GK: Martin Sheen is a big-time actor with a career spanning nearly five decades-- you know him from his roles in Apocalypse Now, Wall Street, The California Kid, Badlands, and of course as President Josiah Bartlett on the TV series "The West Wing"--but it hasn't been an easy road for Martin Sheen, and he struggled just like everybody else when he first started out. In fact Mr. Sheen has no idea that we have this, but we've managed to secure a reel of some of his early work--
MS: Oh no you didn't--
GK: Oh yes we did. We have the low-budget indie films that Martin Sheen didn't want you to know about--
MS: Oh no--
GK: And a few early TV commercials as well-helped pay the rent back then, I'm sure--
MS: Please'no let's not--
GK: So start up the projector back there-and dim the lights--
("DIM THE LIGHTS" SEQUENCE, PROJECTOR STARTS, ANT MUSIC UP)
MS (ANNC): The common ant. They live in anthills. But do they realize they all look the same? Today on Mister Natural we're going to learn more about ants. And also about owls. (OWL)
GK: This was some kind of nature show you did.
MS (ANNC): Owls seem knowledgeable. Even wise. But what are they like when they're alone? ( OWL) And are they smarter than pigs? (PIG) Or a horse? (WHINNY)
GK: A TV series called "Mr. Natural" -- black-and-white--
MS: Right. That was a long time ago. I was in New York.
(BIG LOVE THEME)
MS: Oh no.
GK: And this is a clip from "Take Time For Romance"
MS: Nobody wants to see this-- really-- please--
GK: It was a low-budget movie made at a time when Martin was unemployed in the early seventies, not a lot of people know about it'let's watch a scene......
(MUSIC SWELLS)
MS: I'll wait as long as I need to wait, Larissa. That's the kind of guy I am. I'm a waiter.
SS: I'm just not sure, Larry. I love you but you're so much older.
MS: I've always been older, Larissa. Our age difference is no more than it was back when we started dating fifteen years ago.
SS: I don't want to rush into anything. In the meantime, let's be friends.
MS: But there's something powerful between us-- (MUSIC SWELLS) Something inside us, something so strong -- it can't wait.
SS: What do you mean, Larry?
MS: You're squeezing my bladder, Larissa.
SS: Oh, I'm sorry.
MS: I'll be right back.
(MUSIC SWELLS)
GK: "Take Time For Romance"-- not a big hit at the box office.
MS: It was one of those scripts that's better on the page than it is on the screen.
(COMMERCIAL MUSIC)
GK: Which explains why you went on to do this series of laundry detergent commercials--
MS: Oh boy.
GK: Let's roll the video.
MS (COMMERCIAL VOICE): It's a fact of life. Your clothes get filthy. Sometimes disgusting. And they never get completely clean. So you feel ashamed of yourself. Now there's a washday detergent that makes your clothes so fresh and clean, they give you a sense of spiritual cleansing as well. It's a detergent that contains borax from the Holy Land and so we call it -- Mikveh Nachos Mishpachah. The Blessings of Washday for The Whole Family. (MUSIC FADE)
GK: I've actually never heard of that brand before.
MS: The name was awkward for people. They changed the name to Schmutz-Off.
GK: Oh. Okay. --Here's another film you did-this one from the eighties, called "He Rides Like the Night"
MS: Oh boy. The biker movie.
(MOTORCYCLE PULLS UP)
SS: Please Johnny. Take me with you. Take me with you to Minnesota.
MS: No way, kid. This motorcycle was made for one.
SS: But I could ride behind you, with my arms around you.
MS: I'm extremely ticklish, kid. Anybody touches my ribs and I lose control. (REVS ENGINE)
SS: Then I could ride on the saddle and you could ride behind me.
MS: Men don't ride behind women, kid.
SS: But what about me, Johnny? (ENGINE REVS)--what about -- the baby?
MS: What baby?
SS: You didn't notice?
MS: So when do you think--
SS: September.
MS: September--
SS: Yeah, Johnny. September.
MS: So-- I'll see you in October. Good luck. (ENGINE REVS)
GK: Must have been fun to ride a motorcycle like that for a movie--
MS: That was my stunt double. I didn't do any riding. Insurance......
GK: Oh. Guess we've got one more on tap here--
The life of an actor is one of highs and lows......and before he got cast in "Apocalypse Now" Martin had to take a role in a movie called "Frog Lips" -- a sort of fairy tale--
MS: Where did you get this? (THEME)
(FROGS CROAKING, JUNGLE BIRDS, PRIMATES)
TR: We're lost, Julie. I have no idea where we are.
SS: Oh Frank-- we can make it-- don't panic.
TR: We never should've left the car when we ran out of gas.
MS: (CROAKING)
TR: What is that? Oh my gosh-- it's -- it's an alien frog.
MS (FROG): I am your friend. (CROAKS) Trust me.
TR: Oh my gosh. I never saw a face as ugly as that.
SS: I don't know.
TR: It's hideous.
SS: Hideous to you maybe. But-- I see friendship there. Its eyes are filled with kindness.
MS (CROAKING): Kiss me. Please.
TR: I'm going for a gun.
SS: No, no, Frank.
MS (CROAKING): Kiss me. If you do, I'll become handsome.
TR: Don't touch it, Julie. What are you doing? No! No!
(BIG WET KISS)
SS: WHAT HAPPENED? I thought you'd be transformed!!!!
MS (FROG): That was nice. Try it again.
TR: Don't do it. He's just trying to get you to kiss him.
(BIG WET KISS)
SS: IT DIDN'T WORK. AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG?
MS (FROG): Don't press your lips so tight. Try opening them a little bit --
SS: Okay but don't stick your tongue down there, okay? Promise? Promise?
GK: Anyway, that's from the career highlights reel of'Martin Sheen, ladies, and gentlemen.
(PLAYOFF)