good evening from los angeles, i'm tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with oscar winner anjelica huston about her latest thome "watch me: a memoir," about her childhood. a where theh last left off. a candid look at her career in l.a. and much publicized romance with jack nicholson and relationship with robert graham. we're glad you joined us. a conversation with oscar winner anjelica huston coming up right now. ♪

and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. so just about a year ago, anjelica huston was in this very chair talking about her first home, a memoir in ireland called "the a story lately told." she let us know she was writing more about her life. and i immediately asked her to come back when the book was done. she agreed. since then, we've hung out in new york city. and now she's back in l.a. to

join us tonight for the new book which is called "the watch me: a memoir." i am honored to have her back on this program. you kept your word, and thank you for doing that. my pleasure. >> i want to -- there's so much i want to talk to you about. i'm glad i've got a full show and can do three or four nights with you given what you have in this book. i think i want to start our conversation with where your book essentially ends. i want to begin where you end. w this wonderful line reminded of an irish phrase. when you are faced with an obstacle on the hunting field it is said that you must first throw your heart over it before jumping." that's powerful. >> well it's some -- it means that you expect a good result, you know. if -- if you fear the fences, it's more likely that you're going to get entangled. so i think optimism, strength forward motion, that's -- that's the way i like to go.

>> yeah. where did that spirit of falling come -- of forwarding come from? >> very much from my father who didn't really suffer fools. he didn't -- he didn't suffer cowards, that's for sure. so i think in a way it comes directly from him. nothing ventured, nothing gained. >> yeah. you write so lovingly of your father in this book. i'm not surprised by that. but even more so to my mind at least, even more so in this tech than in the first text, i mean, your father has such a towering presence in this book. i raise that because i'm curious as to whether or not there's something you can put your finger on about how your relationship developed. do you know where i'm going? >> sure. >> over the course of your life over the course of your career because he's so present in this tech. >> that's true. when -- this text. >> that's true. when i was little, i was daddy's

little girl. ig was his only daughter and continue to be his only daughter until he adopted my little sister allegra who is my mother's child when our mother died. i think it was probably our -- our tough moment comes when i became a teenager and started to rebel a bit and have my own ideas and my own opinions. he was one of those fathers, i think, who wanted me to kind of remain where i was and allow him time to catch up with me because he was away a lot and he'll come back from location. and i would have grown and have ideas about independence that he wasn't so crazy about. i wore a lot of make-up in the '60s. i think all of that scared him a bit. then we had a moment where we made a movie together.

that was difficult. a movie called "a walk with love and death" this on, stens "" "the that -- "a walk with love and death." great by anyone's standards but not me. i wasn't a happy camper at that time and a recalcitrant actress which is not a good thing. then -- >> yeah. >> then after that we had a guess five maybe eight years and then he was honored by the afi one night. i stood up and said "give me another chance." he gave me another chance. that chance was called "prizy's honor." >> the yes, it was. >> and that brought me an oscar. >> and your dad when you were speaking and accepting, he's in the audience crying. >> that's right. >> and because i was in such shock after receiving the prize,

you're supposed to go backstage with the minders, you know. because i was delirious i ran back into the audience. if i hadn't of done that, i never would have seen my dad upset like that. and dad didn't cry easily. i think it was maybe the first time i ever saw him cry. >> wow. that's the second project. then you worked together one more time. but he was rather ill the last time you worked together which leads me to how you reflect upon what it's like to watch two people veryw close to you die -- your father and your husband. what's -- what can you share about watching people close to you do that dance with mortality? >> here's the thing -- i'm a very strong person. and my father was sick for a very long time. sick with emphysema.

it's a progressive disease. and each time he will go into crisis, his carbon dioxide would go up his oxygen would go down. he'd get acquiescent and dreamy and then we'll know it was time to bring him into hospital, and the fight would begin. i noticed if i was present i could really help him along. he trusted me, and because of my strength and because of my determine i was often able to help him out, pull him back. but i believe -- i believe that god has a destiny, and i believe that when he call your number that it's time. we can prolong that moment maybe. we can try stretch it. but when the call comes, you have to learn to let go. and learning to let the go is the hard thing for people. we think -- we think we can

control everything. and for me, with dad, you know, it was this constant calling him back from the edge. each time it became more evident that it was harder on him, that it was less to live for. that his life would be compromised by being pulled back. so in a way, you learn to let go a little bit every time he went into crisis. with bob robert, my husband, his si the blue. i didn't know he was sick or as sick as he was. there were little things little signs. but i didn't know what it was or the immensity of his problem. it was a kind of slow and mysterious descent.

