>> rose: welcome to the program, tonight as summer ends we take a look back at some of the best programs so far this year. this evening an encore presentation of our remembrance of robin williams. >> the improvisational comedy of improvisational theatre came to failing that school, and coming back and studying acting and going july yard and not finding acting work and then went into comedy, just to find, kind of a mental exercise. and it was interesting because all of a sudden i realized i could use all the chops hi before from school but the question do it on stage. a lot of times i wouldn't use a michaelly in the club when it was a two drink minimum where you have people going you suck, and that's the owner. i would come off because i could project from school, i would wander in the audience and people could here. i think the person that i played i had a paying job in orange county and the

microphone system was dead and all these are going i can't do it with a mike. i'm not afraid. let me go. let me go now! >> let the little hyperboy go. >> robin williams for the hour when we continue. >> funding for charlie rose is provided by the following: additional funding provided by: from our studios in new york city, this is charlie rose. >> we remember robin williams this evening.

he was my friend and he captioning sponsored by rose communications was a friend of this program. he came to this table often. nobody on the planet could be so spontaneous, so improvisational, so smart as robin williams. simply stated, there was no one like him, in a league of giants think letterman and carson and so many more in television and stand-up and film, he was a unique giant so, talented it took your breath away. he was the quarantined laughs so smart and so quick but impossible to define. if you are's in journalism your instinct is not to praise but simply to state he was brilliant. he was the brightest star who fell to earth and is now among the stars. officials will answer the question why he died and how he died. the rest of us simply say thanks for coming to the table. we will never forget you. the first time he came to this table was 16 years ago, 1998 was the year he would win the academy award for his performance in "goodwill hunting" >> do you look for this kind

of role because it gives some balance to the kind of things that you're going to do. >> yeah, because i can-- i love being a supporting part, for me a supporting role is extraordinary for me. because two things, it takes the pressure off. but it's also being part of an ensemble. but a role like this, because it's-- i like to try an take a turn to do a movie like ""flubber"" which is a children's movie, no bones about it but to do a movie like this, it is the other way. also to play a character that is slightly tough, is slightly has his own problems, no, it is a wonderfulfully complex character. and i love to do that. it balances it out. that is why i always keep trying to do as many different types of things as possible. not one particular type of role. >> rose: cake me to two places what is going on with your character, when this guy walks in the room, and then what happens in the relationship. what is it that john finally gives will that makes the difference. >> before the first time he walks in, like i said,

i-- my wife died a couple of years before. i had been teaching in a place called bunker hill community college. i teach all different types of psychology classes. i've kind of withdrawn. i did go to m.i.t. with-- character but i chose, he was a vietnam vet, the fields medal winner. and basically he chose a life of working in the neighbor hooted, working basically in boston and working back with the people he grew up with. in a weird way in that respect he wanted to work with the people he knew, in the community he grew up in. but he's got it. he's been through a lot. what he offers matt's character is a perspective. it's like saying, you know, like in the first time when he presses the button, when he starts to attack the memory of my life t pushes the button that i can't even control myself. i basically go for it and i violate the therapeutic relationship in that moment.

it's no longer a therapeutic relationship. and that's why the next session, that speech by the swan pond is essentially saying okay, i know who you are, you know who i am and you really, you know, you mess with my life in a huge way. but i want you to know i know who you are. and i know you need some help. and if you want to work on it i would love to help you. but it's up to you. and that's what i say, then it just begins, this process of the two of them just talking, you know. first couple of times they don't even talk, it's standoff, he won't even say anything. then it was to a point where finally we start, i have to kind of tell him, ask him a few questions and he tells me and then i start sharing a little bit of myself for some reason. the reason probably is that in him you see yourself. he sees in himself, i see the same mind going, and i see where it could go. it's like that argument that we have with the character in the bar, he gives the eye

stein, what would einstein have done. he became this great mind. also there is another great mind who lived in montana named theodore kaczynski. so it's that idea of he needs work. there are things he can have. i know he is a genius, that's a given. that's not what i'm there to work on. i'm there to work on the other part of him. at the end i'm just saying to him what do you want to do. you could do anything, you know. and in the end it's like, it is father-son but it has all sorts of other elements. >> i was just going to say that he is saying that what you have chosen to exploit in my character is not a flaw, this relationship i had with this woman is not a character flaw, this is an amazing relationship i will. and because i had it, i have really lived. and that's what he tells will. and essentially will's only comeback is well then why aren't you doing that now. have why-- why have you spotted. >> we always thought the characters were parallel, they were both stagnant when they meet each other and because of this they end up

moving on in a healthy way. >> rose: when did you know that you wanted at least to entertain, if not to be whatever you are? (laughter) >> that time when i saw my -- >> i think it was after high school. >> really? >> first year of college. i knew that at this had tendencies that way. >> you did. >> what are you doing? >> performing. >> what is that about? >> nothing. >> what dow mean. >> no-- it was, i think it occurred in college when i took this improvisational theatre class and something so freeing about that, that i flunked out all of my political science courses. >> rose: but did well in improvisational theatre. >> amazing, oh, very well, very well. >> that thing that i do well now. i have brought my mind hither and my mind will-- from the question thous have delivered me, and now my friend, but in the end you must suppose that

