BH: Thanks for talking with me today. How are you?
TGW: Doing good. Thanks for having me on.
BH: So where do we start? After getting to know more about your career, I don’t really know where to start. Amazing resume you have from film, television, to theater, you have done it all. Just to catch everyone up to speed, you have been in some great movies and television shows. To name a few: The Thing, …And Justice For All, Miami Vice, NYPD Blue, Oz, Law and Order, The Punisher, and last but definitely not least, The Warriors. What is it that you are most passionate about? Is it theater, film, or the television shows?
TGW: Actually what I am most passionate about believe it or not is my music. I have a band, The Thomas G. Waites Project. We are on Spotify, there are seven songs. Of all the things I have ever done, it’s the thing that I am positively exhilarated by. Since we have been quarantined, I have been practicing four hours a day. “Laughs”. I’m gonna be a lot better when I get out of this.
BH: Well I wasn’t prepared for that. But I did you see a video of your band performing “In The City” by the Eagles. It sounded great. You were playing guitar and singing. Do you guys play much in the NYC area?
TGW:”Laughs”. I perform as often as I possibly can. But back to acting. I cut my teeth as an actor. I got a scholarship to Juilliard at age 17 and moved to NYC and trained as an actor there. After I got out of school, I started working as a professional actor. By age 21, I did my first movie. I then signed a three picture deal with Paramount by age 23. I was on Broadway with Al Pacino by 25. I then signed a deal with Warner Brothers by age 30. Since then I have done a lot of television shows and of course opened up my own acting studio. Recently I did FBI Most Wanted on CBS, Homeland, and The Punisher somewhere in between those other two. When business opens back up, I plan to get right back into acting and my music. We will be booking some shows and all of that. I will be on a musical expedition.
BH: What type of music do you guys play?
TGW: Its all originals. Kind of a cross between Springsteen and Dylan. Very folk rock oriented. “Laughs”. It’s easy listening with a kick.
BH: With the acting studio and classes, do you teach yourself? Can students learn directly from you?
TGW: Yes. I teach every Monday night from 7:00-10:00 PM EST on Zoom. We welcome everyone who would like to check it out. It’s a life changing experience. I have been teaching acting for as long as I have been acting. I have a calling to be a teacher, a gift to articulate verbally what you need to understand in order to make a scene come to life, In order for you to be great in the scene. I make the good players great and the okay players good. I also raise money to do productions for my students, helping them get paid jobs in a play. And performing is an art, performing gives you power.
BH: Lets shift a bit to that movie everyone wants to talk about, including me. I’m sure it’s what most people want to talk to you about right?
TGW: Well its probably the most infamous of all the things that I have done. You know I’m glad because its brought me a lot of good luck. But unfortunately I got fired from the movie. Kind of a sad ending.
BH: Yes I heard about that, but it didn’t diminish your role, as a fan who cares. I mean you are in the movie. Your character Fox had a great part and I get what you are saying. Maybe you could have had a few more scenes.
TGW: Well I was actually suppose to play the part that Michael Beck played. After they fired me, they had him play my part. So it was disappointing and all brought on by myself. No one to blame but the person you are talking to.
BH: Well it takes a strong person to admit that.
TGW: I take full responsibility for getting fired.It was no ones fault but my own. I mishandled an opportunity, I was young and impulsive.
BH: On a positive note. The Warriors is a great movie, a classic that still brings you guys together for conventions.
TGW: Oh, I love the guys. We are pals, we hang out together and have laughs. We have a good time together.
BH: That’s awesome. How often do you guys do that?
TGW: We get together for the conventions and autograph signings. Whether its San Antonio, New Jersey, or some other location, we meet at the hotel and go have dinner together. I am particularly close with Dorsey (Cleon in The Warriors). He’s my man, a Capricorn, we both are from Philadelphia. How bad can he be?
BH: “Laughs”. I saw on Terry’s (Vermin in The Warrior’s) Facebook page that you guys had 7 of The Warriors together for a photo op. I know that Rembrandt has passed away.
TGW: Yes Marcelino.Wonderful kid.
