One on One: Alan Blumenfeld

season three, episode six, Take the Deviled Eggs. His last appearance with season six episode Dry Think Miss Gilmore. Let's bring him in. The distinguished Alan Blueman felt, Hi, how are you. I'm doing very very well. So look, let's just jump right out of the gate here. Take us back. You've been acting since the eighties and your incredible career still growing strong. When did the passion for acting start with you? I've been acting since the eighties. No, I

just turned seventy. I've been acting for forty six years. I can't do the math, but you don't have to. When I got the time I was fifteen, I knew this is what I was gonna do with my life. Uh. I grew up on Loon and uh back east and uh I had a wonderful theater program at high school. We did big shows every year, and I went to a summer camp that had a very uh strong theater program. So I did plays for six or seven years every summer.

And then after I decided to go to school and went to a college that had a good theater program and left there and went to the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and I haven't looked back since you um do you do you remember your first role? Paid role? That's interesting. Um, well, my first job for Screen Actors Guild were three commercials for Foremost Dairy. That's how I

got my Screen Actors Guilt car. And then I think the first job on television was Alan Funt, who used to do he relaunched a Candid Camera reboot and I did that. So my that was probably forty uh one or forty two years ago. My oldest son is that forty three was a baby at the time, so that was my first That was my first television job. Wow. Um, I was living in San Francisco, so h there was some great filmmakers up there other than Copelo Puss was there,

but John Cordy, who just died. Actually, uh, he was up there. I did some things with him and Philip Haufman, who e bectually went on to do uh right stuff. He was up there. So there was a lot of film and a lot of theater in San Francisco back in the seventies. Yeah. Coppola took that whole gang up to San Francisco. He got out of Hollywood. Yeah. Um, so let's get to Gilmore Girls. Is Rabbi Rabbi David Barnes. How did you get the role? Was the Jeff auditioner?

Was it just an offer to the agent? Everything is an audition. Uh, I don't know, Scott. You know, my career has never been uh my my career has been wonderful and steady. But no, uh no, like medioric an anything, everything is an audition. Uh it was. Uh. I had a broken arm I had. I was writing past because I had a torn bicep tender and I was very concerned about what am I gonna wear because you know, I couldn't move my arm, So I had like a sweater vest. So I was so concerned about that. Uh.

The audition was great. The casting director and god forgot her name, she was wonderful. Uh. And I think you know Amy Palladino Sherman Panzino is a brilliant writer. Um. And the castre to came out and said, it's it's very fast. It's fast talking. Don't don't you know what they say to actors is don't make a meal out of it. Just moved through it. So, Uh, I was very concerned about this cast on my arm. I got cast in the role. I showed up and they said, okay, we have a suit we want you to try on.

I said, I can't wear a suit because I have my arm in a No one noticed that. That was the last time I ever worried about what am I gonna wear it to an audition. We don't pay attention. But I really loved it. And Jim Jansen uh played the uh the minister, and the two of us had a great time. You know you know she is uh. Amy uhl Is is a spectacular writer who creates really full characters and real human beings with a combination of humor and pathos. And I think it's really an unusual

unusual combination. M hm. She brought us in one for one show where we had a half a page scene where we're wandering through the park. It's the scene where the kids find that big battle of marijuana that they're schlepping through the park. I don't know if you remember that scene, but anyway, in the middle of it that she had us, the rabbi and the minister just walking

through the park discussing God. And she did that often in order to I think root the show in the reality of the fact that there is the whole world here. It's not just people disconnected from the rest of reality. That there's a world that she's creating of people. And I always was grateful and appreciated that because it's not usual. Become more usual lately, I think television has become spectacular, right, And when she did that, it was really unusual and

greatly appreciated. Um, So you came into this role with a ton of experience. Tell us what it was like to be on this set. The set was great. I have to say, I hadn't seen the show. It's seen maybe one episode before I got cast, and then I went back and watched it. You know. Uh, the show was done at a time where you couldn't just go on Hulu. There was no Hulu, there was no HBO Max. You couldn't just find the library of shows, you know where where someone had archived, so I had to try

to find episodes. I had a friend who was real fat of the show, so I was able to go to their house and I watched something that they had recorded. The set was very, very efficient. The directors were really really experienced. Jamie Barrett, who was basically a film director, she had done a number of the episodes that I did. She was really she did the film but I'm a cheerleader. UM terrific because she was interesting that. The directors were

very well prepared. The set was very efficient. There was a lot of time for rehearsal, which again is is unusual, but they took the time for that because the show is really about relationships. It's an interpret the show about introversial relationships, UM and and I really appreciate it. One of my dear friends, Michael Winterton, was on the show for many years and the first day we shot, I think it was Jim and I and Michael in the in the in the cafe, and and it was great.