charlie rose knows. >> yes, he does. >> that was the beginning where it really started to kick out. and it seemed like pretty much from then on, doing this. >> rose: is there one great thing you want to do? i mean is this, do you get more satisfaction from this kind of thing? or do you in the end get the most satisfaction when you're out there with an audience? >> it's equal in different ways. i mean it's like comparing hang gliding and speh lunking. this is a kind of, the idea of how intimate the piece is and when it really, when it worked and reaches people on an intimate level it is just as meaningful to me as performing live. it's different and you know, but it gives me the same satisfaction but performing live is this extraordinary, it's cheaper than prozac. >> a great release and it's amazing kind of fulfillment of-- the one to one caveat is performing live and when you are really creating. when you ask him, does he

just hold stuff or no. >> it's an old line, my friend. i've heard that one. but when you really find a new gig, it's something wonderful, the creation. when you create it that as-- that's extraordinary. >> dow sit down and write this stuff at all. >> no, i basically-- . >> rose: free association. >> yes that sounds like a law firm. young, young and fraud, we're preassociates, raise your right hand or your left, whatever you want to do. >> rose: whatever your mother tells to you. >> if it's not one thing it's your mother. stay with me, here we go. walk away, you mother will know you better. >> rose: by the year 2000 robin williams had already appeared in more than 30 feature films. this conversation centered on the challenges of acting and improvisation. >> rose: what is the attraction for you? why is it that you felt like you needed to go back. >> the same reason, i guess, actors go back to the stage. yeah, you go back because it is immediate. you get that, you know, it's

an immediate contact. and especially sometimes when you're playing, not regular comedy clubs am sometimes you will play, there are a couple different clubs in san francisco, one is called the brainwash, i haven't played there yet, i know sounds like a north korean restaurant, eat now! now, now! you stay, eat! it's actually a combination laundromat and -- >> did you like it. >> you liked it! >> what is -- >> no! >> and there is a little place called the mack cafe. first time i went in there, it seated about 24 people. then they took-- . >> rose: stated 15. >> stated is a good word, are you stated? i am stated now. >> bring forth another one. >> so, welcome, oh-- what news, my son. fellow not knowing why what is your name. you will always roman emperor played by englishman, why not have a italian one playing what that, mix the salad, come over here,

antonious, over here! >> rose: see that's what it. you should combine shakespeare and stand-up. >> we could. if it's not a chicken that i have held, did not the two jews enter the bar and on entering find that it was bare. i shall know if i may. this show, one rose yet there sits and that all times outside the day the wall street crumbles naz like fungi rises s it between these, this fall of the-- kill bill gates, thus open the windows of time and rome will be. we will all be undone and simply find ourselves waiting for this. oh, kill bill, yet not knowing why the intern has stunned a trick but not knowing her name, she has gone away. gentle monday ca, know not your tie, the ties that bin. until kenneth starr does shine, till the money above is gone.

oh, charlie rose, the time is yours for you my lord, for you! >> rose: yes, yes. >> shakespeare's only play, so that's the way you like it. >> rose: shakespeare rules. >> shakespeare rules! big, tight, go with it. shakespeare rules. >> rose: go with it, yes. >> did you ever see, a great article i think in los angeles magazine. it was the studio's notes to shakespeare. >> rose: no. >> who was this character, and why do we need him. it's like a great thing about, can we make the character more likable. does his father have to die, can the ghost be less of a hallucination and more of a family friend. >> rose: can we change the ending. >> can the ending be happy. does very to die. can't he wake up. >> rose: doesn't he need a girlfriend. >> yeah, and does she have to die too. so bleak. we really want to go, can it be called porkland. >> rose: that's why are you leaving this business, temporarily. >> temporarily, when i saw

popeye again i remember an agent called me and said robin, can't you open your other eye. i went no, he only has one, it's called popeye. think it would be-- the character would be more likable if he could open both eyes, no, pal, that's the way he's been for 50 years. >> oh, i can't see, oh, it's all different. can we understand him no, that's the part, he mumbles. i'm sorry. it's the business, you know, it's always that thing of maybe that's why stand-up appeals because there's no rules. >> rose: is there any fear of failure when you're up there. >> oh, yes, but i guess you get over that and take a chance. because you have to really, you have to fail in order to find the new. that's what is so nice of going in these clubs, sometimes-- . >> rose: you have to fail to find the new. >> you have to kind of take the chance, even bomb, i guess, but it's like you really kind of let go, and say, to really, because it kind of peels away. what happens is it shakes you up, it scarce you and you go back and work harder and thin, it's like i guess maybe it's the same way on anything where you, you know,

you kick it out. it doesn't work but then you come back and your mind goes fine, step two g to phase two now. don't fall back, i'm going for the blue stuff. stay with me. we're going ahead, we're going towards the comedy wasteland. you're standing on it, look. i don't need to stinking segue, come on, go with me, fight through t don't be-- and you find, you know, you go out and eventually somehow something will kick in. that's why it takes awhile but if you have the courage you can do it. >> rose: you have been gifted, you've been lucky or -- >> lucky, both, gifted, touched. >> rose: you mentioned barry levinson to work with very good directors. >> very. >> rose: . >> i mean it's a great experience. peter weir wz dead poets was peter weir. >> yeah, it it's a learning experience, you come out of that experience and you've learned. they all teach you. peter weir would basically say, you don't have to say anything, there is a power

