Christopher Plummer: Barrymore, Sound of Music & Hollywood Traps | Dini Petty 1997

Christopher Plummer hadn't shaved in weeks. The mustache, grown specifically for playing John Barrymore at Stratford, made him look like a different man. In this 1997 conversation, one of theater's most distinguished actors explains why he never got trapped in Hollywood like Barrymore did, and why he's glad he didn't.

Compared to Olivier and Gielgud, Plummer discusses the one-man show that would take him from Stratford to Broadway, the curse of staying in LA too long, and why he thinks Oscar nominations matter more than the actual award. This interview captures a legendary actor at the height of his powers, just before embarking on a major theatrical journey.

0:00 Dini welcomes the man compared to Olivier, Gielgud, and Barrymore himself
1:56 The mustache, the Barrymore role, and two hours alone on stage talking to 1,200 partners every night
3:03 John Barrymore the rebel: Hollywood destroyed the greatest actor of the 20th century
4:43 The LA trap and why Plummer never got stuck there
6:12 Performing as Barrymore: coarse language, sexual innuendo, and a character too wild for his own good
8:53 Toronto audiences know their stuff, and Broadway is next
10:10 The hotel room interview nobody has forgotten
11:05 Awards, Oscars, and why five nominees should all win
12:51 Why the nomination is the real award

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ABOUT THE DINI PETTY SHOW

The Dini Petty Show was a Canadian daytime talk show that aired on CTV from 1989 to 1999. Broadcast from Toronto, the show featured in-depth interviews with over 400 celebrities, including Hollywood legends, music icons, politicians, and cultural figures. Dini Petty's warm yet probing interview style earned the show multiple Gemini Award nominations and a loyal audience across Canada.

This channel is the official archive of The Dini Petty Show. Most of these interviews have not been seen since their original broadcast. New conversations from the vault are uploaded weekly.

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