- Rip Torn, The Larry Sanders Show, TV, 1992-1998. The star and creator Garry Shandling had three choices for his fictional TV talk-show star’s producer. Torn, Glover (usually a gravel voiced villan: The Riddler, Lionel Luthor, etc) and Ken Ruta (who had a stage gig). “I’d met with Rip and his agent,” recalled Shandling. “Rip was plesasant but not evocative.” They had a second meet and although he knew Torn refused read for the role, he asked him to do so – to see if they gelled. “Oh, to hell with it,” said Torn, “gimme the script.” And as Garry remembered it: “He proceeded to blow me away.” But would a movie actor be comfortable with the pace of TV? “He said he’d done Rawhide. I hired him. Months later… he whispered: ‘You know I only did two episodes of Rawhide.’ Which explains why he’s the perfect Artie – that’s Artie’s sense of humour.”
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 1