in listening, there is a power in silence and that was a great lesson because normally i felt like as a comic you have to fill the space. that was one thing. with barry, he, because he was a comic, he had a great understanding of just, you know, the kind of human comedy which he does greatment like when you see it in his movies it is behavioral comedy which is wonderful. it's all about character. his last movie was amazing. and you know, he has an understanding and he helps you relax to that point where you can do it. and that was a gift. >> and mike, mike once again is another comic who he is such a hard judge in terms of what-- but when you know when you finally get it right, you know it's good. >> he's a hard judge. >> yeah, i mean he would be very, you know, just work out the timing, when he laughed it was like, it worked. >> rose: 2002 was the year of change for both robin williams and myself. he was directed by mark romanick and it was his first psychological thriller. i was recuperating from heart surgery that would also become a topic of many

of our conversations. >> come on now, get up. i got a new heart, leave me alone. >> rose: a new valve. >> one valve. come on. why you wait? >> rose: we went down to the pig farm. >> i believe we got another one, for mr. rose. get me the-- the good one. >> louise, ready, we've been fattening her up. >> fattening her for a week, she's got the biggest valve. >> rose: he's a big boy, we need a big valve. >> bring the big boy! >> rose: and make her healthy because mr. rose wants to live a long, long time. >> don't bring me teddy. >> rose: he's not so good. he sleeps all the time. >> i saw that piggie smoking the other day. it's hard to see a pig with a little clof and hoove. it's not the one we want. >> rose: we want the young one, the big one, the right one. >> yes, you don't want smoke

pork. >> rose: you made these three movies in which you play a bad guy. >> right. >> rose: was there some need, was there some reason you wanted to go out and tackle things that you hadn't done before. >> i wanted people to understand, that i never meant to hurt anybody. they shouldn't have been there. they should never have looked at me that way. i wanted to-- . >> rose: i had these demons. >> my head was like a fishbowl and the bubble was broken. maybe that therapist will go, ask him about that. as an actor wanting to play those characters, because as anthony hopkins said, they are no longer bound by the laws of like able, that you have a character that is, can be so, you know, in this case, so kind of normal, hypernormal and bannal in many ways, that you no longer have to be charismatic. and we went out of a way to take away all of that. right off the bat. mark designed the makeup to be very much totally

opposite of who i am, thinning its hair, blonding the hair, glass, i would not want to keep a single-- close it, even the fire would go-- . >> rose: do you specifically aware of the fact that you don't want people to see robin williams, you want them to see the character. >> very much that is what we start up front that is why it was great to have mark. because he would monitor very much and says that's not sy. and it was great to have because it's about, once again, it's all the details it, the minute usualia, everything, the sets, it's all part of it. it all fits in, someone said another thing one day i was walking in wal-mart and i disappeared that is a great compliment. >> rose: they didn't see robin. >> but also they didn't see sy. because he disappeared and became part of it. >> rose: yeah. >> and that type of detail has been really lovely. and interesting to have. and it's a thing that you-- said the more detailed you are in your work, the more universe it is. and the behavior and all those little things that

people, people have come up to me and said i love your shoes. i went thank you, no, i mean in the movie. they love the fact that when i walk, kind of this squeakiness, everything gets under people's skin. the sounds, the images, that's a great thing. >> rose: do you have to put brakes on an instinct to improvise. >> no, because we talked in the beginning. i would have moments to just blow the doors off. if i got method and sometimes even mark had to say are you getting too-- method, i got to do this, he would go just blow it out. i go blow it out and come become and be very free, be very kind of calm. there is kind of a residual energy. which was great. >> i think, you know, there's a lot of tension that's created because we know robin williams from, you know, talk shows and the comedies and the stand-up. so we know that he's got this volcanic amount of, you know, of energy. so when he's playing this very repressed, restrained character, we know he's

repressing a volcano. and that treats a lot of tension. if another actor we might suspect he's repesing a hiccup, it's not as infence. >> yeah, and to keep that going, you are charged up, but it helped to have the kind of freedom to go off and then you come back and then there's this thing where you are very much there and present. people would say they that they were registering when you are just watching something, they would pick up on a lot of things. especially when you have a character. most of time it's just observing. >> which is an interesting and delicate line to walk. where you are looking at other people, and you have to be this kind of mixed bag of envy, anger, all these different things kind of going through not just one emotion but many as in life. lots of things are going on simultaneously which is great. >> rose: i don't know how to ask this question but i'm interested in the answer, where are you and where do you want to go now in terms of this. >> with what i have been doing. >> rose: way. >> the same, i want to do interesting movies like this. i'm 51, so getting towards walter brennan.