It's always great if you know someone because that way you're you're a guest, and when you're welcomed the people who you know, it's always more comfortable and you always feel more included. That was great. I mean, this woman runs a top quality show, and I think to me is it's a show that appeals especially to uh, young girls, young women. Teenage girls and their moms watched the show a lot, and I think that was a demographic that

was not as often served. Uh, And I don't I don't know if she set out for that or just the nature of the storylines made it so that, uh, that is the demographic that watched it. But I very much appreciated, you know, I'd get comments from teenage kids could come up and they just loved it. And it's the kind of thing the kids and their moms, daughters and their moms watched together. And I think that is

an interesting residual effect that is valuable. So since you appeared in four episodes, that did Amy and Dan just keep calling he or was it for always the plan? Uh? No, they would call, Uh, my agent would say they want you back for another episode of Gilmore Girls, and they set the script. I was always delighted when they called because it was always fun. When was the last time

that you watched your episodes? Oh? That's interesting. Um, we have a direct TV in our home, and direct TV allows you to put in the name of an actor and they will record shows that that actor is appears in. And so I guess, Uh, I guess earlier this year the Gilmogers plays a lot, and I guess earlier this year the episodes were on cycle and I I watched it. I guess where are we now? Seven? Probably September October? Okay, So the first scene that we see you in your

bargaining with Taylor inside of loops with the reverend. Uh, the quick banter. Was it easy to get used to for you? Yes, it was. It's extremely well written, so you don't have to work too hard to make sense of it because it's not only makes sense, it's it's the way human beings taught. And I've done a lot of theater, and so it reminded me of an extremely well written play. So you were in Uh, all kinds of iconic shows, Hill Street, Blues, Cheers, family ties. Um,

do you have a favorite? Well, of course, the stock answer is my favorite shows the one I'm working on currently. Um. But to be honest, I would say Brooklyn Bridge is am of my most favorite shows that I've done. Uh, Gary David Goldburg Um two seasons. It should have gone on for a long time. I particularly loved I was in Heroes the second and third season of that show. And because of the writing, and because of the cinematographer

and the directors. Um. A shout out to Nate Goodman, who I just reconnected with, and Dan Addius, and to me, the work is the most important thing. I love it more than anything. I well, I don't love it more than my grandkids and my family, but I love working. And when the writing is good and the directors are good, your fellow actors are good, it's just heaven. So you worked with my low on that show. What was it like working with him? Well, you know on Heroes, you mean? Yeah.

When I joined here Us the second season, they knew they had a pot of gold and they were all of them grateful, fun, happy, upbeat, in a good mood. Um. I played Greg Grunberg's dad. My character was his character's dad, and we had worked together before in a small film and then on felicity. So again, when you come into a show and they welcome you in, it makes it really really pleasant and fun to be part of it. And Milo was happy, and uh, I think he knew

he was going to be a star, and indeed he is. Um. But all of those actors on that show, when I came into Heroes of the second season, knew that they were in a great situation and we're in great mood. During a few episodes of Al Pacino's Hunters, as Rabbi Arnold, can you tell us about that project? I can, but they do not have to have you killed. No. The first season of Hunters has already been shown on Amazon.

It's about hunting Nazis News Hunting Nazis. The creator of the show, who was just a really terrifically nice, smart guy. It's loosely but based on stories that his grandmother told him, not that she was a Nazi hunter, but that she was in the war and the Holocaust, and and she told him stories about what that was, and those always stayed with him. Um. He had told me, I was grateful and lucky to have a chance to spend some

time talking to him. Um. And so those stories that he heard from her form the they loosely formed the basis of that show. Um, I just finished. I was on a show called The Patient with this Steve Carrell and I had done Space Force with Steve at the beginning of the pandemic in so that was that was great to work with him again. Um. You know, of course, was my first job out of the pandemic was me and Opportuno alone across the desk for a day. It was a career highlight. Mm hmm. So what does it

like working with him? How does he work? What's this process like? Um, well, i'll tell you. Um. For example, here's an exchange we had which was I say, how are you my friend? And his line is I feel unstuck. I feel unstuck somehow, And I said how are you my friend? And he said, no, you noticed. I didn't think anyone would notice. It's interesting. I'm not myself. I'm kind of about odds. I feel sort of I'm at sixes and sevens. I don't feel I don't feel connected.

