One on One: Jim Jansen

twenty one, Driving Miss Gilmore. Also appeared in the fall episode of A Year in the Life A Little Bit About Jim. He's an actor from St. Salt Lake City. He's out of over a hundred and thirty four acting credits, including playing approximately thirteen minister religious characters, twenty law government characters,

and twenty doctor characters for TV and film. You've had plenty of film and TV experience before Gilmore, with a few episodes of Murphy Brown, Fresh Prince of bel Air, Boy meets World Weird Weird, Science Star Trek, Deep Space nine, Who's the Boss, just to name a few. Tell us about being a part of so many iconic shows. Well, I'm amazed at the research you've done. It's been a lot of fun. You know, it's been a career, which is us been very pleasant. So I started in California

about and retired like four years ago. So it's uh yeah, well, congratulations on a on a remarkable and very long career. Not very many actors get to hang in there for four decades, four and a half decades, seven years. Yeah, um uh well, okay, So now to Gilmore Girls as a Reverend Skinner. How did you get the role? Was it offered to Jeff to audition? I auditioned for it. Tell us about that. What do you remember? Well? I

remember it well. It was at Warner Brothers and the casting agent who I'm sorry, I don't remember her name right now, but she came out into the waiting room and said, now, look, Amy likes everybody to talk as fast as possible and pick up your cues. And I said, well, okay, I've been doing Broadway New York theater for twelve years. We have to pick up our cues. So that was the only thing that was on my mind when I auditioned,

to talk fast and pick up my cues. And then after doing a few episodes of Gilmore, I understand why that's where everybody talks fast. Um, yeah, the job. Well it was good, so you already had that training and then you went in there and lit up the room. Um yeah, Um, we found this trivia for you. You've played approximately, as I mentioned earlier, thirteen minister religious characters, twenty law government characters, and twenty doctor characters. How about that?

Why is that? It must be because people trust you? I guess yeah. It surprises me too. I'll keep that statistic because I didn't know all those numbers. Why do you think people trust you so much? Because that's really what it is. It comes down man, that's a guy I trust. Let's give him the role. Yeah, Likable, trustable. I'm not sure that I am either of those, but at least that's how I come off working. Well, that's the important part of well did you prefer one profession

over the other? Two? Portrait? Uh huh? Now. I always like being a priest or whatever, priest pastor. I don't know why. I just enjoyed that a lot, especially on Gilmore. We had a lot of fun with being a priest on that. What was your most memorable moment as for being a priest and any production? Well, I think in Gilmoura was I think I had the most fun. It was the most interesting to do. We were shooting in the church and I was in the pulpit giving a sermon,

and and that particular part of it. We shared our church with a synagogue, and we were going, we were going within the story, we were going too long, so the Rabbi was in the back of the church going pointing at his watch. So I had to do the attitudes as fast as I could. Say that the attitudes, and I thought I get through this. But I thought that was really fun because he came in and put his startup David up and took the cross down. And

that was a fun one. When you came in for or when the call came for you for a year in life? Which were you included an a pivotal scene for Luke and Laureli. What was what was your reaction? Well, I was delighted to be back. I was shot one scene that didn't make into the final but the shot I scene I shot with you is what I married you and Laureline. Oh that's right, yeah, theddle of the night. Oh my god, it's all such a blur. Oh my goodness. Yeah,

that a very pivotal moment for the storyline, right sure, yeah. Um, well, when you saw the end of a year in the life, I'm assuming you saw it. What did you think the very end? Uh uh yeah, I thought it looked great and I thought, boy, they're the last line of that episode says we could do this all over again. M hmm, right, mom, I think I'm was the last line. Yeah, I think I'm pregnant. Yeah, Mom, I think I'm I think I'm bringing Yeah, the last five words for words, yea, whatever

it is, there's a there right there. Um uh, okay, that was the last role you did. What what are you up to now? What do you how's your retirement going? Well, you know, I'm enjoying it a lot. I didn't think, I really what but I do. My neighbors say, how do you do that? You know, how do you retire? What do you do now? And I said, well, you know, I've been an actor for forty seven years and because I started in New York in nine, Um, I always had a lot of free time. Actors always have a

lot of free time. You know. You you when you have a job, you're working intensely and you're working fast, and you're working a lot, and then suddenly you're you're not and you have a week or two or three where you don't have anything. So I've always had free time. I've always had ways of filling There have things to do and things I enjoy. So it just stretched a little longer than in the past. And what advice would you give young actors looking to get into the profession? Wow, Uh,

get a good education. Yeah, that's good. I think finding a college program that gives you the opportunity to be on stage a lot, or nowadays you're in film a lot that you know they're shooting film all or digital all over the place. But I think, uh, having a good background in the literature of the theater is important and getting a lot of practice before you get out

there and try to sell it. All. Right, We're gonna play a game called rapid Fire, So I'm gonna fire some questions at you and you answer them as quickly as you can. There's the thing again, right fast as how many cups of coffee do you have in a day? One? Are you team Logan, Team Jesser, team Dean? Who is your favorite Gilmore Girls character? Oh? God, Uh, everybody's strukes. I know everybody's druggles. Just throw one out, throw one out there, you go. What would you rather? Would you

what would you order it? Luke's Diner? Uh, coffee and a slice of cake? Uh? Would you? Would you rather go on a road trip with Taylor or Michelle Taylor? But that's an easy answer. Uh, finish the lyric and where you lead. I will follow dot dot dot un till the end of my days anywhere that you tell me to. Um close Jackson's vegetables are Suki's baked goods? Goods? Would you rather listen to Drella's harp or The Troubadour's cover songs? Oh? Cover songs? Children? Prepper Stars, Hollow Hi Stars,

Hollow Hi. Okay, So one last question before we let you go, Um, compare your experience on the set of Gilmore Girls to everything else that you ever did in your career? And where does it rank? Pretty high, pretty high, up to the top, because well, it's a happy set. It's a lot of great people to work with and that's the best part of it. Also, craft services was very good. It was very good. Wasn't it all right? Jim? Thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate it. Continued

good wishes for your retirement. Um, we are the poor for it, but you are the richer for it. I am sure you you you deserved it. You deserve it. Uh and enjoy it and all the best to you. Okay, it's great to see your Scott. All right, buddy, take care by bye, all right, bye, esta Hey everybody, and don't forget follow us on Instagram at I Am all In podcast and Emailie at Gilmore at I heart radio

dot com. Oh you Gilmore 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 CEO t t y P dot com, scotty p dot com Grade one Specialty Coffee