The W FIVE INTERVIEW aired January 14, 1997.
"Too Much Law and Order" (A Video copy of the interview can be obtained from W Five by calling 1--800--728--2488; transcripts: 1--416--663--3607; email: W5@CTV.CA)
Segments of this interview were taped back stage while Michael was appearing as Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady", there was a scene at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, scenes in Halifax with Suzana, and some scenes from "Old Friends", his last episode on Law & Order. Much of the information in the interview has appeared in other places, so these are just some highlights:
Michael has applied for Canadian citizenship and says he will never turn back.
Michael backstage at "My Fair Lady": " A great dramatic actor is a car accident. People watch it like a car accident, and say, 'I've felt like that and that is the pain of life.' "
Visiting Independence Hall was obviously a very emotional experience for Michael, and at one point he was crying because of his recent negative experiences: "What happened in this country exceeded going to the moon. We went to the interior of the human heart."
Again backstage at "My Fair Lady", regarding his battle with Attorney General, Janet Reno, over television censorship: "I said, 'What is this some kind of stupid photo--op, Attorney General meets Ben Stone and all that stuff?' 'No, no, no if she gets her way, shows like Law & Order could go off the air.' "
"After my career, after what I have done, my love of the theater, to have a woman get into my face because she is Attorney General and threaten my job----that's tyranny."
Following a segment using the last scene from "Old Friends":
Christie Nielsen (the interviewer): "What was going through your mind during that last show?"
Michael: "Pain and freedom simultaneously. Maybe like a childbirth when they cut the umbilical cord. Only I cut it myself. I said no more of those cords. Boom! I'm free now!"And: "I blew my career, blew it right out of the water by going up against her. She's KGB."
Christie: "KGB? Are you saying that the U.S. has turned into a Stalinist state?"
Michael: "Increasingly so. Why do you think I'm living in Canada?"
Christy: "Is any of this a desire to be outrageous?"
Michael (after a pause): "Well, you can say that. You can patronize me. Go ahead and patronize me, honey. I've paid too much for all of this. If I'd wanted to be outrageous, I could do it in other ways. I don't have to lose my job over it." (Earlier the commentator had said that Michael has walked away from a million dollars a year for principles.)
A bit later in the interview:
Voice--over: "This is not the first time Michael Moriarty has crusaded against the establishment. Fifteen years ago, he demonstrated with fellow cast members on Broadway to stop the demolition of two theaters.
Cut to Michael being interviewed: "We had to be arrested to this extent to say this is how firmly we believe in these two theaters." Flashes an engaging smile.
Cut again to backstage at "My Fair Lady."
Christy: "Tell me about activism. Does it run in the Moriarty's blood?"
Michael: "No, it smoulders." Smiles. "We don't get up and hotdog, you know." Voice-over: "One of his heroes was his grandfather George (Pictured close up in baseball gear--there is some physical resemblance to his grandson). Michael: "He was a fighting Irishman from southside Chicago, built a career with a six grade education. He was a baseball player, manager of the Tigers, poet, songwriter, a lecturer. He was a Renaissance man.
Commentator: "George Moriarty was also an umpire and in the 1935 World Series, he kicked Chicago's manager out of the game for yelling anti--Jewish slurs."
Christie: "That kind of thing helped drive you?"
Michael interjects: "Yes absolutely! Ya, ya! There's an umpire in me. Ya...ya, I cried foul."Again backstage at "My Fair Lady":
Commentator: 'Now at fifty--five, Michael Moriarty has returned to his roots, the stage. Playing Henry Higgins to an audience of a few hundred in Philadelphia is a far cry from Ben Stone's audience of 10 million, but Moriarty says he is doing fine and winning a battle with depression that started in his 20's."
Michael: "This is my personality now and its been that way for three years. I'm happy as a clam. They say, 'You are a manic--depressive.' No, I'm not because I'm never depressed."
Christie: "You are a hard living guy?"
"Yes, m'am. I'm a party doll now. I love bars now."
Christie: "Did you always?"
Michael: "No, no, but my parents did. They were functioning alcoholics, but I fought it for years. Then I took Churchill's advice; he said, 'Drink moderately all day.' "
Cut to harbor front view of downtown Halifax: Commentator: "When Moriarty is not on stage he is here in Halifax where has an apartment downtown. He has applied for Canadian citizenship, and met a local woman who he says has changed his life. Suzana Cabrita"
Cut to Suzana and Michael walking hand-in-hand along a street in the snow, she brushes her hood aside and smiles. They go into a bar, Michael holding the door open for her.
Commentator: "He met her in a bar while he was making a film here last summer. She was there with a friend."
Suzana: "I went over and introduced myself, and said, "Why don't you come sit with us because we're both big fans of yours?' And he did-- and the rest is history."
Cut to close-up. Suzana and Michael kiss.
Michael: "I've never been happier in my life."
Cut to two of them at bar with two beers, relaxed.
Michael: "Bliss, Baby, bliss!
Cut again to backstage at "My Fair Lady": Christie: "What is it about this lady? You are completely smitten!"
Michael (lighting a cigarette): She is a woman, a natural woman. She ain't no feminist, She's a woman. Well, I'll tell you. When I come home she don't sit there and try and debate me."
Christie: "So you don't like to have women argue with you?" (Arch smile).
Michael: "Well, that is a feminist response. I say the words of my heart. You either love me as I am or let's end this baby."
(At this point this viewer wanted to say: "Folks, gender is not the issue here. No one wants to come home to a debate.")
Cut to close-up of Suzana:
"Sometimes we do argue and sometimes we don't, but I don't mind him getting things off his chest."
Christie (musing): "But long term can she keep up with Moriarty? (Shot of Michael smiling at the remark)
Suzana (Quiet but assured): "Oh, I can keep up. No problem with keeping up! (Laughs and then we can hear Michael laugh in the background).
A segment from the "Dini Show" of Jan. 28, 1996 is used for an update of Michael's activities including his book on the fight with Janet Reno, a murder mystery, and his upcoming performance with the North York Symphony Orchestra in February, 1997.
When asked by Christie what his epitaph would be, he says (as he has previously): "Here lies a good actor with a weakness for God and a genius for life."
Thanks for this great summary of the W Five profile of Michael! [dw]
If you have seen a live performance, movie, book or TV appearance and would like to send a review just e-mail: Debbie