Interview: Actor JOHN O'HURLEY Discusses Playing Captain Hook in Lythgoe Panto of PETER PAN at Pasadena Playhouse

Actor John O'Hurley will costar at the Pasadena Playhouse as Captain Hook in the Lythgoe Family's Panto of Peter Pan and Tinker Bell A Pirates Christmas opening December 9. He chats with us about the show and his varied career on stage, film and TV.

Tell me about your role in Peter Pan. Having fun with Captain Hook? Panto will be fun with kids hissing and booing at you. It must make the actor playing the villain feel like he's truly doing an effective job, or does it?

I LOVE IMPROV - ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH CHILDREN WHO BAND TOGETHER IN AN AUDIENCE - GOOD VS. EVIL! CAPTAIN HOOK IS IN LOVE WITH HIMSELF - LIKE MICK JAGGER WITH NO APOLOGIES. TO HIM, A BOO AND A HISS IS JUST ANOTHER TERM OF ENDEARMENT!

What is it like working with the Lythgoe family?

QUITE SIMPLY - THE HAPPIEST, MOST JOYFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET IN THE WORLD OF "I-TAKE -MYSELF-TOO- SERIOUSLY- BECAUSE-I-AM-A-PRODUCER!" THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE IF IT WERE PEOPLED WITH FUN, JOYFUL, TALENTED TEAMS LIKE THEM.

Talk a little about doing Seinfeld. What kind of change did the show bring to TV sitcoms...and how was your role vital in that?

IT WAS THE END OF THE SET-UP GAG JOKE IN SITCOMS. SEINFELD INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF "THE SCENE IS FUNNY, THE LINES AREN'T". PETERMAN WAS AN EXAMPLE OF LONG-FORM WRITING (HIS MONOLOGUES). NO OTHER SITCOM COULD HAVE SUSTAINED THAT CHARACTER. THE END STORY IS THAT I LIKE THE CHRACTER SO MUCH, I ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE COMPNY IN 1999 A YEAR AFTER THE SHOW ENDED. I'VE BEEN PART-OWNER EVER SINCE. JPETERMAN.COM

Did you enjoy doing Family Feud? It has to be a completely different ballgame from acting, right?

IT WAS LIKE HOSTING A COCKTAIL PARTY EVERY SHOW. I LOVED IT - BUT I DID GET DISAPPOINTED AS TIME WENT ON IN THE LOSS OF THE FAMILY-TONE TO THE SHOW. I OBJECTED TO THE THE POINT OF EVERY SURVEY QUESTION BECOMING A PENIS JOKE. IT REFLECTED ON ME AS THE HOST, AND I DIDN'T ENJOY THAT PART.

Amazing triumph on Dancing with the Stars! Did you feel you would win the first time? What about the second time? Did you expect it?

I WAS THRILLED TO BE A PART OF THE INNOCENCE OF THAT FIRST SEASON. I WENT FROM EXPECTING TO BE THE FIRST-OUT TO THINKING "I CAN WIN THIS". I ACTUALLY ENJOYED THE CONTROVERSY OF THE FIRST SEASON AND THE "DANCE-OFF". I THINK IT ADDED EVEN MORE INTEREST IN THE SHOW. WHAT I AM HAPPIEST ABOUT IS THAT OUR LITTLE RAGTAG MILITIA TEN YEARS AGO BROUGHT COUPLES-DANCING AND BALLROOM BACK TO THE NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS. IT HAD BEEN MISSING SINCE MY PARENTS DANCED TOGETHER IN THE EARLY SIXTIES!

Tell us about doing voice-over work. I know it is a very lucrative business. How did you get involved? Do you like doing it as much as acting?

ONCE ANIMATION DIRECTORS HEARD PETERMAN, IT BECAME A DAILY CALL. BEFORE THAT - I COULDN'T GET ARRESTED IN THE FIELD. IT GOES TO SHOW YOU - WORK FROM YOUR STRENGTH.

Talk about the National Dog Show and how that fits into your life.

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