USA Satellite Radio 
Entertainment USA with Nancy Jay
Aired October 25, 2006 at 10:35 AM EST
Repeated at 3:35 PM EST
 
NJ:  Speaking of another great voice ...
You may not know his name, but if you remember the 1960's TV series, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, we have one of the actors from the show – David Hedison.  When we come back. Now on Home Video.  In color.  Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 3 disc DVD, Season 2, part 1. And we have one of the stars of the classic TV Series – David Hedison.
 
DH:  Hello, Nancy, good to be here.
 
NJ:  Hi, David.
A lot has changed since you did the show.  It must be very exciting to have them finally come out on home video.  How does that feel?
 
DH:  It’s very exciting.  And the color is terrific.  I feel like waking up tomorrow and going back to Twentieth Century Fox and doing it all over again.
 
NJ:  I know, I've seen them too, they gave me an advance copy.  This was all done on the back lot? Amazing.
 
DH:  Yes, it was all done at Fox.  On the back lot.  The first year we went to Catalina Island to do underwater stuff.
 
NJ:  Now this was a show about the first privately owned nuclear submarine and its amazing how ahead of its time it was.  The issues in these episodes are still issues today, current events even.  Did you know back then, you would be so accurate in predicting what would happen in the future?
 
DH:  Nothing ever changes, does it, Nancy.  No, back then, we really had no idea what was going to happen.  I remember a script I had that said it was 1985 and that seemed so far off into the distance and here we are in 2006.  It’s just amazing all the changes and I think that show was -- looking back on it now, I didn't take it seriously then, but it’s a damn good show and I'm very proud of it. 
 
NJ:  You were still a kid.  You had all “dark hair” then.
 
DH:  I had all dark hair.  My hair is white now.  I spray the white in to make it –
 
NJ:  So you can look a little older.  People wouldn't believe it.
 
DH:  Exactly.  I also have a beard and that’s gray, too.
 
NJ:  What did Voyage do for your career?
 
DH:  It did a lot.  People get very excited.  There was all that fan mail and I did very well.  It did a lot for my career at the time.  Then the show was over and I was at my hottest and I decided to go to England and I got married.  So when I came back I was a little on the cold side and it was like starting all over again.
 
NJ:  Very interesting.  I guess in this business you have to keep working. 
 
DH: You have to keep going all the time.  Don't think about what you did last week.  You have to keep it going.  Keep it fresh.  Keep it alive.  So people just remember.
 
NJ:  Of course, we are talking to David Hedison. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.  The new DVDs are out.  Season 2.  You did get involved with some soap operas.  Are you still ...
 
DH:  At one point.  That was later.  One was in 1991, I went back to New York and I did Another World.  I was on that for about five years.  Then about year and half ago while here in LA I did The Young and the Restless.  So I was on that, where I played Jeanne Cooper’s lover. 
 
NJ:  Is Arthur Hendricks going to be returning in some form?
 
DH:  That would very nice, if he did, but I haven't heard anything about that. 
 
NJ:  One never knows in this business.
 
DH:  You never know.
 
NJ:  Are you still married to that girl you sort of gave up everything for?
 
DH:  I certainly am.  40 years.
 
NJ:  See, you wouldn't want to change anything?
 
DH:  Not in a million years.  And I have two great [daughters.]  Very happy.   
 
NJ:  Tell me, do you get recognized out on the street?  Do people know who you are?
 
DH:  You know it’s very strange, Nancy.  Because of the beard, and of course my look has changed a bit.  I will be in a store and I will ask a question and people will turn around.  It’s something about the voice.  They pick it up immediately and they look at me.  Then suddenly it hits them.  People will say, weren't you on ... that sort of thing.  But not all the time.  Let’s face it, some of the kids haven't even seen the show.
 
NJ:  That’s the great thing about home video.  What do you think?  Will kids like this?  There were some monster shows.  It’s a bit raw.
 
[David laughed uproariously]
 
DH:  I think it’s great for kids.  I think it’s wonderful.  When the series first started – the first year was wonderful.  The second year was wonderful.  Then they did get into Monster mode, and I think that lost the interest of some of the adults, but the kids loved it.  It wasn't very bad. You see worse stuff on today. 
 
NJ:  Oh, Absolutely.
 
DH:  My god.  Have you ever watched Nip/Tuck?
 
NJ:  Oh.  Obviously, you must, too.
 
DH:  I do.
 
[Laughter]
 
NJ:  Great show.  It’s amazing what cable has done for Television.
 
DH:  Oh, I know.
 
NJ:  What about a movie about Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea?
 
DH:  They did one originally.  There was a movie with Walter Pidgeon, Joan Fontaine, Peter Lorre, Barbara Eden, a whole bunch of wonderful actors.
 
NJ:  Is that where TV show came from?
 
DH:  That’s where the TV show came from.  Originally, Irwin Allen had wanted me to play the part of the Captain in the movie, and I had turned it down because I had just finished The Lost World that he did and I thought this is more of same, so I didn't do it.  I didn't want to do the series, either, but when he told me Richard Basehart was going to play the Admiral.  Then I got interested.
 
NJ:  Ah, ha.  I'm glad you did. 
 
DH:  Absolutely.
 
NJ:  They are making so many movies of TV shows now - do you think there will be a film - that we might see Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea?
 
DH:  Exactly.  You never know.
 
NJ:  You never know. 
 
DH:  There was talk - I think it was Kevin Costner –
 
NJ:  Oh, wow.
 
DH:  Somebody is interested in taking it on and doing it.  It could be happening as we speak.
 
NJ:  I just don't know if Kevin Costner should do any more water movies...
 
DH:  Maybe he is going to produce it.
 
NJ:  Ah, there we go.
 
DH:  Maybe they would give me a walk on part for which I'd be very grateful for.
 
NJ:  Absolutely.
 
NJ:  Are we seeing you in anything right now?  Have you got anything - are you doing stage work?
 
DH:  What I'm doing is now is books on tape.
 
NJ:  Oh, wow, because of your voice.
 
DH:  I did a couple of those, one called McKnight’s Memory by Paul Kyriazi and several other little books, so that has been keeping me busy.  I go to the Actors Studio West every week to do scenes and work with the young people.  I have a great time.  It’s wonderful.
 
NJ:  David, that voice will carry you very far and the looks and the acting ability.
 
DH:  You haven't seen me lately.
 
NJ:  I have your picture up.  I know what you look like. 
 
DH:  Okay.
 
NJ:  Thanks for sharing your memories with us.  David Hedison.  Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Season 2, Part one out on video now.
 
DH:  Thank you, Nancy.
 
NJ:  Thank you, David.

Transcribed by  
Diane Kachmar
10/29/06