you're good at characters. i want to do interesting films, work with interesting people. and you know, because you get to a certain point and you say what are you leaving behind. and movies like this i say great. you know, something that has an effect. and you know, kind of has a half-life. that's a wonderful thing. doing the stand-up is another thing that seems to get, effects people in a way. and to have access to both, it's like, you know, break said having passports to many countries, i get the passport to do the hbo and get the passport to do this, it kind of takes people by surprise but that's great. so people keep guessing. >> rose: that year would be one of robin william's most prolific, 2002 saw him star in three feature films and an hbo special. and after 16 years he had returned to stand-up. >> you would any that comedians may have a certain brand of friendship. >> it's tough. >> it is a tough love business. and because in the beginning everybody was hanging out at the club just watching and learning. >> and are you there

together and then you kind of go -- >> a mutual. >> here we are, deadman walking, deadman talking, that thing of and then kind of go your separate ways and will you see people and go oh, what's up, you know. it's very interesting. like i saw richard pryor like a month ago, he came and wanted to go see not san quentin, wanted to see alcatraz, took him to the island. >> rose: you took richard pryor to alcatraz. >> and got him off too. he wanted to go see it. >> rose: did he call you and say, or just somebody said-- robin, get me to the island. i. >> rose: you know san francisco, i know you do. >> yeah. >> take me to the island. >> rose: you know willie too. >> willie brown, willie brown, willie brown, brother, please, i want to say it is an honor, yo, sister, please, willie brown work the room. but it was so good to know him. and jonathan winters. he came up, the weird thing is for jonathan his wedding

anniversary is september 11th, rough day. so i took him to a giants game. and it was so great to have he and his wife. he had a good day. and for me, knowing him, meeting comedians like jonathan, don rickles, man, that's just -- >> you're like a little kid. >> but more like uncle or like the master, the buddha, when you're around jonathan it's like being around the great one. >> he did a great thing, a man was kissing a woman in front of us and doing a long time and he leaned over and said you're sucking the uglyness out. >> not so loud, jon. >> you hang out with those guys and you can't help but feel, you know, and someone like, i got no to know rod steiger before he died. and for me, the stories, you just want to get that stuff on tape sometimes so people could hear all the stuff that these guys have gone through. like walter matthew, meeting those people or the few times once or twice i met billy wilder, there's such a gift that they give new kind of sense of history. but it is like a knowledge,

born of, you know, great, great history like walter being in the battle of the bulge and-- . >> rose: walter matiew was in the battle of the the bull j. >> these guys will tell you those stories and then being in plays and doing movies, it's just amazing thing because all those guys who went into world woor 2 went into acting like it was this thing you do on the gi bill. steiger said he went to an acting class because he heard girls were there. there's chicks, wrz i think a lot of actors got started that way. >> and comics too, hey what is that girl doing. hey. the comic making levels that was wonderful what show did you see, first or second. that old, yeah, that thing, but old, old joke. yeah, bring her back, i remember from 1929. >> rose: but the same thing to be said, dow ever i think

about say leonard somebody ought to be sitting with him and having a forever conversation about recording. i got a call last night from a friend of mine saying i just had this happen to me a little business and i don't have time to do as much of it as i ought to. and somebody said to me i had the most amazing dinner last night and named the guy he had dinner with. he said he's got the most fabulous stories about the beginning of hollywood. and he said you've got to talk to the guy. >> you got to. are you have to get it down, you know, in some medium that won't go away. i remember-- but you know, you hear from all of them and they tell you stories that you are just going oh my god. and you know, it's like hearing the first, the audition tapes of jimmy stewart. ah-- line. you want to hear all these things. and they tell you stuff that you, it's hysterical. but also powerful, you know, coming through the depression, you know, making movies and being in movies.

people or bogart talking it, you know, don rickles and all these people and it's amazing. and meeting brando. i got to meet him once. >> rose: and? >> it was insane it was wonderful to see him, just to go, love this man. and i'm just going oh, there he is. i done know, it's crazy. do you have any putter? he's an amazing guy, all of these guys have some of to tell and teach and that's, brando actually put together an acting class. >> rose: and future on tape. >> yeah. but. >> rose: have you seen that. >> no. >> rose: didn't he get guys like you to help him. >> yeah, people would show up. he's kind of doing what you talked about, giving back but saying, kind of sharing what he knows. sometimes will ramble on, i don't know what that means. but also, sometimes you just say to him whoa t is that kind of buddhist moment. >> rose: you do have t there are moments in which you just say -- >> there is that zen and then times show business in those days there was no

movies, we were just doing this in front of a cave wall. how many crow magazinenums does it take to light a fire it was all of this stuff that they tell you, yeah, i think you have to get it on tape. and it helps to have people just being like a catalyst and just letting them go because they will tell you stuff. and then they want to tell you stuff, and it's important because it's like the verbal record. or visual, verbal and visual both because they light up because you see them talk and they just remember it. yeah. and it's like oh, yeah, babby. >> rose: to have an audience again. >> someone, it's the audience again combined with, yeah, and remembering it again. >> rose: science is an interest of yours. >> i was kind of fascinated by it. my brother started off as an obstacle physicist and teaches science in memphis. >> optical physicist. >> yeah, basically, what's that. >> but i'm always kind of fascinated by it. and the potential for it especially when they're talking about the human genome, the things of working on send in the clones. there was that-- what are

you doing. nothing. i met a nobel prize physicists, what did you do, i developed a gene tlerpee for a specific form of cancer and it really will solve our problems are for the next 20 years, he said what are you doing. i said i'm just having lunch. but you meet them and they are very quiet people who solved the problem. >> rose: how the brain thinks. >> basically work out total nearous fisists. how are you doing. >> i'm fine. >> and what do you do. >> i make noises. i make noises. peter lloyd says, i make faces. i like to make faces, why won't they let me. in i never did anything wrong. and it's never hurting anyone. >> rose: where is that from? >> actually he had a couple but it was in m, but that was in german but he did a monologue once on a television show where he talked about my head is like a fishbowl. and everyone sees inside of it. i can't imagine ed sullivan going that was peter lorrie, right now, doing a wonderful monologue from psycho. doing an incredible socio path.

