I liked the America of Bing Crosby, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton - it was all a dream, of course, but a very alluring dream for a young man from Canton.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Chaplin was my idol. I remember watching those movies at this little theater in Woodstock, N.Y., when I was probably 6 and laughing so hard at the surprises, like Keaton suddenly being dragged by a streetcar.
I had no aspirations to be part of American cinema... I was really a Europe-based person, and those were the films I was inspired by.
I grew up and I was weaned on the Marx Brothers. They were sort of my all-time favorite. My parents showed me their movies when I was very young. And as I got older, I became a Charlie Chaplin fan, and I love Buster Keaton.
Growing up, the dream was to be on Broadway. I always loved theater.
I was always a big fan of Charlie Chaplin movies. I love 'The Great Dictator' and 'City Lights.'
European films were what it was about for me - the sensations I needed, the depth, the storytelling, the characters, the directors, and the freedom that you can't really find in American films.
I want to be remembered for Swiss Family Robinson and Old Yeller. I think Swiss is probably my favorite film.
In 'Angels in America,' I got to fulfill a lifelong dream. I was in the air eight nights a week for two years, and I just loved it.
My first dream was to travel. I was attracted to different places, different colors of skin, different food. When I was 18 in 1977, I went to Europe with my accordion and discovered the pleasure of entertaining people.
I lived the true American dream, because I was able to pursue what I set as my goals at a very young age.