with bob, i just tried to be there. be there, hold his hand, tell him everything of going to be all right. and that's another thing, you know. do you tell a dying person that they're dying or do you tell them everything's going to be all right? i think you have to stay on the side of the living, fight as hard as you can to keep that person with you and on earth. but ultimately if their life is going to be compromised like bob's life would have been compromised, he'd of had to be on dialysis every other day or every day, once you have organ failure, it's not a -- it'siúm not really a question anymore. and it's --yh you have to in a3dq way take yourself out of it at a certain point and allow that person the dignity of their journey. >> speaking of allowing that

person the dignity of their journey i want to move off of this -- there's so much in this book, i can't get to it in a full show. i want to move off of this notion of morbidity in a second. if you will answer this question first, which is what your takeaway is about your own journey from watching your father and watching your husband. i don't want to color the question beyond that. you got a lot -- a lot of life left in you, thank god. but when that moment comes, what have you learned about your own journey based upon helping the two of them navigate theirs? >> that's a really good question. i think it's obviously a journey full of mystery. my feeling is that there's something beyond it. i mean, there are dreams yawn sleep so why shouldn't there be a life or some existence after

death? so for me, i imagine that there is another place a more elevated place that we go to. a place that isxjy"÷ maybe sort of -- refines who we are, takes the spirit and leaves the body. and who knows what the journey of the spirit is. i think trust has enormous amount to do with it. that's the human conundrum is =dt t)t)ju$at trust and believing that you're going to be transported to a better place or at least that you're on a path of evolution. >> i could have started the conversation 15 minutes ago about a singular person named jack. i didn't because i know that

everywhere you go people want to know about jack. i know what it's likei4c being on a book tour. you and i were in new york together when we were announcing our books coming out. and i knew then -- i said a prayer for you. i said she's going to get asked more questions about jack. >> i love that you say that, though, because it's absolutely true. the book isn't really about me actually. it's -- >> about jack. >> the fact that we split up 30 years ago is of no consequence. >> yeah. that's precisely why i didn't want to begin there. i don't even want to ask a question about jack. since it's in the text, what do you want to say about jack? that way you goat control what you say or don't want to say about it. >> you're very funny, and that's wonderful because i was on the show yesterday, and i was8risç asked this question about jack first. and i found myself kind of ÷)q and the person said, well, it is on the second page. i went oh okay, i guess they

have a right to ask about jack. it's than i don't like talking about jack. i do like talking about jack. but he's not the only thing my life was made up of. he's a big part of it an interesting part of it. sometimes a part of it. i still enjoy it. you know i think bottom line with jack, he made a movie once called "iron weed." and i was with -- with meryl streep. it was a very, very tough movie and he played a very sad alcoholic. after the lights went up in the movie, i was bereft. i was so sad. and i realized that a world without jack was aninfinityily duller, sadder place.

he's one of the lights of my life. he's not the main light. but in the starry sky, he shines bright. i trust him -- the little things in the old days. maybe not the most faithful man in the world, but if the chips were down, and they have been done a few times i rely on jack for his -- his strength and for his loyalty. a loyal and fine friend. somebody said to me one, you know he'll be a better friend to you than a lover. and in a way i think that's true. >> it's been over for 0 years now, because you were away for a while during lot of thing happened while the two of you were together. i was completely blown away by the roman polanski story. i did not remember that.

i wasn't living in l.a. at the time. i couldn't believe that -- i didn't recall that it happened in that house. >> right. >> i'll let you tell the story. it happens in the house. they come back the next day, the cops do. they're checking everything. they check your purse. i'll let you tell the story. >> well what happened initially was roman called me up and asked me if i wanted to go to the movies. we went to the movies and had a nice night. he dropped me off in the parking lot on rodeo drive in beverly hills. i watched his taillights go on off up the street. and i thought i wonder if it's true that things go bad in roman's life. the next evening i was at jack's house. jack was in aspen. i was packing bags. we were splitting up at the time. when i walked into the house i saw a blue jean jacket and camera. and i recognized the jacketa the one roman had been wearing the night before. i didn't really think anything

of it because jack's house was always populated. people came in and out. he had a number of people working for him. people drop by. it was -- it wasn't unusual. it wasn't an unusualvz thing to see an item of clothing of somebody's sitting on the bed. i made a phone call, and within minutes, roman appeared with a young woman. i -- i didn't think really about how old she might be. she was tall. she asked the sex of the dog, and they left. the next evening, i'm still packing up in the house. and i saw a lot of flashlights below the window in the garden. there were guys in the garden. and i -- i went to a window

above the main door and looked down, and there were seven big guys there and roman. and roman was ringing the doorbell, i went down, opened the door and he said, "these guys just want to have a look around. it's nothing. it's about something last night." so i -- i was relaxed. i said didn't think much about it. they came into the house. one of them said, "you better show me the drugs." i had some cocaine in my bag. i gave him the bag. next thing i knew, i was going down to santa monica police station in the back of his squad car. i knew not nothing about -- about what had allegedly happened. i wentn5 down -- i was served in the process of being booked, and

then, you know, i was allowed to make a phone call. i made it to jack's business manager who bailed me out. kept saying, he better show up, otherwise you're going down to&q city jail. it was not a highlight of my life. and eventually you know, bob's -- jack's business manager showed up, and i was sprung. and that was really the story. >> it's quite a story. >> yeah. >> it's quite a story. and as i'm reading it i'm imagining living it. reading it is one thing but that had to be beyond frightening. >> it was very frightening. and i didn't know to what extent i would be involved. i didn't know what -- i didn't know what was going on. it was -- it was not only