>> rose: what musical instruments dow play. >> i tried to play the saxophone once and this wonderful brack saxophone player said don't hurt it. don't hurt the instrument. >> rose: be kind to it. >> be kind. a finger treat it like a woman, not like you're trying to grab yourself. it sounds like a whale being-- let it go. my favorite, you listen the old blues records. oh man, bonnie ra itt is going out to find these old great blues artists. i remember in 1927. i just gotten out of prison for the 7th time. i wrote this song called stay away from me. i can't remember all the other words but this song was written after a night of lovely evening with a woman who i found out later on was a man. but we had ourselves some wonderful love it was all-- that night i say, i look down at your thighs ♪ ♪ you greeted me ♪ with a happy surprise

♪ i didn't know ♪ and it's all, you know, for me, i would love to play musk but i haven't had the skill or the learning or as peter cook said, i would love to be a lawyer but i never had the learning. i never had the learning for that. >> rose: but did you have the ear for it? >> somewhat. i just didn't have the hand for it, you know, the ability to kind of play. >> rose: but to do what you do. >> yeah, there's a musicality there. >> rose: it really is-- there's rhythm, musicality and there's a pitch,. >> there is. some people are higher pitched. some people talk like that. some people. >> rose: dow paint. >> no, i wish. but no. >> rose: dow create art at all other than what you do, perform. >> i paint-- i dance, no, i haven't painted. my mother used to but i never did. >> rose: but you read a lot. >> that is my main thing is reading an sampling, as my lovely wife says dust jack elevator literature, it's good, especially now, reading all these different histories of, you start

reading about the crusades going, okay. wait a minute, this is a bit of repetition going on here and you start to read all b you know, that gives me a sense of things repeat swig to the good. and science once again, you know, global warming. i said the coyote-- kyoto accord. >> that is a good car. >> no, that's toyota. >> she is he a great singer no, she's latoya. foregets the dysphasias come with me, do this. >> rose: when robin returned to this table five years ago the quick wit and self-deprecating humor was there there. but now he was having health issues and my friend became a bit more reflective on both his career and live. so what are you doing in weapons of destruction. >> self-destruction. >> talking about pretty much everything. everything that has happened. the heart surgery. i mean the idea of even the valves they gave me the choice of getting different valves. the porcine valve which is wonderful, you're already inoculate ford swine flu and you can find truffles and

bovine valve which is great because you can crap standing up. be more stubborn. but-- . >> rose: and play in the dirt. >> play in the dirt. >> how are you doing, in college kids tip you over at night. i thought because after the heart surgery you find yourself getting very emotional. and i thought i got so emotional i thought instead of a valve they gave me a tiny va-- vagina. >> i know it sounds like an elton john song. >> rose: so when did you know you were not doing so well? >> i was out on the road doing the tour, initially. and i would finish shows and just be just burnt. like this is more than e haas shun, something else was found. and when they want and looked at the valve, they did the angiogram, it was kind of weird. and it was just like-- the leaking, was causing, you know, you know. >> rose: yes. >> and look at you charlie rose with your french valve. we had to look a long way to find a nice piece for you.

>> bring the nice one for charlie. charlie these are the choices you have here, cow, pig, chicken heart, if you want, small but you lay a good fresh egg. >> rose: bighorse. >> and then you could hang out. how proud will be there, look at charles, he's happy to be here. but it's crazy. all of that stuff has been part of it. >> rose: but how do you feel today. >> wonderful. like 98% there i think. letterman when i talked to him and he has had quintuple bypass. >> rose: he almost really went down for the count. >> big time, i think they went in. >> within hours. >> coming -- >> he said it took a year. >> rose: i think he went for a checkup and he said you're going to an operation in an hour. he said an hour. >> big time. hi a doctor in miami who wanted to operate the next day. and there was a wonderful i it willian surgeon who is kind of standing go you may not want to go with a guy who wants to go on vacation. you know, so you get to pick. i had the luxury of being able to look for the best

doctor. >> rose: i did too. >> and i finally found one who had done 4,000 surgeries and all of them amazing. >> rose: all of them successful. >> you don't want a guy who did six, three didn't go so well. okay, let's see what we can do, okay, everybody, let's try this. >> rose: so you were, how long were new recuperation? >> about i think it was like three months literally to kind of, ready to go back out again. >> rose: do you feel better today. >> yeah, i do, actually. >> rose: i do too, much better. >> that's the idea. >> rose: i know. >> you don't want to be going,. >> rose: i'm getting alot of oxygen to my brain now. >> i remember things. >> you appreciate the little things like breath, you know. you do. it is much better. >> rose: charles has a valve. >> people come up and say to you, way to go. >> rose: way to go. >> you are better now. you who runs like a horse will have a great day. charles is good. he is now happy. the brain is back on line. >> rose: exactly. and he can breathe and can

sleep and he can walk and talk. all of those things. >> it's a great deal. >> rose: how much of in is simply natural comedic talent? >> i mean i think lenny bruce said it best. you start off trying to win the attention of your mother, just for one of these. is this thing on? and then you work from there. and then i think it becomes -- >> that was funny. >> good luck. >> i think as it goes along it becomes something you learn and work on. but the moments of, if you do get like its open field like you saw the other thing, sometimes you just get a gift and you go with it. >> but that's a gift. i don't know ten people -- >> some would say touched it. some would say it's voluntary turetz. that's why i think you look at joe biden, joe says things that even people with tur et cetera goes no, no, joe, god, joe, joe!

