Still Here Hollywood

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]

 

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Relive the wild ride of Grease 2 with actor Maxwell Caulfield, the man behind Michael Carrington, in this full episode of Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko. Maxwell opens up about knowing early he was meant to act, his London roots, and the moment everything changed when he auditioned for Grease 2 and suddenly found himself stepping into a Hollywood spotlight that can make or break you.

Maxwell shares what it was like working alongside a young Michelle Pfeiffer, why Grease 2 didn’t hit the way the studio hoped at release, and how the movie later found its true life as a cult classic with a passionate fanbase. He also dives into the behind-the-scenes reality of movie-making, including a hilarious “Bike Heaven” moment that did not go how he wanted.

Beyond Grease 2, Maxwell talks about his love of live theater and what the stage gives an actor that the camera never can, plus what he’s working on now, including a one-man play centered on Pontius Pilate. And yes, we go there on the big career chapters too, from Hollywood momentum to TV fame, including his run on The Colbys and the long view of staying in the game.
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If you grew up on 80s movies, movie musicals, backstage stories, and the art of actually lasting in show business, this episode is for you.

Want to get more involved with the show?
Support Still Here Hollywood on Patreon for early access, behind-the-scenes extras, and the chance to submit questions for upcoming guests. 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]

 

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She was born into show business royalty, made her film debut at just 11 weeks old, and grew up surrounded by legends like Noel Coward, Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, and more. On this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Steve Kmetko sits down with the luminous Juliet Mills, the beloved star of Nanny and the Professor, to trace a life and career that spans West End theater, Broadway, classic television, and unforgettable Hollywood collaborators.

Juliet shares how her family and upbringing shaped her worldview, why gratitude became one of her guiding principles, and what it was really like stepping into the spotlight as “Nanny” during a time when television was far more “tea and nightgowns” than romance and realism. She also looks back on the global success of the show, her bond with co-star Richard Long, and why she believes the series might have lasted longer if the on-screen relationship had been allowed to evolve.

Plus, Juliet tells behind-the-scenes stories from her career highlights, including working with Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon on Avanti! (yes, the role that required her to gain 35 pounds, a true acting challenge if spaghetti is involved). She also opens up about love, marriage, and fate, as her husband Maxwell Caulfield joins the conversation for a charming, honest look at how their relationship began during The Elephant Man, with a cameo appearance from Natalie Wood in the origin story.

If you grew up with Nanny and the Professor, love classic Hollywood, or just want to hear a joyful, thoughtful conversation with an icon who’s still full of wonder, this one’s for you.

Support the show and get episodes early, behind-the-scenes extras, and more at patreon.com/stillherehollywood 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.

For more than 30 years, Spencer Garrett has been one of those actors you instantly recognize, even if you can’t place exactly where you’ve seen him. In this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Spencer opens up about the working actor’s life, aging in the business, finding purpose, and what it really means to be “that guy from that thing.”

Spencer shares the origin story of the Character Actors Dining Society (the CADS) and the famous dinners with Alfred Molina, Stephen Weber, Eric McCormack, Titus Welliver, Kevin Pollak, Richard Kind, Jason Alexander, and more. He also talks about career pivots, breaking out of “prick in a suit” casting, lessons learned from Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman, and Glenn Close, and why he still gets excited every time he pulls onto a studio lot.

Plus, Spencer tells the story of meeting his partner Dana Bash and how their worlds collide, actor life vs CNN life, with plenty of laughs along the way.

If you like deep, thoughtful conversations with actors who have lived the whole Hollywood ride, this one’s for you.

Support Still Here Hollywood on Patreon (bonus content, early episodes, guest info, and more): patreon.com/stillherehollywood 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.

Flashdance leading man Michael Nouri sits down with Steve Kmetko for a wide-ranging, funny, and unexpectedly emotional conversation about his decades in Hollywood — from Goodbye, Columbus and Flashdance to Broadway, Victor/Victoria, Yellowstone, and beyond.

Michael looks back on the night the acting bug bit him in a high school Gilbert & Sullivan production, his early stage days with legends like Julie Harris, and bombing his very first movie line opposite Ali MacGraw in Goodbye, Columbus. He talks about trying to dodge the Vietnam draft, enlisting, and then being honorably discharged because the Army literally couldn’t find boots big enough for his size-16 feet.

Of course, he dives into Flashdance: the terrible reviews, the electric audience reaction, that rare standing ovation in Westwood, working with director Adrian Lyne, producers Simpson & Bruckheimer, and co-star Jennifer Beals (plus their canine scene partner, Grunt). He explains how the massive success of the film didn’t translate into the career momentum he’d hoped for, the movie with William Friedkin that fell apart, and how he ended up in Bay City Blues alongside a then-unknown Sharon Stone instead.

Michael also shares powerful stories from touring South Pacific right after 9/11 — including emotional nightly renditions of “God Bless America” with audiences arm-in-arm — and the chance encounter with Blake Edwards that led to him starring opposite Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria, complete with a custom song by Henry Mancini. He reflects on aging in Hollywood, evolving from leading man to dads, granddads, and senators, still auditioning for filmmakers like Bradley Cooper, and staying grateful that the phone keeps ringing.

Along the way, he remembers working with Sean Connery, F. Murray Abraham, Glenn Close, Naomi Watts, Kelly Reilly, and even Anna Nicole Smith, plus the life lesson he learned the hard way trying to approach Luciano Pavarotti backstage. He also opens up about political anxiety, the emotional toll of the news cycle, the importance of community, and why he now protects his peace by switching from cable news to TCM.

And yes, we meet Charlie, his “heart on four legs,” and hear how daily meditation keeps him grounded after more than five decades in the business.

If you love Flashdance, classic Hollywood stories, Broadway memories, and honest talk about surviving and adapting in this business, this episode is a gem. 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.