BH: What about the final one, Cowboy? Does he ever get together with you guys?
TGW: No.Tom McKitterick. I believe he lives in London and sort of dropped out of the business.
BH: Well I think its great after 41 years that 7 of you guys still get together. The fans are still passionate about the movie and I’m sure they will appreciate that the actors are still as well!
TGW: Its pretty cool and we love each other. We stick together.
BH: Here we go. For The Warriors biggest fans, is there something behind the scenes you can share?
TGW: Well we almost got our asses kicked by real gangs a couple of times. We were in Brooklyn and these guys showed up and were like what the fuck are you guys doing in our territory?
BH: Kind of like what The Orphans said to you guys in the movie!
TGW: We were like we are just some pussy actors. So they had to give some cash to the associate directors and go pay them off. The cops had to even come out a few times.
BH: Wow!
TGW: Yah man. You have to understand we started shooting at six at night and shot until six in the morning. It was a grueling schedule, all that running and running all night long. It was so intense and hot as hell. There was no air conditioning in the trailer.
BH: So filming was in the summer in NY?
TGW: Yes the summer of ’78 and a very very hot summer.
BH: Did you experience anything like this in other movies?
TGW: I did a movie called “On The Yard” which was in a prison. We had to simulate a prison riot and let me tell you something, it got fucking scary as hell. I thought they were going to start rioting. Again this pussy actor stuck in the middle of fucking murderers and other convicts and here I am fresh out of Juilliard, like I will defend myself, yah right! I’m 122 pounds, lets go!
BH: Well I guess everything worked out in the end?
TGW: Yah, they look out for actors. We are their babies, they have to protect their babies. I did another movie, John Carpenter’s The Thing. We were up in Alaska and one night it was 60 below zero and we were shooting. The crew has to stay outside and work like a regular job, 8-10 hours a day. We go out and do our scene and then they put a bench warmer on us and bring us inside for some hot chocolate. Those movie crews are tough people. They are the first ones there in the morning and the last ones to leave and carrying all the equipment. Plus they have to deal with actors. Production people are the unsung heroes of the movie business.
BH: What do you think was your best acting?
TGW:…And Justice For All with Al Pacino. I was 23 and hopefully I will get a chance to be in another movie so I can show what I can do. I have gotten a lot better since then.
BH: Well you have been in so many TV shows lately.
TGW: But TV is very limiting, they have to get to the commercial. They are there to sell the soap, they don’t give a fuck about the acting.
BH: “Laughing”.
TGW: Everything is timed, and has to be fast. Not a lot of character development, just show up, shoot and go. And I’m okay with that. I am a seasoned professional capable of showing up on the day, on a dime and hit the mark and do the job. The crew’s love me because they know they are going to get home early when I’m working.
BH: So back to your acting school and the classes you offer. So not in NYC, no problem right? You offer the Zoom classes correct?
TGW: That’s right. They can Zoom in and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge. All the information is on my website www.thomasgwaites.com. I’m like an encyclopedia. Not only do I know acting, I know theater and I have been an actor now for 44 years. Over 50 plays I have acted in, probably directing 25-30, I have been in 30 films, I don’d even know how many television shows. There are a lot of people teaching acting, not many have this kind of experience.
BH: Plus the classes are so affordable. Starting at $250 a month someone can learn from you directly and gain the skills and confidence they need to land their first job. You even said you help people get jobs and sometimes even help with funding for their productions. Sounds like a real value you are providing.
TGW: Not to mention these classes are highly motivational. You finish these classes and you are ready to take on the world man! Your courage is bursting and you are ready to go to work. We have people that start out slumped in their chair, and by the end of the classes they are like give me that fucking Shakespeare man, lets go!
BH: Well thanks for your time, it has been fun. Your voice hasn’t changed any, you sound the same as you did playing Fox in The Warriors 41 years ago!
TGW: “Laughling”. That’s because I sing everyday!
BH: Good point. Thanks again! I have enjoyed our talk.
TGW: Billy I look forward to working with you man!
BH: Same here!