but i think sometimes it is both. it's a nice combination of the two. >> rose: there are few people that can do what you do. >> that are actually out of institutions. >> rose: that are not -- >> there's a few. there's the older ones like jonathan winters. younger ones like pat oswald and people who are just free. and you just, they can go anywhere with it. which is kind of wonderful. >> rose: jonathan was your hero. >> big time, still is. >> rose: where does he live. >> he lives in santa barbara and it's great because you will see him, and he will talk to feel, a woman once-- to the really in character, in character, kind of many character, hard to pick one. he once parked in a handi cap parking zone, he said you're not handi caps. he said madame, you can see inside my mind. he's amazing, to hang with him is the best. because he just goes. >> rose: is he ever on television, does he do anything. >> he does a lot of different things. he would prefer to do more but i think the idea of seeing him is always the best. and he is, you know, he's for me he's the buddha.

he is the one with the gift that i got from him. >> rose: when you need a recharge. >> big time. >> rose: you see him. >> or call him and just-- who is that? i'm sitting in a hot tub full of indian head nickels. i'm trying to wash them all. hello mr. wilson. robert wilson, i love, send me money. but he always makes me laugh. that is the thing, you go to him and gi oh, cool. mostly i got to hang out with recently mort sal who is amazing. the best. >> rose: when you went into television and then went into film with good morning vietnam and all of that, gas a sense of coming home for you? because that was what you were trained to do at july yard. you weren't trained to do stand-up at july yard. >> no, i mean doing television, i mean, well, the television was more like staun. >> rose: acting. >> when i finally did movies that was what i was trained, i mean that is kind of like-- . >> rose: that came easy when you made that transition. >> no, not easily because at first when you're doing film,

exam pbl-- example, i was doing the world according to gaferment i impro vitiond, it was the first day of shooting. i improvised the line and he made a face like this, and i went-- he went no. just say the line, say the line, and commit to that i went okay. and that was the first great lesson. the second great lesson came from peter weir who said you have great power listening. i want really? he went yes, that is the second part of the equation. when to, when you listen someone, it's quite fascinating. and stillness is very powerful, second great lesson and third great lesson is always find out where catering is. but the ideas of these guys were giving me these great lessons. >> rose: listening is great. >> the idea of really listening and the idea of what it means to be engaged in listening. you find and the other great gift was jeff bridges who said whenever there is an accident in terms of filming, not like something really falling down, a line may get flubbed or something goes off, he goes that's a gift because that forces you to

be in the moment and deal with it. rather than trying to impro advices is-- improvise and create that t is something that happens. >> rose: respond to the -- >> respond to what is going on immediately. and it was another kind of, oh, cool. and don't be afraid to try those things and it forces everybody to kind of engage as in life with the immediate moment. >> rose: i think he has a very good movie out getting enormous attention. >> he is one of the great american actos >> rose: i couldn't agree more. >> and he's underappreciated because i think he's so natural that people think that's just him. each and every one of his performances is different. and iconic. and like, you know, the great lebboutski, the dude is one of the great stoner characters of all time. >> rose: yes, indee. >> in california that's a documentary. >> rose: what does iconic mean. >> i think it is something that really just stands that it is, for me, if someone is doing an impression, that becomes iconic like chris walken is iconic and beyond, something that just stands on its own, it's so distinct. >> rose: i love talking to him, don't you. >> because punctuation is

gone. a friend once saw him he was standing in a puddle with his socks. and everything. just in his socks. andnd friend said what are you doing. today i'm-- today i'm an alligator. and he said chris, if you could have anything, anything you could v what would you want. he said a tail because then you know if i was happy, it would, my tail would be up and it would always move according to your emotions. i'm surprised, question mark, punctuation, great, now, maybe. yeah. >> rose: who else do you do that you love. >> nicholson is the best just because he's so out there. he does things, i love the fact, everybody in the departed is doing hard-core boston accents. he's saying i'm not going. just out on my own. this is who i am, you know. when he won his third academy awarding, i was standing with himment i had just won mine and he stood up and he was standing next to me, he says robo, i've

got one for every decade. good for you, isn't it. what a great night for me, yeah. >> rose: have you ever bought that there is some connection between-- tragedy. >> tragic life and comedic talent. >> comedic talent is a survival mechanism, yeah, i buy into that. it becomes that. because they went through it and it was part of how they got through it richard pryor said he had to be the funnest guy around just to not get the crap kicked out of him. and the idea t was also him diag-- dealing with a childhood of his mother working in a whore house and the idea of-- come dee, when he really found characters, you know, because richard pryor when he started off was doing kosby and he said that then one night it snapped and said i'm tired of being this. and he found this other side of him and tapped into the anger and all the other things, but he was funny with it so he can get it out. >> rose: he's one of those that everybody honors now. >> big time. i used to see him performing telecom dee-- getting ready for stand-up. and he was, he is the most amazing thing because people want him to do mud bone, he

go oh, people, you do it. and he would do ca, and just, you could see him just become possessed by these characters. and it was just amazing to see him do. and just, and go free range with it. and then as soon as it was over i could see him and he was just kind of like, you could see the catharsis of it because he was totally free on stage, get out the demons. >> rose: did you have to get out demons. >> i don't know, you know where we are rob ovment we hang right here. the demons, we live with you, boy! >> rose: come on, robo. talk to us. >> come on robo. tell charlie about the demons. >> rose: seen it on your back. >> hey, hey, charlie. charlie, where we are going now. going a strip club on valentine's day, come on, robin, it will be fun it will play well with the wife. ha ha. the demons. no, they're more like spirits only they're in a glass. spirits there, where are you. possessed. dr. jikel mr. jack daniels. ah, robo.

