AMERICAN MASTERS: JEFF BRIDGES: THE DUDE ABIDES (TV)
Summary
One in this series that explores the lives and achievements of America's most celebrated artists and performers. This episode is about Jeff Bridges, the actor and six-time Oscar nominee whose career has spanned over forty years. The program begins as he creates an impromptu painting on a sheet of Plexiglass as his brother, Beau, also an actor, discusses how his brother is a “renaissance man” with many assorted talents. Jeff explains his approach to films and his occasional resistance to certain projects, saying that he values the experience of working with other artists most of all and considers the finished film to be a “souvenir.” Director Peter Bogdanovich discusses meeting Jeff at age nineteen and knowing immediately that he wanted him for “The Last Picture Show,” despite the character having a very different disposition from Jeff himself. Cybill Shepherd recounts her on- and off-screen romance with her co-star and elaborates on the experience of making the film. His showbiz family, including father Lloyd Bridges, is then explored, and Jeff talks about memories of his mother with additional comments from Beau and sister Lucinda. His very first acting role at age nine was a small part on his father’s famous show, “Sea Hunt,” at his father’s encouragement, although he remembers disliking the experience and later worrying about going into acting and being cast due to nepotism. His interest in music was apparent at an early age, and through Beau, he met famed music producer Quincy Jones and contributed a song, “Lost in Space,” to the soundtrack of the film “John and Mary.”
His role as a boxer in “Fat City” is then examined, with comments from co-star Stacy Keach, followed by his role in “The Iceman Cometh,” which he originally turned down. He discusses his experience working with actor Robert Ryan, and learning that stage fright can be a “buddy” to an actor, even after many years. He then talks about “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot,” in which he starred alongside Clint Eastwood, and “Cutter’s Way,” a film noir that showed a “dark quotient” in Jeff, according to director Taylor Hackford. Hackford then explains that he wanted Jeff for “Against All Odds,” despite Hollywood doubts about him stemming from his unsuccessful 1976 “King Kong,” and fought to get him in the role, which restored his star power. His next film was “Starman,” and his portrayal of an extraterrestrial in a human body, for which he studied the mannerisms of birds and babies, earned him his third Academy Award nomination. Co-star Karen Allen discusses working on the film as well as his interest in taking photographs of the production process and presenting them to the cast and crew at the end, a habit he has continued since then. He then produced and acted in a film called “American Heart” about the working poor of America, inspired by a photo essay of homeless youths entitled “Streetwise.” Lucinda then relates the story of his moving out of the family home in his teens, including his statement that he “didn’t dig [his parents] anymore,” but eventually came back.
In 1974, he met Susan Geston on a film set, and they married in 1977 and had three daughters. She shares her memories of their early time together and the kindness of his relatives, stating that she thinks she brings a “stability” to his life and that his main focus has always been on family. Jeff then discusses working with brother Beau on the film “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and the ease of playing onscreen siblings. Beau’s son Jordan, also an actor, recounts tales that he heard of the brothers staging fights in public and then quickly switching to a theatrical scene for onlookers’ entertainment, and Beau talks about a violent scene between the two in “Baker Boys” and how he was genuinely injured when Jeff forgot himself in the staging of the fight. Director Terry Gilliam then discusses “The Fisher King” and knowing that Jeff was right for the part of an arrogant radio host after he expressed interest in the unusual photography of Joel-Peter Witkin. Jeff himself had doubts about the role, but his co-stars, Robin Williams and Mercedes Ruehl, share their positive experiences working with him on the film, with Williams stating that Jeff is the “bass” that keeps the “jazz” of a film grounded and focused. Zen teacher Bernie Glassmen then weighs in on the principles of serenity practiced by Jeff, and relatives state that he has a labyrinth in his backyard, which is not the same as a maze, as explained, as its purpose is more about patience in finding one’s way rather than getting lost.
His infamous role of Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski in “The Big Lebowski” is then discussed, with Jeff reminiscing that he was stunned at the similarities of the character to aspects of his own life and persona, jokingly suspecting the writers/directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, of doing background research on his life in writing the script. The film’s cult status is explored, including the “Little Lebowski” store in lower Manhattan, and Jeff discusses asking his daughters’ opinion on his playing the oafish, slacker character and wanting their approval. Co-star John Goodman laughs as he states that Jeff created “a character for all time” in The Dude. Jeff’s mother, however, disliked the offbeat role, preferring more upstanding characters like the President in “The Contender” and famed racehorse owner Charles S. Howard in “Seabiscuit.” He comments that acting is like “being a kid” and getting to pretend and use fun, innovative technology, as seen in his films “Iron Man,” “TRON” and “TRON: Legacy.” “Legacy” co-star Olivia Wilde says that Jeff is always engaged in his art, but “doesn’t let it oppress him.”
His Oscar-nominated turn as grizzled marshal Rooster Cogburn in “True Grit,” a role originated by John Wayne in the 1969 film, is discussed and compared to Lloyd Bridges’ Western roles, and Bogdanovich speculates that Jeff wanted to avoid “superseding” his father’s career and held himself back prior to his death in 1998. His Academy Award-winning role as Bad Blake, a washed-up country star, in “Crazy Heart” is then explored, with comments from friend and music producer T-Bone Burnett, including mention of the death of composer Stephen Bruton prior to the film’s release in 2009. Director Scott Cooper comments that Jeff and co-star Robert Duvall are not “safe” actors, and Robin Williams compliments Jeff’s painfully accurate portrayal of an alcoholic. Jeff is seen receiving his Academy Award, to a standing ovation from the crowd, and thanking his parents in his speech. He then explains that the film inspired him to pursue music more actively, and that with Burnett’s help, he put together a band called The Abiders, in reference to “Lebowski,” with whom he frequently travels and performs. Terry Gilliam closes the program by stating that Jeff is “his own movie star” and has chosen to follow his own path rather than engage in a typical Hollywood career.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: January 12, 2011 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:23:17
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 104625
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Biography; Actors
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1986-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Susan Lacy … Executive Producer
- Julie Sacks … Supervising Producer
- Neil Koenigsberg … Producer
- Nikki Silver … Producer
- Orly Wiseman … Producer
- Richard O'Connor … Producer
- Brian O'Connell … Producer
- Dana Kirchoff … Associate Producer
- Prudence Glass … Series Producer
- Gail Levin … Writer, Director
- Stephen Ulrich … Music by
- Thomas Wagner … Theme Music by
- Karen Allen
- Peter Bogdanovich
- Beau Bridges
- Jeff Bridges
- Jordan Bridges
- Lloyd Bridges
- Lucinda Bridges
- Susan Bridges
- Stephen Bruton
- T-Bone Burnett
- Ethan Coen
- Joel Coen
- Scott Cooper
- Robert Duvall
- Clint Eastwood
- Terry Gilliam
- Bernie Glassman
- John Goodman
- Taylor Hackford
- Charles S. Howard
- Quincy Jones
- Stacy Keach
- Mercedes Ruehl
- Robert Ryan
- Cybill Shepherd
- John Wayne
- Olivia Wilde
- Robin Williams
- Joel-Peter Witkin