'Taxi Driver' was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I didn't become a weirdo and squawk like a chicken.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
'Taxi Driver' was one of the happiest moments of my career.
'Taxi Driver' is a movie that changed my life and made me a serious actor. Scorsese and De Niro. I give credit for anything that I've ever done as an actor.
I was training in Gleason's Gym on 30th and 8th Avenue, where it was the Mecca of boxing, and a guy walked in who couldn't rub two quarters together and said, 'Did you ever think of being on TV?' And somehow I ended up in 'Taxi,' which is the craziest thing of all.
With 'Taxi Driver,' I had this eureka moment. I realized that acting could be much more than what I had been doing. I had to build a character that wasn't me.
On 'Taxi,' I had the great fortune of directing many wonderful episodes, none more classic than Reverend Jim's driving test. It was maybe the funniest show I did.
'Taxi Driver' wasn't autobiographical in terms of the actual events, but I did draw on my own mental state.
You know, one of the biggest thrills I have is when famous people recognize me from Taxi.
I was a horrible limo driver: I ran out of gas with passengers in the back and I used to get lost on a regular basis.
I was a really bad taxi driver. I only collided twice but it was one time too much.
Once, I took a taxi. I hate those limousines. They stink and their drivers have been driving dead people to the cemeteries.