you know an optimist cease the glass half furbltion the pessimist sees it half empty and an alcoholic goes where's the bottle? i became an alcoholic even thinking about it. alcoholic. and thanks for the vodka, charlie. >> rose: you're okay today? >> totally. okay, well that's not its best term. >> okay. i'm better and also i feel great. and that's kind of wonderful. >> rose: but did you go through a certain kind of whatever. >> yes, i went through a certain kind of whatever. three years of heavy drinking. whatever. what are you doing. welcome to the whatever center. hi, my name is robin, i have a problem with whatever. >> rose: is that the way they do t you have to stand up and say -- >> my name is rob be and i have a problem with whatever. >> i have a problem with whatever. >> welcome to whatever anonymous. >> rose: you are looking at whatever. >> whatever, whatever. i said did you do a lot of whatever. >> yeah, i used to do a lot of whatever. wake up. >> rose: whatever gets you down. >> wake up with a road flare.

what is your name. oh my god,. >> rose: that's my valve. >> i love you, baby. yeah, there was a problem with that. and then i went to rehab in wine country, just to keep my options open. but came out the other side and went, yeah, i'm back. >> rose: how were you different when you came out the other side. >> dry. i think a lot dryer. and i think sober and also able to experience life and-- it's pretty amazing. before the heart surgery one of the more sobering moments of just going life is extraordinary. i don't want to miss it, you know. >> rose: oh, man. >> it's a gift, you know. and to be spending most of the time-- where were you? >> i don't remember. >> rose: are you right. >> to come back from that is like going oh, look, and then you realize you do have family, friends and people. who go i appreciate you and now i can actually remember what we're talking about. how cool is that. that's kind of the gift, you know. >> rose: . >> and that's the thing that you just-- gratitude, simple gratitude of like, yeah, it's good.

as one guy said every day aboveground, you know. much nicer. but it's all those things. really, i appreciate that. >> rose: does stand-up make you a better actor? >> yeah, stand-up are fearless in that way because you have got to be. you have to put it out there and the acting gives you the concentration. will you see a lot of stand-ups when they ago, they are really not afraid to just be and to be wards-- warts and all which is kind of what comedy is too, and that's what is interesting. that is the same thing like when pat and oswald in a movie called big fan. and he's fearless, and he's not funny but playing this wonderful awkward guy. but as a stand-up, he's not afraid to talk about anything. and i think that helps his acting the same way. for me, the stand-up it just gives new outlet that you know and you done have to worry about. and also the idea you don't have to always be likable. this character is not likable. like when i saw the movie a serious man, you have seen that? >> oh, yes, yeah. >> cohen brothers, that's such a-- character. and by the end you feel such

sympathy but you want to go wake up. these people are meshugi wake up. by the end you just want to go smack, get out. it's pretty crazy that way. but a stand-up, i like both. i still keep doing both. >> rose: i'm struck by the fact that jerry seinfeld wanted to go back, you wanted to go back. >> sometimes i think it's more personal. i don't think with jerry it is not economical. >> not at all. i think you get the joy from it. i can say, is it a drug, there is a fix you get. and you're also, and chris rock said it best, it's like being a boxer, you have to get out and have enough material to go the distance. like especially if you are doing more than 30 minutes, or like an hour, hour nach. you got to be ready for it and it really helps. >> rose: some who have written about this tour have said it is more confessional. >> almost. i think it-- it's confessional, yeah, its-- i mean i think the main thing i come away from the operation with is just that, the same thing again, gratitude. >> rose: me too. >> oh man.

>> it's gratitude and life and appreciatedding life warts and all. and whatever. coming out the other side of whatever and being able to go, yeah, man, i got all this. and looking at it all. and in a weird way, as a country we're going through this transition, are we going to make it, yeah, i think we are. i think it's going to be a tightening period and we are going to come through it. >> rose: i do too. we deal with t we kind of, and weirdly we bitch about it, get angry and come through and go okay, we do work together. we sometimes don't play well with others but other times we do. and i think we can. i think we're in that process now. for me, confessional, yeah, it's a little bit. as close as i can be to a confessional as a 58-year-old wasp. you know, your mother and i, i didn't grow up with that. you know your mother and ri so happy. my mother was a christian scientist who had plastic surgery. how confessional is that. she was a christian-- it