I feel kind of unstuck. I guess unstuck some directoricals cut Now. I love that because it means he's going to go all around and do his inner monologue, his thought process. He's gonna say it out loud until he finds a way to say the words naturally and so that they make sense to him. And any connection to me, he was very connected to me. Uh, you know, bye

contact and um. But the director had asked if I could help the see move a little more quickly, because if every line we're gonna be like that, it would go on a lot. So I I would interrupt him, I would feed the line again. I kept trying to find a way to help him, to work with him and work around the word to get to the words. So it was sort of like a spectacular, high quality master acting class working with this genius um. And you know,

in between takes, he's just he's eighty two. He's still extremely good looking, full head of hair, which I'm jealous of, of course. Uh. And I said to him, are you still having fun? Is it still fun? And he said, you know this, this is fun the scene during the work. Uh, but I think the the business has changed so much that I don't think the business is fun for him anymore. But he worked a full eight hour day, no break, you know, eighty two, he's uh, he was cranking. He

was he was inspiring. Yeah, I guess I said at that point in and in his career, Um, he just feels like he I mean, he just must know how to improve a scene instantly by you know, ad libbing and and just you know, any any writer, producer would would would well would have to welcome that. I mean, you've got you know, Argue the greatest actor of the past, one of the top three great actors in the past, you know, seventy years and he's sitting there on your set and for him to uh ad lib, I think

you would say, yeah, keep going, keep going. You know. On The Creator, he and the Creator uh got along extremely well. Uh. You know, Pacino would come in the morning and hug him and talk to him and they go up on the side that he was very inclusive, he was very welcoming. I mean, yeah, he's iconic for a reason. He's a great act and a great guy. I mean he's loved. He loves the work. He doesn't have to work, he doesn't need the money, um, but he just loves the challenge of a good script and

good material, right, yeah, doing what he does best. You know, it's and I could chance to work with him. Yeah, We've got another film about twelve years ago called Righteous Kill with Robert Genniro and Piccino and John Lubuzabo, Donnie Walbrook's first big starring role. UM, and he was. He was great there too. He was you know, he was younger. I'm seventy now, so he must have had seventy at one time he did it. He Uh, he was great, he was playful, he's funny, he's uh. I've always thought

the goal in this business is longevity. I want to keep working. I don't want to keep enjoying it, and I want to be asked to work even when I get older. You know, Steve Correll is an interesting actor, uh to me, extremely versatile talent. Uh. You know, I saw him, you know, after his success on television, he did a movie right away, in a romantic lead with I think Juliette Binoche, and I remember thinking, boy, that

is just such odd offbeat casting. Didn't work for me, But the work that he's done since uh knocked me out. I just saw him in a Brad Pitt produced film about the subprime crisis. I forgot the name of it, but he played a character who lost his brother to suicide. He was a Wall Street guy and he got this information um from Ryan Gosli's character to take advantage of

the subprime mortgage crisis make a billion dollars. But you know, the work that he put in in that movie got got me right in the heart because he, uh, man, he went to some places a few actors are willing to go, you know, to have that type of courage to to just get naked like that and and and really let it, let it all hang out. He just really, he really choked me up. He's he's a really terrific talent, isn't he. He's a terrific talent. He has as you said,

he's so virtually has a lot of rain. The show I just threw with him was called The Patient. It was on Hulu. He plays a psychiatrist as the Jewish psychiatrist who gets kidnapped by a psychotic killer and changed to the floor of the guy's mother's house. And it was it was not committed at all, although there's some funny moments in the show, but it was just simple and really heartfelt and deeply emotional, and it was about Voluton with his son and to being a therapist and

he was heartbreakingly beautiful. Yeah, very nice offset you know of off camera? He's kind again, inventive, kind, inclusive, what you want when hope. Yeah, he's very special. He's very very special, a generational talent. All right, so we're gonna do a little thing we do at the end of these things called rapid Fireman throw some questions at you and you just answer them as fast as you can. They're all Gilmore related. All right, here we go. Are you team Logan, Team Dean or Team Jess Team Logan,

Team Logan? What is your favorite Gilmore Girls character? Who is your favorite Gilmore Girl's character? Bye? Bye Baron? Uh? What did you order? What would you order it? Luke's Dane Hamburger Fries. Uh. Who would you rather go on a road trip with Taylor or Michelle Taylor? Why? I think it'll be more fun. Yeah, I agree. Um, finish the lyric and where you lead, I will follow dot dot dot No, no, no, I did anywhere that you tell me to? Uh? Jackson's Vegetables are Suki's baked Goods?

Would you rather listen to Drella's Heart or the troopadouras cover songs? Shelton Prepper stars Hollow Hi, Stars Hollow Hi, come on public school. All right, um, it was nice meeting you, nice talking to you. Um, and keep on keeping on doing great work and having a an impactful career, which you've been doing for a long long time. So thanks so much. Have a have a great holiday and uh and a great New Year and uh. And keep doing the great work that you've been doing. Thank you,

stay sale and helping all the best. Hey, everybody, and don't forget follow us on Instagram at I Am all In podcast and email us at Gilmore at I heart radio dot com. Oh you gil More fans. If you're looking for the best cup of coffee in the world, go to my website from my company scott ep dot com, s c O T T y P dot com, Scott e P dot com Grade one Specialty Coffee. Yeah.