebody's house.
It was always a relevant's house. You know, it's not
my grandparents' house. So that is really how it started
for me, you know, kind of being a hammy little
kid that wanted to make people laugh. And I think
that that's what John hughesaw on me, and also Maddie
Simmons and Harold Ramis and those guys. I think I
had a sense of kind of fearlessness, maybe because I
(11:49):
loved to make people laugh and it was fun for
me and very natural, you know. And as I get
into high school back in the eighties, I started really
honing in on comics that I loved. So heroes of
mine were like George Carlin, your prior you know. Later
I learned about Lenny Bruce on records, you know. So
I've always loved comedians and comedy and comedic film, so
I think that was also a big inspiration.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Do you think there was ever a point in time
where you were like, because you're so involved with the
arts and your mother was is a great singer, would
you ever consider being in music? Did that ever tickle
your fancy at any point? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah, I did, and have to produce music at different
times in my life, and I do. I love that
and people will ask me that question a lot over
the years. I think something creative absolutely, you know, whether
it be a musician or maybe something with camera. You know,
I've grown up around cameras now and I know some
things about that, you know. I think just having a
creative life is is both challenging and scared of people,
(12:44):
but at the same time, it's it's very liberating too.
So the idea that you know, if you can do
something that you love, the old adage, you know, you
never work a day in your life, and it's and
it's true, it's it's not as simplistic as that, but
it certainly is the grounds for something. Then if you
if you pursue something with passion that you love, you
know it won't feel like work. And so I just
feel grateful and thankful to God that I've had such
(13:06):
a long career and it's endured over these decades.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
You know, was there ever a point in time where
you're like, oh man, it's because it's got to be
hard get you know, going on these calls and being
rejected and it's got to be a tough one and
a strange life.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Were you ever like, hey, what should I be doing
something different?
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Yeah, it's your question. You have to deal with a
lot of rejection. You have to be sort of built
for that and that the doubts that no one thinks
that they are. But you know, you learn it to
have a tough skin, and you learn to be persistent
and you learn a lot of great lessons that I
think apply whether you're in the corporate world or in
the world of sports. Or anything, you know, the idea
of being determined, making decisions, you know, creating good habit
(13:44):
through yourself and just persisting. And I think that that's
something no one can teach you. That's something that you
just have to enact within yourself and have that in you.
And if you don't, then it may not be what's
for you, you know, in life. But those are things
that taught me. Well, So I'm grateful again. I think
thought that this is the gift in himself, is to
have the long jevity and to be still doing it.
(14:04):
You know, I'm grateful to God.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
The Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Zido Celebrity Jobber.
Speaker 4 (14:11):
I would definitely see you being being a stand up
comedian and I can see you transitioning into that world.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Do you ever do you ever think about that?
Speaker 1 (14:19):
No, I mean not really, not really. I mean, that's
a hard life, that's challenging, you know, but I do
respect and I have a lot of love for people
that do that. You know, I've been It's funny because
you know you just mentioned that stand up. But when
I was at the SNL fiftieth I Bill Burke came
up to me. We were chatting, and it's led to
you know, we struck a bit of a friendship. So
we've been been in talks and he has a film
(14:39):
he wants me to do later this year with him.
So I'll probably make that film with Bill. But you know, look,
that's a real that's a real lifestyle, a commitment to
You got to greatly respect comics because again, there's no
leg to stand down there. You're going up there with
your wits and your brain and again that sense of
determination to kind of put yourself out there, you know,
and it takes a lot not up. But everybody is not.
Everybody's built for that.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
You know, talk politics with Bill Burr. I don't think
you guys will get along.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Yeah, let's just not talk politics perience.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Look, man, it was a pleasure, and I urge everybody
to go to Amazon Prime and check out the latest
which is it's called Roswell Delirium and Anthony Michael Hall
amh Michael, good talk, Russ.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Good talk with me. Man. I appreciate the time, and
thank you for supporting the picture. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
MA, take care of yourself.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Thanks man Born Michael, Anthony Thomas, Charles Hall. That's a
lot of names. He kind of flipped the Anthony and
the Michael around because I guess there was already a
Michael Hall in show business. He's from Boston, the only
child of a blues jazz singer. Her name was Mercedes Hall,
and she got divorced from Michael's father, Larry, who owned
(15:53):
an autobody shop, like when he was six months old.
So when he was a very young man, they relocated
to the West Coast where his mom found work as
a singer, and I think it was a year and
a half later they eventually moved back to the East
Coast and New York City.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
That's where he grew up.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
But he was in show business from the time he
was a kid, and his mom actually managed him. He
was acting at the age of eight years old, when
a lot of kids their first job was, you know,
maybe working in a restaurant or delivering newspapers or babysitting
something like that.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
His very first gig.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Was as the young Steve Allen in a semi autobiographical
play called The Wake, and he also did some commercials
around that time. He was the Honeycomb serial Kid. He
was in some commercials for toys and Bounty paper towels.
So his very first jobs were in acting, and that's
(16:51):
what he's done his entire career. I mean, his job
when he was seventeen years old was as a cast
member of Saturday Night Live, and to date, I believe
the youngest cast member ever on SNL. Of course I
knew the answer, but I needed him to tell us.
You know, his big break Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation.
(17:14):
He might have noticed, if you know the film. I
got him right there at the end where I said,
good talk Russ, famous line delivered by Chevy Chase in
the movie.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Think I might have caught him off guard with that
one there. That was his big break.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
I didn't know that John Hughes was the film screenwriter,
And of course you know, John Hughes went to direct
some like unbelievable movies in the eighties. Sixteen Candles another
huge one for Anthony Michael Hall The Breakfast Club. He
was a member of Hollywood's brat pack, and I guess
to avoid being type cast, Hall turned down roles for
(17:51):
him by John Hughes. In Ferris Mueller's Day Off, he
was offered the role of Cameron Fry and also in
Pretty in Pink, where he was offered the role of Ducky.
You know, this guy was never going to be a carpenter,
a real estate agent, or an accountant. This guy was artistic.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
It came from his mom. She was a singer.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
He could have been into music, because he did say
he worked a little bit in producing music. And I
definitely think he could have gone into stand up comedy
when he was talking about entertaining his parents and his
family at a young age, performing for them, making them laugh,
and of course being the youngest cast member on Saturday
Night Live. All those people, generally speaking are stand up comedians.
(18:35):
So yeah, that was probably what could have been the
future of Anthony Michael Hall.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Pretty cool guy.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Enjoyed talking to him, and thank you for checking out
another episode of the Celebrity Jobber podcast streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart,
wherever you listen to podcasts. Please subscribe, would love a
five star rating and leave a review. All past episodes
online at Celebrity Jobber dot com and you can also
(19:03):
follow on Instagram Celebrity Underscore job or Underscore podcast, or
YouTube dot com. Slash the at sign Celebrity Jobber. Who
were these celebrities before they were celebrities. Sometimes they were
different people all together. In the case of Anthony Michael Hall,
he was an actor, just not as well known as
(19:24):
he is now. So thank you once again for listening
and until next week, we'll see you then.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
I'm Jeff Zito.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
And if you happen to like the Celebrity Jobber podcast,
you might like one from my friend Buzznight, which is
called Taking a Walk Music History on Foot, which you
can listen to next
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