worked for her, didn't it. >> it worked for her, darling? i believe in-- yes, sure, baby. >> yeah, but -- >> god will take care. >> god will take care. >> i need help. >> god had a good surgeon, you will be fine. >> you'll be fine, uh-huh. >> like the video and the botox, merry christmas, darling. i wish i could express how happy i am. merry, mer merry christmas, it's a wonderful botox christmas, almost smiling now. gathering around with friends and family, that's all i request feel. >> rose: is your son zack funny. >> big time. >> rose: is he really? >> yeah, koddy is funny, cody does a great countries walken. >> as good as yours. >> no, much better. >> rose: are you serious. >> yeah, he hasn't really uncorked it for youz. >> i think he has been hanging back waitedding for the right moment, zelda is funny, she has been acting, she has done a lot of

movies. how old are they? >> cody is 18, zelda is 20, zack is 25. and it's pretty wonderful. >> rose: they're all going to be be in show business. >> no! no! zelda is an actress. zack was kind of --. >> that's one. >> zack, i don't know. he's got all sorts of different things he has been dabbling in. >> rose: but he might or not. >> what does he want to do. >> he wants to go to harvard business school, so i think show business-- . >> rose: he wants to run things. >> yeah, bingo. god bless. >> rose: there you go. >> he wants to run google. >> oh, please,. >> and cody i think will be a writer because ever since he has been ten he has been writing really interesting fiction. >> rose: do you see yourself in each of them. >> totally. and i also see someone totally different which is one of i see a little bit of myself and then i see this other combination, a combination of mars ya, myself and then something that is just then which is just magnificent and they all turned out really wonderfulfully there have been rough periods but they have all turned out to be

just great human beings. and really, you know, zelda acting, but also, it's more than just acting. when people said she's a very sweet and kind woman. i went that's as great a compliment as saying she is a great actor. that's kind of wonderful. to here your kids are wonderful people, i've done something right, you know. >> rose: robin williams did many things right. he made us laugh and cry and think and feel. he lives on especially in the hearts of his survivors, his wife, his brother, three children, and two-step children. a giant among us. robin williams dead at 63. >> its great thing about having robin williams at the table is you never knew what was going to happen. take a look and you'll see what i mean. >> robin williams is here, the only child of a ford executive who grew up with mostly his imagination to

keep him company. he later found an audience for his comic talents and frenetic injury. >> friend et cetera eck injury. >> that happened later when i was 12, what are you doing. >> get the tape rolling. we'll roll again. >> roll again, tape 2, charlie rose. >> robin williams here the only child of a ford motor company executive. he grew up with mostly his imagination to keep him can. he later found an audience for his comic tall tents and frenetic energy as a stand-up comedian in the late 1970s. he first came to national attention in the television series morning & mindy. >> yes. >> rose: he went on to a feature film career, a feature film career. >> thank you, sir. >> rose: that produced a string of critical and commercial successes. >> both, thank you, sir, once again. i feel like-- oh, man, thank you good luck with that thing. >> you know what happened to

me is i walk around, people will lock and they all say -- >> you go like-- what did you have? >> what i had, i had a-- what did you do. >> what are you doing? >>. >> what are you doing? >> come over here, you got to pull this through the park i told him right there ever since he had that -- >> it's been so great. that's all right. >> doctor, could i maybe get another. >> what has happened. >> i don't know. here's the deal. i need two horseshoes. here. and how is that mayor? >> what dow mean --

>> four, four. >> how are you doing? >> welcome to the-- eventually go how is that i feel good since i had that pig valve put in. a lot of people saying i had-- charlie said i should get a pig valve. people go, it's michael on line two. what are you doing. no one knows. >> this is my boy gill i done know, you know. >> bob ever since that genetic resen has come through, and the botox is working, and the kids are happy, how do you feel. you feel better since the elephant hormones what are you doing? >>. >> that is the next step. you know that people are going-- people, you see people get those contact lenses with the coat how are you doing. >> great party. >> thanks, charlie.

>> i'm pleased to have robin williams back at this table am welcome back. >> thanks. >> here's my question oh my god. >> eight inches. >> oh, oh, no, that's-- what i like to do for a fishing pole just give a nice-- lead out eight inches when are you fly-fishing. send it out there and let the bass hook it and then pull on it. either that or a piece of c4. throw that in there. that's good. you see-- i don't always have that thing where you put it out there. they're like i like to sit out there and a little c 4 and then they come right. >> robin williams for the hour. thank you. >> charlie rose, charlie rose, that's my man. i remember charlie rose, gentle charlie with the two valves. i said charlie, would you get that valve. but no charlie could come and sing lavion charlie. ♪ ♪

♪ that's all for today, ladies and gentlemen. >> thank you and good night. >> good night. >> let the camera keep rolling. >> little charlie, charlie rose. good thing, i remember young charlie rose. i said charlie, charlie even as a child was doing interviews with his bear, we line up all the little animals and he had a little tiny table in and what are you up to, teddie and he had a picture and he had just written down things an even then he just looked at the questions and he would look, teddie, how long you have been stuffed. and the bear was there. and then we turn and the other animal was just look at him and he would turn, as a rabbit do you feel fear? >> the rabbit, do you feel fear near this small stuffed

animal? >> we'll be right back. >> for more about this program and early episodes visit us on-line at pbs.org and charlie rose.com. >> additional funding provided by: and by bloomberg.

>> the following kqed production was browsed in high definition. >> it's all about licking your plate. >> i should be in psychoanalysis for the amount of money i spend in restaurants. >> i had a horrible experience. >> i don't even think we were at the same restaurant.