Mark Interviews 1970+

Mark Hamill

Mark Hamill, one of the most talented young actors in Hollywood, was a regular on last year's series The Texas Wheelers - a really good show which was unfortunately cancelled. But Mark is not an easy guy to discourage, and as he sat and talked with 16's Editor Danny Fields in Hollywood recently, it was clear that Mark has nothing but high hopes and good feelings about the future. Here is a word-for-word transcript of the conversation.


When will we see you next on TV?

There's an NBC-TV movie called Eric, in which I play the brother of a boy who's dying of leukemia. Patricia Neal is in it, and it was really inspirational working with her. Let's see, what else... I did a Petrocelli, and a Streets of San Francisco, and there are some other things coming up.

Do you think you'll be doing another series? Would you like to do one?

Well, I'd like to do just about anything, but after Texas Wheelers there's not a series that really appeals to me. I got a little spoiled over at MTM Productions - I had the best writers there and the best people all-around. But I came awfully close - it was between me and another person for a couple of things that have been on TV this year, and naturally I wanted them both, but when I saw the pilot for one of them I realized that it wasn't for me, and I wouldn't have been happy doing it. And the other show hasn't come on yet, so I don't know. Anyhow, perhaps it's for the best.

What kind of roles do you like most?

Comedy. I love comedy, I really do, and I haven't gotten much of a chance to do it, other than in plays and stuff. But I'd like to do comedy, in the movies especially.

Do you like movies?

I've always loved films, they were my first love. When I was a kid my family moved to Japan, because my father's in the navy, and I would see a different movie every night. Fantasy and science fiction were always my favorites, but I love all films. I still remember the first time I saw King Kong. I was about five, and just thinking about it can bring it all back to me. I think even then I knew I wanted to act.

Was your family aware of that?

No, I never told anyone, because I didn't want anyone to try and talk me out of it.

What roles are you proudest of?

I like myself in Sarah T., that TV movie about alcoholism, with Linda Blair. The character I played was so unsympathetic and such a clod and a square. He was so cruel. I hated those kind of guys in High School, the guys that had everything, you know, best athlete and student council and all. Well, in the script he was all these terrible things, so I worked completely in the other direction, and tried to make him likeable, and I think it worked.

What do you like best about your work in general?

I think it's just about the greatest thing in the world. I'm writing a little bit, and I think I'll be able to branch into it, and I'm trying to break into a lot of fields through acting. It's so exciting to me, I just love the business, and the people in it, for the most part are so good and so nice.

Where you very disappointed when Texas Wheelers was cancelled?

Sure - that was a really unusual show. I don't think I've ever worked on anything where everybody felt so good about everything. The chemistry was just right, it was great. But I'm all right now. I think I've re-arranged my goals. When I first got to Hollywood I'd look around and say, 'Gee, this guy has a series, and this guy got a part I wanted and he hasn't been here as long as I have' and all that stuff. But after a while, it all works out. You know, I have everything I want. I really do. I have possessions - I don't have a fabulous wardrobe or anything like that, but I'm really satisfied. I have a car, everything is paid for, I have some money in the bank to play around with. I used to have this time-table for myself, and I'd think, 'By 1975, I've got to be this far,' but things don't work this way. You learn that pretty fast. Anyhow, everything is working out.

Do you have a particular girl friend now?

Well, I went with this one girl for so long it was like being married at a young age, and now that that's over, I don't want to take on any more commitments just yet. I've been seeing a lot of girls casually, you know, not lasting relationships. It's better that way for me right now.

What kind of music do you like?

Rock and classical. I like Tubular Bells a lot, because it's sort of both. When you live at the beach you put on the 1812 Overture and go outside and eat your yogurt and watch the waves breaking - that's what I like.

What kind of car do you have?

Oh, I don't want to talk about cars. I hate cars.

Really? Me, too, only I thought in Los Angeles everyone talks about cars a lot.

I hate Los Angeles too - except the beach is nice. It's much nicer there than in Hollywood, with dogs and cookouts and sailboats, and the air is clean. It's sort of like Cape Cod. As far as cities go, I love New York and San Francisco, but not Los Angeles.

Do you read your fan mail?

Not only do I read it, but I answer every single letter myself. I really do. It's all organized according to the date it arrives, and whenever I can, I answer it, starting with the earliest ones. I'm a little backed up, but I love doing it. The kids who write are so fantastic, and I learn so much from them.

Sixteen Magazine, 1975