. >> reporter: and they'd reunite again in scorsese's taxi driver when kaitel asked to play one of theser roles. >> officer. >> i said, let me play the pick. he said, the pick? the pick has three lines. >> i'm here. you don't look it. >> reporter: he would improvise additional dialogue. >> you're a funny guy. >> reporter: after going out with a real pick and strapping a tape recorder to himself. >> i said to him, i have to tell you this, you know. i'm wired. he said what? i said, i tape myself so i can record it. he said are you nuts? you're going to get us killed. take that tape off. i had to unbutton my shirt and take all the tape off. >> reporter: what were you hoping to get? >> authenticity. [ laughter ] >> reporter: in 1977, ridley scott gave him his first leading role in "the dualists." but the next year he lost an even bigger part. >>> you walked away from apocalypse now. >> i did. >> reporter: in francis ford copala's epic, he had been cast as captain willard. the role that eventually went to martin sheen. but kaitel balked when he wanted him under contract to his new studio. >