|
                 |
Today
Show 0n NBC January 14, 2005 KATIE COURIC: Neal McDonough first made a name for himself in prime time as a district attorney battling alcoholism in the critically-acclaimed but shortlived crime drama "Boomtown." Now he returns to TV in NBC's "Medical Investigation" as the leader of an elite mobile medical team that travels all across the country diagnosing and curing mysterious diseases. Neal Mc--McDonough--am I saying it right? Is it McDonough? NEAL McDONOUGH: Absolutely. McDonough, yeah, that's right. KC: Neal, nice to see you. Good morning. NEAL: Good morning, Katie. KC: I know that--I read that at one point after trying to become an actor in Hollywood, you almost threw in the towel. NEAL: Yeah. It was a few years ago, it was--it was 1999 and I--and I had done a slew of independent films that no one had ever seen. KC: Right. NEAL: And a few other movies that had never really made it, in a film called "Ravenous" and "Star Trek: First Contact," and I had literally thought of, you know, quitting the business, because I wasn't making a living at it. And I went back home to Cape Cod and spent time with my family and my brothers and my sister. And I got a phone call from a very good friend of mine, Glenn Rigburg, and he said `I've got an audition for you for this thing called "Band of Brothers."' I didn't know what it was. KC: It's a little HBO project. NEAL: Yeah. And they had--but at the time, I didn't know what it was. KC: Yeah. NEAL: And I auditioned for this small part. And Tom Hanks was in the room. And it was--it changed my life. I went on--obviously I got the part. There's "Band of Brothers" there. And, you know, I got to--to portray a wonderful character, Buck Compton, and be part of, you know, one of the greatest television events of all time. And probably the greatest thing that happened to me was the very first night that I got to town doing "Band of Brothers" in London, I met my wife, Ruve. So, you know, it was a very lucky, fortunate time for me. Yeah, it was terrific. KC: Yeah. And you got to work with, you know, terrific actors... NEAL: Oh, yeah. I mean, the other actors... KC: ...and Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and all sorts of folks. NEAL: Yeah. And then from there, Steven was--was gracious enough to, you know, let me be in "Minority Report" and then in "Boomtown." KC: I was g--yeah--I was going to say, after that, that kind of, you know, opened the floodgates and you were on a real roll. NEAL: Yeah. And--and, you know, here I am now talking about my new show, "Medical Investigation." And, you know, for the last five years I'm not sure if it's, you know, the big man upstairs or if it's Steven or if it's, you know, my wife, Ruve, is my good luck charm. But it's been a great run. And now "Medical Investigation" is just--it--the cast that I work with, you know, Kelli Williams and--and Troy Winbush and--and Chris Gorham, Anna Belknap, they're--they're such great actors, and it's so much fun to go there every day and--and be part of the family. And hopefully it goes on for a long, long time. KC: Let's talk about "Medical Investigation"--and speaking of going on for a long, long time, "Boomtown" was, you know, very well-received critically and yet it got the...(makes "cut" sound.) NEAL: Yeah, that was a tough one. I mean, there--there are so many people--a lot of people lining up out there, you know, earlier today, big "Boomtown" fans. And that was a terrific show and, you know, obviously... KC: Must be frustrating when you feel like the show is so good and yet the network just, for whatever reason, can't support it. NEAL: Yeah. For me, it was, you know, I got to do 30 episodes of a terrific TV show. KC: Uh-huh. NEAL: And--and Jeff was so supportive of the show. And the problem was it just didn't get great ratings. KC: That's the president of, what... NEAL: Yeah, Jeff--sorry--yeah. KC: President of everything at this point. NEAL: That's right, of everything now, yeah. And it... KC: He used to be our producer back in the good old days. NEAL: That's right. But it just didn't get the--the huge numbers. And, you know, "Medical Investigation," the numbers we get are so much bigger than "Boomtown"'s. KC: And it--this is all about, again, you know, a lot about forensics and... NEAL: Yeah. KC: ...and figuring out, in this case, I guess, you're kind of the outbreak team, right? NEAL: Yeah, exactly. KC: Why do you think there's such a fascinating with kind of behind the scenes crime stuff and medical stuff in this country? Because, I mean, how many shows can there be about this, really? NEAL: Yeah, it--it's--you're right, there are so many forensic dramas now, with the "CSI"s and the other ones. The thing I love so much about, you know, "Medical Investigation" is that at the end of each show it's really, you know, hope in the face of despair and it's not about some axe-wielding murderer. It's about, you know, disease and us saving lives. And it's--it's a lot of fun to do. I'm very fortunate to be a part of it, and I'm having a great time doing it. KC: It's a lot of fun and a lot of responsibility. NEAL: It is a lot of--a lot of fun too. KC: I mean, isn't it exhausting saving all those lives every week? NEAL: It is, yeah. Ask my wife, I'm never home anymore. It's--it--it's great, you know, it's--when you go to work and you're doing something that love doing, you know, the hours fly by and--and it's, you know, our first season's almost over and it's going to be sad when it is almost over. (They show a film clip of "Medical Investigation".) KC: Yaaah! NEAL: Ooh, that's nasty, isn't it? KC: Yeah. NEAL: Ooh, I haven't seen that. Wow, that looks great. KC: Really? NEAL: That's a good one. I hardly ever get to see the show. KC: A little early in the morning, Neal, perhaps, though, don't you think? NEAL: Absolutely. This is very true. KC: So I understand that you at one point wanted to be a professional baseball player. You played at Syracuse? NEAL: I did. Played at Syracuse. And I was fortunate that when I came out to Hollywood, all I did was baseball stuff. It was--I played Lou Gehrig in "The Babe Ruth Story" and "Angels in the Outfield" and a few other baseball things. And so my baseball training definitely paid off. But I don't think I would have ever made it in the big leagues and, luckily enough, I made the right choice. KC: Well, I'm glad things are going so well for you. NEAL: Thanks, Katie. Yeah. KC: And worked hard to get here. NEAL: Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. KC: And it's great to meet you. And Neal and I had a big discussion about his hair color before we went on. NEAL: That's right, that's right. It's--it's absolutely real. KC: You have gray hair. NEAL: Yeah. KC: And--and--and you sort of have that Annie--Annie Lennox thing going. NEAL: That's right, exactly. KC: But--but I--I think you should tell them to let your hair... NEAL: Go back to this old gray? KC: ...be gray. Yeah, I think it would look beautiful with your blue eyes. NEAL: Let's do it. KC: That's my recommendation. NEAL: There it is, I'm going gray from now on. KC: Katie Vidal Couric. NEAL: That's right. KC: Anyway. Nice to see you, Neal. NEAL: Thanks, Katie. KC: And good luck with everything. Screen captures and transcript courtesy of: Sylvie at Robert Wahlberg.com |
                |