frightening, it was humiliating. it was depressing -- when i was asked the names of my next of kin at the police station i have to mention my father's name and sister's name. and that was pretty brutal. i know i didn't doxc anything wrong. the fact that i was in possession of that drug, it wasn't very sharp of me. i learned a big lesson. >> yeah. >> but i -- i hadn't hurt anyone, and i hadn't, you know -- it seemed to me a bad twist of fate. >> there's more. i'll stop you there because we don't want to give the book away. there's something -- again, i can't do justice to all of the stuff in here. maybe dramatically shift gears. you get a call from michael douglas one day who wants to ask you if you will give a script to

jack. would you help me out in getting this script to jack? the script happens to be -- >> "one flew over the cuckoo's nest." >> that went just any script. >> no. actually i met michael when i was first in l.a. >> right. >> i -- i had a very good friend from london who was a set designer. and i guess when he came to l.a. a few years before i did, he had this whole coterie of friends. and he was going out with care carrow, and of part of the group. i think michael of trepwas scared. and he asked me to get the script to him. of course, i never read it. script he wants you toed are. jack was like oh okay -- to

read. jack was like, oh okay. of course,ñ+ it was a sdlapt mikecript that michael's father had wanted for years. kirk had wanted to play this part for as long as he, remember and finally wasn't young enough to play it. so had to hand it back to michael. that was pretty good. >> it was very good. what do you make of the life that you have lived and being in all of these interesting places with these interesting people for all these years? >> well, i once described myself as the sort of zelig of -- >> that's a good word. >> for a century. i have. i've been -- i've been in a lot of interesting places where -- when interesting things were going down. >> you're like a much cuter, smarter forrest gump. every time i look up -- you're connected to the story. >> well, i've been connected to some really interesting people.

>> yeah. >> and i think it's true that where interesting people go interesting stories develop. >> yeah. that makes sense. i'll take that. broadway. >> broadway next. >> yeah. >> actually, i'm going do "lovelers "lovelers" " t" lovelove letters." i'm really excited. >> technically a debut of sorts. >> technically a debut.ç% when i was 17 years old, i just arrived in new york, understudying "hamlet." the so i was -- how can i say? you know a -- an on-stage player. but i didn't have a line. i think i was a lady in waiting in the court of hamlet. and i emitted a scream during the fencing scene, but that was about it. this time, i have some lines. >> yeah. you have more than a few. how are you approaching this? are you excited, or -- a little scared?

>> i'm very excited. when i was in new york just now on my book tour i went to see candace bergen and alan alda who are fantastic. it's one of those plays that just changes so radically with whoever's in it or at least i -- i assume it will because it was full of surprises watching both of them work. and i'm a huge fan of both of their -- their work, i have to. i can't wait. >> i can't wait to get there. jonathan, can you do me a favor before we iran outrun out of time? we put up the cover when you were here a year ago. i was just raving about the cover photo on this -- your first book. "a story lately told." i didn't think it would get any better than that. then the cover of this book, "watch me." such a gorgeousu3 photo.

>> thank you. >> you got to be happy -- >> i am happy with the way scribners treated my work. i have to say, i'm so lucky to have this publisher nan graham. and i have to also mention my amazing editor bill witworth. between them, i feel like i've just been with the best. it's like having two of the best coaches in the world. >> yeah. tomorrow night -- and i have been crying for the last week or so. i've talks tomorrow night, if you're here in l.a., tomorrow night, organization called live talks l.a. liveanjelica will be in town. she asked if i would moderate. i would love nothing more -- >> you've got to be in new orleans. >> i've got to be in new orleans, traveling this week. if you're in l.a., tomorrow night, "live talks l.a.," if want to get the book signed and

see her in person. for the rest of you go to your book store or on line. if you're lucky enough to be there, anjelica will sign her second memoir, "the watch me." and it is a -- a wonderful book, rich with detail. and great stories. and that cover photo, i can just fall asleep to every night. anyway, i love you. an honor to have you on the program. >> thank you very much tavis. it's always such3k a pleasure to be here. >> thank you, sweetheart. that's our show. thanks for watching. as always, keep the faith. ♪ >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for[ñ a conversation with joanie mitchell about her career spanning four-disc collection featuring 53 of her songs. see you then.

♪ and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.

>> rose: welcome to the program. we begin this evening with the new congress convening in washington. it is the 114th congress and we talk about the challenge they face with al hunt. >> i think the conventional wisdom has been that the tea party, the movement right has peaked. they're really on the decline, they don't matter. i think that may be a mistake. those 24 members were sending a warning shout out today. they weren't going to beat john boehner. they were sending a message to to mitch mcconnell as much as they were to john boehner. don't compromise. boehner would clearly like to forge some kind of middle-of-the-road consensus on a few issues. it's not going to be easy and i don't think his party will make it easy for him.